Grand River Ploegers Vlaams Rood

Bottle : The aroma has notes of moderate smoke, oak, yeast, very faint cherry, and a hint of vinegar. It pours a dark hazy amber with a small soapy off-white head. The flavor starts with very faint cherry. That quickly gets dominated by smoke, oak, and very bitter floral hops. Sour cherry is really hidden in the background. Floral hops and smoke are way too over the top and dominate for a Sour Ale in my opinion. Light bodied with mild carbonation. If I rated to style this would score even lower.

A dark lightly hazed brown ale wutg a thick moka head. Aroma is rather herbal, catnip, spices and earthy. In mouth, a very malt ale with strong hopping, herbaceous, italian herbs,a bit metallic, but not to style, as it is missing the lactic notes, the sour cherries. This is veering on an herbal old ale, not a Flemish sour. Still, a nice rich ale. Thanks to Probstk for bringing me this.

500 ml bottle, 11/08. Fuzzy dark brown with a frothy beige head. Nose is mushrooms, earth, faint grapes, raisins and cooked cabbage. Medium to full bodied with a spoiled fruit tang. Not sure what kind of brew this is; feels like an old ale, amber but not a sour. Taste is plums, cinnamon, toffee, cherry juice and white grape. Actually quite nice. Off notes of bitter greens and cardboard dominate the dry finish detracting from what is probably a good beer when fresh.

500 ml bottle from Brewery. Pours deep amber-red in colour, little bit cloudy. Substanital head, leaves lots of lacing. Sour, slightly hoppy aroma and flavour. Sweet.

Bottle: Poured a deep clear red color ale with a huge foamy head with good retention and good lacing. Aroma consists of notes of funk with some very light oak. Taste is also a mix between some light tart notes with some funk. Interesting experiment but lacking some of the sour and tart notes that I enjoy so much in the style but I also applaud the brewer who is swilling to try this style.

Bottle - thanks to Tupalev, thanks Jeff! Pours a murky brown with a small cream head. Aroma: Blackcurrant, wheat, some sour-malt, allspice and melon. Lovely. Flavour: Malty, coffee, bready, some blackcurrant in the finish. Very very enjoyable.

Bottle courtesy of Matt7215. Pours brown with a thin white head. Smells of sweat, dry malt, some sugar. Tastes bitter and basic with some dry funkiness. Strange and not at all sour.

500 ml bottle from brewery. Pours a hazy reddish brown with a slight tan head (decent lacing). Sour aroma of cherries and hops. Tart fruit in the taste with some sweetness and light hoppiness in the finish. Lightish verging on medium body. Nice mouthfeel. Another strong showing by Grand River, but I respect it more than I like it.