Petrus Oud Bruin

Brewed by Bavik-De Brabandere
Style: Sour Ale/Wild Ale
Harelbeke, Belgium

Serve in Snifter, Tulip, Tumbler

Poured a dark brown with ruby tints and a thin tan head that dissipated quickly to little head or lacing. Aroma was a mild hint of hoppy sour apples and malty dark fruit. Mouthfeel was a pour attempt at a Flemish Sour....slightly sour on the onset, followed by slightly sweet, but never quite got there on either. Flavor was a weak continuation of the scents of the nose, and the finish was short and slightly dry. Ok, but by no means great

On tap at Monk’s Kettle in San Francisco. Fairly cloudy reddish-brown in color with a large, lasting off-white head. Aroma is vinegar, vinous notes, and sweet dark fruits. Flavor is red wine, vinegar, caramel, and cherries. Both sweet and sour. Palate starts a little acidic and tart, but finishes smooth. Medium body. Overall pretty good.

This beer pours a dark but somewhat clear brown with a big fluffy beige head that stands strong for some time. The aroma is a bit strange. It smells a bit like a vinegary small brown ale, which I guess it is, but it doesn’t pull it off quite well enough. The aroma is interesting but a bit thin and acrid. There are some interesting fruit notes in it and some malt nuttiness, but I much prefer the flavor. The flavor is surprisingly refreshing. It’s sweet and sour with a bit caramelized malt. The fruits flavors really shine, like lemons, apricots, grapes and apples brightened up with a dash of vinegar. It’s a shame that the bottle is so small and relatively expensive because it seems like an enjoyable pub beer to drink for an evening.

The color is brown with red tinges, the head is decent and beige colored. The smell is wood, fruits, caramel, sweet, and vinious. The taste is light tartness, fruits, wood, some sweetness, and wine like.

Dark brown pour with a thick, lasting beige head. Aroma of vinegar, brown sugar, and sweet fruit. Smooth and easy drinking. Sweet-sour flavor. The caramel sweetness is bookended by vinegar and tart cherry. Only mildly puckering. A good brew.

Bottle. Pours copper brown with a small, quickly diminishing beige head. Aroma is mild sour apple with some earthy notes. Flavor is initially tart and acidic with sweet caramel notes coming in before a lightly soured fruit finish.

11.2 ounce bottle from Whole Foods. Pours a murky brown-ruby color with one finger of off-white head which quickly dissipates. Aroma of cherries, Cherry 7-Up soda, vinegar, oak, and just a little bit of funk. Light flavor of tart fruit (cherries), vinegar, some maltiness, and a bit of oak. Somewhat sour, but not overly sharp or acidic which is good. However, I would expect more complexity considering the length of the barrel aging on this one. Nicely carbonated but with a very thin/weak mouthfeel.

Described as "Ouid Bruin" = Old Dark, top-fermented. Really very nice, and it was dark with a bit of a sweet taste. My first Belgian, I believe, and it’s true, they are like nothing else.