Hanssen's Artisanaal Oude Kriek

Hanssen's are not brewers of lambic beers, such as gueuze and this cherry kriek, but rather are blenders, since 1896 in Dworp, Belgium.  Each bottle of the Oude Kriek is matured for over three years.  This beer pours a red color that holds and shows every shade from pink to ruby at the same time.  It is well and finely carbonated, but has essentially no head.  The aroma is strong cherry fruit, both sweet and tart, there is a sour note that is independent of the tartness of the cherry, along with a woody, oaky, earthiness.  The taste is far more tart and sour than the aroma would indicate, but behind the mouth puckering sourness is the cherry fruit.  There is a taste element of the cherry stones as well as the fruit.