Rodenbach Grand Cru

Brewed by Brouwerij Rodenbach (Palm)
Style: Sour Ale
Roeselare, Belgium

330ml Bottle at The Malt House. Good colour, nice dark red with a deep head. Aroma was nice with a hint of sour fruits. Got a hit of sour citrus fruit and berries on the first taste and a definite sourness all the way to the throat. Went down well and wasn’t too sour an after taste. Full in the mouth although not as thick as some. Not my favorite style of beer, but a very good example of the style. Would have another if I was in the mood.

On tap at Ginger Man in New York. When I gave the bartender my order, I choose a random beer without the knowlegde this was a Sour Ale. While I have never liked a Sour Ale before, I thuroughly enjoyed Rodenbach Grand Cru. Flavorful, light and intriguing with notes of sour cabbage and soy sauce. Deep red color with a small, but bigger than average head for the category. While I will still stay away from full bodied Sour Ales, this experience will force me to try a few brews I had previously dismissed.

Bottle. Pours deep red with a fizzy head. The aroma is very strong and has cherry and wood. Nice tart fruit flavor, not nearly as intense as the aroma initially was. Cherry, rhubarb, and oak. Very drinkable, but I like original Rodenbach a bit better.

Bottled. Pours amber with a little, beige head. Nose of vinegar, acid and light fruity. Sour flavour with grape and citrus. Medium bodied. Heavy sour finish with some spicyness. Just not for my taste - this style of beer.

Poors a hazy orange/red. The head is fairly weak. The smell and the taste are like nothing else I have encountered; intense fruity, nutty sourness, that lingers on the palate like a sour lolly. There is plenty of sweetness, and grapey sourness, like a very out-of-date white wine. The flavour and the palate are impressively thick and complex. Lots of fruits, spices and balsamic vinegar. The aroma is a bit like nail varnish mixed with rotten fruits. Certainly not a beer for the faint-hearted. If one has the stomach for it, this is a brew that will be appreciated more with each tasting.

Source:750 mL bottle from Chuck’s in BG.
Glass:Corsendonk Tulip.
Appearance:Brown/red pour with a one finger beige head.
Aroma:Sour cherries, figs, dates, funky cheese and a bit of vinegar.
Flavor:Sour cherries dominate up front, with a grape finish and a lingering, faint balsamic presence.
Palate:Light body with solid carbonation.
Overall:This is a rerate. The first bottle was very balsamic on the palate. This bottle is more typical of the style. Quality sour.

Stum-like beer. Very sour. Aroma of grape & rose wine, balsamic vinegar, red fruits. Aftertaste is burny and soury with grape notes. Carbonated. I almost wouln’t call it beer because of it resemblence of grape stum.

Bottle from a local supermarket. Pours a deep red with a thin head. Smells like lemon-lime juice meets big red gum. I love the smell. First sip makes you wonder what this is. Almost wine like with sourness balanced nicely with a light sweet and spicy finish.