Beer of the Week: Duck Duck Kriek

It seems like only yesterday I was introduced to The Lost Abbey. My first encounter didn’t come via a tap list or one of the company’s continental-style corked-and-caged bottles featuring Catholicism-steeped paintings from local artist Sean Dominguez. Before I tasted any of the beers, I saw a photo of the then-new company’s founders – including an all-smiles Director of Brewery Operations Tomme Arthur – sporting hardware on the cover of a 2007 edition of Celebrator Beer News (a publication I would go on to become a columnist for). After only 18 months in the craft-beer industry, Arthur and company had earned the title of Best Small Brewery at the prestigious Great American Beer Festival, a feat the company would replicate at the 2008 World Beer Cup. While I was a longtime local beer-drinker at the time, I was in my first year as a journalist and still getting acquainted with certain newer breweries whose beers I had yet to sample. After reading about The Lost Abbey’s outstanding rookie performance, I made my first visit to their tasting room, which was then located at Stone Brewing’s former HQ in San Marcos. It was there I discovered my first-ever favorite local brewery. The Lost Abbey made the Belgian-style ales I adored ahead of a trend that would see most U.S. breweries get in on that Old World genre, and they had the makings of what would become one of the finest barrel-aging programs for sour and strong beers in the nation. On top of that, they produced top-tier IPAs and American takes on a variety of English styles. I felt like I was home. And despite the fact The Lost Abbey has moved on from its former base of operations twice in the past two years, I still feel that way when I drop by. As such, I’m looking forward to doing so tomorrow when the company celebrates its 20-year anniversary, which will feature a bevy of aged, archived beers on tap along with this week’s featured beer, Duck Duck Kriek. A barrel-aged sour ale infused with tart cherries, a kriek is a time-consuming, labor-intensive beer to produce. Add in the fact this kriek is built on not one, but a blend of two stockpiled editions of The Lost Abbey’s most popular beer of all time, American gueuze Duck Duck Gooze, and you have something beyond next-level. This beer is in the stratosphere. A fruit-driven tang lights up one’s front palate, while the subtlest expression of oak arises in the finish, all against an enjoyably soft-textured canvas. This is a special beer for a special occasion from a special brewery that, despite not always being aligned with the tastes of the average everyday drinker, is still immensely respected by beerophiles who understand the dedication, technique and amazing creations The Lost Abbey brings, not just to San Diego County’s sudscape, but the brewing industry as a whole.

It’s official. We have released the first-ever fruited version of Duck Duck Gooze. First released in 2009 and followed by batches in 2013, 2016, 2019, 2022 and 2025, Duck Duck Kriek becomes the first blended batch of our most sought-after Lost Abbey beer to take the fruit stand plunge. Made from a blend of 2022 and 2025 Duck Duck Gooze, we held back enough volume of beer to properly celebrate our 20-year anniversary of being in business. The base beer was blended before being married to almost 450 pounds of our favorite sour cherries. With over one pound of fruit per gallon, the resulting elixir is bright pink with a brilliant white foam. It’s one of the prettiest looking beers we have ever released. Over 100 cases were pre-sold in March and early April, and this weekend the enthusiasts will head to our location in Vista for the pickup, which coincides with our 20th Anniversary Celebration. Sadly, there aren’t any bottles for sale this weekend, but the beer will be flowing from our taps. Our team is rightly proud of this special beer and feels it encompasses the entire Lost Abbey spirit in a bottle.”

Tomme Arthur, Owner & Director of Brewery Operations, The Lost Abbey Brewing