– aka 3 Fonteinen Intense Red Oude Kriek (ratebeer & beeradvocate)

Brewery: Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen
Country: Belgium
ABV: 5.9%
Style: Belgian Lambic (Fruit)

Brewer Description: (from bottle in Dutch) 3 Fonteinen “Intens Rood” wordt bekomen door het macereren van hand-geplukte volle krieken op jonge traditionele lambik gedurende minstens zes maanden, in een verhouding van één kilo per liter. Daarna wordt de kriekenlambik geassembleerd met jonge lambik tot een intensiteit van min, 450 gram fruit per liter wordt bekomen. Na minstens zes maanden flesrijping onstaat een intense Oude Kriek die doet denken aan een rond pinot noir. Natuurlijk fruit, zonder toevoeging van sappen, siropen, of suikers. Ongefilterd en ongepasteuriseerd.

Deze specifieke botteling van Intens Rood heeft niet minder dan 7 maanden fruitmaceratie gekregen en heeft een finale fruitintensiteit van 480 gram krieken per liter.

(translated to English) 3 Fonteinen “Intense Red” is obtained by macerating full hand-picked cherries on young traditional lambic for at least six months, in a ratio of one kilo per liter. The cherry lambic is then assembled with young lambic until an intensity of minimum 450 grams of fruit per liter is obtained. After at least six months of bottle aging, an intense Oude Kriek is created that is reminiscent of a round pinot noir. Natural fruit, without the addition of juices, syrups, or sugars. Unfiltered and unpasteurized.

This specific bottling of Intense Red has received fruit maceration for no less than 7 months and has a final fruit intensity of 480 grams of cherries per liter.

My rating: 5
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.5
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.4

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, blend n°35, season 16/17, bottled on 21st June 2017, with a best before date of 26th October 2037. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A very nice clear ruby red colour with a one finger pinkish head that dissipated quickly and left only sparse to no lacing.
Aroma: Light tartness and light funk, cherry and oak.
Taste: As you’d expect from the aroma, sour, tart, cherry, cherry pie, oak and a splash of lemon.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Very nice intense cherry flavours. It was not as sweet as I remember it to be, but actually, the good amount of tart and sourness was a good balance to the cherry pie and oak notes.