Oud Beersel Oude Kriek Vieille - Brouwerij Oud Beersel

billab914

Virginia

4.22/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

375ml bottle into my Lost Abbey stemware. It poured a dark ruby color with a frothy pink foam rising an inch above the body. Very nice color and head to it.

The aroma has a very nice sour cherry flavor going on. It's slightly acidic with a little sourness, but more tart overall. The cherries really come out nicely in it.

The taste is a little sharper up front with some tart, acidic flavors coming through. The cherries really come out towards the finish and add some fruity, sweetness that cuts through the acidic sourness.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied for the style with carbonation being high. Overall it was a delicious beer. The cherries were very nice in it. It wasn't the sourest of the style, but it was very flavorful and drinkable and felt nicely balanced in relation to the style. Very enjoyable beer overall.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2011 00:08:45 | More by billab914

mdagnew

United Kingdom (Northern Ireland)

4.22/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

375ml corked and capped bottle bought from De Bier Tempel in Brussels about 6 years ago...

Poured a nice, slightly hazy, pinky red / light brown colour... Pinky white head poured quite foamy but faded fairly quickly to light ring... some sparse carbonation shoots to the surface... no real lacing..

A - Strong lambic sourness bursts out of the glass, quite light sour cherry notes, some faint almond nuttiness, cider vinegar - maybe some red wine vinegar too, definite mustiness, some pepperiness, very light sweetness comes through, lemony, no maltes or hops, wet hay traces..

T - Very tart fruits (strong lemons and cherries, some grapefruits), very strong lambic sourness, some very light sugary sweetness comes through towards the end, some faint marzipan, definite cider vinegar notes, faint hints of vanilla...

M&D - Pretty sharp and dry initially with some smoothness just coming through... pretty refreshing but probably couldn't drink more than one in a sitting...

Overall - An excellent kriek which has mellowed nicely in the 6 years since i bought it... one of my favourites of this style...

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2011 08:26:49 | More by mdagnew

Filosoof

Netherlands

4.22/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

L: top is okay, but doesn't stay long; colour is beautiful dark purple (old red).
S: sour apple ofcourse, light cherry, tart oak and a tiny amandle.
T: I expected a little more body after the great smell; but it's nice, not too tart like some geuzes; that's why it's quite drinkable;
M: light bodied, nice carbonation;
O: very good Oude Kriek, but a little less complex than the Cantillon Oude Kriek Bio I tried last week.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2011 18:22:44 | More by Filosoof

BeerAmbassador

Arizona

4.5/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Beer pours a hazy deep cherry red (shocking I know) with a frothy pinkish head. The foam on this beer is dense and tightly packed and sticks around for a while. Best before date says 10/03/2030. Wow. Some musty (in a good way) earthy and barnyard aromas along with that ever present cherry. Sharp tartness upfront that hits your tongue in a wave and the acidity moves to the side of your tongue and to the back of your palate. Next comes the cherry flavor to give you a bit of a break from that acidity. A little maltiness to remind you that you are in fact drinking a beer. Followed by a long dry finish that leaves the palate cleansed and ready for another sip. This is one of my favorite Lambics and a great example of its particular style. I only wish I could afford to drink it more often.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2011 02:44:27 | More by BeerAmbassador

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

3.9/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

375 ml bottle split and poured into a Sierra Nevada tulip.
6.5% ABV, Best Before 10.03.2030 (Holy crap!) Serve at 46°-54°F, PL 12 on the cork.

Thanks to my brother-in-sour, Beerwolf77 for splitting another great brew with me!

A - Bright blood red in color topped by a lightly tan-hued pink head with absolutely superb retention for a lambic. Arches of lace are left on the tulip.

S - This funky aroma takes me straight to my aunt and uncle's wood-paneled basement up in the northwoods. Horse blanket and faint cherry skin, this beer smells more funky than it does sour and it's borderline orgasmic.

T - Completely lacking in lactic acidity and yeast funk, all that's left in the flavor is tart, fresh cherry skin. Tasty but a major league let-down from what the aroma presents.

M - Tart cherry gives the mouthfeel a little kick but no real acidic or sour characteristics come through.

O - While it's good, it's hard to get past how disappointing the beer is after the out-of-this-world aroma. Well-balanced and flavorful anyway.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2011 18:29:12 | More by BeerFMAndy

beerwolf77

Wisconsin

4.2/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Corked and caged 375ml bottle split and poured in to tulips.

A: Deep dark red hue. Full finger of bright pink head fades leaving soapy lace. A cap forms.

S: The initial whiff yields a full on armpit funk blast. I love it! Sour cherry, wet moldy wood, sweaty gym socks, damp basement. Cherry pie comes to mind as well.

T: The flavor is not as funky as the nose. However it is full on tart cherry. Hints of wet wood, attic dust, earthy. A can actually pick out a sweetness that seems to be vanilla.

M: Light to medium body. Decent amount of carbonation.

O: A very nice kriek. The nose was super tart and funky yet the flavor was mainly tart. Not bad but not my favorite kriek by a long shot.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2011 18:40:07 | More by beerwolf77

stakem

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

C&C 375ml bottle. Vintage 2004 with a best by date of 6/10/2024. It doesn't take much encouragement and the cork forces itself out the bottle. Poured into a flute, this brew appears a clear ruby color with 2 fingers worth of fluffy pink stained head. It audibly pops and fizzes away to a thin film across the top. A little bit spotty lace clings to the glass. A few bubbles of carbonation rise through the solution maintaining a ring of lacework around the outside perimeter of the glass.

The aroma of this brew is pleasantly funky with notes of stinky cheese that blend into a fruited quality. The initial fruit character smells lemony and lactic before turning to the pitted scent of cherry. The cherry is quite earthy smelling some what like rotten cherries and it is not nearly as bold as you would expect. The cherry incorporation is pleasantly subdued and only plays a minor role in the nose behind the lactic character and funky tones. Very nicely done. As the brew warms, across the back is a faint smell of wood imparting a very mild vanilla sweetness and faint must.

The taste of this brew is quite earthy with funk, mild diaper, cheese, dirt, wood, and rotten cherries. There is a sharp lactic character which imparts mild lemon rind puckering quality before returning to the depth of flavors listed above. The cherry inclusion in the taste is much different from the aroma, it has brighter notes tasting more fresh than you would expect for being 7 or so years old. The cherry inclusion has it's moments where it tastes a bit medicinal but all in all tastes quite well mixed with mild vanilla flavors from the wood aging. I am quite surprised by the bold presence of the wood flavoring throughout the lasting aftertaste. At some points it hits an uneasy flavor with me almost like mildew on the wood.

This is quite a complex brew, one of the better krieks I have had. It is medium to light bodied with a lively amount of fizzy carbonation but not excessively done. The alcohol is very well hidden, it takes more than a glass and a warming up to room temperature before I even start to pick up on the alcohol's contribution of warmth down the back of the throat. Overall a very earthy brew that was a pleasure to drink. This brew finishes quite crisp and dry leaving you wanting more. My only gripe about this brew is how much the oak comes through in the aftertaste, it is a little over the top even for someone who loves oak inclusion in a brew.

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2011 17:42:16 | More by stakem

boralyl

Oregon

4.68/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A - 375ml bottle, dated best before 3/10/2030. An audible pop is produced when pulling out the cork. Pouring the beer into a tulip produces a big fizzy pink head. It's got nice retention. The beer is clear and dark red in color, think mahogany.

S - The nose has a nice lactic sourness combined with sour cherries and a little funkiness. There is also a little bit of vanilla and oak character.

M - The body falls somewhere between light and medium. It's highly carbonated and very dry.

T - Bright sour cherry flavors hit first followed by sourness. A little bit of funk shows up in the tail end. The finish brings some more sour flavors lasting into the finish. It's not overly sour, nor overly sweet. On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being sweet, and 10 being mouth puckering, I'd give it a 6 or 7.

A superb Kriek. Not overly sour or sweet, and nicely carbonated. I'd certainly pick this one up again.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2011 01:16:04 | More by boralyl

ADZA

Australia

4.22/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a dark non see through cherry hue with nice carbonation that leaves behind a two finger head and a rim of lacing,the smell is fresh tobacco,cherries,horse blanket and hay,the mouthfeel is full bodied and has tastes of sour cherries,sour funk,a touch of nuts and finishes with a mouthpuckering sherbet sourness that is bone dry and overall ive been pleasantly suprised by this brew as i have to admit im not the biggest fans of Krieks im more of a Framboise bloke but this one is in a class of its own as the cherry is there but it doesnt overpower and is just another ingredient to this brew and i would drink this again anyday of the week cheers.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2011 12:44:04 | More by ADZA

birchstick

Missouri

3.63/5  rDev -12.9%
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

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

4.25/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Luscious red with a pink head. Good cherry tart and sour aroma, wood plays second fiddle.

Expansive sour, fruit seems very fresh for being out of bottle, almost pie like, sour comes back, compliments the fruit, easily overwhelmed my expectations. Mild funkiness, sour still dominating. Dry. Not balanced, but the sweetness from the cherry pie filling like flavor melded well with the sour aspect. Had this at the end of my day at sour fest, and it really stood tall. Carbonation was spot on. Acidity was just right as well. Might even be some lemon there to help amp up the tartness, just the slightest amount of woodyness to it.

Would buy next time I come across it in the bottle. $10 a 375 seems worth it.

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2011 21:34:05 | More by Beerandraiderfan

hooliganlife

Missouri

4.35/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

bottle says best by 2026, nice...

pours a nice deep pinkish rose with a very light fizzy head. slight haziness.

lots of deep cherry and plenty of old stale oak.

very tart and puckering. nice bold cherry flavor with a hint of lemon zest. lots of oak. not overly complex however the cherry and oak really blend well. great tartness.

lots of carbonation with a nice dry finish. cherry fades with the oak.

overall, i am impressed. this is delicious. lower price than most krieks making this a great deal.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2011 00:18:47 | More by hooliganlife

ajcobb24

Florida

3.93/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance - Wow. This Kriek looks exactly like a cherry sitting in the snifter glass that I poured it into. The best looking blood red you will see. Some carbonation is present on an aggressive pour, but it quickly abates. About one half a finger of head.

Smell - Smell could have left something to be desired. I would have liked more cherry scents and less musty earthiness. Overall, an above average smell.

Taste - Pretty darn good. You are greeted with an initial musty, earthy taste that isn't all that pleasant, but this transforms into a faint cherry sweetness near the end of the sip. Not too much difference with/without retro-nasal breathing as far as the taste is concerned; that left me wanting a bit more.

Mouthfeel - Full bodied. Can really taste some hidden carbonation here as you swirl it around your mouth.

Overall - A pretty good lambic beer. While framboise is more of my preferred flavor for lambics, kriek is also pretty good as well. I enjoy the fact that this beer was not overally tart and sweet like Lindemans Framboise is, but it tended toward the more not sweet at all side, which I didn't like.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2011 21:06:50 | More by ajcobb24

drummermattie02

Texas

4.47/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 750mL bottle.

Pours a deep red with a big head, touch of pink.

Smell is very funky with a hint of cherries, earthy and barnyard come to mind as well.

Taste has very little cherries, which was a surprise. Very tart, mouth puckering even. Barnyard yeast flavors are pretty evident here. Very good lambic. The finish is where the cherries are most noticed.

Very well carbonated, good body, very effervescent.

Overall a great example of the style, acidic nature made it hard to do much more than sip, but in no way is that a bad thing.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2011 02:16:36 | More by drummermattie02

KevinBrewer

California

4.08/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A- Hazy dark cherry color with a tall strawberry head that lasts, leaving no lacing.

N- Tart and acidic with sour cherries and a bit of funk. Also a hint of spice.

T- Acidic and tart with sour cherries and a nice warm layer of cinnamon and nutmeg underneath (possibly from the barrel?). Nice puckering finish with a touch of funk in there. Dry cherry flesh in the aftertaste.

M- Medium-light bodied with lively carbonation and a dry finish.

D- Overall, a respectable sour. The carbonation and acidity work together to make this a refreshing beer that goes down easy. Huge cherry presence without the sweetness.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2011 05:11:53 | More by KevinBrewer

OddNotion

New Jersey

4.43/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into my Lost Abbey stemmed glass.
Best by: 27.06.2027

Appearance: Minimal white head that turns to lacing. A nice orangish pink color.

Smell: Tart, funky, sour and fruity. Very enjoyable.

Taste: Nicely acidic. One of the more sour beers I have experienced. More cherry flavor than I expected, but not a bad thing at all.

Mouthfeel: Good for the style. Nice and bubbly.

Overall: Very enjoyable. I think there was a nice balance. A little on the expensive side for a 375ml but worth it.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2011 03:29:23 | More by OddNotion

samie85

Illinois

3.33/5  rDev -20.1%
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

Pencible

Virginia

3.83/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Best Before 10-04-2029

A: This poured a clear cherry red with lots of quickly dissipating pink head.
S: It smelled like sweet cherries and tart vinegar, with sour wild yeast and white grapes.
T: It tasted like sweet cherry pie filling with tart white grapes and vinegar and sour wild yeast. It had an unpleasant metallic bitterness in the aftertaste, but was otherwise clean.
M: It was thin and very carbonated, even more carbonated than most champagnes. A bit too fizzy for me.
D: This was an interesting beer, and I personally preferred it over most other krieks I've tried due to the nice balance of sweet and tart. However, the aftertaste was not pleasant, and the body was too bubbly, so it wasn't very easy to drink. I wish the oak was more present, and a bit of funk would add to the complexity nicely. I'm guessing this one really needs some age to shine. Nearly fresh, this was good but definitely not great.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2011 16:53:08 | More by Pencible

aasher

Indiana

4.13/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I received this bottle in a recent trade with Avagadro. Thanks again Aaron! It's even more fitting since I just had Oud Beersel's Framboise within the past week and I really enjoyed it.

This beer pours a very deep and murky rosewood red in color with a two finger bright pink poofy head. The aromas are of apple skins, house yeast and funk, and tart cherries. I'm glad it's not just cherries and then onto the flavor. The complexity is appreciated. The flavor consists of sweet and slightly tart cherries, light yeast, and red apple skins. It's definitely not as tart as it could be but it's a fine drink. It drinks very well and has good flavor. I do enjoy the complexities that show themselves throughout but it could've been a little more bold as far as the tart cherry flavor is concerned. Overall, it's a very good Kriek and worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2011 03:33:13 | More by aasher

Offa

California

4.9/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This simply an outstanding Kriek Lambic.

Deep red, faintly hazy, big dark pink head steadily shrinks.

Aroma is nice funky, rustic/barnyard aroma, woody and yeasty, and with light cherry element.

Taste is nice rustic/funky yeastiness then cherry and woody leafiness, citric, lightly tart, lightly sweet, hint of sour, and overall slightly on the tart and dryish side but not too tart or dry, and very flavourful. It has excellent lambic character in addition to a firm but gentle cherry/fruity quality and is overall an excellent, complex kriek lambic.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2011 18:47:15 | More by Offa

bs870621345

New Jersey

5/5  rDev +19.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Wow, my first 5 beer. Picked this up at a new store, I think its over 5 years old, best by date of 21/12/2025. Was not properly cellared

Pours a clear deep ruby color with a redish pink half inch head and nice lacing down the glass.

Smell is cherry, oak, funk, lemons, apples, horse blanket, and a tinge of vinegar.

Taste explodes with everything in the smell and more. Cherry is up front and then moves to funk and lemons. Amazing acidity, nicely balanced sweetness, dry oak and funk on the end. This is a perfect lambic.

Mouthfeel is light to moderate with nice sparkling carbonation.

Overall, this may not be my favorite beer, but its in the top 3. Its a perfect lambic and I will be buying the store out.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2011 00:03:11 | More by bs870621345

avalon07

South Carolina

4.43/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Poured from a bottle to a tulip glass. Had a deep ruby color and a thick consistency. There was a big, pink colored, long-lasting, foamy head. Average lacing.

S: A super sweet, tart aroma of cherries and alcohol.

T: Like the smell, the taste was dominated by tart cherries, some alcohol esters, and a bit of malt. A very sweet and extremely lively flavor.

M: A well-carbonated beer with a surprisingly dry finish. Light-bodied.

D: A superbly focused and drinkable Lambic.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2011 14:46:50 | More by avalon07

mvanaskie13

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Picked up a bottle for the yeast dregs, and to taste it of course:

Poured into a tulip pint glass, wow solid opaque red, with pink head, have not had a kriek in a while very impressive.

Smell is lightly vinegary, hint of sweetness, cherries, tart, hint of must.

Taste is sweet/vinegary mix of flavors, followed by the vinegary tartness and sweet aftertaste. Some light funkiness.

Mouthfeel is good, not overpoweringly sour or mouth puckeringly so, almost a clean finish and well balanced on the tongue.

Overall, I think a very well done kriek, enough residual cherry flavor and a complexity with the aged beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2011 03:18:21 | More by mvanaskie13

UCLABrewN84

California

4.33/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a semi-opaque deep ruby red color with a huge 3 inch foamy light red head that lasts. Lacing after each sip slips back down into the beer after a few seconds. Smells of sour dark cherries, red wine vinegar, and funk/must. My mouth waters with each sniff in anticipation of the sourness. Taste is of delicious sour cherries, vinegar, and a musty funkiness. There is a bitter tartness on the palate after each sip that is puckering. Very carbonated beer that is prickly on the drink down. Almost soda like in that regard. Overall, a very good lambic that I am glad I got to try.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2011 04:34:28 | More by UCLABrewN84

TheSupremeAJ

Pennsylvania

4.63/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

375ml bottle... best before 10/03/2030 according to the bottle. Batch code L0069 08:51:45. Uncorked effortlessly.

Appearance- Bright burgundy color that is an exact match to the color on the label. Pink head and lots of it. Bottle art doesn't match the BA label, and is rather majestic with gold trim.

Smell- Very sour, funky and complex. I know that we'll be in for a treat.

Taste- Tart, dry and musty. Flavorful like natural cherries... not artificially sweet at all. Sour balance. A real class balance of sourness and flavor that truly an artisan would have created.

Mouthfeel- Inviting, natural, mouth-puckering and authentic.

This is a fine beer and should be sought out accordingly so... I'm tempted to downgrade my ratings just so that it doesn't become a rarity!

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2011 02:34:23 | More by TheSupremeAJ