Cantillon Kriek 100% Lambic - Brasserie Cantillon

Mustard

District of Columbia

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

Presentation: 12.76oz. dark, green bottle; no "bottled on" or "best before" date given and -- in the case of the later -- none probably needed; no ABV %; purchased from the Wine Expo on Santa Monica and Yale for $3.99.

Appearance: Poured a rosy, ruddy, pink-grapefruit nuanced red with little in the way of clarity; small, pinkish head which was quick to dissipate; lacing was essentially non-existant.

Aroma: Quite tart; large cherry notes; hints of citrus.

Taste: Wow; break-all-your-teeth, claw-out-your-eyes sour; hugely acidic and tart; brilliant, cherry-tinged background notes; *faintly* sugarish in the finish.

Notes: Six thumbs up.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2003 05:55:17 | More by Mustard

Jon

Illinois

4.85/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750 ml bottled 2002.

Deep scarlet color with a durable, bubbly pink head. Lacing is evident down the glass. Nose is truly Cantillon with unparalleled mustiness and eye-watering acidity. Cherries are dominant with additional oak and funky cheese aromas. The naive palate would be overwhelmed with what's to come in the flavor department. Tart, incredibly sour cherries accentuated with oak and a remarkable concentration of acidity set this apart from other fruit lambics. The lack of sugar addition make this authentic in the truly traditional sense. This beer's mouthpuckering ability is unsurpassed. Playfully prickly on the tongue, even at room temperature (the preferred serving temperature), with lingering acidity on the finish leaves the palate thirsting for more. Wonderfully refreshing like a glass of fresh squeezed lemonade on a hot summer day, this is one remarkable Kriek.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2003 23:14:38 | More by Jon

nomad

Kansas

4.4/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured a glowing red with a rosy hue, with the color of the liquid moving toward opacity. It did not appear perfectly cherry-looking, which, to me, makes it appear more authentic. Had a cute pinkish head from tons of carbonation underneath. It left a wall of lace made up of carbonation and not the thick sudsy lace of most every other ale - curious but alluring.

Smelled of a musty-sour, quite verdant, with wild yeast scents mixed with sharp and almost vinegary sourness abounding. Cherries were on the verge of being overpowered by the scents of the lambic base. Taste started tart and wet, but moved to a less tart but equally powerful sour with a good cherry tone. Sourness was strong but not drying or overpwering, in fact quite juicy, showing off its fine lambic base well. Had a sour cherry skin finish that felt quite chewy for a lambic yet very wet and slick. This odd but great mouthfeel added to the gist of this sort of lambic.

Though the drink was complicated, the conclusion is simple: Impressive, thirst-inducing, and full of irrepressible character. A far cry from Lindeman's Kriek, this is in the very-tart category of cherry lambics.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2003 17:07:05 | More by nomad

BenConnery

Australia

4.3/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had this one on tap at the brewery in Anderlecht. Like many of the other Cantillon brews there is a tartness that does not dominate the beer, but sets it apart from so many of the fruit beers of Belgium.
The cherry flavours come through in that tartness but provide a hint of sweetness without overpowering the woody, earthy flavours of the lambic that forms the base. Once again an example of how Cantillion's spontanious fermentation and use of fresh fruit gives us a beer so different from the Kriek's of say Timmerman or Linderman. Another of the best beers I have tasted...

Serving type: on-tap

09-24-2003 00:53:16 | More by BenConnery

AtLagerHeads

Ohio

4.28/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottled 2001. A huge beer in taste and aroma, this version was an orangish looking liquid that pulled up a quickly gone head and laced from a small ring. The nose is big, having very sour notes and a hint of fruity overtones. The taste is huge - tart to an extreme with strong hints of dark cherry and lasting impressions from the lovely lasting flavors. This is another of the Cantillons made for sipping, not session drinking, and as others have noted it is an acquired taste, though I've never met one with which I'd rather be acquainted. This is beer with an exclamation point - be prepared to deal with it.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2003 16:56:46 | More by AtLagerHeads

mickeymac

California

4.33/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 375 ml green bottle, it's a nice-looking cross between cranberry and yellow. The head billowed upon pouring but didn't last long. The smell is very sour, with a pronounced citric smell and just a hint of the cherries. It seems to sort of bubble its way over the top of the front part of the tongue-leaving just a trace-until it hits the knockout punch at the back of the mouth. The entire mouth puckers just at the moment the sour cherry taste takes hold, leading to a rare and pleasant drinking experience. To further enhance the experience, it sticks to the lips allowing another dose of sour joy when licking the lips after drinking. It's not a session beer by any stretch of the imagination, but it's surprisingly drinkable considering its sourocity. (Yeah, I know it's not a word, but it seemed to work.)

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2003 02:58:47 | More by mickeymac

francisweizen

Australia

4.9/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

12oz capped and corked bottle, no date on the cork, but I assume that this is a 2000 or so vintage. I have to agree with Darren on this one...this beer is a true masterpiece, and Cantillon are indeed the masters of traditional lambic beers. This beer pours a unique ruby red colour with a nice, fizzy, white head. The aromas are lamic funk, barnyard junk, gestating skunk, chunky munk, sour cherries, sour sours, and more. The taste is a tart explosion of flavor with some ripe cherries bursting into the foreground right before the extremely, long, dry and dehydrating finish. The mouthfeel is crisp and never cloying and the drinkability is ace as well.

One of the best lambic beers, and probably THE best kriek out there!

F

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2003 06:44:01 | More by francisweizen

TheLongBeachBum

California

4.9/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Kriek 100% Lambic – 750ml Green Bottle - Cork Dated 1996.

Unlike the commercial “pseudo-Kriek” producers who so shamelessly bastardize the meaning of this much facsimiled style. THIS Offering is made with Whole Cherries and 6 month old Traditional Lambic. Matured in Oak/Chestnut Casks, it is then Bottled.

I poured this 1996 bottle in one go, first into a large Glass Jug & the remainder into a Cantillon Tumbler. I served it at 55 Deg.F.

Appearance: Pours with a stiff effervescence at first. Fantastic looking flamingo pink, richly smooth, fine-foamed head. A hazy rose colored body with a slight brown tinge. Thankfully, it will never win any cherry cough syrup “look-alike” awards, for it has a look that unapologetically says – traditional Kriek.

Nose: Unashamedly dry, incredibly acidic & deeply pungent Cherries set amidst a sharp biting smell that tugs at your nasal hairs, this in turn reacts with the moisture in your nasal cavity & upper mouth. This is what it must be like to snort Cherry Cocaine.

Taste: WOW – F**K ME!!!! This has to be one of the best aged Krieks that I have ever had. This offering is maybe 7-8 years old, but it is in *fine form*. My eyes water, I jest not, as I delve into this fabulous acidic Lambic-Rosé. A parching arid hydrophobic entrance removes all semblance of a useful Beer Review from my mouth. The tongue is stripped & taste-buds are rendered useless as my cheeks pucker in the Kriek acid bath. Can a Beer really have Hydrophobia?

Mouthfeel: Dissolved Cheek Cells and Teeth Enamel. Acerbically Dominant.

Drinkability: I could drink this ALL day, every day, until I die of Cantillon Kriek-induced Dehydration.

Overall: Another, 5-Star, superb, totally traditional offering from Cantillon, the Masters of Lambic. Put simply - This Kriek is fiercely traditional in style, no fruit syrups or added sugars here. It does not “fuck around” in the tastes department either. Traditional Kriek Virgins - Be Prepared to have your Cherry, well & truly, Plucked!
Just how it should be: Supremely Dry with a Pungent Aroma of Acidic Cherries.

This Review is dedicated to my fellow BA & “Extreme Lambic-Head”, Rastaman. No doubt he would have preferred this offering to the commercial St. Louis "Gueuze-Lambic" that he sportingly endured for his #750 Review.

Congratulations & Cheers on the 750 Rastaman, the extra beer in your Mug is well deserved; you are a true asset to BA.com!

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2003 22:47:45 | More by TheLongBeachBum

importguy

British Columbia (Canada)

4.38/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I really enjoyed this. It poured a cloudy red colour with basically no head.

Intially very tart with a hint of the cherry, but not over pouring at all. It definately has a slight sour taste as well. Very dry much the same as their Guezze. A cross between a dry cider and wine. Would be an excellent compliment to a meal and replacement of wine.

A very enjoyable experience. That's what it is an experience.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2003 10:44:46 | More by importguy

mzwolinski

California

4.08/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Note: Though I've tried a few lambics in the past, this is my first review, and so it ought to be taken with a grain of salt. Nice, lightly red, very hazy in appearance, with just a thin halo of lace on top. Very sharp, tart aroma. Taste is hugely tanic, very winey like cherry-skin more than, say, cherry-juice. By far the driest lambic I've ever had. Tasty, but very pucker-inducing. A good beer to lure your wine-loving friends with.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2003 22:49:17 | More by mzwolinski

oberon

North Carolina

3.1/5  rDev -27.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

First I will say this is very traditional and well made,but Iam not a fan of the lambic style I have found out.Poured great orange/reddish color with nice looking spritzy head that went quick.Smell had some cherrystone in it maybe a little vanilla?Taste about knocked me over the sourness was too much for me to handle,was expecting a little soureness but this was overpowering.Like I said well made just not a fan of the style.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2003 13:25:24 | More by oberon

ZAP

Minnesota

4.45/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a peach color with a small, fizzy head that dissipates…great nose of cherries…not sweet cherries but cherries none the less…very tart as it should be…like biting into a lime or lemon..definitely a sipping beer…not really my cup of tea…err..beer, but I can apprciate it for being true to form…tart cherries.. a bit acidic in the mouthI have a tough time enjoying this the way some would but I am rating it high because I is very true to form (according to what I’ve read)..If you want a true lambic you should try this…if you want a sweeter cherry flavored beer stay away…because you will pour this down the drain which would be a shame. I’m rating it high because I think it deserves to be but personally it’s not my favorite style..

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2003 11:17:15 | More by ZAP

Bighuge

Minnesota

4.4/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Brilliant looking scarlet red/orange hue. A nice looking white head fizzles away quickly. A little barnyard on the nose. Sour cherry as well. And horse blanket in a way. The first thing that hits my palete is lactic sourness. This fucker is tart. It's not disagreeable though and I was a little gunshy going into this from what I had heard. I never thought I'd say it, but this beer has some Barnyard and Horse Blanket flavors going on. And they're enjoyable to boot. This beer is so damn acidic. This is the first beer I've had in a while that really made me sit up and take notice. You can tell that a lot of attention and detail went into the crafting of this beverage. Lots of character. Huge citrus notes as well. Some cherry sourness. You wouldn't think a beer like this would be drinkable, but something keeps begging me to take more sips.

I can understand why this may not be everybody's "cup of tea", especially novice beer drinkers, but I think I could acquire a taste for this. Problem is, it'd just be too damn expensive to do so. I'll stick with my Barleywines, Imperial Stouts and IPAs that are more affordable unless I have an opportunity to try other lambic styles form this brewery.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2003 21:20:53 | More by Bighuge

CharlesRiver

Connecticut

4.15/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This is my first "true" lambic. I have had others but apparently they add sugars. Pours a reddish light brown color with a tiny head that just seems to stay the same throughout. The smell is must, dust and something very sour. The taste is so complex. The sour hits you right away, fades in the middles, and then kicks your ass even harder in the end. Very effervesent with tons of tiny little bubbles.

There is something very mysterious about this beer. The taste, the bottle, the look and the smell. I am strangly drawn to it.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2003 17:02:55 | More by CharlesRiver

Gusler

Arizona

3.45/5  rDev -19.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Over the years I’ve heard much about this breweries beers, and as I never really cared much for Lambics till a year or two ago, it was a real treat to find these at my “Second Home The Papago Brewery”.

A resplendent and nebulous cherry red on the pour, the head diminutive, the lace tenuous, with the nose tart and little else noticed. Sweet and sour start, top cadaverous, finish is quite tart, astringent, vinous, and alum dry aftertaste. Different, for sure, and something I will need to re-sample to determine my true feelings for this beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2003 15:48:09 | More by Gusler

MJR

Missouri

4.88/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Bottled in 2001.

Despite what I'd read, this bottle was not a gusher...I'd hate to waste a single drop of this heavenly nectar...

Appearance: Pours a strange mix of colors: pink, red, orange, and garnet. The head on this one barely even shows up from the outset, and quickly fizzes down to a ring of large bubbles around the edge of my glass. There seems to be a bit of chill haze...

Smell: Here's where it gets interesting! Sharp cherries and assorted berry aromas blend perfectly with the powerful smack from the wild yeasts. Horse blanket, farmhouse, musty, whatever you call it... There are very faint citrus hints as well...maybe lemon. This brew has more complexity in it's nose than many breweries can pack into their whole line! Amazing complex and perfectly integrated.

Taste: Damn! The acidity and sourness assert themselves strongly from the beginning! Not for the faint of heart or those afraid of something new! There's the fruit flavor, but it doesn't come across as sweet; it's more of a sharp note. Then there's the musty character. I notice a bit of a grainy flavor that is clearest and easiest to pick out in the aftertaste. Dry, complex, and never-ending.

Mouthfeel: Thin mouthfeel with an amazing dryness and crispness due to the spontaneous fermentation sucking out every possible sugar molecule.

Drinkability: If you're the type of drinker who can enjoy this unique type of beer, the drinkability is quite high. The crispness, dry finish, and thin body just beg for another sip.

Painfully traditional and so damn good...I need to get more of this. Hallelujah!

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2002 19:14:52 | More by MJR

Realale

Missouri

4.88/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Bottled in 2001.

Even the color is complex! Sort of a pinkish/orangish/reddish shade. Bit of a head, but it quickly dissipates.

The nose . . . let's see how many characters do I get for a review? Hmmm. I'd better just summarize. Sure there are some sour cherry/strawberry/cranberry notes, but nothing dominates. Substantial brett. components of horse blanket, barnyard, and, to use the French . . . merde. Then there are the acidic citrus notes - lemon, lime, who knows what else. Again, its all completely integrated. Literally mouth-watering. Simply stunning.

In the mouth its all Cantillon. The incredible acidity is primary, but its supposed to be, this is a lambic after all. The fruit notes are there, as well as a hint of wheaty/malty grain, but the grain notes are the understudy's understudy in this production. Everything from the nose is there, plus the faint grainy notes, for just a bit more complexity. There is even a prickle of carbonation to make it more lively on the palate.

The finish is amazingly long, and quite dry. It just goes on and on, and on and on, gently echoing the acidic fruit for what seems like minutes. Quite a ride, and unlike most other things that inhabit the world of beer. A treasure.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2002 10:01:01 | More by Realale

ipogios

Cyprus

3.53/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark rasberry-like colour. The aroma of this Fruit Lambic beer is dominant by rasberry and cherry hints. There was cranberry flavour but i think the cherry flavour in this beer is dominant. Decent Fruit Lambic

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2002 00:20:33 | More by ipogios

Jason

Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Presentation: 375 ml green corked and capped mini-champagne bottle with no freshness date. Artsy label with info about the beer on the back.

Appearance: Dark light orange red hue, skimpy ring of lace from a semi-active carbonation.

Smell: Big tartness, nearly sour. Cherry aroma grows with a faint sweetness and fullness. Light earthy and musty nose within.

Taste: Sourness is nearly puckering at first, the glands and taste buds get used to it soon enough. Light bodied, expressively dry and crisp. Soft earthy and musty notes include slight barn yard, cork and cellar like flavors. Faint grain throughout. Cherry is real tart with a more rounded flavor after-wards. Long finish of tartness and cherry flavors.

Notes: Racy yet simple, withdrawn but traditional. This is true lambic all the way, no sweet syrups or sugars added … this is the real thing. I have had samples at the brewery and the trip that the bottles have made produced the same awesome effect without a flaw.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2002 18:30:35 | More by Jason

Longstaff

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

More samples at the Cantillon brewery. Brewer told us the fruit from this years batch was excellent and you could actually taste a fresh cherry flavor. A little sweeter than the Gueze from the fruit and little less acidic. Read one of the reviews before mine that mentioned that it smelled off - kind of like vinegar? with some barnyard smells --- but that's the way it should be. Its definitely not like sweet cherry juice like the Lindemanns.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2002 13:41:36 | More by Longstaff

jreitman

California

2/5  rDev -53.2%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 1

Extremely off smelling aroma. Don't know if this came from a bad keg or what, but something was definitely amiss. Nose was warning me to abort before the first sip and I should have listened. Cherry flavor was there, but overpowered by vinegary tartness to the point of puckering.

Serving type: on-tap

08-24-2002 18:17:13 | More by jreitman

Andy

Massachusetts

4.2/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Brilliant cranberry color. Tart aroma, like cranberry mixed with sour cherries. First sip is not as sour as expected. Not at all dry, a citric flavor is active. More cranberry than cherry. Substantial body to this beer. Little moutpucker in finish. This unsweetened lambic beer does have some residual sweetness deep in it.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2002 20:44:33 | More by Andy

rastaman

United Kingdom (England)

4.88/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

very interesting to drink, stinky barnyard smell, quite sour and acidic, not too much fruit characteristic but the cherry flavour is there, bone dry aswell, which is how i like my lambics.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2002 20:09:09 | More by rastaman

mattmaples

Oregon

4.6/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 3 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

When you say the word Lambic you can exchange the word Cantillon because Cantillon IS Lambic. You can not get more authentic lambic style beer from anyone. This Kriek is dry, fruity, fizzy, sour, foxy, horse blanket, and earthy. Lots of flavor layers and not for the Lindemen's drinkers. Comparing Lindeman's to Cantillon is like comparing Bert Grant's Imperial Stout to Harvey and Son's Imperial. It may say they are the same style but they are two very different beers.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2001 15:53:25 | More by mattmaples