"Historians" in Brussels came up with a new explanation about the creation of Kriek beer. They claim that a Flemish crusader from Schaarbeek (now part of Brussels) came home 1000 years ago from Jerusalem, where he had helped to chase the Muslims, and he wanted to create a beer with the mystical red color of the blood of Jesus. Legend says he succeeded by marinating red cherries in his local beer, which was almost certainly a Lambic.

If you don't believe this one, you are not alone. Whatever so called historians say, I'm sure that since very long (since thousands of years) people blended all kind of spices in their beer to give it taste, aroma and color. Local grown cherries must have been part of the brewing process for a long time before Jesus was even born. Over time, Hops came out as a winning beer ingredient. Although in Belgium spices and fruits are still an ingredient in many fine beers.
(Newsletter January 1998)