Ommegang Rouge Grand Cru

Brewed by Bockor
Style: Sour Ale
Bellegem, Belgium

Enjoyed on draft in a fluted glass. This was one of the great beers I’ve been fortunate enough to sample. Aromas of red wine, a slight touch of malt, and cherries come through - almost teasing the drinker to just dump the whole thing on his/her face. Flavors of sour cherries, background sweetness, and of course...tartness, come through in the palate. The finish is bone-dry. Overall, a wonderfully crafted Belgian classic.

On tap at Redlight Redlight. Dark ruby brilliance in a fizzy pour. Cranberry, pomegranate, grapefruit, and raisins. A refreshing balance of sweet and sour perfection. Pleasantly surprised by this tart, fruity offering.

On tap at The Thirsty Monk, Asheville. Sour cherry, oak, acid, and berries. Sooo tart in the nose with lovely green apple. Dark coppery brown clear with thin lacing head. Medium body with medium-heavy carbonation. Perfectly sour with teeth, and mine hurt afterwards. Tingling bite, acidic, and woody with cherry and berries. So tart but so delicious. Done very well. Finish is acidic and sour and puckering. Terrific sour with lactic after. Super stuff and I hope to have it again.

Aroma is tart with refined wood character. Malt aroma is rich and elegant. Pours beautiful red-burgundy with off white head, that left some lacing. Flavor was strikingly sour, yet balanced and malty with slight woodiness - would drink this everyday.

On tap at Toronado SF. Poured into a tulip glass. Ruddy brown color with a frothy tan head. Aroma is cranberries, apples, and caramel. Flavor is in the La Folie vein of Flanders Reds, with a solid acetic acidity tempered by caramel apple sweetness. Good balance, great mouthfeel, and one of the easier to drink sours I’ve had.

Draft @ Vine and Barley. Pours reddish brown with off white head. Funky sour aroma. Tart cherry and sour apple flavor, fruity with a touch of vinegar. I’m getting some oak also. Light to medium body with average carbonation. Excellent.

11 ounce goblet - $8.25 at Taco Mac in Kennesaw, Georgia. Appearance: Clear, dark reddish-brown body with a thin ring of bone white bubbles. Smell: Rich, fruity nose that presents a strong tartness, but also has an assertive sweet-scented quality to it. Full notes of red wine, balsamic vinegars, and a metric ton of cherries, with a lesser hint of oak and earthy spices. Taste: Heavy flavor of tart black cherries soaked in balsamic vinegar. A strong, pervasive sweetness pushes firmly back against the stout tartness. Dash of Barbera wine with vinous, lightly puckering tannic qualities to it. A few well-placed drops of vanilla. Tiny pinches of cinnamon and allspice. Mélange of sweetness, tartness, and fruitiness until the finish. Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Low carbonation. Drinkability: Though it somewhat lacks the boldly sour, funky punch of others, it’s really just so damned wonderful that you all would do well to go get yourselves a glass (or two) of it.

On draft at Obriens. Dark brown to deep amber hue, thin layer of off-white foam, good clarity. Nose is sweet fruits and sugar, modest acetic vinegar as well. Flavor is low-moderate sourness balanced by berry fruit sweetness, cherries and apples dominate, slight oaky tones in the tart to sweet finish. Light-medium bodied, smooth texture, medium carbonation accents the acetic sourness. An easy drinking Flemish sour that has enough sweetness to draw in those wary of the style, this would be a great "gateway sour"!