Beer Tasting 36: Belle-Vue Kriek from Belgium

There are 3 type of beer generally speaking. Top fermenting ale, bottom fermenting larger/pilsner and the minority Lambic beer which is brewed by spontaneous air borned yeasts within the vicinity of Brussels. This is a true to facts unique style of beer. The Belgians would traditionally use either raspberry (Framboise) or cherry (Kriek) to 'spice' this kind of lambic but more innovative fruits would be banana, peach and even tea! The colour was reddish brown and the nose was full of sour cherry, cherry candy drops and a slight hint of rustic barnyard. The taste confirms the above with old orange peel, subtle bitterness and furniture polish / polished wood in the background. The taste is on the sweet side. Drinkers who are not used to this kind of style would probably find it strange and may call this a girlie beer! Far from it and it has proved itself by it's natural complexity. A truly classic - fun and yet serious beer...like the British breed of commedians who tell funny jokes with deep meanings. Belle-Vue (Beautiful view) along with Lindemans (Not the Aussie winemaker) are the most famous producers of this style of beer. (I will taste the Framboise with you when it becomes available). (Rating 90-92 points) by Michael Lam of the Beverage Review.

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[ophone77]

Woot?

Is he drinking a Kriek from a wine glass?!!!

It's outrageous!!!

By the way, another famous producer of Lambic beers is Mort Subite (Sudden Death, hehe).

[michaelyblam]

@ophone77 Oh no! Not another silly comment about drinking beer using a wine glass. I am just so fed up with these comments. Please do your own research on it before you criticise. I run out of gas trying to explain...

[MaistrePathelin]

@michaelyblam While drinking kriek from a wine glass is okay (that's the perfect shape, actually :-p), Belle-Vue is not the best kriek Belgium has to offer. The cherries used in the brewing process are quite bitter and Belle-Vue tries to 'cover' that bitterness by adding sugar thereafter, all in order to appeal to 'sweeter' palates... You can read 'sweetener' written on it.

[michaelyblam]

@MaistrePathelin Sour cherries are used to spice this beer just like other breweries. Bitterness comes naturally from it so that's part of the taste spectrum. However, Belle-Vue is NOT the best kriek producer as they add much ale to the lambic base. Smaller breweries make tiny productions of lambic beer and do not take much short cuts. Sadly we just cannot get it here!

[MaistrePathelin]

@michaelyblam (part 2; sorry, I write too much ^^) I'd would recommend organic kriek from small breweries to get a taste of an authentic kriek! Problem is: they don't export that much :-s

[michaelyblam]

@MaistrePathelin I totally agree with you. Love to go to Brussels to sample tons of weird and wonderful (and not so wonderful) stuffs. Pity smaller Breweries just do not export their gems!

[michaelyblam]

@MaistrePathelin I totally agree with you. Love to go to Brussels to sample tons of weird and wonderful (and not so wonderful) stuffs. Pity smaller breweries just do not export their gems!

[sammaify]

Beatse! ;d

[mikosixio]

n importe quoi ce gars se permet de faire le connaisseur, alors qu'il boit sa kriek dans un verre a vin et qu' il la sert sans col ridicule

[magiesq]

the best beer i ever had while in LLN belgium wish i can find it here in US!!!!!!!!!! n i dont even drink beer lol

[mrsmabcdoremi123]

Yea this is the good stuff i had in Europe!!!!BELLEVUE

Then i came to Australia found the Lindemans kriek YAK.. it was soooo sour!!

And the Lindemans Framboise the same horrible!!!

That was a waste of money...

Have to find this Bellevue one fast......

Thanks :)

[Kalimbu]

im drinking this beer at this moment !! , YEAH DOREAMON ROCKS ( the blue cat)