Rodenbach Alexander

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

Deep amber with a touch of ruby. Tall head that rapidly retreats. Cherries, oak and basalmic vinegar aromas. Flavors of fresh yogurt, kiwi/passion fruit and iron backed by a fresh cherry sweetness. My favorite in the Rodenbach line.

Five beers for a thousand - Beer #998. 1998 Vintage. /Bottle at Beer Circus, Brussels. Poured into the glass, this is deep read with a fine, patchy head. Cherry aroma. Flavour is wonderful, cherry - very fruit and tastes fairly aged. Refrained sweetness and some acidiy - fairly sour and tart. Thick. I’m suprised I liked this one as much as I did.

Bottle. A ruby red color with no head. The aroma is at first tart and sour and then a sweet cherry, strawberry, and sour apple aroma takes over. More laid back and had less carbination and zing than the grand cru. This is a wonderful beer.

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.

Sampled August 2005
Well thanks to some serious begging and pleading, I was given the opportunity to try this beer one more time. The beer pours a brilliantly clear ruby-cherry-red color with barely a wisp of a head. The sediment was so compacted in the bottle that I was able to pour the entire liquid contents out with nary a speck of sediment. The aroma smells strongly of enticing cherry with a mix of sweet cherry meat, tannic cherry skin, and a tart acetic note that melds so well with it all. My first impression, this has lost a lot of the sweetness up front, but quickly gains a rich meaty, malty cherry skin note to it. The finish is lightly tannic with a slightly puckering note to it that is a combination of wood and a tart-sour character.

This beer has held up far better than the Pre-Palm Rodenbach Grand Cru. The cherry, it seems, has acted as a preserving influence. This really grabs the palate towards the end, it is mouth coating and malty with a very nice interplay between rich malt and cherry notes. As it warms up a bit the acetic light vinegar note really starts to come forward. The cherry note almost gets bigger (though not in a cloying or expressive way) and sort of spreads itself throughout the beer. What an incredibly well balanced beer this has turned into. The finish is long and gripping with notes of tannic cherry skin, yet still satisfyingly fruity with lots of cherry meat and a bit of balsamic character. This is quite exquisite, I so would love to have more of this. I find it really hard to not give this beer a really high score, it was very enjoyable, and the sweet cloying cherry character has really dropped out, just the opportunity to try this beer is almost a perfect experience.

<font size=-4>Purchased: <a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Places/ShowPlace.asp? Sandwich, San Gabriel, CA<font size=-1>

Rating #100!!! Sampled many times over the years from Brussels to California...various vintages. Copper color, beige head. Cherry sweet tart and light vinegar aroma and taste, with notes of apricot, green apple candy, balsamic, and rich oak. Sometimes bitter, funky and/or syrupy sweet, but always intriguing and compelling. Most folks want more after one sip, just to reinforce the taste sensation that is unique and fun! A classic that no one has reproduced, though the Duchesse de Bourgogne and others are somewhat similar. Certainly a classic that while may be a tad past it’s prime, is a world class beauty.

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.

Big thanks to Jeannie for breaking out this gem. Amber with small head. Beautiful apple & cherry aroma and taste. Very nice, mellow sourness. Some oak sticks out in the taste. Wonderful balance of sweet/sour.