Oud Beersel Schaarbeekse Oude Kriek 2021

The intense aromas and complex flavors of the ‘Schaarbeekse Kriek’ are associated with the most authentic interpretation of the Oude Kriek beer style. Schaerbeek cherries are a very old variety of cherries (sour cherries) and belong to the family that is the precursor of all cultivated cherries varieties.

Schaerbeek cherries have a deep dark red colour, a strong red coloring juice, soft flesh and a sweet and sour taste. Decades ago, the orchards were mainly found in the region around the brewery. The local people also picked these cherries from their own garden and then brought them to the lambic brewery where traditional cherries were made. However, this tradition has been lost over time.

By striving to the maximum for authenticity and to secure the future of the Schaerbeekse Oude Kriek, Oud Beersel is investing in a planting project of Schaerbeekse Krieken at the brewery. Every year, in the month of July, Oud Beersel empties its existing orchard of Schaerbeek cherries. The cherries are then added with pit and skin to soft lambic that has matured in wooden barrels.
The sugars of the cherries activate the lambic yeast, causing the cherries to ferment together with the lambic for several months. The cherry kernel gradually gives off an almond flavor to the beer. The ruby-red cherry lambic thus obtained is then refermented in the bottle to a Schaerbeekse Oude Kriek as a tribute to tradition.