Samuel Adams American Kriek (Barrel Room Collection) | Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)
Brewed by:
Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)
Massachusetts, United States
samueladams.com
Style: American Wild Ale
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 7.00%
Availability: Rotating
Notes / Commercial Description:
Ale aged w/ Balaton cherries in oak barrels; hand-bottled corked & caged; not bottled-conditioned. Blended w/ "Cosmic Mother Funk."
Added by Todd on 10-30-2009
View: Beers | Place Reviews | Events
Ratings: 301 | Reviews: 116
5/5 rDev +41.6%
apidicyer, Sep 14, 2012
4.8/5 rDev +36%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
Got this bottle of American Kriek at the Samuel Adams brewery which is from their barrel room collection. These Barrel room beers are the only ones that are actually brewed and sold out of Bostons brewery.
A: Beer pours a deep red/crimson color with a solid 3/4 inch pinkish head and leaves some lacing.
S: Aroma starts with sweet floral cherries with undertones of spice, oak, caramel, marzipan, and tropical fruit.
T: Nice balance between sweetness and tartness with intense dark cherry flavor, malt and vanilla.
M: Starts out sweet on the mouth and then turns a bit sour, but not overly bitter. Has some carbonation which is noticable in the taste as well.
O: As I understand it, when this beer was first created as a "sour", it came out overly bitter, so it had to be toned down a bit. Excellent brew, great flavor although I wish there was a little bit more sourness to it.
884 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
Got this bottle of American Kriek at the Samuel Adams brewery which is from their barrel room collection. These Barrel room beers are the only ones that are actually brewed and sold out of Bostons brewery.
A: Beer pours a deep red/crimson color with a solid 3/4 inch pinkish head and leaves some lacing.
S: Aroma starts with sweet floral cherries with undertones of spice, oak, caramel, marzipan, and tropical fruit.
T: Nice balance between sweetness and tartness with intense dark cherry flavor, malt and vanilla.
M: Starts out sweet on the mouth and then turns a bit sour, but not overly bitter. Has some carbonation which is noticable in the taste as well.
O: As I understand it, when this beer was first created as a "sour", it came out overly bitter, so it had to be toned down a bit. Excellent brew, great flavor although I wish there was a little bit more sourness to it.
884 characters
4.5/5 rDev +27.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Poured from bottle into a Sam Adams Glass.
Appearance: Cloudy reddish color with a reddish tinted beige head of about four fingers, mild lacing on the glass.
Smell: Smell of cherries, hints of oine, citrus and alcohol.
Mouthfeel/Taste: Medium bodied, and smooth. Taste of sweet cherries and alcohol up front, ending with bittersweet tart flavors.
Overall: Third time I have had this beer, first was sampled on tap at the Boston Beer Company Brewery in Boston, the second was a bottle bought from that trip to the brewery, this last one was just a the store, but I had to get it one more time, always have enjoyed this one and it's unique flavors.
650 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Poured from bottle into a Sam Adams Glass.
Appearance: Cloudy reddish color with a reddish tinted beige head of about four fingers, mild lacing on the glass.
Smell: Smell of cherries, hints of oine, citrus and alcohol.
Mouthfeel/Taste: Medium bodied, and smooth. Taste of sweet cherries and alcohol up front, ending with bittersweet tart flavors.
Overall: Third time I have had this beer, first was sampled on tap at the Boston Beer Company Brewery in Boston, the second was a bottle bought from that trip to the brewery, this last one was just a the store, but I had to get it one more time, always have enjoyed this one and it's unique flavors.
650 characters
4.42/5 rDev +25.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
I have had this beer at inception at Sam Adams brewery in Boston and now after 18 months aging in my cellar. Very hard to find ATM but if you ask around you can find a bottle.
It is a top notch beer. The cherry flavor only hits the back of your tongue but when it does it's pronounced.
The rest of the beer is flavorful enough that you do not notice the alcohol.
Well done Mr. Koch!
386 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
I have had this beer at inception at Sam Adams brewery in Boston and now after 18 months aging in my cellar. Very hard to find ATM but if you ask around you can find a bottle.
It is a top notch beer. The cherry flavor only hits the back of your tongue but when it does it's pronounced.
The rest of the beer is flavorful enough that you do not notice the alcohol.
Well done Mr. Koch!
386 characters
4.37/5 rDev +23.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
A: Nice rich red/plum color with a nice head that sticks to the glass and really has some nice reddish hue.
S: The beer has a nice rich black cherry aroma with some hints of chocolate and some nice sour notes with some slight hop aroma.
T: Very nice rich dried fruit flavor of cherries and plums with some good finish that reminds me of chocolate. Very rich but not overly sweet. The dark cherries really stand out and make the beer distinct from a traditional kriek.
M/O: Very rich and good carbonation. Great dessert beer that would pair well with some rich chocolate flavors. This is really a nice interpretation of a beligian style.
636 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
A: Nice rich red/plum color with a nice head that sticks to the glass and really has some nice reddish hue.
S: The beer has a nice rich black cherry aroma with some hints of chocolate and some nice sour notes with some slight hop aroma.
T: Very nice rich dried fruit flavor of cherries and plums with some good finish that reminds me of chocolate. Very rich but not overly sweet. The dark cherries really stand out and make the beer distinct from a traditional kriek.
M/O: Very rich and good carbonation. Great dessert beer that would pair well with some rich chocolate flavors. This is really a nice interpretation of a beligian style.
636 characters
4.2/5 rDev +19%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Served in a Sloeber tulip glass.
Big ups to connecticutpoet for this bottle!
Part III, the final leg of the Barrel Room Collection odyssey. We've gotten some. It pours a hazy ruby, highlighted in brown, topped by a finger or so of off-white micro-foam. The nose comprises a good amount of cherries (both red and black), oak, chocolate, nutmeg, walnut, and a touch of raspberry jam. The taste echoes the heavy cherry sentiment; everything else is forced into the background: oak, cinnamon, light cocoa, toffee, and some light dark wheat. The body is a relatively light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a fairly dry finish. Overall, the best of the BRC, and a nice cherry-centric brew period.
705 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Served in a Sloeber tulip glass.
Big ups to connecticutpoet for this bottle!
Part III, the final leg of the Barrel Room Collection odyssey. We've gotten some. It pours a hazy ruby, highlighted in brown, topped by a finger or so of off-white micro-foam. The nose comprises a good amount of cherries (both red and black), oak, chocolate, nutmeg, walnut, and a touch of raspberry jam. The taste echoes the heavy cherry sentiment; everything else is forced into the background: oak, cinnamon, light cocoa, toffee, and some light dark wheat. The body is a relatively light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a fairly dry finish. Overall, the best of the BRC, and a nice cherry-centric brew period.
705 characters
4.2/5 rDev +19%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
Huge thanks goes out F2brewers for this incredibly generous beer. Thanks a ton Kevin!
Bottle 3449
A somewhat vigorous pour yields 3 fingers of pinkish red head. The beer itself is a murky amber. I smell some cherries, slight oak and a light sourness. Taste is sour at the front, followed by very tart cherry then a sweet finish. Not too sour, nicely balanced. Mouthfeel feels good and drinkability is high. I seared some pork chops with some carmalized red onions and granny smith apple in a balsamic glaze, this beer went perfectly with it.
561 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
Huge thanks goes out F2brewers for this incredibly generous beer. Thanks a ton Kevin!
Bottle 3449
A somewhat vigorous pour yields 3 fingers of pinkish red head. The beer itself is a murky amber. I smell some cherries, slight oak and a light sourness. Taste is sour at the front, followed by very tart cherry then a sweet finish. Not too sour, nicely balanced. Mouthfeel feels good and drinkability is high. I seared some pork chops with some carmalized red onions and granny smith apple in a balsamic glaze, this beer went perfectly with it.
561 characters
4.2/5 rDev +19%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance: Poured into a tulip is a dark mahogany colored beer with an off white head around two fingers thick.
Aroma: Sour cherries with notes of tartness. Oakiness, faint plum.
Taste: Lots of tart cherries, oak, minor malt sweetness with a touch of lime. It's mostly sour with a light dry mouthfeel.
Notes: Quite drinkiable and a straight forward a solid wild ale. Cheers.
378 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance: Poured into a tulip is a dark mahogany colored beer with an off white head around two fingers thick.
Aroma: Sour cherries with notes of tartness. Oakiness, faint plum.
Taste: Lots of tart cherries, oak, minor malt sweetness with a touch of lime. It's mostly sour with a light dry mouthfeel.
Notes: Quite drinkiable and a straight forward a solid wild ale. Cheers.
378 characters
4.2/5 rDev +19%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from a 750ml black bottle.
Pours a deep burgundy with a small head that lasts about 15 seconds.
This has a nice aroma. Malty with some nice cherry aromas which aren't as overpowering as I had thought they would be. There are some earthy aromas as well, sort of woody and probably from the oak barrels.
Taste is quite nice. Lots of cherry tartness but for me, doesn't seem to overpower it, and some nice malt flavors coming out. There are also hints of an oakey flavor from the barrels. The tart cherries and malt dominates. This has a nice mouthfeel and good drinkability.
I really liked this one, and will definitely have it again.
644 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from a 750ml black bottle.
Pours a deep burgundy with a small head that lasts about 15 seconds.
This has a nice aroma. Malty with some nice cherry aromas which aren't as overpowering as I had thought they would be. There are some earthy aromas as well, sort of woody and probably from the oak barrels.
Taste is quite nice. Lots of cherry tartness but for me, doesn't seem to overpower it, and some nice malt flavors coming out. There are also hints of an oakey flavor from the barrels. The tart cherries and malt dominates. This has a nice mouthfeel and good drinkability.
I really liked this one, and will definitely have it again.
644 characters
4.17/5 rDev +18.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Shared into two regular pint glasses on a pleasant summer day, late in the afternoon. Was looking for something refreshing but tasty. Wondered if this would fit the bill and it certainly did.
A: Shockingly red with a pink head that was generous and laced out well. I was thinking this was going to be a more traditional beer color like their Cherry Wheat. Disconcerting at first, but doesn't take away from the experience.
S: The opening smell is more the breadiness of the yeast but you can smell the sweetness a little better after the first few sips. My nose doesn't pick up the cherries that well.
T: But the cherries come en masse with the opening sip. Sweetness hits the tongue right away but the sour/tart jumps in and takes over quickly as it washes back. Nothing bitter here but not syrupy sweet either. Good balance. Refreshing and savory at the same time. Very pleasing for a hot summer day.
M: Carbonation is generous which helps keep the mouthfeel light. No heavy coating of the tongue. More of a soft fizz with not too much heat despite the label quoting an ABV of 7%.
O: I finished my half of the pour much too soon and was left wanting more. I'm not a fruit beer fan in general since they tend to be too sweet or syrupy for me, but this was different. The novelty would wear off quickly if I drank this too often, but I felt it was a great and satisfying beer this afternoon.
1,400 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Shared into two regular pint glasses on a pleasant summer day, late in the afternoon. Was looking for something refreshing but tasty. Wondered if this would fit the bill and it certainly did.
A: Shockingly red with a pink head that was generous and laced out well. I was thinking this was going to be a more traditional beer color like their Cherry Wheat. Disconcerting at first, but doesn't take away from the experience.
S: The opening smell is more the breadiness of the yeast but you can smell the sweetness a little better after the first few sips. My nose doesn't pick up the cherries that well.
T: But the cherries come en masse with the opening sip. Sweetness hits the tongue right away but the sour/tart jumps in and takes over quickly as it washes back. Nothing bitter here but not syrupy sweet either. Good balance. Refreshing and savory at the same time. Very pleasing for a hot summer day.
M: Carbonation is generous which helps keep the mouthfeel light. No heavy coating of the tongue. More of a soft fizz with not too much heat despite the label quoting an ABV of 7%.
O: I finished my half of the pour much too soon and was left wanting more. I'm not a fruit beer fan in general since they tend to be too sweet or syrupy for me, but this was different. The novelty would wear off quickly if I drank this too often, but I felt it was a great and satisfying beer this afternoon.
1,400 characters
Samuel Adams American Kriek (Barrel Room Collection) from Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)
Beer rating:
41.5% out of
100 with
301 ratings