Rodenbach Alexander

Formerly brewed at Brouwerij Rodenbach (Palm)
Style: Sour Ale
Roeselare, Belgium

An old bottle at ’t Rusteel (thank you, Peter!) Dark mahogny with a stable, yellowish head. Intense cherry fruit aroma, sour as well as with sweet hints of marcipane. An explosion of flavours- cherries, marcipane, nuts with a great sour-sweet balance. Still fizzy after all these years. I am going to find something special to you, said Peter, the owner of ’t Rusteel. He certainly found a great beer to match the wonderful and too little known beer heaven he runs.

Two bottles, one on display, graciously shared by EDA, thank you mike! Pours an amber brown body with a big tan head. Sweet dry woody tannins. Light oak, sour and tart but not mouth puckering. Balsamic, grapes and some light cherries. Awesome!!

1996 bottle courtesy of psprings @ Hellbilly’s Hellraiser 3.0. Never thought I’d get a chance to try this one. THANKS PAUL!!! Wow, has this one matured. The pour is equal parts Bing cherry and organic honey in color with a minimal ring of feathery bubbles. The aroma begins with tart grapefruit but quickly transitions to red, white, and blue seedless grapes. Flavor follows...a lot of natural sugar sweetness. Also a little tart cherry skin, oak, and balsamic vinegar. This was complex and delicious, even after 12 years!!! Thanks again Paul!!!

330 ml bottle. Poured slightly cloudy deep amber in color with a small off white head. Aroma of cherries, vinegar, and mildly sour notes. Tastes of grape skins, cherries, mild vinegar, slight artificial sweetener taste as well. Little oak also present. Very nice and I think this has held up pretty well for being over 10 years old.

1996 bottle shared by psprings at hellbilly’s hellraiser 3.0 tasting. Somewhat fermented fruit aroma but did detect a grape note present. Gold body color. Fruity and sour flavor and seemed like the tart had subided abit. Thanks Paul another one from want list.

1996 bottle shared by psprings at hellbilly’s hellraiser 3.0 tasting. Pours a dark amber with a few bubbles for a head. The nose is sweet malt, maraschino cherries , wood and light vinegar. The taste is sour cherry juice, ripe grapes, white grape vinegar and more candied cherry. Medium bodied. Sweeter than I anticipated but very good. Thanks Paul – never thought I’d get a chance to try this one!

330 ml bottle. Clear, deep, dark red body with a fine off-white head. Aroma is cherry, acidic fruits, mild woody and sour. It’s so complex and balanced between sweet fruity and sour fruity. Flavor is complex as well. The tart sourness with acidity, cellar notes and wood perfectly balanced with a soft sweetness from almost overripe cherries. It’s just fantastic, I miss this a lot.

Bottle shared by pilsnerpeter via goldtwins. I never thought I’d get a chance to try this, so I was pretty grateful when Pete brought it over. Deep amber-red beer with a thick sticky pink-tan head. Aroma is just great. Rich vineous oaky richness. Lots of bright cherry over a light balsamic/acetic nose. Fruity and sweet with a lovely earthy/cherry/stone fruit aroma. Rich and fruity flavour with a crisp tartness and a light woody sweetness. A touch of vanilla and soft tannic character. Rich lingering finish with alternating waves of acetic and lactic tartness. Sublime.