Oud Beersel Oude Kriek Vieille - Brouwerij Oud Beersel

Brokenbil

Massachusetts

1.5/5  rDev -64.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 2 | overall: 1

I didn't like this beer. My palate's not sophisticated enough for this one. It tasted like sparkling, cherry-flavored cough medicine to me. The sour aftertaste made me think twice about taking another sip. I prefer sweeter lambic. I wanted to like it, but I never finished the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2008 14:23:11 | More by Brokenbil

silenius

Illinois

2.58/5  rDev -38.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 1.5

Comes in a 375ml bottle and the cork has "SB29" printed on it.

Pours a cloudy deep magenta-red with light pink head. No lacing. It is a very cool color.

Alcohol was the first thing that hit me as I waved the tulip glass under my nose, then a dark balsamic vinegar with sour red fruits in the background. Interesting, but not as complex as I would have expected.

Taste is a bit of a letdown. More sour than anything. Leaves my tongue feeling like I chewed on too many sweetarts. Leaves a bitter/sour taste in the back of my tongue for much too long. Hint of red fruit in there as well. Much much too sour to be enjoyable.

I wouldn't drink another of these, although using it as a marinade might be an option.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2004 22:49:51 | More by silenius

jaluria

Connecticut

2.58/5  rDev -38.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

Pours a brilliant ruby red with a rose-colored head that has very good retention and leaves behind some lacing. A high level of carbonation is visible after the initial pour. Aromas of cherries and alcohol seem to dominate. The taste is, well...different to say the least. I can best describe it as a subtle fruit-flavored champagne. This doesn't really have the consistency, taste, or feel of beer. The cherry flavor doesn't come out all that much. It's the tartness and dryness of this beer that doesn't suit me. The aftertaste is very dry (like champagne or even a chardonnay). I won't be having this beer again...in fact, I couldn't finish my pint.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2005 15:15:13 | More by jaluria

BearsOnAcid

Massachusetts

2.58/5  rDev -38.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Had this the night before. I can do a pretty straight forward review of this though. I had been confused in the store about how old the bottle was. It was mixed in with some newer ones. I think they changed the label for this beer. The one I had was in the picture here but the others had a different/newer label.

The beer had a nice red color, bordering on pink. White head. The smell was pretty sour. Some funk, not so much cherry aroma.

The taste was pretty light. Reading reviews made me think that some aging may have mellowed the flavor a bit. I didn't find any bold flavors at all. It was mostly a light sour and vinegar taste. It almost felt watered down to me.

It was pretty easy to drink. The mouthfeel was wonderful though. Perfectly carbonated for me. The vinegar was a little much for me which is why one bottle would be enough for me.

I may go back and try a fresher batch. I think this is a sour that is good for people that are trying to get into the style because it's not too sour. Unfortunately I'm beyond that.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2010 00:02:53 | More by BearsOnAcid

MShirokov

Illinois

2.58/5  rDev -38.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Tastes like carbonated berry juice. Not really my thing, but I'd be able to appreciate it more if it wasn't insanely bubbly, to the point where I had trouble swallowing it. Took about 5 sips and couldn't do more. Maybe I'll try other beers of this style, but this one really isn't for me.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2013 22:48:37 | More by MShirokov

Will46andbrew

Rhode Island

2.7/5  rDev -35.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A - Deep red with a pink head.

S - Sweet cherry nose. Doesn't smell like it's going to be sour.

T - Slight sweet cherry taste, almost like a Sucret. Wish it was sour, but it's on the sweet side, not too sweet, but sweet none-the-less.

M - Kind of missing, falls off the tongue without much effort. Kind of dissapointing.

D - Not much to say here, goes down too easy. Good, but not great.

Overall I don't think that I would buy this again. I have had Oud Beersel's Gueze Vielle and Kriek Vielle and this is not even in the same league. I can tell that this Kriek is for the sweet Kriek lovers. I like them sour.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2007 00:36:31 | More by Will46andbrew

DaPeculierDane

Wisconsin

2.9/5  rDev -30.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

On tap at the Hopleaf Bar in Chicago, IL.

I was very surprised to see an Oud Beersel product on tap. Aren't they supposed to be out of business? After doing some digging I confirmed that this was indeed an Oud Beersel brew, although it is nothing at all like the Oude Kriek Vieille I am used to. This cherry geuze resembles the kriek lambics of Lindeman's or St. Louis more then it does the wonderful sour in your face monsters of Oud Beersel's past. Perhaps this brew is being produced by another brewer while Oud Beersel gets back up and running.

Appearance: Deep pink-violet, thick pink head. Champaign carbonation.

Aroma: Sweet and tart cherries. Cherry cough syrup. Lemons. Funk? no.

Taste/Mouthfeel: Cherry cough syrup. Sweet front and middle. Slightly dry tart finish similar to cherry pie filling with a spritz of lemon and a dash of cinnamon kicked in. Very medicinal.

Drinkability: Not very good. Not dry enough for me and too medicinal.

Serving type: on-tap

03-16-2007 18:21:57 | More by DaPeculierDane

swamiswamu

Indiana

2.98/5  rDev -28.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

I need to adjust to this style. The huge champagne head and pink hue were beautiful, but it tasted like sour patch kids without the sweetness. Yes, I can see how one would enjoy this, but I'm not there yet. Beyond the overbearing sourness, there was an interesting funk. I really want to like it, maybe I can try some others and work up to it.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2005 02:58:25 | More by swamiswamu

corby112

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -28.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Pours a dark ruby red with huge foamy pink head. Very sweet Aroma of dark cherries with lots of sourness and a slight hint of roasted nut. Very tart/sour lambic taste with a sweet dark cherry balance. Very acicidic with a touch of oak in the aftertaste.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2008 08:05:07 | More by corby112

aforbes10

Iowa

3.13/5  rDev -25.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

cloudy, red like squeezed strawberries, small tan colored head. smells like alcohol, grapes and red fruit, a bit like the odor of a light red wine. Taste is a mild fruity, cherry tartness up front....changing to...nothing at all. After the tartness leaves its as if I drank a glass of water, or at least pretty close to that. My wife said the flavor was like non-alcoholic red wine and too tart. Fizzy and full bodied, like a soda without the sweetness. Easy enough to drink, but i can't say that i'd want to buy another.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2006 12:23:21 | More by aforbes10

Cresant

Kentucky

3.15/5  rDev -24.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Served this 12.7 oz. dark green bottle in a Tripel Karmeliet glass. Best by date: 10 03 2030. The body was opaque and a dull grape/cherry Kool Aide color. The head was a deep pink color and left little lacing.

The aroma was of powdered sugar and cherries. Spicy but not funky. I think I smell cinnamon. I wish there was more wildness in this one.

The taste was puckering tart cherries. Woody and pretty dry. There was a sour bite up front but it finishes with some fruit sweetness. A little watery.

The mouthfeel was thinner than expected but it had plenty of zippy carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2010 13:35:12 | More by Cresant

Realale

Missouri

3.28/5  rDev -21.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Corked 375ml bottle. Best Before date of 12/2022!

Clear lurid red - looks like Faygo Redpop. Huge fine raspy head intially settles quickly, but a top-up results in a huge head (2-3") that stays.

Nose is sour barnyard over a touch of sour dark cherry. Hmmm. Really quite restrained for what I expected.

Incredibly shrill and sour in the mouth. Some support from the cherry, but this is really a one note beer right now. Very long, but not very complex. I hope this just needs time in the cellar, as its not up to the level of the gueuze from this fine brewery.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2003 16:29:57 | More by Realale

stcules

Italy

3.3/5  rDev -21.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Cherry-Red colour, with ruby reflexes. Pinky foam, quite persistent.
The smell is cherry (obviously...), with some spicy notes. Maybe some pine-apple, and roses.
Hoppy taste, quite strong for a beer like this. Wood and tannic (the core of the cherry). Astringent.
The aftertaste is quite bitter (the hop again). Not sweet. Medium body.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2003 01:34:45 | More by stcules

Tupperwolf

Washington

3.33/5  rDev -20.3%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured about half of a small corked bottle into my Stone Old Guardian glass - With a proper, gentle pour, the head EXPLODED, giving me about an inch and a half of deep cherry red beer and four to five inches of head. The head is amazing, like dense red-colored lemon meringue or whipped cream; I poured it up to nearly an inch tall over the rim of the glass, and it sat there like a pink styrofoam mountain, fat and happy. Slowly fading down to a thick layer over a few minutes in the thin neck of the glass, it left sticky gobs of styrofoam lacing.

The smell is, quite naturally, sour-smelling cherries and yeast. I'm not exactly a lambic connesseur, and that's pretty much all I get.

Very tart, very sour flavor - cherries, very slight barnyard horsiness. There's just a little malt graininess in the finish, but most of the flavor is sour.

Spicy, tart in the mouth, with a somewhat grainy, dry finish.

It's still going to be a long time before I really know what to look for in a lambic. However, this is rather drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2006 05:03:50 | More by Tupperwolf

samie85

Illinois

3.33/5  rDev -20.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed from notes; originally 5/7/11.

A-Pours a dark, hazy red color with a two-finger pink head.

S-Smells of tart cherries with a little bit of balsamic vinegar.

T-Tart, acidic cherries with a slight, bitter finish.

M-Light bodied with heavy carbonation and a drying feel.

D-Pretty nice and refreshing take on the style, although I wish it was a little more tart/sour.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2011 01:53:50 | More by samie85

marcpal

New Jersey

3.45/5  rDev -17.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Dark red with a bright red foamy head.

S: Sweet tarts with menthol.

T: The cherry character came through and was nice in the flavor department. More tartness right up front than Ive had on others of the style but not cloying. Still a little much.

M: Bland and not much other than puckering tartness.

D: Got easier to drink, but tartness was just numbing after a while.

I figured I would try this one given the chance, but this was not enjoyable at all. I am not a huge fan of the style, but this was just overpowering in my book and tartness doesnt give much characther.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2008 03:07:26 | More by marcpal

adamette

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle with cork closure purchased at Der Braumeister in Cleveland, Ohio into gold lined glass.

A Thin, pink body with no head. Interesting look.

S Mild Cherries, not much sweetness.

T Strong, short lived taste, bitter, dissapears quickly.

M Thin, harsh, brief.

D Above average for the style but this is my first beer of this style and I am not into it yet.

Notes: I may consider re reviewing this beer at a later date when I develop my taste for this style.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2008 03:09:33 | More by adamette

amphion1065

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

750 mL bottle, with a 28 10 2029 "Best before" date. Served in a Duvel tulip. Reviewed from notes.

Pours a dark, ruby red. A deep purple, one-finger head with wonderful retention forms. A really delightful appearance.

Lots of tart cherries in the nose, with a deep lactic tartness throughout. It's funky and sour, but the fruit flavors still really shine. Perhaps a little more sweetness than I'd like, but it's certainly not a turn-off.

This is very, very cherry-forward. Overwhelmingly sweet, with just a slight sour twang. A vinous, slightly wild yeast component is largely subdued by the cherries at play. Vanilla comes through as well.

This is a touch undercarbonated, though not terribly so. The tartness is mild enough that this never becomes exhausting to the palate.

Totally fine, and pretty tasty. I can't really dock the fruit for being too vibrant, but a slightly deeper level of complexity and sourness would certainly help.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2012 16:38:08 | More by amphion1065

goz

Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear brilliant red, with a smallish pink head. Aroma is sweet, lot's of tart cherries, some other fruitiness, and a bit of the barnyard. Flavor is tart cherries, some slight other fruitiness, super sour, somewhat acidic. Body is medium, super dry ending.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2003 08:21:04 | More by goz

donotknowme

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

Meh, not impressed. A gorgeous pour and color; deep shiny red with a slight head. A small metallic taste with not a whole lot of flavor. A decent tartness at the finish left me wanting to drink more. I enjoyed the consistency of it as it wasn't watery and not too thick. Not much smell to it and basically I just wanted more from this drink.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2007 02:12:08 | More by donotknowme

thekanna

Maryland

3.63/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Found a bottle at Chevy Chase Wine in Chevy Chase, MD.

A: Gorgeous dark red color with a foamy, huge magenta head.

S: Horse blanket, straw and funk. The wild, funky, biscuity, cheese-like aroma really makes up the bulk of the smell. By the way, did I mention the funk?

T: Tart, sour cherries hit the tongue, followed by the distinguishable funk of aged goat cheese possibly served on a toasted cracker, ending with more sourness.

M: Juicy and refreshing, makes the mouth pucker a bit. Lightly carbonated.

D: Certainly one of the more interesting Krieks I've had, though I prefer beers of this style to be a little sweeter. Still, I'm glad I tried it, even if I'm not a huge fan of the wild funk.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2010 07:44:59 | More by thekanna

birchstick

Missouri

3.63/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Shared a bottle after an awesome dinner at Haute Dish in Minneapolis

Pours a nice ruby color with a nice creamy head. Smells of sour citrus with some nice sweet, cherries. Taste is similar-starts with lemony citrus sourness that has a bit of barnyard funk intermixed with it; finishes with an oak cherry and more of the sour profile from earlier on the palate. Mouth is nice and full with carbonation burn on the back end. Pretty solid Kriek, I never heard of it and ordered...pleasantly surprised by this and wouldn't hesitate to buy this again.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2011 17:30:01 | More by birchstick

eric5bellies

Australia

3.63/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a cloudy pink red colour with a decending white head.

S - Plenty of wild yeast and funk but not much cherry.

T - Very tart and acidic without much cherry.

M - Medium body and carbonation.

O - A kriek without much kriek,could have had more cherries for me.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2011 13:29:34 | More by eric5bellies

laituegonflable

Australia

3.65/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a vibrant scarlet colour with pale pink head, quite fizzy when poured but sunk to a modest crown, aggressive bead feeds from below. Nice cherry colour, decent otherwise.

Smells very funky. Lots of acid and light cherry juice notes but oddly - and, I think, welcomely - it's dominated not by fruit or puckering tartness but by a barnyard funk. Lots of brett character but quite strong with a wet lucerne and horsey smell. Meshes well with the more subtle tartness to produce what I think is one of the most interesting kriek smells I've had.

Taste is also quite interesting, a ittle bit of a surprise too, but not so much of a delight. Fruit flavours on the front with mostly sweet grape wine notes that develops a pleasant acid on the mid where juicy cherry notes come through, fairly juicy and rich. They trail off at the back and there comes through that funky brett character, ending quite bitter really, a slight fruit rind note and very dry and attenuated on the back. Quite good and curious - oddly I'd like more fruit though, as it's overrun by less characteristic kriek notes.

Quite sharp and tart, as expected. Doesn't "feel" wonderful, but it's stylistically appropriate.

Yeah, hit and miss at the same time. Interesting and pleasant enough but also doesn't leave you feeling great.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2011 22:37:20 | More by laituegonflable

granger10

Wisconsin

3.68/5  rDev -12%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This is my first Kriek so I might change the scores after I have tried a few more.

The appearance is dark red almost purple color with a huge foamy, soapy white head. The head takes awhile to settle. Small bubbles rise to the top but it's not out of control carbonation.

The smell is yeasty and has a hay quality to it. Slightly ripe cherries there as well. The flavor seems to be limited on the cherry taste upfront. It seems like I am only getting the skins of the cherries and not their juicy qualities. The flavor seems a bit limited and doesn't have the depth I would like until the finish. It's very sharp and tarty. There's a raspberry finish that's acidic.

The best by date is March 12, 2023 so maybe this is a bit young but I don't think it's as developed as I would have liked it to have been. But it's still really good and quite impressive as it stands now.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2004 02:25:32 | More by granger10