Ommegang Rouge Grand Cru

Brewed by Bockor
Style: Sour Ale
Bellegem, Belgium

On tap at Taco Mac during epic free shirt quest. I had asked for a taste of something (I forget what), and the bartender gave me a shot glass of that along with this, which he described as "Budweiser mixed with Sweet Tarts" or something like that. He seemed truly shocked when I asked for a glass of Rouge. Pours clear reddish brown with a small beige head. Slightly funky tart cherry aroma. In the taste and finish, there’s some nice earthy, bready malt lurking under the tartness. I enjoyed drinking this and also listening to everyone else at the bar getting samples and declaring it the most awful beer (or non-beer) they’d ever had. Bonus point for that.

I enjoyed a sampling of this beer on tap at Max’s in Baltimore. The beer had a fairly dark red-copper color with a modest white head that had some bubbles and a light cling with short retention. The beer had a strong sour grain and mash aroma with some grainy hops, a bit of lemon and some roasty malt and earthy notes. It had a strong sour taste with some lasting effects, and a mix of fruity and lemon notes; some sweetness as well. The beer was pretty wet with decent fizz and very little dryness; a clingly, light mouthfeel and finish.

draft at Trion in New Haven, IN - Pours dark red with a thin head. It smells of tart cherries and brett. The flavor is of sweet malt and tart cherries with some earthy notes and wild yeast. There’s a little hops detectable in the finish. It all blends together very well, perhaps reflecting that 18 months of aging. It’s an excellent beer.

Red in color with a small white head. Sour malt and wild yeast aroma. Flavor is really tart and sour. Vinegar with a heavy dose of sugar. Not my style, but smooth and tasty for all that.

Draft at Pizzaria Paradiso. Pours a deep ruby with a head that quickly diminishes. Huge sour aroma with just a hint of malt. Flavor is big time sour, granny smith apples, some red wine vinegar and a tart aftertaste that lasts forever. Seriously, this beer messed up my taste buds for the rest of the night. It was freakin’ awesome. Also, very smooth and no bitterness. My first sour, so hard to be objective - but I think I’m in love.

My first Sour Ale on tap at Oldsmar Tap House. Pours dark brown in color with a bit of a reddish hue. Some carbonation bubbles on the pour, but almost no head. Smell is all funk. There’s a bit of fruitiness to it. Plenty of carbonation in the mouthfeel as well. This is very sour. But not too much. This is very easy drinking and inviting. I actually had a friend that does not like beer at all try this and she liked it.

Tap at City beer, 2009 vintage. Pours with a reddish brown color. Aromas of vinegar and tart fruit. Flavors are fairly sour, with sour cherries and tart berries prominently featured. fairly solid body and nice palate.

On tap at Pizza Paradiso in Washington D.C. Comes in a goblet and pours a translucent amber, ruby red with a cloudy, clumping white head. Nice aroma, dark fruits, red grapes, some red wine vinegar, grapefruit, sweet tarts, tart cherries, some light spice. Flavor was nice and slightly different. There’s lots of tartness on the tongue, sweet tarts, sugary candy, think sour patch kids, some light caramel, dark fruits, cherries, some light vinegar. Full bodied in the mouth with a tart finish. The only dig I have on this is that there’s maybe a touch more lactic acid sourness/flavor than most can enjoy. Otherwise I thought this was superb and I would seek this out again.