Originally this sweet-acid drink was made by adding fresh black cherries to a barrel Lambic of 6 months young. The addition of fruits provokes new fermentation in the oak barrels and after 8 to 12 months only peels and stones would be left and the Kriek-Lambic would be ready to be filtered and bottles. The residual sugar could be adjusted with fruit juice to give refermentation in the bottle but this traditional type of fruit beer is more acid and less fruity.
Because of the limited availability of the “Schaerbeekse Cherries” and to brew a less sour and fruitier Lambic beer, Lindemans farm brewery developed an unique alternative natural method using pure cherry juice from unfrozen cherries. This straight cherry juice is blended with selected Lambic of different ages. Kriek has a pink-red colour and a delicious taste of sparkling cherry champagne.
