Kriek lambic

Lore & Background

Kriek lambic is traditionally made by breweries in and around Brussels using lambic beer to which sour cherries, pits included, are added. Lambic itself is a sour and dry Belgian beer fermented spontaneously with airborne yeast said to be native to Brussels; the use of cherries or raspberries predates the almost universal use of hops as a flavoring in beer. The cherries are left in the beer for several months, causing a refermentation of the additional sugar. Typically no sugar remains, resulting in a fruit flavor without sweetness. After the cherries are removed, there is a further maturation process.

More recently, some lambic brewers have added sugar to the final product of their fruit beers to make them less intense and more approachable to a wider audience. These brewers also use cherry juice rather than whole cherries and mature the beer for much shorter periods. Kriek is related to gueuze, which is not a fruit beer but is also based on refermented lambic, and to framboise, a less traditional Belgian beer fermented with raspberries instead of sour cherries. Some breweries, such as Liefmans, make kriek beers based on oud bruin beer instead of lambic.

Reader's Guide

Kriek lambic represents a traditional Belgian method of fruit beer production that predates the widespread use of hops. Its significance lies in the spontaneous fermentation process using airborne yeast native to Brussels and the use of whole sour cherries, which create a dry, sour beer with fruit character but no residual sweetness. The style has evolved, with some brewers now adding sugar and using cherry juice to produce sweeter, more approachable versions. The traditional method, however, remains distinct for its long maturation and refermentation. The style's legacy includes a range of commercial examples, from traditional krieks such as Cantillon Kriek Lambic and Boon Oude Kriek to sweetened versions like Lindemans Kriek Lambic and Mort Subite Kriek Lambic, as well as krieks based on oud bruin beer, such as Liefmans Kriek. The use of Schaarbeekse krieken cherries, though increasingly rare, ties the style to the Brussels region. An American example, Lyons Peak Brewing Company's Handgeplukte Kriek, uses 100% Schaerbeek cherries, indicating the style's influence beyond Belgium.

Did You Know?

• The name 'kriek' derives from the Dutch word for the Morello cherry.
• Traditional kriek uses whole sour cherries with pits, left in for several months.
• Some modern krieks add sugar and use cherry juice instead of whole cherries.
• Kriek is related to gueuze and framboise, both based on lambic.