THURSDAY NIGHT RELEASE PARTY >>>

It may be winter, but the cherry kriek will be flowing at Engine House No. 9 where it will be celebrated tomorrow night. That's right, it's going to get fruity inside Tacoma's beloved E-9.

But not too fruity.

Fruit beer doesn't get much respect because most of it is awful: sweet, syrupy, artificially flavored, and tasting more like cherry soda than beer. E-9 brewmaster Shane Johns assures us his new kriek lambic, Love Child, doesn't taste like cherry soda, but rather it finishes clean.

"The Love Child is ruby in color with a pink head. Aromas of cherry and oak. And it has a cherry and slight sour flavor," says Johns.

The Love Child was brewed two years ago, then aged in a French Oak Cabernet barrel and an American Oak Shiraz barrel. After several months John and crew added 80 pounds of Bing and sour cherries from Diamondback Organics in Lake Chelan. It aged another 12 months on the cherries, and then blended the barrels together for further aging.

The Love Child is the first beer in a series of barrel-aged wild beers E-9 will be releasing under its new ownership.

"John and Jeff have allowed us to grow our barrel series by acquiring six French Oak barrels," says Johns.

John and Jeff being John Xitco and Jeff Paradise of X Group Restaurants, who with partner Luke Xitco bought Engine House No. 9 this summer. The group also owns neighboring Masa and Asado at Pine and Sixth Avenue in Tacoma.

"The new ownership pays incredible attention to detail, and has a great desire to be the best at what they do," says Johns.

When Love Child began receiving Johns' love, E-9 only owned one barrel. Currently, the restaurant and brewery houses four barrels with another six arriving by the end of the year.

"We are working with our good friend Trevor on a wild strain for one of those barrels that comes from the ambient air here in Tacoma," adds Johns.

Besides celebrating Love Child tomorrow night at E-9, John will also pour two Belgian lambics - Leifmans Cuvee Brut and Mort Subite kriek lambic - and an American-style sour ale - Boneyard Femme Fatal. Johns says a 5-liter firkin from Germany will also be in the house.

[Engine House No. 9, Thursday, Dec. 15, 7-10 p.m. or until the beer runs out, 611 N. Pine S., Tacoma, 253.272.3435]