Lou Pepe Kriek
(has 21 batches)
Brasserie Cantillon in Brussels, Brussels Capital Region, Belgium 🇧🇪
Lambic Style - Kriek Winter|
Score
8.42
|
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Blend of Schaerbeek cherries with two-year-old lambic - 300 g per litre.
Beer with character that is balanced and very fruity.
Schaerbeek cherries originate from the Brussels Region, and up until the 1960s these local sour cherries were used exclusively for blending kriek. Unfortunately, the introduction on the market of pasteurised and sweetened industrial lambics marked the beginning of the end of the cultivation of this superb fruit as brewers of fake lambic switched instead to syrups and artificial flavours. Schaerbeek cherries are very delicate, and the harvest is unpredictable at best. On average, we still manage to acquire one or two tonnes per year from local producers, who are now few and far between.
The lambics we select must have enough character, while still retaining a fruity side. It takes two to three months of soaking to make Kriek Lou Pepe, and due to the very limited supply of fruit available production of this superb beer is limited to a few thousand bottles a year.
Beer with character that is balanced and very fruity.
Schaerbeek cherries originate from the Brussels Region, and up until the 1960s these local sour cherries were used exclusively for blending kriek. Unfortunately, the introduction on the market of pasteurised and sweetened industrial lambics marked the beginning of the end of the cultivation of this superb fruit as brewers of fake lambic switched instead to syrups and artificial flavours. Schaerbeek cherries are very delicate, and the harvest is unpredictable at best. On average, we still manage to acquire one or two tonnes per year from local producers, who are now few and far between.
The lambics we select must have enough character, while still retaining a fruity side. It takes two to three months of soaking to make Kriek Lou Pepe, and due to the very limited supply of fruit available production of this superb beer is limited to a few thousand bottles a year.
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9/10
Thanks Maakun! Dik in de kersen, in your face! 🍒👊 | [2016-05-05 13:34:09] - Locatie: Brasserie Cantillon Brouwerij (Cantillon - Brouwerij en Brussels Museum van de Geuze) - Score: 4.5 - Comment: Quintessence 2016. Vintage 2012. Cherries, cooked cherries, marzipan, super fruity. Light to medium sour, otherwise a thick sweet base. Full body, light mineral, velvety texture. Faint carbonation fizziness on the tongue. The bees’ knees. | [2016-09-03 14:50:45] - Locatie: Brasserie Cantillon Brouwerij (Cantillon - Brouwerij en Brussels Museum van de Geuze) - Score: 4.3 - Comment: Vintage 2013. Openingsdag Lambik-O-Droom. | [2018-05-01 15:19:30] - Locatie: Brasserie Cantillon Brouwerij (Cantillon - Brouwerij en Brussels Museum van de Geuze) - Score: 4.5 - Comment: Quintessence 2018. Perfect pairing with the chunks of soft ham. Delicious as fugg. | [2026-04-05 22:36:25] - Locatie: Lunterenstraat - Score: 4.5 - Comment: 2025. Cherry, cinnamon, marzipan.
Tried
from Bottle
on 09 Apr 2015
at 00:36
9.3/10
—
Appearance 10
Aroma 10
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 9
Shared bottle 2012 version bottled 2014. Dark red with big dark pink head. Looks amazing really. Sweet and sour cherries, red berries, berry pits, hay, straw, a little bit earthy, sourdough bread. A very light fruity sweetness with full sourness and a light woody bitter finish. Medium bodied with strong and light prickly carbonation. Massive beer, extremely fruity, here I’d like to taste it slightly older, but the fruit character here is really world class. Update: 2013 version at Quintessence. Same as above but with lots of amazing marzipan notes. Incredible really. 2013 from large bottle at Cantillon. Still think this is my favorite kriek, so super juicy and delicious cherry/almond combo.
Tried
from Bottle
on 08 Apr 2015
at 14:51
8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 9
750ml bottle shared at Hoppy Pub, Thessaloniki, courtesy of Kostantinos. Pink-red color with pink head. Aroma is funky fruity, with intense barnyard notes in the beginning. After some time the aroma is only cherries and some wood. Sweet and light acidic-sour taste, funky tart cherries. Light thin to oily body with soft tp average carbonation.
Tried
from Bottle
on 26 Mar 2015
at 10:15
8.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 9
Sampled from a bottle (2012) provided by Galen at ChurchKey, thanks! Reddish color with light pink head. Aromas of vinegar, raspberry, tart fruit, cherries. Tastes of vinegar, raspberries and tart berries, cherries. Medium-light body with a dry finish. Very nice.
Tried
from Bottle
on 16 Mar 2015
at 23:42
8.8/10
—
Appearance 10
Aroma 7
Flavor 9
Texture 10
Overall 9
9/4/2015 - Poured from the 2012 vintage into a taster glass showing a deep blush red and opaque with pink dainty foam. The nose is bursting with the bretty influence that Cantillon is famous for; some faint hints of dry cherries but mostly brett. The palate is light bodied and highly carbonated. The flavor is extremely and impossibly cherry fruit forward in all ways - aroma, flavors, finish, etc. Although tart, it’s not overwhelming, making it extremely palatable. Famed for being one of the beers you have to try before you die, one can easily see why. 10/19/2019 - 2011 bottle huge thanks to CT for sharing this behemoth! Taster showing deep red with sparse white foam. The nose shows moderately intense notes of vanilla and cherry. The palate is light bodied and lightly carbonated. Barely any tartness just balanced vanilla and cherry throughout.
Tried
from Can
on 01 Feb 2015
at 10:53
8.1/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
750ml bottle. 2012. Red colour, short-lived foam head and aroma of cherry, woody, funk. Taste is sweet cherry, dark fruity, woody oak, sour citric and light bitter. Slightly oily mouthfeel, medium bodied, fine carbonation, dry sour finish. Complex, well balanced, very drinkable.
Tried
from Bottle
on 26 Dec 2014
at 15:56
9/10
—
Appearance 10
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 9
Keg at Kernel Brewery at Zwanze Dat 20/09/2014. Deep purple / red with a bright pink head. Georgous. Aroma is big horsey cerry fruits, sour smokey cherry, raspberry. Flavour is big cherry, tart raspberry, cherry sweets, hint of smoke. Nice smooth solid sourness. Huge fruit flavour, rich deep and layered. Palate is refreshing, medium clean sour, highish carbonation. Long fruit duration. Superb beer.
Tried
on 14 Dec 2014
at 15:10
7.9/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
On tap at the Birre Sotto l'Albero festival in Rome-ITALY (Macche and Bir&Fud). Pours an amazing red/rose cloudy color, medium tick rose color foamy head. Nose: mild acetic feel, vinegar. Mouth: light, refreshing, dry, thirst quenching. Cherries and red fruits. Great. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone
Tried
from Draft
on 13 Dec 2014
at 16:44