442 : Echt Kriekenbier
Another offering from the folks at the Brouwerij Verhaeghe - Brewery Verhaeghe Vichte - in the town of Vichte, Belgium. It is sort of like the brewery's Barbe Ruby ale, but with some distinct differences. It is based on a reddish-brown ale mixed with an infusion of Limburg cherries, and then aged for at least eight months in oak barrels. Echt Kriekenbier means "real cherry beer" and is a nod to the fact that this Belgian ale is made with genuine Belgian cherries - sourced from the area of Sint-Truiden. They use real cherries, not a cherry extract. As the brewery notes, this is not a Lambic beer, but is rather based on the aforementioned reddish-brown Belgian ale.
So, apparently the taste of cherries will change from year to year - based on the amount of sunshine leading up to the harvest in July. In order to make Echt Kriekenbier taste consistent over time the brewery combines the new beer with portions of beers that have been aged for one and two years. All this extra effort makes for a darn fine tasting beer that when served nicely chilled is quite refreshing on a warm day. Cheers!