Ichtegems Grand Cru

Brewed by Brouwerij Strubbe
Style: Sour Ale
Ichtegem, Belgium

Bottled. A deep red beer with a tan head. The aroma is sweet malty with notes of berries and wood, with a slight acidity in the back ground. The flavor is sweet as well as acidic with notes of malt as well as strong notes of berries, and light notes of wood, which lends a dryness to the finish.

Bottle (330ml). Very deep clear ruby with a small fizzy beige head (3+). Rich sour cherry aroma, hints of grape juice or very full-bodied cheap red wine. The taste has some serious sourness to it, lemon juice, sour yeast (is it bret? hell if I know), and much less cherry character - decent, but thin. Weak body, slightly sticky, decent acidity and carbonation - enjoyable, but fades a little too fast - and it’s a tad sweeter than I like in sour ales.

Bottle. Pours dark red brown with moderate khaki head. The aroma is rather vinous, with a mild sour oakiness and light fruit. The flavor is mild; oak and milk chocolate start, then some sour berryish tones and a distant fruit basket. The finish is caramel and red wine, with a slightly dry, sour aftertaste. Not bad.

Darker brown coloured beer with a small off-white head, and very little carbonation. Light sour fruity aroma, with a full palate. Finish is nicely balanced, sweet sour fruity. Excellent sour ale.

darkbrown coloured body with a off white head a sweet sour aroma a sour little fruiy taste and a fruity sour finich

11.2 oz bottle. Pours cherry cola brown with fizzy off white head, surprising lacing, not refermented in the bottle. Nose is distinctly sour, with vinegary red wine dominance, a note a bit like photochemicals, rather musty, but also a slight pineappley sweetness. Not too brusque on the palate, typical sourish upfront blending down to brown toasty malts, cabernet dryness, somewhat thin on the palate, but nice and tongue-smacking. Mild irony oxidization towards the finish, and the tiniest hint of grassy hops. Not the best oud bruin, but still strangely enjoyable.

Aroma has caramel malts, winey dark fruits, some wood. Clear, dark red coloured with a lasting, medium, off-white head. Taste is sweet, sour with some maltiness, wine and dark fruits. Bit sparkling body.

Bottle courtesy SoLan. Chestnut brown color with a sparse white head. Light sour notes with a lot of oak and nutty malt on the aroma. Mildly oaky, slightly sour start yields to a woody finish with some mild sweetness. Lightly carbonated. Pleasant, though indistinct.