In their pure and unadulterated form, Belgian lambics are not beers to be trifled with. Brewed in open air vats where they are inoculated with wild yeasts and other wee beasties, and aged for years in wooden casks, these mutant brews develop flavours that are aggressively sour and funky, making them an acquired taste amongst even the geekiest of beer geeks.

Perhaps in attempt to temper this sourness, someone or other at some point in the past thought it might be a good idea to add some fruit to the mix. This addition can be handled a number of ways, from adding fresh fruit during fermentation, to cutting the pure lambic with fruit juice before packaging, to adding a flavoured syrup at the time of serving. Whichever method is chosen, there is an obvious effect on the flavour and sweetness of the brew, and those who find unflavoured lambics to be too sour and acidic will generally find the fruit versions more palatable.

It must be said, though, that the relative sweetness of fruit lambics can vary greatly between brands and producers, with the method used to infuse the fruit being the main reason for the variation. More traditional lambic brewers tend to use the method of adding fresh fruit during fermentation, and they generally stick with the classically used fruits such as sour cherry (Kriek), raspberry (Framboise), peach (Pêche) and blackcurrant (Cassis), resulting in a beverage that is still quite tart and complex. Brewers looking to appeal to a larger number of drinkers, meanwhile, tend to use the easier method of adding fruit extracts and other sweeteners later in the brewing process, and often use less traditional fruits like apple, banana, plum and pineapple, creating beers that can be as sweet as soda-pop.

Sitting somewhere in the middle of that sweet-sour flavour spectrum are the Mort Subite line of both flavoured and unflavoured lambics from Belgium’s De Keersmaeker/Alken-Maes Brewery. The name, which is shared with an historic pub in Brussels, means “sudden death” in Latin, a moniker that is a bit more threatening than these pleasant beers deserve. Considered by many purists to be good “starter lambics”, the Mort Subite beers are brewed using traditional methods and sweetened slightly, but not enough to push them into the sugar-bomb category of some of the less traditional lambics.

Recently, the cherry flavoured Mort Subite Kriek has been added to the general list at the LCBO ( LCBO 69591 - $4.05/375 ml), making it widely available at many retail outlets along with the previously available Framboise. It has a clear ruby-red appearance with a large pink head, and an inviting aroma of tart cherries with a slight woody character and a floral hint. Medium bodied with a nice crispness, it has a flavour that is very fruit forward - cherry, obviously, but also a bit of currant and cranberry - with a nice sweet-tart balance. The finish is moderately dry, with notes of oak and quick hops.

I’ve had plenty of Krieks that are more complex than Mort Subite, but in terms of drinkability and refreshment, it’s a decent choice. With patio season fast approaching, it’s an option for warm weather sipping that should appeal to beer drinkers and alcopop fans alike.