Estate Kriek by pFriem Family Brewers is a Kriek Lambic and is being evaluated as a Fruit Lambic (category 23F from the 2015 BJCP Beer Style Guidelines). Lambics are known for their sourness and wild characters that are naturally (or “spontaneously”) imparted by airborne yeast and bacteria. Fruit Lambics impart an additional dimension to the beer with added fruit flavors (the fruit sugars can be either fermented out to dryness or the beer can be back sweetened). Estate Kriek was fermented with cherries from the brewery’s 40 Carmine Jewel cherry trees.

Estate Kriek pours dark golden in color with a pinkish hue and a slight haze beneath a very small rim of off-white head. The aroma is prominently funky aromas of lactic, leather, vanilla and cherry. The flavor is moderately acidic with flavors of lactic, cherry, vanilla with the cherry and vanilla intensifying as the beer warms. The beer finishes moderately acidic with lingering vanilla and cherry flavors.

Estate Kriek is a solid sour beer. The acidity is perfect, and the balance between the cherry and vanilla (from the barrel) is terrific. The funkiness could be a little more diverse in flavor profile other than an almost singular lactic character.