Belle-Vue Kriek
Thursday, September 27th, 2007
Without a doubt this would have to be one of the best tasting beers I have ever had the pleasure of drinking.
This beer is unlike any I have tried before and is actually classed as a fruit beer for reasons I will soon explain. It is created with the addition of two important and unique ingredients, ripened Morello cherries and elderberry juice. It is then left to mature in oak casks, where the ageing process can last for 2-3 years before the beer is ready for drinking. The result of all this is a truly beautiful tasting fruit beer with a distinct tartness. Belle-Vue Kriek is a Lambic style beer which traditionally are only brewed in Belgium. Lambic beers are fermented differently to conventional beers using a process called spontaneous fermentation. This unique process gives the beer a distinctive flavour which in this case is very true.
Not only is the taste of this beer unique but so is its appearance. It is a cherry colour when poured along with a creamy full head and a pleasant fruity smell.
Unfortunately there are a few downsides to this beautiful beer;
1. Its price tag and
2. Its availability.
This may be due to the fact that it is fully imported from Belgium.
So if you’re looking to purchase the beer in bottled form you will generally be paying over $8 for a 375ml bottle and in my experience the best place to buy it from is 1st Choice. However, if you’d rather experience this fantastic beer on tap then head to the Belgian Beer Café in Brisbane’s CBD. This is where I first tried this wonderful brew.
Overall this is a truly unique tasting beer and paying that little bit extra is well worth it. I highly recommend you try it out for yourself sometime.
Rating (out of five):
| Posted in Beer Reviews, Lambic | 5 Comments »