Ommegang Rouge Grand Cru

Brewery Ommegang (Moortgat)
Formerly brewed at Bockor
Style: Sour Ale/Wild Ale
Cooperstown, New York USA

Serve in Snifter, Tulip, Tumbler

Rating milestones don’t matter. I don’t give 5’s out, this may well be the best beer i’ve ever had. From the tap at Dicicco’s in Ardsley, from notes of course. If ommegang wanted to make a dent in the sour ale race, they would make this a special release. Along with my dad and father in law, we took down a growler of it. Amazing red color, great carbonation. Aromas are decadent, wild sour fruits dancing, a berry medelly. The tartness isn’t what makes this beer, I always look to see balance, because without balance of what the beer should be it could be flat, or one dimensional, but this is special. Bursting flavor coats the palate, I could drink this all day and night. I’ve also had this one on tap at sierra for the record and it has matched the 5.0 rating. Very fortunate for me that I got to keep the embossed Rouge glasses from Sierra on top of it. Please for the love of god make this one again.

One of the two finest sour beers I’ve ever had the delight to sample (at Redmond, Wa.’s Malt and Vine. Wonderfully tart aroma of barnyard, funk, horseblanket, and wood. Not overpowering, but rather almost seductive, which is no mean feat for a such an assertive sour to pull off. The only reason I deducted a single point was because it could have been just that slightest bit more ’’room filling’’. The flavor contained all of the above elements, and the Brett really shone in this beauty, but there also a number of fruity undertones, from strawberry to apricot, that kept appearing, and fading, which contributed to craving another sip.The finish was nearly endlessly sour, but finally, it was beautifully dry, and that also contributed to a desire for more. My companions and I went through three glasses there, and then brought a growler to go, with the intent of drinking it a couple of days hence, but it was so compelling that we ended up nearly polishing it off in the evening. I love serious sours, but I’m usually sated after a couple, especially if they are really mouth puckering, but in this caseI was happy to make an exception.

Had this after the excellent Founders Canadian Breakfast Stout at Smokin’ Joe’s in Pittsburgh. What a great double hitter. Pours a brownish red with a small but thick looking eggshell head. Smells of cherry and wood. I’ve had a lot of sours in the range of this scent and it could go either way but.. Taste..this is just perfect, one of the best Flanders Red, if not THE best I have had. Sweet and sour cherry dominate with an acidic bite that is just right. Mouth is also a revelation, I usually like this style thin and bubbly but it brings things more toward the middle with a great result. I wanted a growler of this but I kicked it.

Growler from Bierkraft. Deep red-brown beer with a fast-fading white head. Mmmm, gorgeous oaky fruity aroma. Rich tartness, lightly acetic with a nice red grape vineous character. Oak, vanilla and a rich berry fruitiness as well. Man, the flavour is so good that I barely have the words to describe it. Rich cherry fruit, red grape, sweet oak and earthy woodiness. Lingering sweet/sour finish that just lasts and lasts. Perfect balance of sweetness and tartness. Awesome!

One of my all time favourites. It has sour, candy, beer, soda, etc all in one. If I could always have this....

In an Ommegang chalice, dark reddish brown body, with ruby highlights, undera a dotted dunnish head. Aroma reeks (in a good way) of cranberry and sour cherries. That’s with the nose several inches above the glass, but to drink in deep...intense tart fruit aroma, with only a hint of sweetness below it. to taste is to be smacked up and down with sour. Big puckering, wincing, then smiling for the great taste and absolute refreshment. Bit of a brown ale feeling under the intense tart flavor, but it’s not much, mostly the cranberry/cherry flavor.. Full-bodied, full-flavored, distintive, authentic, and delicious. Yes, it could be "funkier" or "earthier" or more profound or meaningful in myriad ways, but it’s still damned good. Might even make some say "Roden Who?"

(draft @ 2009 Flour City Brewer’s Fest - Frontier Field - Rochester, NY) Deep ruby red color with a light red head. Aroma is loaded with tart and sour cherries and a lot of really good sour funk. Some sweetness from the oak. Flavor is a blast of tart and sour cherries mixing with some light sweetness and vanilla. Finishes tart with a load of cherry flavors. Outstanding.

Draft, at BCTC. This was my favorite of the fest, so i went back for numerous samples. Poured dark brown with ruby highlights, topped with a small off-white head. Aroma of sour cherry, vanilla, wild yeast, oak, and leather. The flavor was much more tart than the aroma, with sour cherry, oak, vanilla, nuts and leather the primary flavors. The cherries provide just enough sweetness to keep the sourness in check. Long, dry, oaky finish. I was very impressed with this beer and can’t wait to try it again.