Rodenbach Alexander

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

So here it is rating # 800, I got something very special and I would not have been able to try it if it was not for BigErn, again many thanks. It’s the regular 11.2 oz bottle, no date. It pours sort of dead with just a tiny bit of white lacing. The color is dark burgundy red with lighter tints at the bottom of the glass and no clarity otherwise. Aroma is cherry balsamic vinegar but the balsamic is not too strong. It’s lightly sour and not really showing much age outside of maybe a reduction in the sourness (but I really cannot tell what it used to smell like anyway). Taste starts off sweet cherry syrup then leads to light balsamic vinegar and faint cocoa before a nice short burst of acidity and sourness that quickly runs away and leaves a lightly dry sour cherry aftertaste. The taste is actually extremely nice once I realize this probably was never meant to be a sour assault on the palate a la the more modern Flanders Reds. It’s actually quite comfortable in providing enough of the sourness but then quickly taking it away from the drinker. At first I was a little disappointed but then I realized this beer is going for something else. After the first sip I was like, aww, it’s not bad but it’s not earth shattering. But after a few more, as I type, my mouth waters for more beer as this long-lasting cherry stays and the palate is so dried out from the burst of sourness at the end of the flavor. The mouthfeel is a bit sticky which adds to the medium body which creates a very felt beer. The carbonation is actual right around average. Can’t tell whether I have convinced myself that this is that good or it really is that good. I even broke out the Rodenbach Grand Cru tulip glass for this, actually I bought this glass with the purpose of using it to drink this beer.

(on bottle) Copper red, no head. Casis allover, with notes of dirt, fesh leavesand fresh wood. Holds it´s sweetnes nicely, but is not that complex after tat. The finih gets more interesting, with ajoust of tangyness and acid from out of nowhere, very good or the overall impression.

ownBottle Pours a cloudy light brown like unfilterd cider. No real head but enough of a white ring to maintain nice lacing. Aromas are of swet and sour apples and pears. Flavors are quite tart but it works well with teh sweet fruit flavors. Finish is dry and feel is softly carbonated and unfiltered.

holy crap!1996 bottle from the bottom of psprings’ cellar... talk about white whale!!!

clear (though i’m sure paul drank the sludge!) auburn dark brown with no head. it smells really fruity and sweet... kinda like the sweetness in brandy without the boozy burn. other notes of buttery toast, aged red wine vinegar without the harshness, red cherries, caramel/malt and stony minerals. the flavor is really sweet... surprisingly so. cherry juice, wood and grain are the only things that held up, albeit well. there is little left which could be called sour... more of a tannic drying quality on the finish. body doesn’t matter... i’m in awe of how well this has held up and jealous of those who sampled this when it was fresh! 8/4/6/4/17/3.9

Courtesy Beerlando. Cloudy copper-brown color, a little soapy white head. Some creamy dark fruits, mild oak, a healthy sweet component set off by lactic tartness. Sweet oak and sour cherry notes dominate the taste with nice lingering tartness on the back end. Good balance, great flavors.

(3/8/08) Bottle at De Heeren van Liedekercke in Denderleeuw. 1992 vintage. Best before 1994. Dark red with a quickly-collapsing beige head. Aroma of a lot of oak and cherries. Sweetish-sourish flavor with lots of real cherry flavor, some malt and some wood. Nice body, slightly sticky but rather smooth. Great.

Courtesy of a Secret Santa I still haven’t discovered. This beer must be more than 6 years old if not older. The pour looks completely flat. A muddy red beer with no head except for the tiny ring of tight bubbles around the edge. Aroma is a little muddled at first. Sweet, sour, definitely fruity. The flavor is immense! Well blended from years of age (I’m assuming) but still quite vibrant. The begining is almost a touch watery, but then the flavor slams home with huge fruit notes and candy sweetness, but then it rakes over my tongue and throat with palate cleansing acidicy. Absolutely fantastic!!

Bottle thanks to EDA. Brownish orange, thin head. Sweet sour cherry aroma. Explosive juicy cherry flavors, with a pleasant amount of tart balance. Lingering sour cherry finish. Could this be that first Kriek that I had in a Belgian cafe back when I was 19?