Cantillon Lou Pepe - Kriek - Brasserie Cantillon

Deuane

Pennsylvania

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

Thanks to K75 for the hookup on this one!

A-Deep pinkish tinged red with a thin pinkish head...is this beer?

S-Kinda like those magic markers you used back in grade school. You can can actually smell the tartness!

T-Crack-a-lacky...BAM! This is beyond tart. Like a sour cherry bomb with a bit of residual sweetness. You had best like tart for this one.

M-Light bodied and sour crisp it actually hurts!

D-Super tar, have I said that already, and oh! so mouth puckering! This has to be about the most sour "beer" I have ever had....I love it.

Serving type: growler

09-17-2008 08:47:00 | More by Deuane

ffejherb

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Growler into Mad Elf challice on 9/8/08. Thanks to Deuane for sharing!

A - Opaque ruby-colored body wth one-finger pink head that diminished into a thin ring of retention and left minimal lacing.

S - Wow! Really strong sour nose with plenty of funky Brett and a hint of vanilla. There is also a paint thinner or magic marker character to the aroma.

T - This is the most sour concoction I've ever tasted. This packs a huge cherry flavor with some vanilla. This is seriously one tart, sour brew with somewhat of a chemical flavor, yet I kept coming back for more!

M - Light to medium body with poppy carbonation and a prickly mouthfeel. Pretty thin and watery, though. Ridiculously sour and acidic on the palate. This will definitely make you pucker up!

D - Man, this is one sour beer that tastes more alcoholic than it probably is. This goes quite well with chocolate, which complements its intense tartness.

Brewslut's Quote of the Day:
"It's like dark cherry Kool-Aid with Sour Patch Kids."

Serving type: growler

09-10-2008 02:27:56 | More by ffejherb

writerLJBerg

Oregon

4.33/5  rDev -5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750mL from some place in Portland long before Cantillon was difficult to find. 2007 sticker date/2009 bottling date.

A: Pours a deep plum with a light pink head. Sits pretty in the glass - if you were to show this to someone they might call it a chick beer. Poor ignorant bastards.

N: Lots of ripe sour cherries, oak, some vinegar and glue. Wine grape and raspberry jame in here. Some straw and lemon zest.

T: Cherry dominant. Rounded sourness with a touch of fruity sweetness. Has a wonderful depth of oak and fruits.

M: Sharply carbonated with a light, manageable body. I love how the Belgians are able to get such character into such a drinkable beer.

O: Tasty and it seems like it's balanced out the fruit and the funk at this point. Delicious. Need more.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2013 03:10:37 | More by writerLJBerg

Etan

Illinois

4.39/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2010 bottle.

A: Pours a deep ruby/pink with a nice light pinkish head.

S: Sweet cherry flesh melds seamlessly with cheesy wood, hay-like brett, must, earthy acidity.

T: Puckering yet brief lactic acidity, tart and sweet cherry, mushroom, light acetic acid, oak, more fresh cherry.

M: Light-bodied with zingy carbonation.

O: Very tasty.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 04:39:48 | More by Etan

Alieniloquium

Florida

4.43/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750 mL bottle poured into a snifter. 2009 bottle. Bottled September 1, 2011.

Appearance - Bright pink with a faint pink head. Thick collar. Hazy.

Smell - Really nice cherry flavor. Deep cherry flavor. Oaky and vanilla is very strong. A ton oof acidity but not a ton of funk.

Taste - Sour cherries. Lots of oak. Vanilla. Funk is much stronger. Barnyard is more prominent here too. The cherries are the star of the show though.

Mouthfeel - Dry, very sour. Medium body.

Overall - Fantastic cherry flavor. Best characteristic of this beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2013 19:51:29 | More by Alieniloquium

peensteen

Ontario (Canada)

4.46/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

750ml. bottle at bierbistro split with Liam

Nice deep red colour, with a cap of white head, good retention, little lace. Smell is funky, sweet cherry still very much upfront, light balsamic, acidic, overall very nice mix of sweet and sour cherry with a big funk present. Taste is sour and puckering up front, big acidity followed by sweet cherry that cuts the acidic flavours nicely, balsamic, lemon and puckering fruits toward finish, drying finish. Light-medium carbonation, medium bodied, nice crisp mouthfeel. Fantastic stuff, less sour than the Bio Kriek but more complex and well rounded, certainly a world beater.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2013 22:34:26 | More by peensteen

TMoney2591

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev -5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Served in a snifter.

2008 vintage. I shall call him Lou le Pew. Tee-hee. Anyway, this stuff pours a clear burgundy-ruby topped by a finger of off-pink foam. The nose is a blast of sweet cherry wine (insert Tommy James reference, with or without Shondells), with a hint of light apple cider in the back for good measure. The taste brings in more of the same, though now the cherries come through with a bit of tartness, though with a clear restraint that keeps things from peeling the enamel from my teeth. The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a decidedly dry finish. Overall, a very tasty cherry lambic, one that more than deserves the praise it receives.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 04:47:19 | More by TMoney2591

homebrew311

Illinois

4.66/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Appearance is a clear magenta with a short pink head. Nose is full of tart cherries. I get some jammy qualities and almost a bit of rhubarb. Notes vinegar on the nose with slight hints of oak. The taste is delicious. Plenty of puckering tartness up front with delicious cherry forward profile. Not a whole lot of other adjectives I can use than cherry, but that is okay because this is delicious. Mouthfeel is heavily carbonated and tasty. Overall, delicious.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 23:25:55 | More by homebrew311

Florida9

Illinois

4.26/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A: Very dark red. Almost purple. Pours with a very fizzy, light pink head. Good retention, but no lacing.

S: aroma is pure cherry essence. There is a very strong vinegar aroma that seems to burn off as the beer warms revealing the tart cherries.

T: Taste is more cherry. Tart cherries, but with some residual sweetness, which is nice since the sweetness is usually fermented out in these types of beers.

M: Lighter side of meduim in body. Heavier carbonation. Mild tartness.

O: This is a very very nice beer. I can really appreciate the restraint shown on this one, as this beers balance makes it quite enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 23:13:58 | More by Florida9

MattSweatshirt

Texas

4.58/5  rDev +0.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Clear red body with a super pink head that falls quickly. A very beautiful looking beer.

Lots of cherry. A little sugary sweetness and acidic quality from all those cherries. Marzipan. As always a little funky. Oh yeah.

When served to me the Lou Pepe Kriek was referred to as the Rolls Royce of Krieks on account of the amount of cherries in it. It is hard to deny such a title. Almond and barnyard.
A good nice easy carbonation with medium body. A little dry.

Pretty much a Rick Ross(bawse) Kriek.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 00:02:28 | More by MattSweatshirt

ThePorterSorter

New York

4.23/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks eathan for bringing out this 2002 Lou pepe kriek for our tasting!
The beer pours a relatively clear, light colored reddish/rusty brown with almost no head. The nose is tart ...with a lot of funk, but no distinct cherry. The taste is definitely pungent with a whopping fruity tartness. The mouthfeel is highly acidic and dry with very little remaining cherry sweetness. This beer drinks like only a Cantillon would after 10 years...a serious champ.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 01:53:23 | More by ThePorterSorter

merc7186

New York

4.7/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2001 Vintage

Bomber into tasting glass

A: Reddish Hue, Passes Some Light, White Head, Mild Lacing

S: Bitter Cherries, Bitter Raspberries

T: Bitter Cherries, Bitter Raspberries, Mild Sour Mash

M: Decent Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Bitter, Sour

Overall, 2001 is uber sour, so worth the cash

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 03:51:59 | More by merc7186

SStein

North Carolina

4.93/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

2010 vintage poured into a snifter glass at Cantillon.
It pours a wonderful pink cold with a white head. The head quickly turns to lace which vanishes quickly.
It smells of deep barnyard funk, with a light cherry smell.
Initially you get a much subtle taste of the barnyard funk followed by the cherries as you drink this beer. There is a delicate balance kept between the funk and the cherries, a lesser brewery would have failed, but this succeeds.
There is a light carbonation, which allows this beer to go down smooth.
Overall, this is a fantastic beer, and worth the money on.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 20:44:42 | More by SStein

cfrances33

Illinois

4.55/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

2007 sticker bottle, 2009 cork thanks to Gosox8787. Served in a Hill Farmstead tulip.

Pour: Hazy ruby red, with a very nice fluffy magenta head. Head is somewhat fizzy, and while parts of it recede rather quickly, and nice bit hangs around. Doesn't leave much if any lacing.

Smell: Big barnyard funk up front, followed by tart cherry skins. Some pear skins. A light oak, and a light lacticity come through.

Taste: Follows the nose, but big tart cherry juice and cherry skins hit first. Some pear. A big barnyard funk next, followed by a lactic sourness. Finishes sour with cherries and funky.

Mouthfeel: Sourness is next to puckering, yet with mixed with the funk, it is awesome. A sipper thanks to how sour it is, and I enjoy it.

Overall: A really fantastic kriek. I think I enjoy this more than 3F Schaerbeekse Kriek.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 04:33:59 | More by cfrances33

coffygrinder

Illinois

4.85/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This was one of my personal whales. Pours a golden red with a light bubble, but heavy carbonation. Love the smell of light cherrys. It is very airomatic. It taste like sour cherrys, with a very light mouth feel, light carbonation, small bubbles. It is a great Kriek, and will be my everyday beer when I win the lotto.

Overall on of my all time favs. This beer was great. I really hope to get my hands on another on and let it sit in the celler for a few year to see how it changes.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 15:51:08 | More by coffygrinder

JoEBoBpr

Missouri

4.48/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Cantillon Lou Pepe – Kriek
Vintage: 2009
Thanks to ThoreauLikeAGirl

Poured into a tulip glass from a 750ml bottle shared with my wife.

Pours a nice deep cherry red with a nice 1 inch pink head. The head is very active and billows up but begins to recede immediately. The deep ruby color of the brew is near perfection. It is like an abyss of ruby red. (5.0)

Aroma of sweet cherries start things off with intense underlain funk. Nice lactic acidity in the nose as well. Tartness is definitely perceived in the nose. There is also a nice woody oak note to the nose. (4.5)

The flavor follows the nose pretty well. Starts off with some cherry tartness slightly balanced by some nice sugary sweetness and some slightly yeasty phenols. Some nice slight vinegar tartness is perceived that blends so well with the more cherry fruity tartness. There is some good funk and oak notes on the middle and back end. The mouthfeel is smooth with lower carbonation perceived in the palette. (4.5)(4.0)

Overall this is a delicious Kriek. Very tart with great cherry notes and some good chalky yeast notes as well. The oak also adds a nice earthy dimension. Very nice. (4.5)

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 00:51:32 | More by JoEBoBpr

pmarlowe

California

4.58/5  rDev +0.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

2009 vintage. Tulip glass.

A: Pours a reddish purple with a thin effervescent pink colored head. Excellent retention and clarity, and nice lacing.

S: Slight funk, delicious cherry, toasted oak, cinnamon, a little raspberry. Almost a red wine nose once warm.

T: Mouth puckering tart red cherry, some light barrel character, funk, tartness is mild to moderate and doesn't limit drinkability.

M: Smooth medium body and medium-high carbonation

O: The cherry complements the beer perfectly. Tastes real and in good balance with the base. Overall just really nice and highly drinkable. I could drink this all day.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2012 18:17:09 | More by pmarlowe

notchucknorris

California

4.58/5  rDev +0.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

On tap during Zwanze Day at Toronados

A: Pours an intensely hazy raspberry color with a thin pink head.

S: Rich, tart cherries, vanilla, oak and some ripe strawberries.

T: Huge wave of unripe cherry right off the bat with a big lactic twang. Some oak, raspberry and lemon peel. A champagne-like effervescent mouthfeel. Really fantastic stuff.

Serving type: on-tap

12-06-2012 20:01:34 | More by notchucknorris

Holland

Pennsylvania

4.48/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: vibrant red color with little head, fairly cloudy, and not much light passing through. Looks like some serious stuff.

S: I know it's a kriek, but I get tons of different fruits in here from raspberry to cherry to lemon.

T: resembles the smell, with a fantastically genuine flavor unlike any other kriek I've tried. The richness of the fruit complements the sourness of the beer very well, but this is very much a fruit-forward lambic, even though I think this was a 2006 sticker date.

M: fine, light carbonation gives a slight lift to the acidity, but for the most part this is teeth-etchingly good.

O: fantastic beer, so glad someone shared this at a recent tasting! If I find myself with the opportunity to buy or trade for another, I certainly will.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2012 23:18:49 | More by Holland

tobelerone

New Jersey

4.53/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

My favorite kriek to date. 2009 vintage, bottled in 2011. Pours an incredible deep cherry color with a frothy pink head that settles down slowly. Patches of pink lace stick to the glass. Powerful tart cherry aroma, oak, lemony acidity, hints of barnyard funk and hay follow behind.

Flavor follows the aroma; tons of fresh sour cherries taking center stage. The sourness is moderate in comparison to something like Hanssen's, so this stays away from the teeth-melting level, but it's still ample and pleasant, and doesn't start repeating on you after you finish the bottle. Lemons and trace vinegar notes, oak, funk, grass and hay all play elements. Very modest levels of both sweetness and acidity. Not quite a full pucker.

Medium to slightly light in body, crisp and lively carbonation. Supremely drinkable, full of subtleties and interesting nuances, a bottle I'd buy again in a heartbeat, even at thirty bucks a pop.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2012 04:32:20 | More by tobelerone

Tnudish

Wisconsin

4.43/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

2009 sticker vintage poured into a Duvel art glass tulip.

A-Pours a deep red/burgundy in color with about a fingers worth of light pink head. Head dissipated rather quickly.

S-Nose is stellar, it’s Schaerbeekse cherry skins, lemon, and some mustiness.

T-Nose translates over to the flavor. It starts out with the sour cherry and continues with lactic lemon goodness. The cherry endures well throughout the sip.

M-Light mouthfeel, heavy acidity, light carbonation, and a long finish.

O-My third favorite of the regular Cantillons fruit lambics behind Fou Foune and Saint Lamnivus. Great color, nose, and taste on this, I could drink this by the gallon (and subsequently did when it was on tap at Zwanze Day 2011).

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2012 13:53:59 | More by Tnudish

mdaschaf

Washington

4.5/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2009 Vintage

A: Pours a very nice red/purple color with a pink head that foams up nicely. Decent retention, slowly reducing to a nice ring on top. Decent lacing.

S: Very nice cherry flavor, a hint of vanilla and wood. A bold tartness mixes in, slightly acidic. Very big, bold, and inviting.

T: Big cherry flavor upfront mixed with some other stone fruit. A very sharp tartness with nice acidity. A little bit of wood comes through, but not as much as in the aroma. Very tasty.

M: Medium bodied with a great level of carbonation and sourness.

O: Another amazing beer from Cantillon, not much more needs to be said.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2012 16:54:08 | More by mdaschaf

tarheels86

California

4.58/5  rDev +0.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Sampled at the Secret Summit- probably a 2007 edition given it’s softness and not too intense sourness. Pours an unreal, super cloudy, vibrant, deep pink/purple with a dense, light purple head that has excellent retention and lace. Aroma is light band-aid that quickly moves to baked cherry pie, freshly baked/burnt sweet cherries. Incredible. Taste is tart, not too sour, full of cherry pie. Really has no flaws at all. Soft, lactic, cherry yogurt palate. 9/5/9/5/15=4.1

750mL 2007. Pours perfectly with a creamy pink, thin head that lasts throughout. Nose is just so awesome. Soft, tart, cherries, cherry pie, raspberry yogurt. Taste is similar: a play off raspberries and sour cherries with such a soft, beautiful body it really is not even fair. This is definitely the perfect kriek. I want some everyday. 9/5/9/5/18=4.6

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2012 15:41:09 | More by tarheels86

haazer

Pennsylvania

4.48/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

First beer had at Blue Dog's rediculous wealth of riches. Time to see what all the buzz about Cantillon is about.

A- A very bright, deep maroon red brew. Evident carbonation but no head in my pour. I saw pink head in other's glasses. Looked like cherry kool aid.

S- Funk me!! very funky, lot of bugs in this. I also pick up on the oak, with of course healthy doses of dried sour cherries.

T- A marvelous blend of tart, sweet and sour cherries. The oak plays a role in the flavor as well as the feel of the beer. This is moderately sour but not in your face. The funkyness not as pronounced as it was in the nose.

M- Dry, crisp and tart. Tongue smacking with every sip. Scrapes the tastebuds clean.

O- Great Kriek. I'm pretty new to the lambic style but this is by far the best I've had. Well balanced.

Serving type: on-tap

10-01-2012 17:11:20 | More by haazer

JimsArcade

Pennsylvania

4.9/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pours bright red with almost no head. The color is so vibrant that it looks artificial, though obviously it's all-natural. Aromas of tart cherries dominate with almost no perceptible funk at all, which is surprising. Taking a first sip... wow, just wow. It's nowhere near as tart as it smells. The umami taste that cherries have (but are muted by the natural sweetness) shines through in this brew. The mouthfeel is simply luxurious: imagine the sensation of chewing cherries but somehow the experience is distilled into liquid form. I could drink this beer all day, any day.

Krieks are near the top of my favorite styles of beer. And while I've been lucky to enjoy many stellar offerings, Cantillon's Lou Pepe has surpassed them all. World Class!

Serving type: on-tap

09-30-2012 17:02:44 | More by JimsArcade