Big Sky Kriek

The Big Sky Brewing Company is in Missoula, Montana. Their 10.0% ABV kriek was brewed with cherries and then aged in French oak wine barrels with cherries. It is bottle conditioned and was a 2010  limited release, my bottle being number 1636 of 3600.

The beer pours a light brown and pink ruby in color. It is heavily and effervescently carbonated. There is a short head of light brown foam that fizzes away. The aroma is cherries and wood, vinous, leather, and oxidized red wine or sherry. The taste is surprisingly massive like an old peppery strong red wine, with the alcohol quite apparent. The first sip is almost overwhelming. It drinks with a warming sensation in the throat. Subsequent sips moderate and  the cherry comes to the forefront. After that first strange wave, the primary flavor is cherry. There is a pleasant woody note. The wine stays apparent, but more subtle. It is well carbonated, but quite dry.

The taste is better than the aroma, and I quite like this (obviously there are better Belgian krieks, but this is quite pleasant). I don't know what that first strange wave of flavor was, perhaps it just needed to get some air into it.