Lindemans Kriek ABV 4% • Vol 250 ml • bottle • Belgium • Expensive • Flavour 4.5 Other beers from Lindemans Other beers from Belgium

A kriek is a lambic that has had cherries added to the wort. For obvious reasons we only bought one bottle for review - it's been sitting in the office fridge for some three months now. Anyway, the beer is a glaring pink colour with a pink frothy head, and an overpowering aroma of cherryade and sherbet. On the palate it is doggedly and monotonously fruity (cherries). There is very little else to say about it, except that it is pretty sweet but with a slightly sour aspect towards the finish. Aftertaste is fruity (cherries - glacé, perhaps?) and much too lingering. For what it's worth, this is marginally less sweet and more pleasant than Mort Subite's Kriek. However, it's only really a drink for those who are seriously into the novelty of fruit beer, or alcopop drinkers. OBBD reviewer: Sparks ADD A COMMENT TO THIS BEER

If you've tried this beer and liked it, you may also like to try

• Mort Subite Kriek Lambic
• Troch Chapeau Tropical Lambic
• St Peter's Fruit Beer (Elderberry)

Why have we suggested these?

Review updated 30 October 1998

Comments

I thought the Lindemans Kriek was excellent. After dropping $9 for a 750ml I felt my money was well spent. My girlfriend loves it. It is beautiful when served in the Lindemans glassware:)
Darren Dieterich

I have to disagree on this review and suggest you might give it another try. This beer does have a glaringly pink color with a big pink, frothy head. But it displays wonderful dark cherry aromas, and is pleasingly tart with dark cherry flavors predominating. It is a bit too carbonated which makes it reminiscent of a cherry soda but the warming alcohol base seems to balance it out. The finish is tart cherries, and long-lasting. Certainly best as an apertif or with dessert.
David Levine

Excellent beer.
Markus

Once upon a time I stayed in Belgium for 3 days with a friend and sampled probably 25 beers, of which this became my favorite. I still think it's worth it to pay $5 for a 12oz bottle of it back here in the US, and I know whenever I go back to Europe I'll be eager to get ahold of those 1.5L bottles for $2-3!
Dan Britton

You probably shouldn't refrigerate this beer, or any good lambic or ale. It seems to lager away much of the flavor when you keep it that cold. It's best to cellar it between 55-60F (12-15C). Now, be sure to drink it at room temperature and you will get to taste it at its most complex. Granted it's not like the "true lambics" from Cantillon, Boon, and others, but it does have more than just cherry soda flavor. I was pleased to note that this one has fresh dark cherry flavors, none of that faux cherry flavor you find in cough syrup and candy. Keep an eye out for their cassis/black currant lambic. It's my favorite of their fruity/girly brews.
Alan Moum

Fantastic beer, try also the peach.
Kristoffer

Try a Liefmans Kriek!
Nicolas

It was one of the most horrid drinks I ever tried. It was late at night and raining I had just entered Brussels to find my reservations were shot. The hostel recommended another joint several blocks away so I walked there, to find it full and off to another. Eventually, I found some little dump that had four rooms and allowed six persons per room at about 10 bucks a night it was about 4am, then. I think the rooms were re-rented in the day, so it ran in a 24 hour shift rotation. There was a small subterranean bar attached that never closed. After I had been officially checked in. Meaning the bar tend knew my name and hence would not kick me out later, when I tried to sleep. I drifted over to a stool near the end of the bar. The bar itself had an occupancy of about 10. And had about 5 other stranded and confused travelers inhabited it. None of them spoke any English well and they were on the way home from a game in Antwerp. I guessed their team lost, or they never made it to the game, or some climatic event never occurred which would have made the trip worthwhile. I chatted with them briefly and notice the drink they where having and ordered one of the same. It was Kriek, I had a sip, and I suddenly realized why they all had such a dour expression. In the situation any drink would have been grand I thought, but this bottle abandoned... unfinished. I had to have several other drinks to get that taste of cough syrup gone bad out of my mouth.
Cloudesley

The best kriek I've ever tried!
Steffi

If I want cherry juice, I buy cherry juice. If I want beer (and I don't mind if I do!), I buy beer. This stuff can't make up its mind what it wants to be. To me, it's the best cherry soda I've ever had. Delicious aroma. But BEER?? Nooo! Overpriced, too.
Sigmund

My girlfriend can actually say that she likes beer now after sampling this (she's an alcopop addict)! :->
Kyle

Not bad, though I can't believe I paid $6 for a 330-ml bottle. I was prepared for the sweetness and lack of alcohol punch, so I was actually mildly (and pleasantly) surprised. Very nice cherry flavor, along with tart apple-cider notes. A bit too fizzy, and more like black cherry soda here in the states, but overall I wasn't disappointed in the least. Score: 6
Matt Azzara

This beer was the flavour of a trip I took to Lille. Absolutely fantastic, I could drink it all night. I just don't know where to buy it in England. Any help?
Anil Patel and Richard Tahamasebi

Usually, I gag on wheat beers, but I like these sweet Lambics. Although the flavor of fresh cherries is a wonderful suprise, this Kriek Lambic is my second favorite by quite a margin. I much prefer the Framboise (Raspberry) Lambic from Lindemans. Goes down easy in the summer or winter.
Joel IV - Houston, Texas

Have to agree with you on the Framboise. Everyone I've ever shared it with loves it. I'd have to say there's quite a quality gap between a naturally fruity Lindemans lambic and a sugary alcopop. It's like comparing fresh squeezed orange juice with Fanta. I think $6 for the small bottle is a bad buy, though, spend the extra $3 and go for the 750ml. Also, the unreviewed Black Currant variety is delicious as well.
193

greatest beer on earth
landvogt

Kriek Lindemans is the best beer in the world! Being Flemish and living in London without Kriek Lindemans is a nightmare. Please can you give me an address in London where I can buy this beer! [Try our list of shops - Ed.]
AIDA VAN LOENHOUT

If your wife doesn't like beer just buy her a fresh bottle of Lindemans Kriek and you've got instant drinking buddy.
stonecrusher

those of you who didnt like it should try it again but make sure you get it on tap and not from a bottle- its a completely different flavour. if in brussels, go to the mannekin bar opposite the peeing boy statue (whats that all about by the way??!!) and get yourself a lovely frothy kriek!
dr worplecake, southwick

I think the kriek of Lindemans is one of the best beers in the world. It has a very sweet taste. When I drink a cherry beer, it need to be a kriek Lindemans. Best beer ever
Bert Ghyselinck

people people this really is the best kriek there is, maybe some don't like the really fruity taste of it but it really is great according to my flavour. Together with a nicely tapped Saint-Louis premium this is the best there is
Sebastien from Hoogstraten (Belgium)

This beer is really good,I would love to import in my country, because I think we are missing a lot how can I do that?
Ruth Saliba

lindemans kriek forever :-d
davud s

Er is maar 1 Kriek ... En dat is Kriek Lindmans! Gewoonweg zalig! Ook heel mooi geserveerd in het glas op hoge voet, speciaal gemaakt om de Lindemans zijn uniekheid te tonen!
Pasternak Johan

There just is no other Kriek than Lindemans Kriek... You know, my brother used to not like Kriek, very understandable when you know he was used Bellevue. However, when I gave him a Lindemans, from the tap, it's even better from the tap, he instantly changed his mind... Lindemans rules!!!!
Lanyare, from Belgium

Witaj Johanku, wiem ze lubisz zabawy z butelka...
Haze

my husband was recently overseas in france where he first encountered this wonderful beer. being without beer for a while, as he had been, was searching for something new but surely something with a kick and along came the angel in desguise who charmed him in my absense. I have yet to taste the sweet nectars of this siren but await her in my husbands every word. fruity yes, worth it i will let you know. kriek is THE BEST BEER EVER so i have heard
Laura

The second-worst beer I drank in my live. You should keep beer and cherries apart.
C. Körner

has a beautiful taste and it's so easy to drink.. by far my favorite for now (since i havent tried all belgian beers yet haha)
Pinar, from Ankara-Turkey

Although Lindemans is an "industrial" Kriek, It's one of the best beers, so much better than Buds or Heineken!
Gregg, Beersel Belgium

Rerate: It takes some time getting used to beer with an overwhelming taste of cherries, but dammit - this is GOOD! Sweet and sour cherries galore - but I like it. A nice change of pace - will buy again. I'm upping my rating a few points. 7/10
Sigmund

Cherry beer all the way dudes :) (cant get enough of the stuff) in Bourg-Saint-Maurice that is!! back in England now missing it completely!!! need 2 make an order and get some 4 BBQ in a few weeks.... so will give it a 5/5
J

I had my first taste ever of this stuff in the kelham island pub in sheffield earlier this week and fell in love with it. Yes, it has a pink head but the taste and aroma are simply amazing. Im going back to have a proper drinking session with this stuff. 9/10 IMHO
Cornz

I LOVE this cherry beer and I think all the "proper" beer drinkers should stop picking on us wussy fruit drinkers and just be pleased that it is a step forward from the over-priced chemically derived non alcoholic pops. Which on a price comparison are almost as expensive as the most pricey fruit beers. I get ripped off a stinging £1.50 for a mingy little drink which is almost all sugar with a v.small amount of real fruit juice so believe me I am delighted to have found a fruity beer that I really like. And just so you all know I am so much not a drinker that years (and years) ago when I was but a slip of a thing working for Truman Buxton & Hanbury brewers when you could drink 24/7 for FREE!!!!! I never drank a drop tee total.
Pink Angel

Well, I guess that I have to admit to not being a 'real' man. I never enjoyed drinking English beers, ans hadn't touched alcohol for almost 30 years. However, when I visited my friend in Antwerp last week she recommended this beer - now I'm looking for a supplier in UK!
Peter

Absolutely tasty beer!
Jane

I thought this far too sweet for my taste. Perhaps it was an overfruited batch(purchased June 2007), but my preference lies in Liefmans Kriekbier as more of the Lambic qualities and flavours come through.
J.P.Lon

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