Beer Styles

What's the difference between Lambic, Gueuze, and Kriek? Lambic is the young or aged barrel beer, usually still, cloudy, tart, and dry. Gueuze is a blend of Lambics of different ages that refermemts in the bottle and therefore sparkles. Kriek is Lambic that has had sour cherries steeping in it.

With Kriek, the fruit often sits in the barrel for months; the yeasts ferment its sugar, leaving behind color, acidity, and a bitter almond note from the pits. This is quite different from sweetened fruit juice added to beer, even though some producers in the region, such as Lindemans or Timmermans, also offer sweetened fruit beers.

Faro is the historical variant: a young Lambic traditionally drunk sweetened. Today it plays only a minor role alongside Gueuze and Kriek. As a name, Faro, like Lambic, Gueuze, and Kriek, has no longer had EU protection since January 4, 2023.

How strong is Gueuze? According to BJCP, it ranges from 5 to 8 percent alcohol and 10 to 13.3 degrees Plato, with barely perceptible bitterness. The aroma spans from lemon and apple to hay and wood. The Brussels house Cantillon belongs to the capital and has its own standing there.

What is "Oude Geuze"? This is the name a Gueuze may carry if it meets the conditions of European process protection. No specific place is tied to it: the designation describes how the beer is made, not where. The same holds for "Oude Kriek."