Lindemans Oude Kriek Cuvée René Bottles Coming In 2016

The traditional beers brewed in Belgium’s Senne River Valley, a region about 15 by 75 miles southwest of Brussels, are lambic ales, fermented only by wild, natural, airborne yeast. The resulting dramatic, sour, and unique flavors have earned lambic a place in beer and gastronomic circles worldwide. Lambics hold the European Union’s “Traditional Specialty Guaranteed” designation and are brewed nowhere else.

Lindemans Brewery, established in 1822, lies in the heart of the lambic region. The sixth generation of the Lindemans family currently brews lambics that range from ultra-sour Lindemans Cuvée René Oude Gueuze to the best-selling lambic in the US, Lindemans Framboise Raspberry Lambic.

Process: Whole cherries (including pits) are added to a batch of young lambic in a foudre, an oak vessel of over 2,000 gallons. The natural sugars in the cherries set off a long second fermentation, and after six months the flavors have evolved and melded in magical ways. After racking and filling bottles, Lindemans Oude Kriek gains natural, soft carbonation as the yeast produces CO2 in the corked bottle – traditional bottle-conditioning – and can age in a cool cellar for many years.