Cantillon Kriek 100% Lambic - Brasserie Cantillon

tectactoe

Michigan

4.38/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Thanks to BA doobliebop for this one! Paired with a medium-rare steak and baked potato. Pours a light-crimson, Bloody Mary colored red, completely opaque and murky everywhere but the very top. Very volatile, causing a faint-pink head to form quickly but fizzle away completely within thirty seconds.

Aroma is heavy, musty cherries; sweet and aged, with a little bit of a vinous character; more wine-like than expected. Some grape peel and raspberries are hanging around there also. Very authentic, juicy, and acidic. You can just tell from the aroma that this is gonna be a sour ass beer. The sour doesn't stand alone, however - decent amount of funky yeast creeps in trashes about. Light barnyward, wet wood, mild hay - overall, the funk doesn't quite stand up to the tartness, but it's enough to contribute to the aroma in a big way.

I bring the glass to my lips and the brew hits my palate thin and heavily carbonated while my nostrils are being raped by a thicker, heavier cherry aroma. Wow! This beer begins with an intense tartness right off the bat - extremely sour and acidic. Puckering and lip smacking, the sourness lasts for a good few seconds or so before it settles down and begins to subside. Overwhelming, juicy, ripe, authentic cherries make for most of the flavor, alongside some grape peel and various other "berry" types. Even at 5% ABV, the alcohol is detectable, but very soft and playful. Once the incredible sour component fades, the last few seconds of the sip are filled with a delicate sweetness that turns to a slightly corky and funky flavor. Enough to give you that wet hay and barnyard kick without distracting from the lovely tart cherries. The very acidic nature of this beer makes for a deceivingly dry finish, despite the juicy character of the flavor profile.

Holy sheeyat. Excellent brew, here - a good departure from the normal brews I drink. Sourness was intense, but it became addicting and I was disappointed to have this one end. This beer is authentic, raw, sour, and juicy, through and through. I really wish this stuff wasn't so difficult to come by in America! I need to get my hands on some more Cantillon brews. Two thumbs up.

EDIT: 3/22/2013

Enjoyed another '12 thanks to Ron. Even more sour than I remember. A lot more funk to it, too. Overall, just entirely more flavor-packed than I remember (and believe me, it was already incredible before). Super sour and acidic cherries, raspberries, and grapes. Less vinous this time around. So quenching and addictive. Gotta bump the score up on this one. Great stuff.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 21:08:23 | More by tectactoe

Envelopes

Ohio

4.75/5  rDev +11.5%

05-21-2013 05:41:18 | More by Envelopes

Kmat10

Alberta (Canada)

4.75/5  rDev +11.5%

05-20-2013 04:02:43 | More by Kmat10

NJB145

Michigan

4.5/5  rDev +5.6%

05-20-2013 00:46:22 | More by NJB145

Dirty25

Arkansas

4/5  rDev -6.1%

05-19-2013 20:55:31 | More by Dirty25

Kreko7

California

4.25/5  rDev -0.2%

05-19-2013 15:50:31 | More by Kreko7

ShawnMH

Indiana

4.5/5  rDev +5.6%

05-19-2013 15:45:14 | More by ShawnMH

Lurkerson

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +5.6%

05-19-2013 00:03:12 | More by Lurkerson

YobroitsJoe

Maryland

4.75/5  rDev +11.5%

05-18-2013 07:35:03 | More by YobroitsJoe

hotsudge

Ontario (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +5.6%

05-18-2013 02:59:51 | More by hotsudge

Mattias

Sweden

4/5  rDev -6.1%

05-17-2013 20:38:00 | More by Mattias

SDG1070

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev -0.2%

05-15-2013 01:11:07 | More by SDG1070

pk18

Wisconsin

4.25/5  rDev -0.2%

05-14-2013 03:01:33 | More by pk18

Boilerfood

Indiana

4/5  rDev -6.1%

05-13-2013 12:12:36 | More by Boilerfood

jsurfs82

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev -0.2%

05-12-2013 22:43:10 | More by jsurfs82

Danny1217

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +5.6%

05-12-2013 20:58:05 | More by Danny1217

IHyphySF

California

4.75/5  rDev +11.5%

05-11-2013 01:11:02 | More by IHyphySF

mick303

Ontario (Canada)

4.54/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a tulip. Bottled (May 27, 2011) drank (May 9, 2013). Gave a nice spritzy pink head, receded relatively quickly leaving some light lacing. Colour is a rich cherry read, with lots of visible carbonation. 4

S – sour cherry, viney-ness, macaroon?, bakery sweets in anycase, some macerated sweetness. Honey cake, smoky chestnuts, a definite full yeastiness, slightly toasty (with cherry jam on top obviously). Very interesting, with well-integrated subtleties making a very characterful aroma. 4.25

T – A thoroughly mesmerizing experience. A balanced cherry sourness, a lot of fruitiness coming through, with light biscuity maltiness and an underlying macerated sweetness. A pleasant earthiness, almond, farmy hay, with a pleasant ‘meaty’ yeasty character, some blood orange. Sourness is not as intense as I might have expected, more of a deliciously balanced tartness. Yet it remains refreshing and very full on the palate. 4.75

M – Pleasant and light, with an upfront tartness, pleasant refreshing carbonation, but a full body of balanced sour cherry flavor that coats the palate, finish leaves a coating cherry sweetness, almost filmy on the palate, lingers on nicely, vineyard character. 4.5

My first Cantillon and the best lambic-style I’ve come across, I think that’s because the sourness is not as intensely in-your-face, this offers a balanced, intricate tart, semisweet flavor profile, with amazing feel and complexity. A work of art in every sense, this will definitely entice me to try more from Cantillon. 4.5

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 18:56:11 | More by mick303

davistabuff

New York

4.75/5  rDev +11.5%

05-09-2013 03:39:09 | More by davistabuff

GuzzLah

Illinois

4.26/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A - pours an opaque pinkish purple with a pink head. Some lace. No bubbles.

S - dry cherry, soft leather, mild floral, wood.

T - dry cherry, acetic, wood, slightly salty.

M - light-medium body. Semi-oily and creamy. Mouth watering. Moderately sour.

O - a very good example of a traditional Kriek, but Cascade Kriek is still number one for me.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 19:39:37 | More by GuzzLah

cadaugherty

Illinois

4.75/5  rDev +11.5%

05-08-2013 00:03:11 | More by cadaugherty

dalepryor

Kentucky

4.75/5  rDev +11.5%

05-07-2013 20:18:17 | More by dalepryor

Jeremy6566

Arizona

4/5  rDev -6.1%

05-07-2013 20:02:45 | More by Jeremy6566

wer3w01f

Russian Federation

4.5/5  rDev +5.6%

05-07-2013 09:17:11 | More by wer3w01f

JulianB

South Carolina

4.75/5  rDev +11.5%

05-06-2013 12:49:41 | More by JulianB