Rodenbach Alexander

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

RATING #1000! Almost three years in the making, I have finally achieved the coveted number. And what a beer with which to mark my accomplishment. This comes courtesty of Terry Boyd, and how fitting... the #1 beer guy in Connecticut handing me that which would become the showpiece for my most significant benchmark. Terry got these bottles from a friend down south who didn’t know what it was... luckily for us. Poured an effervescent light brownish red with a white head that started tight and creamy but became somewhat fizzy. Interesting aroma of sundae cherries, cream, a bit of vinegar, some cinnamon. Almost artificial in its sweetness. Flavor is very complex, with both sweet and tart balancing each other well. Sundae and black cherries come through strongly with some cider vinegar, vanilla, a bit of oak, some olive-like character. Almost dessert-like, but with enough unfolding layers to warrant solitary study. Finishes with some ashen dryness and a bit of olive pit. Very easy drinking. This has obviously held up very well. Very tasty. I wonder why they stopped making this.

Also, special thanks to the entire RateBeer community for taking me on an incredible journey through a world of such unfathomable depth that it confounds all except those most familiar with its terrain. I know I still have many miles and glasses to go, and I’m looking forward to every one. Cheers to all you great RateBeerians!

Thanks to eaglefan538 for the once in a lifetime opportunity! Pour was clear dark copper with minimal head/lacing. The aroma was tart cherry, vinegar. The flavor was smooth velvety sour cherries with hints of oak, ash and vanilla. Super sweet, but didn’t strike me as overly so. Fine, fine example of the style.

Sampled at hellbilly’s hellraiser 3 gathering. 1996 bottle courtesy of psprings. Deep amber pour with a small light head. Citrus, cherries, grapes and light vinegar in the aroma. Flavor is both sweet and tart at the same time, with lots of the fruits and a bit of wood and vinegar. Absolutely delicious! Thanks Paul!

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!!!

I finally got to try this amazing brew. Pours an amber hue with a sour aroma of roses, yeast, and a hint of spice. Flavors of honey raspberries, spices, cherries. Nice sourness with an amazing finish. Slight peppery finish.

Rating is a culmination of notes from samples from vintages 1986, 87, 90, 91, 92, 93, 98, 99. All bottles(9 and 11oz) held up superbly, a testament to Rudy Ghequire’s expertise and a sophisticated recipe and bottling process. Dark, deep red pour with oily chestnut highlights. Tall cream colored head, slowly diminishing, never fully. Aroma is sour and sweet cherries, wet oaken barrel and refined glorious yeast. Also apricot rinds, apples, peaches, flowers and wax in unison, all in reserved quantities. Breathtaking. Flavor is once again solely focused on cherries, oak and yeast, and has very minor notes of funk, acidic fruits and sour grapes. Alcohol is never a noticeable factor. Finishes sweet with little acidity, cherry and sugar lingering. Palate is perfectly wrought and though syrupy at times, there is always enough sourness to dice through it. Every bottle was memorable, especially the last one, as I knew it would probably be the last ever. A tragedy this was discontinued, but hope glimmers that it will return one day. Classic.

big thanks to Mike EDA for sharing this at the belgian room on st marks place. cloudy rusty brownish color. aroma is cherries in carmelized cane sugar, sweet aged balsalmic vinegar. flavor is very sweet cherry, almost like cherry vinegar. only mildly tart. faint tart finish. legendary!

Bottle 1996 vintage courtesy dpflanzer. Pours a clear dark amber brown with a small off-white head. Aroma of sherry, oak, dark pitted fruit, and a hint of vinegar. The taste is an explosion of tart cherries that is perfectly balanced by notes of oak, sherry, and a hint of caramel. Medium mouthfeel with the perfect balance of sweet and sour. One of the most amazing beer I have ever tried.