Timmermans Kriek Lambic
This bottle of Timmermans Kriek was spied on my trip to the Outer Banks. It’s not an elusive beer in my area, but it’s been quite some time since it was last seen on any local shelves — it’s also a beer that I haven’t had before. So into the mixed six pack it went with a variety of local North Carolina beers.
While I’ve heard of the beer in passing, I’m not really all that familiar with it but I do know that the brewery that makes it was purchased back in 1993 by John Martin Brewery. Beyond that, all that I know is what I taste here. And this Timmermans Kriek (January 25, 2011 bottling date) is as fruity as a beer of this style can come without bringing to mind images of a giant Kool-Aid pitcher busting through a fake brick wall. It’s not the best lambic, but it still hit the spot nicely.
Appearance
Timmermans Kriek pours a deep garnet in color with a pink/purplish head that dropped slowly to a thin, patching ring.
Aroma
Tons of cherries and a moderate sweetness fill the nose fully. There’s not much else here to tell you the truth. It definitely smells juicy.
Taste
Thankfully this beer is not nearly as sweet as it smells. I’ll attribute that to it’ age perhaps. It’s got a solid cherry character, subtle tartness and a moderate sweetness that fades quickly once the drying finish arrives. It’s lightly carbonated and medium bodied which gives it a bit of a syrupy character.
Overall
I would imagine that when served fresh Timmermans Kriek is probably on the sweet side. With a little time under its belt like this particular bottle the sweetness has dropped off some, allowing the fruit flavor to show through more than it may have when younger. As it stands, this was a tasty little brew that, at 4% ABV, treats the taste buds nicely and is certainly quaffable on a warm, sunny afternoon.
Rating: 3.75/5
