Rodenbach Grand Cru

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

Very nice sipping beer. A strong aroma leads to a sour, black cherry flavoring. A tartness that is not overbearing makes this ale a nice touch for special occasions.

Bottle. Dark brown and clear. Small head but very bubbly in beer itself. Smells quite sour. Very sour flavor. Frankly tastes like an infected beer to me. Don’t like it.

From bottle 12 oz : Pours a highly carbonated dark brown with some reddish highlights. Head is about a half finger of very fizzy carbonated white head, that dies quick and leaves a fizzy ring and lacing. Aroma is alot of vinegar, some sour fruits, and cherry, but it is all pretty faint. Taste is very carbonated up front, very much like a grape soda. Grape, some cherrys, and it ends very tart and sour. Light body up front, then finishs very thick. It really isnt bad, its just like nothing i have had before, ive had another sour, but nothing like this. VERY carbonated.

Bottle poured a deep, dark amber color. Light body, early malty sweetness. Incredible blend of rich maltiness and slightly tart character. Nice dry balance, slight cherry-like notes. Very well done.

Holy cannoli, this is good. I thought at first that, even though I love sours, I might have met my match. The tart fruits came on with extreme lip-puckering intensity, with a vein of acrid syrup right down the middle. Uh oh. But after a few minutes’ patience, the beer settled down, the funk emerged with rounded fruity qualities, and, most enjoyably, the oak came to the fore. Wow, this is subtle and hugely enjoyable beer. A real top notch sour.

750 ml bottle states; 6% abv and best by 6/6/09: Well, new year’s eve is underway and I’ve been prepping and cooking while settling in for a cozy evening. This bottle is opened with dinner and has been enjoyed during my meal as well as long afterwards. Aromatic sour fruits with a stinging spice. The mouth watering aroma is very prominent and endearing. Brown pour with an intense ruby tint, soapy white head and great lacing. Puckering sourness that quickly becomes smooth. Pleasant drawn out tartness with a slightly thin finish. Flavor is a nice blend of sour funk and tart fruit. Fermented grapes, cherries, and pears seem about right. A nice woody characteristic is present. This beer is amazing, refreshing, tart, and extremely interesting all rolled into itself. Simply wonderful, this bottle would rival a complex wine.

750 ml bottle. THE definitive Flemish red. Sour, fruity, yeast, with just a hint of citric acidity. Wonderful.

This was my first sour ale, so my judgment of it may be off. I will have to try some more and then possibly re-rate. It was a mahogany color on the pour from the bottle. Aroma of cherries with a slight smokiness apparent from the oak. Beer startes sweet and smoky, but quickly the sour taste of tart berries comes through. By the finish, the sour taste was all that was left.