Wilder on Wine: Belgian ale on kriek

Cherry-infused Belgian ale

The idea of a fruit beer may seem a bit too, well, fruity. But before you write it off, you should know it’s not some new style invented by a boardroom full of marketing personnel to try and tempt non-beer drinkers away from their wine coolers.

Blending fresh fruit with fermenting beer is extremely traditional, particularly in Belgium's Lembeek village, in the region of Flanders. And the star fruit? Kriek, or cherry. Using the sour variety native to the region ("Schaarbeek"), the resultant ale is lent an incredibly refreshing and mouthwatering character.

There are two main styles: lambic and Flanders Red Ale. Both are brewed using the spontaneous fermentation triggered by natural, native yeasts that impart their trademark hint of barnyard smell. Lambics are aged for at least two years in both cask and bottle (explaining why they can be quite expensive compared to other beers), while Flanders Red Ales see a bit less time in the cellar (though it is still quite long for a beer, averaging a year or so).

Both typically undergo three separate fermentations and combine malted barley with unmalted wheat and aged hops (a very unusual combo in the beer world). Flanders Red Ales are often made by combining aged lots with fresh lots to round out the flavors and tannins, adding special red malts to achieve its unique and beautiful color. They are described as being amongst the most wine-like of beers.

Flanders Red Ale, like many other traditional beers like Saissons, has become somewhat endangered. But thanks to the recent craft beer revival, it's enjoying the beginnings of a renaissance. Brewers as far flung as Michigan and Italy are even trying their hand and are demonstrating painstaking dedication to the traditional methods.

Kriek Ales, from the somewhat sweet to the extremely bitter and dry, make the perfect summertime refresher. Explore this amazing little niche of the beer world, and you'll never turn up your nose at another fruit beer. Most are sealed with a Champagne-style cork.

Some examples available in Nashville:

Lindemans Kriek Lambic, Belgium: $7.99 for 12oz
Lindemans has been brewing lambic since 1811. They were the first to introduce lambics to the American market (in 1979) and have remained the most popular brand. While they also make a peach, raspberry and pear lambic, the cherry is their most traditional flavor. Whole fresh cherries are added to the casks, triggering a third fermentation and promoting a spritz-y carbonation that gives the finished beer a champagne-like character, one of my favorite aspects of this particular lambic — an excellent mouthfeel. The flavor is akin to a natural black cherry soda, having a dark sweetness with only a flash of malty bitterness. However, there is just enough musty earthiness to ground this beer firmly on European soil. It would be a great choice for those who don't usually drink beer, or with dessert. I drank it on its own, and while I found it refreshing at first, it became a bit cloying without anything to counter its sweetness.

Boon Kriek Lambic, Belgium: $10 for 12oz
Frank Boon is considered by many to be a leader of the lambic revival movement in Belgium, and he is dedicated to using extremely traditional methods. If you didn't know you were drinking a cherry beer, the Boon's nose would not give it away! It smells very much like a "normal" Belgian beer: very yeasty, with subtle hints of straw, dried wildflowers, and a bit of skunkiness. On the palate, the cherry flavor is incredibly subtle, making this beer extremely refreshing. There's a bitterness to it, which acts as a cleansing agent, encouraging that next sip.

Ichtegem's Grand Cru Flemish Red Ale, Belgium: $11 for 750mL (equal to 1 pt 9.4oz)
While the lambic style's flavors are redolent of fresh red cherries, the Flanders Red Ale style focuses on the super sour cherry. Ichtegem's is much more subtle than many Flanders Red Ales, making it extremely drinkable with a refreshing snappy acidity and some yeasty floral nuances reminiscent of a dubbel. The cherry flavor is very understated - a perfect introduction to the style.

Jolly Pumpkin Brewery "La Roja" American Wild Ale, Michigan: $13.50 for 750mL
Known for making stridently natural and old-world style beers, Michigan's Jolly Pumpkin brewery utilizes open fermentation, barrel aging and bottle conditioning for the most authentic of flavors. Their "La Roja" is a deep amber color with earthy caramel, spice and sour fruit notes developed through natural barrel aging. It's unfiltered, un-pasteurized and blended from barrels ranging in age from two to 10 months. "thelagerheads," a user on BeerAdvocate.com (an excellent resource for beer lovers), describes it in such an amusing way, I have to quote him: "This is an explosive cherry-berry dyed henna with sour bursts. The alkie content is elevated and a cranberry cocktail bomb explodes from the foamscud and makes ruin of the common lot beer and lambics as well. Fresh fresh fresh in your mouth like a miniature Hiroshima making fruit-spice armageddon."

Panil Barrique Oak-Aged Sour Red Ale, Italy: $20 for 750mL
Definitely a beer only for the professional or the extremely adventurous! Italy's version of the Flemish Red Ale takes sour to a new level. It's aged for three months in used Cognac barrels, followed by extended bottle age. Extremely dry and made with all natural yeasts, it finishes with a tannic oakiness that leaves you marveling at how complex beer can be. The Panil (and Flanders red style in general) is hailed as one of the world's most thirst-quenching beers because of its lactic and acetic (vinegar) sourness. This is a beer with enough depth and dimensions to keep your palate thoroughly entertained.