Ommegang Rouge Grand Cru

Brewed by Bockor
Style: Sour Ale
Bellegem, Belgium

Draft at Rattle N Hum & Sheffield’s Chicago. Pours a deep Burgundy red. Nose is super tart, not a lot of funk, mostly just lactic notes in the nose, some grain creeps through as well. On taste, bracing acidity that is backed up by light cherry notes and then a big raw grain body. Pretty complex stuff, finish is quite dry. I feel this tastes different from the Jacobins, but that’s just me. Excellent.

Growler at the RB Rochester Gathering, Sept. 09. Thanks, ElJefe. Sour, musty, horse blanket aroma. Beautiful cherry red coloring with a touch of lace. Sour funky flavor with lots of sweet fruit and soem caramel. Big sweet-and-sour mix. Very nice.

Goblet served on tap at Three Floyds Brewpub (Munster, IN). Surprising guest beer. Pours a rusty red, fairly transparent with filmy offwhite head that laces ok, stays small, and clings to the sides. Aromas are sour cherries, wet oak, tart and a bit wild, with faint maltiness, but largely sour cherries and a touch of vinegar. Initial is full moderate bodied, hard sour cherries, good strong sourness, a touch of vinegar and a faint malty sweetness that lies beneath. This beer provides a good sour backdrop, faint pepper, wild feel, with some lactic sourness taking over, light cheesy funk works it’s way in. Wet barrel is a big element. Finish is lightly tart on the palate, good flavors. A very nice sour.

I had this beer on tap at Beachwood BBQ’s sour beer fest. Dark red pour with a small white head, nice fruity flavor with some tart tang. Very tasty.

Served on draft at Beer Run in Charlottesville, VA. Pours a clear deep ruby red color with a thin head. Average head retention and good lacing. Aroma is tart with musty cheeselike notes, light vinegar and green apple. Taste is very fruity with notes of citrus. grape, berries, apple, peach with notes of vinegar and peppery wood. Tart throughout. Medium bodied and very refreshing. Very nice beer.

Draft at Ginger Man, NYC. Pours a dark dark red body with lots of haze. The aroma is lambic sour tart. The flavor is dense notes of sour cherries, tart, and some spice.

Tap at Three Floyds and served in a smaller chalice glass: Mahogany hued with a small foamy head and spotty lace. The aroma is that of tart cherries and barnyard funk, oak, herbal and biscuity esters, hint of rye and cardamon. The taste starts twangy and tart with a vinegar and fruity overtone. Woody and lightly spicy and some mild mineral tones, only knock is the aspirin like aftertaste. The mouth feel is lively and woody dry with a mineral water finish. Very well done except for the finish... but that hardly kept me from finishing this in no time.

I finished my glass with a Italian Ham sandwich... "The vinaigrette of the sandwich married the flavor of the beer sourness. The Prosciutto and Provolone provided a savory counter play and then the peppers opened up the palate to more sour goodness. Down right yummy!"

On tap @ RnH. Served in an oversize wineglass. Sweet kreik lambic aroma. Deepest of deep ruby pours, bordering more of a burgundy. Tastes of tart/sour cherries, acidic vinegar, and mild earthy undertones. Fused by a ultra vivid spritzer like palate. Velvety.