The story
Fruit has been added to lambic for centuries, and cherries are the most traditional choice. Kriek is the Flemish word for a type of sour cherry, and the classic variety used was the Schaerbeek cherry, once grown in orchards around what is now a district of Brussels. As the city grew and the orchards disappeared, brewers turned to other sour cherry varieties.
In the twentieth century, kriek became one of Belgium’s most recognisable beers, though much of what was sold was sweetened. Traditional brewers kept making “Oude Kriek” — tart, unsweetened and fermented with whole fruit — and today those versions are among the most sought-after sour beers in the world.
What it tastes like
A traditional kriek pours a deep ruby red with a pink-tinged head. The aroma is packed with tart cherry, sometimes with a hint of almond or marzipan from the cherry pits, along with the earthy, funky notes of lambic. On the palate it is sour and fruity, with bright acidity and a dry finish. The cherry flavour is vivid but not sugary. Sweetened versions are more like cherry soda, while traditional versions are complex and bracing.
How it’s made
Brewers start with lambic that has been aged in oak barrels. Whole sour cherries — often a very generous quantity — are added to the barrels, where the wild yeast and bacteria ferment the fruit sugars. The beer rests on the fruit for months, extracting colour, flavour and aroma. It is then blended (sometimes with young lambic to aid carbonation), bottled, and allowed to referment naturally. Sweetened commercial versions typically add sugar or fruit juice after fermentation.
Fun fact
Leaving the cherry stones in during fermentation is thought to contribute the subtle almond note that many drinkers love in traditional kriek. Framboise, made the same way with raspberries, is kriek’s most famous sibling.