Verhaeghe Echt Kriekenbier

Why I tried this: I had the Verhaeghe Vichtenaar about a week ago and it definitely got me interested in the Flemish Red style of beer. I wanted to try all Verhaeghe had to offer, so I went with their kriekenbier next, which was described to me as a full bodied cherry style. My curiosity got the best of me.

Smell: A sourness tickles the nose, followed by the pleasant smell of cherries. Very nice.

Taste: I was fairly impressed. A very moderate but sweet taste of cherries comes out immediately in the first sip, followed by a bit of sourness to make it tart. The balance is really quite good! You can feel the carbonation, reminding you that this is not a wine, but a beer.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give this an 8. This balanced kriekenbier was simply delicious. Not too sour, not too sweet. Jon and Scott weren't big fans, but I really enjoyed the melding of the flavors and the age of the beer coming out as you continued to drink. The beer smells pleasant, and looks great in a glass, pouring with an initial big foamy white head. At 6.8% alcohol, you're left with a smooth beer that is still moderately potent, without any of the alcohol taste. All in all, if you think you can handle a Flemish Red, I'd recommend starting with this one.

--Jeff

horrible.  Like a whiskey sour minus the getting stupid drunk immediately.  2/10


--Jon

Verhaeghe Vichtenaar

Why I tried this: I was browsing through the various beer types at World of Beer UCF, out of boredom. I came across a style known as Flemish Red, which intrigued me because it was described as sour tasting. I've never had anything like that before, so I decided to be adventurous and give it a go. Vichtenaar was the first I found in the menu under that brew style.

Smell: Wow. Sour. It felt like a blast of vinegar, with a very slight hint of sweetness, perhaps from berries. I knew I was in for one hell of a sip.

Taste: My initial reaction was that I was drinking vinegar. Several sips into it, I began to get through to the full taste of the beer, and the sourness lessened somewhat with a little sweetness. It was a full bodied taste, very strong. Not recommended for the uninitiated.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I give this beer a 6. Verhaeghe Vichtenaar is a sour Flemish red ale made in Belgium. With 5.0% ABV it was not very strong, but the taste was anything but. Expect a similarity to vinegar. There is little to balance this strong flavor out. It is exactly as described, red and sour. If you're looking for something interesting out there, I can say this might be something to look into, but I probably wouldn't get it again. However, this did get me interested in other Flemish Red style beers, which turned out to be a great thing.

--Jeff

Probably the most awful beer I have had in my entire life.  Still cant believe this is a beer style 2/10.

--Jon