Ommegang Rouge Grand Cru

In short: An intense and slightly acidic Flemish Sour ale. Very good sipper.
How: Tap at Rattle ’N’ Hum, New-York
The look: Clear ruby body topped by an off-white ring of foam
In long: Classic Flemish sour nose with sour cherries and such. Taste is pretty much aligned with the classic Belgian Flemish sours except that this one seems more acidic than most. Typical Flemish Sour flavours of sour cherries, oak and friends with an extra dose of acidity. The sweetness, acidity and tickling carbonation made for a “Pop Rocks” candy sensation. This is a tasty Flemish Sour, this is not a session brew. I was told this is not oak aged, if this is the case then they did an amazing job at simulating that oak flavour of classic Belgian Flemish sours. Felt authentic to me. Very good brew. We call it the Red and it is very sour, just like a former leader of the Communist party now working as a grocery store clerk.

On tap at Collins. I used to drink sours all night; this would have been a great choice to add any lineup. Sour cherry, but still sweet. Finished nice, drinkable.

Poured mahogany with a thin white head and visible carbonation. Aroma is vinegar, yeast, and sour cherry. Flavor is extremely tart and cherry like, with some yeast, lemon, and oak also present. This was my first taste of this style, but I quite like it.

Caveat: I am not a huge fan of sours, but I’ll try to be objective here. Of all the sour beers I’ve had this one is not that bad. I don’t know if I could finish a whole serving, but perhaps one day my palette will learn to love the sour. Anyway, it pours clear, light red with a fine, bubbly head. Nose is sour fruits and a little bread. Taste is sour, with notes of lemon, cherry and grapefruit (maybe). Very tingly in the mouth. Tart. Finishes crisper than anything I’ve ever had.

Sample at NotF. Pours a red color with a small off white head. Nose is sour fruit and toast. Palate is quite full in the mouoth. Flavors of toasty malt and sour fruit. Quite sour.

Draft at Tyler’s Taproom in Apex. Short white head. Maroon body. Aroma is wine, vinegar, sour cherries, tart fruit, wet wood and cat urine. Taste is more sour fruit notes, cherries, oak, wet wood, lemons, light vinegar. Body is acidic with puckering tartness. Light carbonation and light-medium body. Ends with more sour cherry, vinegar, oak, lemons and cat urine.

My first sour. On tap at Three Floyds. Pours reddish brown with white head. Aroma is sour, yeast, dark fruits and malt. Flavor is sour cherries, dark fruits, yeasty and really tart. Mouthfeel was nice and had really good carbonation. Seems like this is a pretty tart sour from all the ratings. Glad I started off with a good example of the style given all the sours I have sitting in the cellar.

Tap at Sugar Maple. This beer is simply phenomenal. I didn’t know it was actually brewed in Belgium. Here I was thinking it was the first good American Flemish sour. :( Either way, it’s a great beer. Super sour. Cherry and clean pale malts. Sour mouth watering texture. I usually drink multiple glasses of this when I’m there if it’s still on tap.