In a never-ending quest to create new beers and defy category, New Belgium Brewing and Old Beersel of Belgium have partnered to create Transatlantique Kriek Ale, a spontaneously fermented lambic ale made with sour cherries. The 2016 edition of Transatlantique Kriek began life in the oaken vessels of Gert Christiaens’ Oud Beersel, a 130-year-old Belgian lambic brewery. After time spent aging in wood, Oud Beersel’s lambic was blended with tart cherries and shipped across the Atlantic to New Belgium. In concert with Oud Beersel’s cherry lambic, or kriek, they blended in a portion of their own sour Felix from their foeder forest, and created a golden brew to mix in, and round out, the engaging beer. The intense cherry nose leads to a pleasing tart, sweet flash across the palate. Crisp and effervescent, Transatlantique Kriek is a trip worth taking.
New Belgium Brewing Company is a craft brewery located in Fort Collins, Colorado. It was opened in 1991 by Jeff Lebesch and Kim Jordan. In 2011, it produced 712,800 barrels of its various labels. As of 2012, it was the third-largest craft brewery and eighth-largest overall brewery in the United States.
