Cascade Kriek Ale - Cascade Brewing / Raccoon Lodge & Brewpub

drabmuh

Maryland

3.5/5  rDev -17.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I had never had this beer so I was excited to try it at the Cascade tasting, 2009 bottle shared by Michael I believe, thanks! Beer served in a snifter.

Beer is brown and hazy with a thin lazy tan head of wispy tiny bubbles.

Aroma is harsh, acetic, sweet, oaky, and cherry.

Beer is thin and the tartness of the cherries in accented by a strong acetic presence. It is difficult to drink due to the sourness of the beer. It is just too much for me and not a likely repeat, well I'd have it on draft at the barrel house.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2012 16:04:18 | More by drabmuh

BigPlay1824

New York

3.75/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Enjoyed in a chalice

A: pours a thick and kind of odd reddish color with no head and no lacing. Very odd appearance would havr at least expected some carbonation but.nothing here
S: very sour scent with a bit of sweetness, nice cherrie sweetness
T: very sour and very tart through and through, nice taste, everyone else im with hate it but I love it
M: oddly thick and kind of chalky on the palate on the finnish
O: a pretty good representation, not very well rounded in my opinion though

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2012 01:38:42 | More by BigPlay1824

htomsirveaux

Texas

4.08/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 mL C&C bottle tried 1 Mar 2011. 2008 version, so ~18 months more age than the review of the 2009. Served in the 0.4 L Eichbaum snifter.

Large slightly reddish brown head. Well carbonated. Slightly hazy brick red in color. Aromas of cherry pits, oak, earth, musty, sweet-tart sour. Tastes of cherry pits. Slightly sour, moderately sweet. Not as sour as the aroma indicates. Becomes slightly more cherry sour and tannic towards the middle. Medium to light body, ethanol somewhat noticeable. Finish is moderately sour and tannic. Quite easy to drink. Guest reviewer Katie says 'delicious-delicious'.

The 2009 was preferable to the 2008, but just by a bit.

Original review (scores above reflect below review):

750 mL bottle tried 23 Oct 2010. 2009 version. Served in the 0.4 L Steiner Pils snifter.

The bottle fumes as I pop the cork. Medium fluffy tan head. Beer is cloudy, murky brownish red in color. Well carbonated. Aroma is dominated by sour cherry pits. A sweet tart mouth watering aroma. Beer is very puckering. Tart tart cherries. A touch of cinnamon. Medium to heavy chewy body. moderate ethanol. Somewhat tannic middle. Oakiness comes through in the aroma as it warms. Lingering tart finish and aftertaste.

A says should be called salivation.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2012 04:15:44 | More by htomsirveaux

ThePorterSorter

New York

4.1/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

2010 bottle from finger lakes beverage center

Appearance:
A murky-reddish brown with a thin head that fell completely flat almost instantly. There is no lacing, but plenty of cloudiness and sediment.

Smell:
Bold cherries, but nothing medicinal smelling. The beer also smells quite tart/sour with a touch of acetone.
The beer's sourness is complimented by a little bit of underlying sweetness, and possibly some notes from the barrel aging.

Taste:
So this beer cuts above the norm in its level of tartness, but it's not as sour as expected. The mouth puckering dryness followed by lush cherries makes this almost like drinking a wine...but more complex.

Mouthfeel:
This is probably the most distinguishing category for this beer, it's incredibly tart and dry, but also very clean and drinkable. The beer is blasted by a generous amount of carbonation which enhances its overall zing quality.
To me these qualities make it more like drinking a cherry wine instead of a beer, but are is still "beer" attributes.

Overall:
Whoa this is an expensive beer, and frankly one that is overpriced. However, I understand the amount of work that went in to preparing it and believe it was quite well executed. It was worth a try and definitely a hard beer to find on shelves in CNY.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2012 04:03:11 | More by ThePorterSorter

Mahlik

Oregon

4.5/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Cascade Brewing Barrel House. Poured into Cascade goblet. 2010 batch.

A- poured a deep, dark red with a thin white head. The head dissipates to leave a thick soapy ring around the glass. Some sticky spots of lacing.

S- Cherries glore. The Bing cherries really come out here. A smack of tartness from the cherries hit the nose. But then the sour aroma is cut out by an interesting (in a good way) mix of cinnamon and almonds. The Bing cherries never really fade away though. They just become a bit tamed.

T - The flavor starts sour, then tart. Dark cherries create an acidic bite upfront. Then the cherries chill and become more tart. The cinnamon is not quite as noticeable in the taste. There is undeniable almond flavor that lightly coats the back of the tongue and mouth. It finishes up with a gentler sourness from the cherries and currants.

M - Medium-light body with a good amount of carbonation. Not too prickly but enough to meet the style. A slight creaminess that quickly becomes clean and dry. I couldn't detect any of the alcohol.

O- Fantastic example for the style. As far as the USA goes, Cascade makes outstanding sours and this is no exception. A must try if you can get your hands on a bottle.

Serving type: on-tap

01-14-2012 08:12:38 | More by Mahlik

Spider889

Ohio

4.58/5  rDev +8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bought this while in FL over the summer, likely the best beer I walked away with from that trip.

2009 bottling, described as a "NW style sour ale, 7.3% abv." Review from notes - early August 2011.

A - The cork pulled out easily to the tune of a loud perky pop.
Poured into a Lost Abbey tulip. The Kriek is a dark garnet/cherry color and opaque. The head is light and tall - a pinkish salmon color. Very vigorous carbonation is visible. The head had wonderful retention with nice swaths of lace post sip.

S - Damp oak, a bit of wet dog, musty, and tart. My notes describe it as like a Flanders Red, which apparently it is already classified as. Nice juicy fruity sourness.

T - There's a wonderful punch of acidity up front. Cherries are nicely present throughout - both sour/fresh as well as overly ripe tart/sweet black cherry. Mouthwatering juiciness. Lactic but not an omnipresent oppressive sourness sourness - well balanced.

M - Sour, nice full body with soft, though lively, carbonation.

O - This was a want all year and I was ecstatic to find a lone bottle while on vacation in a state largely weak on beer selection.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2012 20:58:36 | More by Spider889

kbnooshay

New York

4.45/5  rDev +5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I bought this in Boston during my Belgian beer festival/the national trip! 2009 bottle. Poured a bright red cherry wood color with lots of carbonation. It sounds fizzy too. Beige head is small and short lived. Aroma is of fresh and sour cherries. On first sip I experience dryness and tartiness. It hits ya with fresh cherries that you almost think will be sweet then it cranks up the tart pucker and blows you away and dries ya out! There's some funk and there's wood. The feel is light-moderate with some nice scrubbing carbonation. This is tasty!

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2012 03:01:37 | More by kbnooshay

zaphodchak

Virginia

4/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2010 vintage, at Cascade.

A trace of offwhite head, very hazy brown body. Good lace.

Sumptuous cherry nose, deep and dank.

Tart, vinegary cherry, relatively dry and brisk for a kriek.

Quite smooth feeling.

Definitely a nice kriek. Can't comment as to whether it has earned the hype since I don't drink enough kriek to judge.

Serving type: on-tap

12-31-2011 18:32:19 | More by zaphodchak

larryi86

Delaware

4.33/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750 mL bottle, 2010, poured into a tulip glass

A- Brown with a nice red tint and a small off white head.

S- Sour cherries, some funk, oak, slightly musty.

T- Sour cherries just jump right out at you, very sour. Getting a touch of sweet cherries, nice oak flavor, light funkiness.

M- Smooth, crisp, medium body.

O- A great sour that did not disappoint. Will be taking the time to seek this out again.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2011 02:17:54 | More by larryi86

muletrane

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2010 Vintage

Poured from a 750ml bottle into an Ommegang Rouge tulip.

A: Pours a deep murky ruby red colour. 2 fingers of creamy off white head dissapates quickly leaving a ring for the rest of the glass.

S: Sour cherries dominate. Mild funkiness. Some nice woody notes.

T: Very similar to the nose. Big sour cherry and woodsy notes. Slight funkiness. Bone dry, tart finish.

M: Moderate body and carbonation. Puckery mouthfeel. Lots of lingering flavor.

Overall this a great example of the style. Lots of big complex flavor here.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2011 01:11:19 | More by muletrane

callmescraps

Massachusetts

4.05/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This is the 2008 version, at 8.1% abv. It was an epic battle to get the damned cork out. Hope it's worth it.

App- Pours a muddy brown, slightly amber highlights. Looks like cola, honestly. The head is somewhat tannish, settling in to a nice cap.

Smell- Tart and funky up front. Strong cherry. It's almost cough syrup like. Quite tart. Some vinegar. Nice.

Taste- Starts nice and tart, then the oak barrels really come through. They add a creamy, almost vanilla balance. It has a cherry purée quality. Not as tart as it appeared up front. The cherry is less strong than anticipated. Oaky, smooth, a little sweet. Not a tongue buckling sour. A little flabby, just lacking that puckering quality I would prefer. A little green apple quality.

Mouthfeel- Nice and creamy. Would like a little more sparkle in the carbonation.

Overall- this is a good beer, but nothing special. It's been tough to find good sour beers on the shelves recently, and this one is easy to find. So if I'm in the mood, I might pick one up. But I'd rather seek out a better example of the style to my mind. Still, it's nice, and I will gladly polish it off.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2011 00:00:42 | More by callmescraps

kungpao

Texas

4.15/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to ChickenCoop for the chance to tick this one. Opened in celebration for our good friend Cory's 25th birthday.

Pours a bit different than expected for a Kriek, mostly brown with a tinge of red from the cherries. This one smells less sour and funky compared to the lambic base krieks I've had.

Theres a nice sweetness here from the cherries. A bit of acidity helps move things along the palate. Subtle funkiness from the wild yeast adds to complexity and to over all character of the beer. Mouthfeel above average for the style, nicely carbonated.

Overall this is a unique kriek worthy of seeking out. Sweeter and less sour than lambic based counterparts. Well balanced and quite quaffable.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2011 20:24:18 | More by kungpao

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.47/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle shared by Darrell. Thanks man.

2009 bottling, 7.3% abv

The beer is a light ruby hue and moderately hazy. Small off white head with copious lacing. The aroma is musty and funky, with notes of oak, sour cherries, and wild yeast. Wow, intensely sour. Huge presence of sour cherries soaking in oak barrels. Palate attacking, cheek assaulting sourness. Oh yeah. Loving it. It seems aged has served this brew quite well. Definitely recommend this one. Huzzah!

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2011 23:54:43 | More by Huhzubendah

DarthKostrizer

California

4/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Vintage 2009

Look: Pours a reddish pinkish color with a 1/4 foamy head and good retention

Smell: The nose is pretty straight forward with just an abundance of cherries.

Taste: The beer actually surprised me quite a bit and maybe because it was 2 years old but the beers was not as tart and sour as I thought it was going to be. That being said it is pretty much a one way street with cherries running wild all over your palate.

Mouthfeel: Medium to low body with ample carbonation

Overall: I would have to say that to date this might be my favorite flanders red because of the fact that it was well balanced and not overly tart or sour. Highly recommended

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2011 20:45:26 | More by DarthKostrizer

KAP1356

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750 ml cork and caged bottle dated 2010 poured into a Lindeman's tulip glass...

A - Pours a cloudy, hazy, medium ruby color that borders on a grapefruit color when held to the light. A one finger, fluffy head forms and dissipates quite quickly to leave a slightly fizzy white cap.

S - Cherries take the stage here. A nice mix of tart and sweet cherries along with some subtle oak influences and some vinegar like qualities.

T - Sour, tart cherries mixed with balsamic like tastes. Sweet cherries and a slight bite from the subtle oak make a nice addition to the profile. Slightly tannic, mixed with some nice acidity makes for a really nice flavor.

M - Medium bodied beer with some nice lively carbonation. Quite tart, which really gets the puckering effect going nicely.

O - I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I am really a fan of what Cascade is doing in their barrel room. This was a great example of a solid American made sour. Really look forward to trying more from them.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2011 17:01:04 | More by KAP1356

barleywinefiend

Washington

4.28/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

2011

A: Poured a cloudy grapefruit juice color but a little darker with a nice amount of bubbles

S: Big tart cherry and Earthiness. Simple but big.

T: A blend of unripe and red cherries, big Earthiness, funk, light woody elements

M: Acidic, well carbonated and killer

O: Very well done!

Serving type: on-tap

11-04-2011 16:25:18 | More by barleywinefiend

Sean9689

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks Frank & Pasta (not sure who exactly) for this 750ml bottle..not sure what vintage! Poured into Narke tulip.

A - Pours a cherry red color, cream-colored fizzy head, thin collar, wisps on top.

S - Tart cherries, oak, nice level of sour/tartness, slight acidity. Smells pretty much exactly like I thought it would...sour cherries. Really well-done and enjoyable aroma.

T - Bigger tart notes on the palate then the nose, tart cherries, oak. Really nice tartness with light acidity, which I enjoy even more then the nose. Exactly what I had hoped for.

M - Light, fizzy carbonation, dry finish.

O - A really solid Flanders that was exactly what I was expecting. The tart cherries and acidity are perfect and make this beer easy to drink and enjoy. Need to stock up on this one.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2011 15:29:08 | More by Sean9689

mystikyle71

Indiana

4.38/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Trades are wonderful!

A: Hazy pinkish red with fairly minimal head that dissipated quickly.

S: The funk is present and getting me excited. Good balance of the cherries too though. Not the most explosive nose, but still nice.

T: This beer is tart! Cherries and what seems like a big lacto style sourness. Yum.

M: This puckered me up quite a bit. I could really feel my cheeks and jaw tighten up. Very Cool! Light, crisp and refreshing.

O: I wish I would've asked for more. Solid sour.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2011 23:48:57 | More by mystikyle71

dgilks

Australia

3.95/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Hazy dark red colour with a small off white head. Some head retention. Okay.

Big tart cherry aroma with a good note of sweetness. Nice. Mild funk.

Great moderate tartness with some realy solid cherry notes. Very nice.

Medium light body with moderate carbonation. Really good.

A great beer. Solid cherry flavour and the tartness doesn’t kill it.

Serving type: on-tap

10-11-2011 04:33:06 | More by dgilks

brew3crew

Ohio

4.47/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

In line at founders for CBS, thanks to kzoobrew for this one

A-red body with little to no head

S-fuck yeah. Great sour smell that brings a welcome change to my morning

T-nice sourness. Very tart cherries that make my mouth water

M-medium body and smooth

O-
Great beer, gkad to try it

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2011 11:03:36 | More by brew3crew

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap @ the Cascade Brewing Barrel House (Portland, OR) on 9/4/11. Served in a teardrop goblet.

Pours a clear ruby in the glass, topped with a thin covering of off-white head. There’s a decent retention to this, with it throwing up a foamy cascade that readily slides back down. The aroma smells of tart cherries, wood, and some sweeter vanilla. There’s definitely some acidity to the edges of the nose here, with this coming off more sour than tart.

The taste has a tart intenseness to it, borderline souring in spots, but I’m pleased to find that the main flavor push here is from dark cherries. There’s just a touch of sweetness here that seems to be mostly consisting of some light vanilla flavors from the wood. Speaking of which, the oak hangs with some strength in the finish, with a deep tannic feel that lingers with additional acidic notes. The mouthfeel is medium bodied, with a prickly feel that is undercut by a good bit of woody slickness that keeps this smooth despite the higher alcohol here.

I’ve had this beer several times now and it never fails to impress me. It’s definitely aggressive with the sourness at times but never bracingly so and the fresh cherry flavors and sharp smoothness of the body really help keep this much more approachable than you would think. It’s always a pleasure, with a glass of this and I knew that getting it here fresh on draft was a must.

Serving type: on-tap

09-28-2011 17:13:14 | More by Kegatron

ehammond1

California

4.15/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle

Zwanze Day 2011
Bottle Share
Stone Brew Co.
Escondido, CA

Cloudy chestnut brown with ruby edges. Thin khaki colored head and a touch of lacing left down the glass.

Biting sourness, mild oak, and lots of cherries in the aroma.

Fresh cherries, mild earth and wood component, and a biting sourness throughout. Refreshing and incredibly drinkable.

Medium bodied with high carbonation. A joy to drink.

Another delicious offering from Cascade. I can't wait until I get to try this again.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2011 19:31:52 | More by ehammond1

DoubleJ

California

4.35/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750 ml split with my friend Ricardo at the Rose & Crown. From a 2010 Vintage, on to the beer:

Its red violet color are nice to look at, but it doesn't form much of a head or lace around the glass. The nose says cherry powder and some tartness. What makes this beer great in its taste is the balance of its characteristics; it's got cherry but not too much. It's got pucker but not too much. It's got some vinegar, but not too much. It's got tart, but not too much. Round it up and you've got one more outstanding beer to come from the doors of Cascade Brewing.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2011 05:25:27 | More by DoubleJ

nhindian

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

750ml bottle poured into a Stone taste. I brought this to split at at the Pittsburgh Pre-Big-Pour tasting.

2007 vintage.

A - Pours a light red with muddled spots of ruddy brown scattered within it. About a one-fingered, off-white head appears and lasts for a decent amount of time. There's a fair amount of lacing, with some small clumps of foam gathering around the glass in spotty fashion.

S - The smell is pretty damn sour, probably one of the most sour Krieks I've come across so far. As the nose grows acclimated to the tartness, however, it becomes much more accessible. Obviously there's a decent amount of cherries in here, but it is balanced nicely with just a touch of vinegar.

T - The flavors start off with a surprising malt backbone, taking some of the sour edge off of the beer and allows the cherries to really flesh out. The cherries themselves are abundant and run the gamut of flavors, from sweet, sour, and the skin and pits even shine at times. There's a slight amount of oak woodiness in the backend. The finish has a slight booziness to it, but overall it's hidden well.

M - The mouthfeel is medium-bodied with an okay amount of carbonation. It feels rather prickly in the mouth, mostly due in part to the tartness, and you can feel the puckering sour effect in the corners of the cheeks.

D/O - Drinkability is pretty high. Although this is bold beer in terms of the amount of cherries and sour, it goes down quite easily and doesn't find itself battling against strong vinegar or onion notes like other Red Flanders.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2011 06:20:59 | More by nhindian

dirtylou

Washington

4.38/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2010 vintage, corked and caged from bottleworks

appearance: served in my hopleaf tulip, dark garnet body, moderate carbonation forms a pillowy beige head that dissipates very quickly

smell: tart cherries, sweet cherries, oak

taste: really nice - definitely sour. bit of a bite from the oak, high dosage of tart cherries, balsamic, lively sugars. Awesome.

mouthfeel: medium, tart, lively

overall: enjoyed this a lot

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2011 02:06:13 | More by dirtylou