Rodenbach Grand Cru

(11/1/08) Draught sample at Blue Palms in Hollywood. Deep ruby color. Aroma of oak, brett, sour cherries, some brown sugar and lactic hints. Sourish flavor with light sugary sweetness, oak, cherries and a bit of funky notes. Wonderful silky mouthfeel. 8/4/8/5/17=4.2
(2/26/08) Bottle at Delirium Cafe in Brussels. Best before 8/24/2009. Deep red color with a slowly-diminishing big beige head. The wonderful aroma has some sweetish malt but is really strong on brett and oak and some fruits as well. Great sour flavor with wood, some berries and cherries and some nice balancing sugary sweetness and malt. Medium-bodied. A magnificent brew! 9/4/8/4/17=4.2

On tap at The Red in Santa Cruz. Deep red-brown with a pinkish beige head of about 2 fingers. The suds is very creamy and dense, leaving sheets of lacing on the snifter. Aroma is sharp and vinegar-like. Red fruits oozing with acetic acid. Oak and funk come out just a little. Flavor is throat-burningly sour but not in a bad way. Cherry and grape provide only a hint of sweetness that’s immediately obliterated by acerbic acidic acetic tartness. Medium body and perfect carbonation. The only knock here is the puckering of the mouth and the charring of the throat. Drinkability is also affected by this, but if you love sour beer, you can drink this all night.

Pous redish amber with no head. Aroma of viniger, not much else. Taste is sour, carbonated viniger! Sour Ale, something different. Not really my thing.

Nice dried fruit aroma. Dark, rich leather in appearance. Has a very neat and unique flavor dried fuit and malt. I glad I experienced this beer.

Pours deep and clear ruddy brown with a halo of a light tan head. Nose is strong of tart cherries and summer fruits. Substantial lacing as I tip the glass. Flavor is tart, yet a bit sweet. Really interesting brew with a lively mouthfeel. RERATE: After having several sours, I went back to this one and now I appreciate how good it is. Evolving flavor from cherry tartness to sweetness with such a wonderful nutty oak finish.

From 750ml corked bottle, best before 06/09 (tasted 03/08). Pours reddish amber, not much carbonation. Very clear, taste is tart fruit, mainly cherries and apples. Brettanomyces character pronounced in the finish. I don’t get any volatile acidity (acetic acid) but do note a trace taste of solvent like flavor I’d guess to be ethyl acetate. Had this with supper and it really went well with the pasta that I made, the acidity really went well with the food. A really nice beer, I’ll get more of this to cellar.

I didn’t think I would like this one after reading descriptions involving vinegar but much to my surprise it is very enjoyable. The sour seams to come more from fruit than from acetic acid and makes the beer refreshing. I accidentally discovered that it goes well with black pepper.

Not as impressed as I hoped to be. This grand cru pours golden brown and is not as strong as typical. Not something I will likely buy again.