Fruit

The Fruit category includes beers brewed with real fruit (juice, purée, pulp, or whole fruit) added during or after fermentation. It is an enormously diverse category, ranging from centuries-old Belgian Krieks to modern fruity kettle sours or red-fruit Pastry Stouts. What unites them is the clear and explicit presence of fruit as the protagonist, whether it is reinforcing the aromatic profile or providing acidity, color, and sweetness.

In the glass, the color depends entirely on the fruit used: cherry red in Krieks, pink in raspberry beers, golden in peach beers, or orange in mandarin beers. The foam is often tinged with the color of the fruit. On the nose, the fruity aroma dominates—fresh and very recognizable—over the aromatic base of the chosen style. On the palate, they can be very varied: sweet or dry, acidic or mild, light or dense. The ABV ranges from 3% to 10% or more, depending on the base style.

They are brewed by adding fruit at different stages of the process: during the boil (fruity kettle souring), in primary fermentation, during maturation, or as a "dry fruit" addition. Traditional Belgian versions use spontaneous fermentation with prolonged maceration of the fruit in lambic base beers.

These are very versatile beers: great for appetizers, brunch, desserts, picnics, or creative pairings with blue cheese, foie gras, cakes, chocolate, or fruit salads. They are served very cold, between 4°C and 8°C, in a tulip or flute glass depending on the style. A perfect collection to surprise with explicit and unconventional flavors.