Rodenbach Grand Cru

Brewed by Brouwerij Rodenbach (Palm)
Style: Sour Ale
Roeselare, Belgium

750ml bottle with a 9-21-2007 drink by date. Clear mahogany color with a fleeting head. Fruity sweet tart smell of cherries pears vinegar with some oak, vanilla and caramel. Mouth puckering flavors of pickled cherries pears oak and smooth vaniila waltz across my tongue leaving me with an insatiable desire for more of this nectar of the gods. But alas, there is hope as i glance gleefully to the cellar at those three sibling 750 bottles resting peacefully, patiently awaiting their day in the sun.... ;-)

dark red with medium head. fruity nose: cherries and peaches. very sour taste with some spice behind it. pepper and clove. cherry, sour apple, vinegary. this was a lot to take at first but grew on me. I’d had similar beers while traveling in europe, but this is the first I’ve rated. need to explore the type more. (K: 7)

On tap. Deep garnet colored with nice thick head. Nose is somewhat harsh, chemically sour, notes of epoxy with cherry aromas building as it warms and sweet tobacco coming through at the very end. Flavor is tart and acidic. Grape soda, sour cherries, malt vinegar. Quite a dry finish with some sweetness remaining on the palate. Very enjoyable.

Poured from bottle a dark reddish brown with tan head. aroma of tart sour cherry and wet wood. Flavor comes off with a candy sweetness leading to a mouth puckering sour cherry and sour apple. There is a aging oak flavor that permeates the beer ending in a vinegar-like dryness. Overall a good beer but the overaged oak flavor detracts from the overall experience.

Raspberry taste, smells wonderful. Mmmm mmmm. Smooth finish. I want one right now.

I think I’ve seen this a million times but never actually had it... Pours a dark red-brown with a quickly dissipating head. Aroma was woody, funky, sour, and a bit malty-sweet. SUPER sour and fruity... sour cherry, green apple, a really nice funky bacteria-sour flavor with some nice woodiness and a hint of acetic acid. Well-carbonated, light and a bit syrupy. Great stuff, would drink this any time...

Pours a beautiful deep brick red with a good looking light tan head. What a great aroma! Sour cherries and apples, but has a noticeable sweetness to it. Dark fruits and malt also join in. I’m a fan of this beer before I’ve tasted it. Tart. Cherries, and cranberries. Cider like. The sourness loosens up as you continue to drink, but stays tart in the finish. Body is full and rather bubbly.

Pours a clear, dark garnet brown, with fizzy, collapsing offwhite head. Nose is very vinous, with a strong oaky character, like wooden balsamic vinegar. On the palate tart cherries leap to the front, to slowly recede into mild dark caramel and faint chocolatemalts and medicinal tingly hops. Really well balanced, with a nice moreish finish. One of the better flemish sours I’ve tried, and much, much better than regular rodenbach.