Rodenbach Alexander

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

11.2oz bottle, no date. Clear ruby orange with a thick ring of big bubble of off-white head. Smells quite a bit like the regular Grand Cru--not as sour though, and a bit of a syrupy sweetness. The sourness consists of lemony notes and light funky leather, and dry oak. Flavor is still fairly tart with some lemony notes and the leathery funk. A little bit sweeter than the aroma. I think this is a little past its prime as some paper oxidation is present. Dry oaky finish--bitterness peaked around a 2. Medium body with light carbonation. Plenty good--very good, actually--but I don’t think it would be rated as highly if it weren’t rare and retired.

Bottled. Pours reddish brown in colour with almost no head. Yum Yum! Sweet and sour with notes of englsh winegums, vinegar, balsamico and "bike-glue"??? Theis??? :-) I really yum yum this beer.

Thanks Drewbeerme for this extreme rarity. Dirty red with not much of a brown head. Very sour, earty, almost vinegar aroma, dirty fruit sweet, almost like moldy fruit. Sweet cherry flavor with vinegar, semi tart, smoked dirty eartiness. Thin body, no carb. Strong aroma especially of good aged notes, unique flavor, cherry sweet is a little strong.

Thanks AgentSteve. Pours dark amber brown, cherries, light tart, malty, wood, little nutty.

1983 bottle. Murky reddish brown, scant white head. Aroma of sour cherries and plums. Slightly sweet sour flavor with nuts and dark fruits. Wood finish. Nice one.

Fresh cherry and d sherry aroma, a little leathery, slighlty vinegary. Initial suggary cherry sweetness that's consistent throughout but just meets some sourness in the latter half. Becomes a little more puckering and sour as it warms.

KSBF 04 Thanks to EDA for this sampling! Small tan head, good retention with some sticky lacing. Hazy light amber, red hued brew. Surprisingly cherryish nose, earthy, fruity. A thinner body than expected. Sour cherry flavors but not overly, light mustiness, oak, vinegary and some malty grainyness. Dry, lightly tart finish, interesting. Would like to try this one again, alot going on here. Thanks mike!

Bottle several times over the years. I never really rated it as much as Grand Cru which to me has a more delicate balance. I alwas found this a little too sweet at the expense of the sourness. It’s a shame that it’s been retired and maybe those bottles still around have aged superbly. I am keen to find out.