The Brewery

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The Beer

The Omer Vander Ghinste brewery first launched their Kriek Max in 2002, and immediately it hit the target. More than ten years on, and this sweet-and-tasty kriek still has a huge fan base.

The ‘Max’ in the name refers to a brewing approach that aims to maximise the taste of sweet krieken (cherries). The beer was launched in response to the demand for a fuller, more pronounced cherry taste by lovers of this style of beer.

It's now the beer of choice for those with a taste for the sweeter side of fruit beers. Kriek Max is brewed on the basis of spontaneous fermentation, and is sometimes called a foederbier, as it is stored in huge wooden barrels, known as foeders.

To this base beer the cherries are added, and lots of them. Their natural juices and aromas provide this kriek with its intense taste – as well as its pleasantly fruity cherry fragrance. And all of that flavour is underpinned by a pronounced – but not overwhelming – sweetness.

It all makes for a fruity thirst-quenching beer, one which enjoys a great popularity in the summer. Thanks, in part, to its relatively low alcohol content, it's become a beer that appeals to a very wide audience.

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Alcohol

3.5% ABV

Fermentation

Mixed fermentation – a spontaneously fermented and bottom-fermented beer.

In common with both geuze and lambiek, the Kriek Max is grounded in the spontaneous fermentation approach. And with its Cuvée des Jacobins and Oude Bruin Vanderghinste beers – among many others – the Bockor brewery has certainly proven its mastery and expertise, when it comes to spontaneous and mixed fermentation.

Ingredients

Brewed with natural ingredients: water, yeast, barley malt, wheat, hops, cherries (25%) and cherry juice.

Colour & Transparency

Clear and dark-red beer, thanks to the use of real krieken. Must be served properly chilled. If poured correctly, a beautiful collar will form.

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Serving Temperature

5-6 °C / 41 ° F– 42 °F

Serving Glass

Like all the other Bockor beers, the Kriek Max is served in a proprietary glass designed by the brewery itself. This elegant glass on a thin stem can be purchased during a visit to the brewery, or from specialist beer shops.

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Character, Tastes & Aromas

Kriek Max is a predominantly sweet kriek. Your nose will detect the strong presence of fresh-fruity cherry aromas, an aroma that is pleasantly reminiscent of cherry sweets. Thanks to the 25% cherry content, and the addition of cherry juice, you're guaranteed a lovely, and complete krieken taste.

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Culinary

Kriek Max is a star performer when combined in tandem with fruit desserts and dark chocolate. A sabayon prepared with this beer also goes down a treat. The possibilities presented by such a sweet beer offer a refreshing culinary challenge. Beer and food lovers are invited to experiment for themselves, either cooking in the kitchen or pairing with a bold, new dish.

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Keeping and Storage

Sweet fruit beers, with low alcohol content, like the Kriek Max, are best consumed as fresh as possible. So although this beer will keep for up to a year, remember this beer wasn't produced to remain in a cellar for years on end.

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Availability

Bottle ✔       On Tap ✔

The Kriek Max and the OMER are important beers for this brewery. The beer is produced all year round, and is easily available (in 25cl bottles or on tap) from your café, or in bottles from supermarket of choice.

And in common with many other Omer Vander Ghinste beers, you will be able to source it from far outside Belgium.

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Other Brouwerij Omer Vander Ghinste Beers

OMER. Traditional Blond
OMER. Traditional Blond has a particularly interesting history, wrapped up as it is with the history of the family behind the brewery. It was in 1892 that Omer Vander Ghinste started up this brewery in Bellegem. To advertise his b ...

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Kriek des Jacobins
Of all the Belgian fruit beers, cherry-flavoured kriek is the by far the most traditional. Kriekenbier has all the characteristics of an old gueuze, complemented with a pleasantly fruity taste. Brewers add krieken cherries (a ty ...

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VanderGhinste Roodbruin
Brewery Omer Vander Ghinste has a long tradition of beers based on both spontaneous and mixed fermentations. The very first beer launched by founder Omer Vander Ghinste, in 1892, was called ‘Ouden Tripel’ – a Zuid-Westvlaams rood ...

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Cuvée des Jacobins
This truly is a unique beer, brewed the traditional way – and with much devotion and craftsmanship – by Brouwerij Omer Vander Ghinste . They are well-respected for their speciality beers, like the blond high-fermentation beer Omer ...

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Tripel LeFort
The now defunct Brasserie Le Fort in Kortrijk made a name for itself with its strong beers. Tripel LeFort pays homage to that brewery that closed its doors in 1911, moving its production to the Omer Vander Ghinste brewery in nearb ...