Rodenbach Classic (Red) - Brouwerij Rodenbach N.V.

UncleJimbo

Massachusetts

4.38/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Sampled on-tap at Redbones.

This ale poured a deep, red-brown color with creamy, tan foam that settled but clung to the glass and left a bit of lacing. The smell was tart and a little wild with some lactic overtones. The aroma faded as the glass sat. The taste was tart and lactic with flavors of sour cherries and a hint of sweetness. There was mild maltiness beneath the tartness, and a faint hint of cinnamon or spices. The mouthfeel was tart and fruity with medium body and good carbonation. This was a very nice beer: not too tart and leaving you wanting more.

Serving type: on-tap

03-20-2006 03:55:44 | More by UncleJimbo

sloejams

California

4/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

sampler at the Lucky Baldwins Belgian Beer Festival, listed on the menu as Rodenbach Flemish Red

This had a darkish, red murky color with a slight pink head. The aroma is wonderful - very tart with cherry and oak. The taste is crisp - green apple, cherry and malt, subtle with a sour kick. It has a medium body with a fizzy pop of carbonation. Finishes smooth and clean.

I think a few of these would be welcome, but certainly not a session beer.

Serving type: on-tap

02-21-2006 22:19:56 | More by sloejams

Bierguy5

Ohio

3.68/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at McNulty Bier Market in Cleveland. Pours a dark red, ruby color with a very thin white head that disappeared in an instant. Slight sour cherry and vinegar aroma. Tart flavor of sour berries. Flavor ends quickly. No bitterness. Quite differnet from the Grand Cru, I was expecting it to be more sour. Light to medium body. Refreshing, and pretty drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

02-20-2006 23:32:03 | More by Bierguy5

carln26

Missouri

4.33/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had this on tap at the Mellow Mushroom in Charlotte. It was poured into a tulip glass a deep brown with ruby highlights topped by a light fluffy white head. Fruity aroma. Some cranberry, a little sour apple. Taste is tart. More cranberry, a little orange, some fresh bread. More citrus on the finish. Slick dry mouth feel nice drinkability. It was great to finally get a chance to try this classic. I can’t wait to compare it to a bottle

Serving type: on-tap

12-10-2005 21:05:20 | More by carln26

Billolick

New York

4.22/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A nice find on tap at the soon to be no more Blind Tiger ale house. This little lovely poured cloudy reddish amber, with a tiny bubble slight head, leaving fine, wispy lacing. Nose of semi sour cherries. Flavorful, complex brew with notes of sour fruit, moderate but not overpowering in intensity. More drinkable then other "reds" I've tried. Tasty, fruity, intense. A fine experience in drinking.

Serving type: on-tap

12-10-2005 16:10:19 | More by Billolick

Foxman

New Jersey

4.2/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

It came to me a fairly cloudy ruddy ruby. Remnants of a pinkish pithy head swirled on the surface. Light lacing slid down the inside of the glass.

The aroma wafted a pointed but comforting tartness, rife with cherries, earth, hard wood, a tinge of sweetness and a draft of vinous essence.

Upon tasting, there came a wash of varied fruit tartness, along with signs of cherries and grapes, and partnered with the complimentary sweetness of malt and wheat. The fruity sourness continued through the middle ground, rounded off by light oak and dough undertones. The finish is a fading tart memory carrying a quenching, fruity overall impression. It’s a smooth blend of crafted character.

Between light and medium bodied, it’s carbonated and lively on the palate, and it fades creamily.

Carrying an almost legendary air about it, when Eulogy had it, I decided, I had to as well. And I’m certainly glad I did, as it is a nice example of well-crafted blended complexity. Not to say it’s the most complicated offering out there, but it does hit on various levels. And it’s surprisingly crisp and quenching, driving the drinkability skyward. And yes, I did indulge that asset, what with a DD in tow. There’s a certain mystique about this beer, and I’ll be more than happy to revisit it the next time it comes around. I just hope I don’t have to wait too long.

Serving type: on-tap

11-17-2005 17:42:51 | More by Foxman

warriorsoul

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Enjoyed a glass of this with my wife and fellow BA's FitzIPAtrick and growler at The Publick House...thanks to Liefman for the heads up on this one.
Arrived in a oversized Rodenbach flute glass...leave it up to TPH to match the beer w/ the perfect glassware. Red rust in color with less than a half finger of off-white head...no lacing detected.
Faint aromas of cherries and some earthy tones...
Taste is very enjoyable...mainly tart cherries with a subtle sour characteristic that was very complementary to the brunch.
Mouthfeel was a tad thin and the carbonation was high, but most likely average for the style (I lack experience in this one).
I could enjoy a few glasses of this one, but at $7 a glass, this would be a one and done for me.

Serving type: on-tap

11-06-2005 20:33:02 | More by warriorsoul

twelvsies

Maine

4/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A nice and unique brew. Bright vibrant red color, no head on this one. Smells woodsy, with hints of cherries and other bits of sweetness. Taste is much the same, but more complex. It's a tad sour, but not nearly the sourness I was expecting. Definately wild and woodsy though, I love that freshness. Mildly sweet and fruity as well, with a solid dust taste. Really interesting. I'd like to try the bottle conditioned version sooner or later. A complex, refreshing, well made beer.

Serving type: on-tap

11-02-2005 16:49:50 | More by twelvsies

kaimcm

California

3.8/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

An interesting and unique brew. However to me, one youve got to be in the mood for and/or have an appropriate pairing. Clean, bright nose with hints of cherry. Taste is strong cherry, noticeable lime, a hint of sugar, and a nice tart dry finish. A nice balance of the tart/sweet that really makes the brew refreshing. Mouthfeel is weak. Too light, too craft soda like for me. Very reminiscent of a Stewarts Black Cherry soda. If in the mood, warm day, etc...a very nice beer, but not for all occasions by any means. That being said, well crafted no doubt.

Serving type: on-tap

11-01-2005 00:24:48 | More by kaimcm

ski271

Pennsylvania

3.45/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Zeno’s in State College, PA. Just got it because it was something I hadn’t ever heard of or tried before. Didn’t know it was a flanders until I tried it. Not one of my favorite styles of beer, but a good change of pace. Pours a hazy reddish-copperish-dark brown with a small, off-white, tight, creamy-looking head with good retention. Excellent, thick lacing. A bit sweet smelling but with a sour tinge to it as well as expected. Fruity (cherry and grape), bready and woodsy smelling with a hint of vinegar. The sour smell and taste instantly give away its style. Very typical aromas and flavors from the brets. The taste is mostly fruity with a light malt backbone. Kind of reminds me of some apple cider I recently had that I let get a few weeks old to where it has that nice ‘zing’ to it. The taste seems to be a little one-dimensional, but I haven’t had too many flanders ales to know if this is typical of the style or not. I mean, the taste was good, but there wasn’t all that much of it, nor did it last very long on the finish at all. Medium-light body, moderately astringent, and soft carbonation. An interesting ale, and good… but not great, though I blame a lot of that on the style. Not my cup of tea, but probably a little above average compared to other flanders I’ve had. I'm glad I tried it.

Serving type: on-tap

10-28-2005 20:21:21 | More by ski271

sacfly

Maryland

3.85/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

On Tap at McGraths in Harrisburg

Presented a muddy reddish brown, light white head. Smells of sour funk… Balsamic vinaigrette. Light cherries. Interesting.

First sip is a blend of sourness soy sauce, vinaigrette… Tastes like a marinade my wife and I make for salmon that is a mix of honey, balsamic vinaigrette, and soy sauce. Erie. Very light body. A bit watery, but was nice for drinking with food.

Surprisingly refreshing. A perfect counter to the salty foods (wings, burger, fries) I was eating at the time. If I read my own description, I would probably not want to try this. But it actually tastes really good. A great beer to drink with a salty dinner.

Serving type: on-tap

10-09-2005 18:44:23 | More by sacfly

weeare138

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

on draft at Monk's Cafe...
Appears a reddish brown with an ivory head and lots of retention. Tiny lacing speckles are left behind.
Smell is of the trademark Rodenbach funk yeast smelling almost like a fresh cut steak with some sour notes of vinegar and cherry mixed with a ton of sugar.
Taste is almost equal to the aroma, which truley defines this beer.
Mouthfeel is slightly watery with sweets and sours resounding.
I actually remember Rodenbach being a bit better the last go 'round in the States but maybe it's just me.

Serving type: on-tap

10-02-2005 15:53:37 | More by weeare138

Dithyramb

Maryland

3.7/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Served on tap at Ale Mary's here in Baltimore in a Rodenbach chalice. Beautiful amber brown with a tan head that had some retention values. Great lacing, though. Tart, sour cherries on the nose.

Slightly acidic with sour fruit flavor. Once my mouth became used to the funky sourness, it really didn't have much body to it. Came off more of a one-trick pony, with no real finish to it. Finished dry and clean, though

The drinkability was a notch above. This was my first overly drinkable funkadelic red.

Serving type: on-tap

09-19-2005 03:17:31 | More by Dithyramb

thefireman

Pennsylvania

4.68/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Listen, what can I add to what has been said? On draft at Monk's in a classic glass from the brewer. Reddish brown, almost opaque. Tastes sweet of cherries and/or raisons. Then tart. Hints of oak, tannic acid. Tart is the finish that sets this apart from every other experience. A home run as it were. Maybe not a session beer, but one I always look forward to at Monk's. This stuff is terriffic. Truely one of my favorites.

Serving type: on-tap

08-28-2005 03:08:11 | More by thefireman

santoslhalper

Pennsylvania

4.97/5  rDev +23%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Appearence: Pours a wonderful, clear red with a thin head that stays for a bit.

Smell: The smell is a wonderful mix of sourness, cherries, fruits, and bread. Well balanced and supremely complex.

Taste and Mouthfeel: The taste is unreal. It's enough to bring me to my knees. Perfect balance, high complexity. The sourness hits your tongue first, followed shortly by and incredibly wonderful fruit flavor. It finishes smoothly, and about 10 seconds after swallowing an amazing bread flavor hits your mouth and lingers until the next sip. The mouthfeel is smooth and slick.

Drinkability and Overall: This beer is devilishly smooth, delicious, and drinkable. This is one I wish I had available to me all the time. My choice for a session beer. Thank you D's for bringing in this marvelous creation.

Serving type: growler

08-21-2005 18:17:19 | More by santoslhalper

eclectic

New Jersey

4.75/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

On tap at Monk's

Poured into a Rodenbach glass. Red/Black color with minimal head, aromas of lactic sour and cherry. Tastes incredible, even smoother than the bottled version. Smooth and creamy, more drinkable than almost anything I can think of. Once again I am amazed at the caliber of this brew.

Serving type: on-tap

08-14-2005 00:40:45 | More by eclectic

jakester

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I had this on tap at 3rd and Spruce Cafe in West Reading. 16oz. pint glass for $3!! (Happy hour)

Arrives a pretty darn clear deep dark red with hints of brown. A one finger light tan head of different sized bubbles. Drops to islands and a ring. Minimal lacing.

Smell is Belgian funky, sour cherries or raspberries, no discernable hop aroma which is appropriate for style.

The taste is dominated by intense sour fruit, more like cherries than raspberries. Really thirst quenching and refreshing tanginess on the tongue. Acidic but pleasant. There is no detectable bitterness, but with the sour, it doesn't matter. This is a sour beer, but not too sour, just delicious. Aftertaste is sour cherries.

Mouthfeel is kind of thin, effervescent, and yes, sour. No real sweetness until the finish.

This beer is highly recommended. It's probably not for everyone, but what a great representation of the style!

Serving type: on-tap

08-05-2005 11:33:58 | More by jakester

vladtheimpaler

New Jersey

4.3/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Tap at Andy's. Three glasses full with Slander and Mkobes (and Tony Forder for that matter). Seductive looking tulip glass. Burnt orange hugh, nice head on top. Not really clear. Rich soured apple and cherry aromas. Flavors are tart and malty. You can pick out apples and cherries in that sweet and sour combination of fruit and malt. Decent mouth feel. Tart finish. Drinkable to the max. A session beer with all the trimmings.

Serving type: on-tap

07-07-2005 16:04:40 | More by vladtheimpaler

yelterdow

New Jersey

4.97/5  rDev +23%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

When Tommy @ Andy's Corner in Bogota sent out the e-mail with one day's notice that this would be on tap, there was no mistaking my showing up for a taste. What follows are the results of this extraordinary experience, one that my taste buds shall remember 'til the end of days.

Served in a Libbey's tulip glass (model #3715 for anyone who cares) nice and cold fresh from the keg.

Appearance- A reddish-brown mostly clear color with a tight, foamy head. Large bubbles popped and hissed amongst the soapy remains of the initial pour. Retention was nice for a Flanders Red.

Smell- Clean, fresh, pungent sour cherries with a full, deep follow-through. This was one of those "I can't stop smelling this beer" events, because it is not often that we get to experience this style so fresh. Sour turns to sweet as the beer slowly approaches cellar temperature. Outstanding.

Taste- Total refreshment. Totally thirst-quenching. This is the ideal summertime answer to that special brew that wakes up your taste buds... not like an IPA or kicked-up pilsner... but it satisfies your complete tongue and begs you to drink more. Sour cherries dominate, and they fade to a background of granny smith apples.

Mouthfeel/Drinkability- Perfect in every regard... slick and moderate, smooth and inviting. Everything about this makes me want to try one more sip, one more glass. Totally thirst-quenching and a feast for the senses, I am so happy to have sampled what might be perfection for this style. At $7 a glass, I didn't care... four went down the gullet inside of 3 hours, and when I tell you that I enjoyed and savored each taste, I mean it.

Serving type: on-tap

07-07-2005 04:12:01 | More by yelterdow

99bottles

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Monks, this came in its own glass and looked delicious. The beer has a deep ruby color with hues of brown, a head of foamy tan lace and a moderate amount of carbonation. The smell didn't really impress me, with a bit of a sour note that felt drowned out by rather flat malt and some residual carmel sweetness. The first sip was surprisingly smooth, without the sharp acidic bite I'm used to from this style. This instead has a sweet brown sugar flavor, mixed with some sour cherry and fruity esteric malt. I really wasn't amazed, and yet I still liked this quite a bit. I think it's worth trying in a bottle just to see if the flavor is more defined. In any case, not a bad offering especially if the sourness of this style is a turn off. A nice, balanced version with plenty of malt and sweetness to smooth the edges.

Serving type: on-tap

06-13-2005 04:07:25 | More by 99bottles

GeoffFromSJ

New Jersey

4.55/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Had the immense pleasure of having this on-tap at Tria in Philly.

Rodenbach makes some of the most refreshing beers in the world. This will be my lawnmower beer.

Pours a ruby color with thick head. Was cloudy at least at first. I think I saw some brown in there.

Fruit (I believe cherries) in the smell and up front in the taste. Ends with some tartness. Not overwhelming Cantillon-esque tartness. But a tartness which makes this incredibly drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

05-23-2005 13:35:35 | More by GeoffFromSJ

skar

New York

4.38/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served on-tap at the Blind Tiger, NYC 11/5/03 Belgian Beer Fest
This keg had been in Blind Tiger's cellar for over a year.

Appearance/Head: Deep mahogany color. Pretty clear and served with a good head.

Aroma: Sour cherries. Rather floral with a little oak in the background.

Taste: Red fruits with quite a bit of acidity for beer. Notes of red wine vinegar (or even balsamic vinegar), which just adds to the complexity of this brew. Most of the flavors are most winelike than beer.

Bottom line: Most BA's present thought the age of the keg detracted from the flavor of the beer. One former brewmaster thought it improved with the age. I thought the aging changed the beer a little but in a neutral manner. Although I prefer the Grand Cru and the Alexander, Rodenbach is a great example of what is right about Belgian beer. Refreshing, unique, and highly drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

11-07-2003 13:58:18 | More by skar