Traditionally, kriek is made by breweries in and around Brussels using lambic beer to which sour cherries (with the pits) are added. [3] A lambic is a sour and dry Belgian beer, fermented spontaneously with airborne yeast said to be native to Brussels; the presence of cherries (or raspberries) predates the almost universal use of hops as a flavoring in beer. [4]

A traditional kriek made from a lambic base beer is sour and dry as well. The cherries are left in for a period of several months, causing a refermentation of the additional sugar. Typically no sugar will be left so there will be a fruit flavour without sweetness. There will be a further maturation process after the cherries are removed. To us acetic sting (as we like to call it; "piqûre acétique" in French) is an off-flavour. But it seems it is an acquired taste for other people (in this case more so the American part of the world). So don't expect enormous amounts of sour because of course we're not going to let anything leave the brewery that we don't like ourselves. But what you taste is a nice complex, balanced Oude Geuze with acetic acidty that is already way above the level we normally prefer and what we'd easily at our brewery unofficially label as "american taste". At the same time it's still relatively mild compared to other beers, but it is only to show that we don't believe acetic acidty should have such a huge role in these beers. It is nice to add a small barrel with "neig" (lambic with acetic sting) to a large blend to give some depth (a bit like using salt and pepper in the kitchen). But it should not be a dominating taste in the beer. All the stories of irregular bowel movements and the enamel of teeth coming off is not what a properly made lambic beer should have as result. Some brewers macerate for up to a year. They also go up to a 3.3 lbs./gal (400g/L) fruit ratio. Where to Buy Kriek BeerLike all Lambics, Krieks age well. Unfortunately, there are trade-offs. Aging for longer allows the yeasts to develop their associated flavors in the beer. If these flavors are not what you want to emphasize in your Kriek, brewers recommend one to two years of aging. If you use frozen cherries, you will need to extract pits from fresh cherries if you want the nutty notes in your beer. Find sources: "Kriek lambic"– news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR ( December 2009) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message)

The dark-red Morello cherry is a common alternative. Do not even think about using sweet cherries. They will not give you the best flavor to weight ratio. Yet, modern interpretations tend towards the target market of the sweet-toothed folks. These sweet beers tempt the bitter beer haters with an option that is still a beer. You could say this is a win-win for beer lovers if you are not into fully authentic Kriek. However, watch out for sweetened juices, essences, and flavored syrups. Which Fruit Is in a Kriek Beer? Some brewers age Kriek for five years after all the finishing processes. Do remember that the Lambic base is already aged a year. It all depends on the flavor profile they are trying to achieve. If you want it sourer, push your aging for longer. For fresher fruitiness, aging for a few months to a year is a good duration. Do Krieks Age Well? Unable to muster anything quite as tasty as the Lounge’s ace chef Paul Thieblemont, I hopped down to Gregg’s Bakery and snaffled a jammy biscuit instead.*

The American Kriek

Lambic beers have so many branches that it so happens Kriek is one of them. Kriek is one of the original Fruit Beers derived from Lambic.

Kriek pairs with most desserts and breakfast food like pies and Belgian waffles. Anything whose flavors pop if you added fruit. It is even good with chocolatey desserts. You can try it with your favorite fresh cheeses and green salads. How Strong Is Kriek? When Boon's beers are bottled, they are marked with a best by date that is 20 years after the bottling date. [11]

Where to Buy Kriek Beer

Kriek Boon Sélection is only available on draught and is based on our bottled Oude Kriek Boon. Kriek Boon Sélection is made in a similar way as Oude Kriek Boon: we make it by fermenting 400 grams of fresh cherries per litre Lambic. The blend of this Kriek Lambic and young Lambic is kegged. The high number of cherries result in a very intense, yet slightly tart cherry flavour. Result: this beer is 100% natural. Kriek Boon is a Belgian Lambic beer that has been flavoured with cherries. Lambics are produced by a natural fermentation using the wild yeasts unique to the Pajottenland region which create deliciously crisp and sour beers, of which the Boon brewers are masters. It has Champagne-esque bubbles, kept under control with a cork, and is a sweet and sour, sparkling fruity wonder. The tasting notes on the Lounge’s menu describes it perfectly: “Spontaneously fermented with 400g of whole cherries added to each litre of beer, giving a slight tartness with lovely cherry and almond flavours. Chocolate and cherries are a match made in heaven so this beer is the perfect companion for the hits of chocolate, vanilla, caramel and hazelnut.” It also goes well with a jammy biscuit. The earliest known fruit used for Kriek is the Schaerbeek Cherry. It is a small and red cherry native to the town of Schaerbeek, in Brussels. It is known as wild cherry: it is not grafted on plum trees or “regular” cherry trees.