Brouwerij De Ranke - Kriek Audenaerde

For this Rare Beer Club Special Offer, we’ve put together a great selection of four incredible beers from two of Belgium’s standout breweries, Brouwerij De Ranke and Brouwerij de Achelse Kluis. This well-sorted group of bright, vibrant, and complex beers for our members come in extremely low quantities, are very rare, and/or exclusive to the Rare Beer Club. We highly encourage our Rare Beer Club members to grab as many as possible as these may never come back to our shores in these iterations.

To start it off, we’ll focus on Brouwerij De Ranke’s delicious Kriek Audenaerde. This beer starts as a Flemish Oud Bruin with sour cherries added and goes through prolonged oak cask aging. The Kriek Audenaerde pours a slightly hazy deep ruby red with a light pinkish-tan foam cap. On the nose we are greeted by aromas of fresh tart cherries and cherry blossoms, with subtle hints of almond, marzipan, and dusty earth. After a few swirls, more red fruit aromas arise in the form of red plum and red currant with hints of toasty caramel from the malt. Fine hints of floral hops emerge as well, with touches of oak and vanilla.

As we take our first sip, pronounced cherry flavors abound, from freshly snapped off the tree to fleshy and juicy, as well as concentrated and jammy. All of this without cloying sweetness. Though sweetness is present, it is in the background as a supporting flavor, allowing bright fruitiness to be the focus. Light layers of almond and marzipan show as well, confirming the aromas as flavors. From there we get some earthy and lactic tartness that dances across our palate and is complemented by hoppy bitterness and balanced by toasty malt and oaky warmth. The mouthfeel is full of depth and complexity from the base Oud Bruin, with cherries adding crisp and refreshing layers that cling to the tongue. The body is medium with a tight mousse. The finish lingers with tartness and a fine dryness.

This beer can be cellar aged for a further 3-5 years but is mature enough to enjoy now without missing any of the flavors on offer and is perfect for the warmer days ahead. This beer is excellent paired with ripe creamy cheeses, freshly picked cherries and other red fruit, and with grilled or roasted meats.