Rodenbach

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

Serve in Snifter, Tulip, Tumbler

A-pours a clear ruby red with orange edges and a tan dense head. S-tons of cherry, light notes of balsamic with a hint of cherry tartness in the back. T-balsamic vinegar light up front, notes of very slightly tart cherries, a dark chocolate maltiness lies underneath. light herbal tea notes in the back. M-smooth on the palate with a good carbonation, medium body and a good crisp dry finish. D-easy drinker right here, good sweetness balanced with a light note of vinegar, tartness and dark malt.

Dirty red-tan pour. Cherry and balsamic in the nose, stronger malt than expected, not enough acidity to capture the attention. Light tea and chocolate as well. Flavor is stronger balsamic note, not offensively so thanks to a balance from light raisin, chocolate malt, apple skin, and faint pepper and yeast. Body obscures a lot of the flavor, leaving it metallic and pinchy. Acetone very faint. Flavorful, well integrated, but the body contrasts the pleasant sour-malt balance by being over-aggressive, muddling the experience.

33 cl bottle, Brussels, Belgium. Dark ruby colour, rose tinged head. Aroma of cherries and vinegar. Pungent flavor, a sourness with some brightness added by the fruit. Citrus finish.

Bottle. Had to re-rate, cause way to long ago to remember the beer correctly to give points... Pours out medium dark red-brown. Small, quickly removing head. Unpleasant smell. Some wood, sourness, some fruits, something medicinal. Sour red fruits taste, not my stuff for sure. Tastes more like some bad soda then beer for me.

Clear red-brown with a tanned head. Red berries, vinegar, wood and red apple peel in the aroma. Sweet and sour taste that ends on the sour end. Spritzy carbonation along with the sourness makes it lightly refreshing. Much higher drinkability than it’s big brother Grand Cru.

Bottled sample. Cola coloured with strong fizzy carbonation. Aromas are of spicy and sourish red berries. A sweet and sour attack in the mouth with hints of earth, wood, and a mild balsamic vinegar kick on the finish. Light bodied. Fairly refreshing and a nice change of pace. Hard not to compare this with the far more intense Grand Cru, but that just wouldn’t be fair.

aroma is big, soft wood coming through with candy vinegar to boot. wood is well defined and quite pleasant, and a great partner for the sour bugs. appearance is easily a 5: nucleation seemingly everywhere with a nice head that quickly reduces to wisp. color is a kaleidoscope that appears opaque from some angles and deep ruby red from others. flavor is sweet fruitiness of near cherries and/or raspberry coupled with pith bitterness. sourness comes in a wave then tapers quickly with just a twinge remaining on the palate. extremely thin mouthfeel assists greatly in that regard, disallowing any chance of enjoying the sourness more then a few seconds. not quite sour or overt enough to my taste, but along with duchesse and a few others ive had, this does indeed appear to be the benchmark in the world of sour beers.

Had from bottle multiple times. Pours ruby red / dark brown with a slight, quickly diminishing head. Aroma is tart, sour, acid, vinegar, cherries, and general sweetness / sugar. Taste is complex with sour cherries, acidity, oak undertones, and a wonderful wild yeast taste. Finishes dry, refreshing, and oaky. A lovely beer on a hot day, easy drinking, not too sour, almost as good as the Grand Cru.