Lou Pepe - Kriek
Brasserie Cantillon

750ml bottle at share. Cranberry pour, wispy off-white head. Tart cherry aroma. Taste starts with a big pucker, lots of sour cherries, fruity, wine-like. So rich, so full. Definitely worthy of it's high rating. Honored to get to finally try this.

 

 

 

Seeing the tape get pulled off the menu listing for the 2020 bottle at the Cantillon bar definitely got the old heart pumping. As the freshly, horizontally uncorked bottle rested in its lambic basket, it began to slowly push a soft mauve foam out of the spout before I gave it a tilt to pour a damn near smoothie-like stream into the glass. There it displays fully opaque garnet with a dense cotton candy head.

I said St. Lam was the juiciest Loon? Scratch that, this is like Schaerbeek puree with mild hints of cinnamon marzipan delivered on a pillowy body with a surprisingly balanced acidity. Even still, a complex oak tannin brings us to a bone dry finish before exhaling a touch of black pepper and perhaps chevre. A delicious candied quality further emerges as it warms.

I'm not sure I ever imagined just what made LPK the highly coveted fruited lambic that it is, but clearly, that distinguisher is decadence. This is undoubtedly the thickest lambic I've ever had, and in all the most delicious ways.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cradled 750mL bottle served in decanter, sat for ~20 minutes, then served into glass. Pours a rich burgundy color with a finger of pink foam. Aroma is cherry forward, but not in a fleshy, fruit forward way, instead delivering a rindy dark pit. It's morphs into notes of almond and cinnamon, with light tart cherry and stone just beyond. Complexity is notable, without any overtly sugary tendencies. Flavor profile delivers those same almond and cinnamon notes. Cherry is present, with a tart twist. Stone, followed by big lemon zest and grassy notes play the outro. Again, the complexity and depth is just amazing. For a beer blended with cherries, it develops much more nuance and thought beyond this single note. Mouth feel is medium in thickness with a consistent grit throughout. It verges on bubbly, at least at the onset. Overall, cherry notes here are just a delight, swirling together with almond and cinnamon for a thought provoking sip. It refrains from every dipping into overtly tart or sour.

2018. Served from a 750mL bottle. Decanted. Reviewed from notes.

 

Drank in the night of 31st December, 2021. Last beer of the year.