Rodenbach Grand Cru

Bottle. Body is brown with reddish highlights and a minimal head that dies quickly. Aromas are balsamic vinegar, tart cherries, etc. First sip reveals that it’s not quite as sour as I would have guessed. There is a kind of cherry/fruit sweetness that holds off the tartness until it blossoms in the late part of the palate and aftertaste. There is kind of a balsamic vinegar edge to it at that point in the game, but it is pretty welcome.

Pours a cloudy, darker copper with a rocky off-white head. Oak, cherries, sour yeast, an ethyl. All the Flemish sour tastes are there: cherries, funky yeast, oak. Nice blend with a sweeter malt which gives off a bit of a graham-cracker taste. Kind of like a very, very tart cherry pie with some funk. Thought this was better than their classic.

2008.08.12 best before 2010. might be useful as a chemical for removing paint. aroma was acid, very acid. flavor was acid too. very acid. more acid than vinagre. it burnt in the mouth. i braved up another sip to get the palate - palate is that it grows in your mouth.. yuck. hard to imagine something worse than this. i’m not sure it was meant to be THIS acid and sour. 2009.03.06 re-rate.bbf 4-6-2010 apeears clear brown, thick light brown head. aroma is acid , vinagra, sour. flavor is still strikingly acid and sour. concentrated vineagra. beneath that a very nice sour. if i should describe, take a cantillon, add sugar and vineagra. strange brew.

750 ml bottle from GM Liquors; Nose has a medium light tartness with some cherries, oak, and light toffee; very lightly hazy brown with a very small beige head; flavor was tart with some berry and grape notes; finish light tartness. Better than their classic!

Bottle. Pours a dark brown with just a slight white ring of head. Aroma is tart tart tart of sweettarts, wood! Flavor initially of rye. Lots of rye bread with a tart, sour finish. Unfortunately the rye faded as the beer warmed. Overall, quite drinkable for a tart sour and much more complex and richer than the original. Nice malty backbone to balance out the super sweetness. Anyway, this beer is quite good.

12 oz bottle from the 4 pack from Binny’s (Orland Park, IL). Pours a beautiful reddish brown hue hazed with a touch more red than brown and medium head of white bubbles that dissipates to a small ring fairly quickly. Aromas are very typical of the Flemish sour, oakiness, sourness and touches of sweet but sour fruits (Able to pick up grapes, but also cherries and sour raspberries). Initial is sour right off the bat, full bodied for the style and full of interesting flavors. Sweetness mellows out upon tasting, making way for some interesting mixes of sour and oak, with a bit of that fruity sweetness tailing in the finish. I’d have to say this is a very interesting beer, but I’d prefer something more dry as opposed to so sour but it is balanced more or less.Aftertaste is pleasant, but I could see it getting annoying. A good beer, an interesting beer and something I’m glad I had.

8/3/08: Bottle.
Garnet brown-red body with no head or lace. Full bouquet of raisin, cherry, sour white grape, sherry cask and a bit of barnyard with minor hints of alcohol. Flavor much the same as the nose: sour white grapes with cask/ barrel characteristics are predominant. Finish is dry. Very enjoyable.

From Stone Sour class taught by Tomme Arthur. (I lost my notes so this is to the best of my memory.) Strong sour ale colored deep red with light head. Tastes of cherries but also a rich, malty fruit I can’t put my finger on. Very interesting aroma and aftertaste. I think it has something to do with the aging in oak barrels. Very rich and strong. Quite good.