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Kriek Max

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Fruity cherry aroma, vanilla and almond on the palate: a fruit beer (3.5 %) with a light pink head. It is brewed with lambic and 25 % natural cherry juice, a recipe the brewery launched in the early 2000s when fruit beers were on the rise. It is served in a chalice-shaped glass, or over ice in the Max on Ice glass.

ABV
3.5%
Bitterness
Mild
Malt-forward bitterness
SRM
deep amber15
PaceSession

AWARDS

Gold · 2004
European Beer Star
World's Best Kriek · 2011
World Beer Awards
★Gold — European Beer Star
★World's Best Kriek — World Beer Awards
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
What makes this beer itself
fruityvanillanutty
fruity
vanilla
nutty
Aroma
The nose opens with pronounced cherry fruit, ripe and forward without artificial sharpness.
not found:hoppy,caramel,clean,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Kriek Max

◎ Appearance

A delicate light pink hue dominates the glass, reflecting the natural cherry juice that comprises a quarter of the brew. A pale, airy head sits atop with fine carbonation creating modest but persistent foam. The beer presents with excellent clarity despite its fruit adjuncts, maintaining a bright and inviting visual presence.

pale pinkfine carbonationclear, bright

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with pronounced cherry fruit, ripe and forward without artificial sharpness. Supporting notes of vanilla and sweet almond emerge on closer inspection, creating a dessert-like aromatic profile. Subtle malt sweetness provides structure underneath, while the lambic base contributes a gentle funkiness that prevents the fruit from becoming cloying.

cherry-forwardvanilla, almondsweet fruit, subtle funk

◐ Taste

Entry is soft and immediately fruity, with cherry juice dominance balanced by a light, crisp body. Mid-palate reveals vanilla and nutty undertones layered with the lambic's gentle yeast character, while residual sweetness from the fruit and Malz remains the anchor throughout. Bitterness is restrained at 10 IBU, allowing fruit and malt sweetness to lead without becoming treacly.

fruit-led, soft entryvanilla, nutty depthrestrained bitterness

◑ Finish

The finish is clean and relatively short, with lingering cherry fruitiness and a subtle almond note on the aftertaste. Moderate carbonation refreshes the palate, inviting another sip rather than leaving residual heaviness.

clean exitfruity aftertaste
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
82
Taste
76
Appearance
78
Finish
75
Serve at 6–9°C

Serve at 6–9°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Pint glass

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Kriek Max

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About Fruit Beer

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Fruit Beer?

Fruit Beer is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Fruit Beer

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same fruity, vanilla, nutty character as Kriek Max will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

FEATURED IN

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