Rodenbach Foederbier - Brouwerij Rodenbach N.V.

KickbacksSteve

Florida

3.98/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On draft at cafe de zalm. Amber in color, cloudy, poured in tall rocks type Rodenbach glass. Aroma, musty, damp, intense funk, rotted green apple. Very acidic in taste, almost a burning sensation upon swallow... vinegay, easy finish actually.  Rare, unique, intense experience. 

Serving type: on-tap

02-29-2012 00:23:46 | More by KickbacksSteve

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.6/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at the De Heeren 20th Anniversary party during last week's trip to Belgium. Reviewed from notes.

Served in a mini snifter.

Pours a light caramel color with a very small head that receded quickly. No lacing.

The nose immediately brought quite a bit of vinegar. Some light cherry and oak, but mostly vinegar. Super strong and along the lines of Vin de Cereal but without the cookie dough-type sweetness. Flavor was straight sourness, though not completely overpowering like some of the more out there American wilds that I've had.

Light body and thin carbonation with a heavy sourness.

Not fantastic but certainly not bad either. An interesting experience.

Serving type: on-tap

09-15-2011 10:46:35 | More by Thorpe429

Gueuzedude

Arizona

3.9/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Sampled on tap at De Zalm, Roeselare; July 2010
The beer arrives with a hazy, amber / copper hue and is topped by a tan, pale colored head that is about one-finger thick, but disappears pretty quickly. The aroma is quite tart smelling; a mix of lactic and acetic notes make up the tartness. There is a slight buttery note to the nose as well as some cider vinegar like aromas.

The beer feels quite flat as it first hits my tongue; this was a bit surprising given that this had a decent head, but isn't surprising given that this is supposed to be fresh from the foeder. The beer is very dry tasting and has an acetic, spicy finish that manages to burn the throat just a bit. Some cider vinegar flavors are found here, though not quite as much as was noticeable in the nose and perhaps leaning more towards a rosé-wine vinegar. This is quite refreshing, especially given how sweltering the bar room we are in is; it is light bodied and easy drinking. The acetic flavors bring out some fruit character that is almost suggestive of sweetness. The caramel-influenced malt character contributes to the body as well as some toasted, caramelized flavors towards the finish.

This is definitely a bit Burgundian, though it is definitely approaching the vinegar side of the spectrum. This is a tasty beer to be sure, but as with most Rodenbach beers these days, it could use a bit more complexity.

Serving type: cask

10-15-2010 16:25:57 | More by Gueuzedude

ViveLaChouffe

Georgia

4.85/5  rDev +20.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Had this beer at Het Waterhuis in Gent - 10/2008

I'll just start this review by stating that the Foederbier was amazing...

If you've had Rodenbach Grand Cru, you know exactly what this beer looks like. It is the familiar cherry wood color (perhaps a shade darker) with a thin tan head that dissipates to a wisp. Lots of oak, sour dark fruit and strong acetic acid in the nose.

Imagine the difference in degree of acetic sourness between Rodenbach and Rodenbach Grand Cru. Apply that same increase in intensity from the Grand Cru to this beer and you have an idea of what you get in the Foederbier. Sour and woody but after the initial shock to the tastebuds, refreshing and wickedly drinkable. Puckeringly sour but ultimately delicious. Long sour and tart fruit aftertaste. Lightly spicy, woody and a hint of vanilla.

Maybe the best beer I had during my whole trip to Belgium.

Serving type: on-tap

07-17-2009 14:21:23 | More by ViveLaChouffe

stimy

Maryland

4.22/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I drank this at a "The Belgian Beer Diaspora" beer tasting hosted by the late Michael Jackson at the National Geographic. The tasting involved pairing a number of Belgian beer styles with a Belgian and American interpretation of the style.

These are my tasting notes:

This was my first tasting of a sour beer. It had an incredibly tart taste. A berry smell. It was like a sweettart candy but without the sweet part if that makes any sense. Dry aftertaste. I had a hard time drinking this at the time, but I'd like to taste it again now that I have some more appreciation for sour beers.

Serving type: on-tap

01-24-2008 19:10:59 | More by stimy

stcules

Italy

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

Same color of the Rodenbach Grand Cru, a brown coca cola -like. A veil of foam.
In the smell vinousity, tartness, sharp wood, a light leather.
Same fo rthe taste, quite similar to the R. G. C., with its good tart notes. Quite light in body, maybe just a bit thinner. But definitely more sour.
Not big difference anyway. Just the intensity.
A good tartness in the aftertaste, too, and woody notes, and vinous.
Good, anyway.

Serving type: on-tap

06-26-2007 20:09:29 | More by stcules