2007 Vintage Oak Aged Ale (Barrel No. 230) - Brouwerij Rodenbach N.V.

ericlawton007

Connecticut

4.95/5  rDev +13%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

Shared with a friend, and poured into two tulip glasses. Reddish color with a fair head retention. Smells deliciously sour, with many fruit notes. Tastes very fruity, with cranberries, pears, and apples alternating presence. The oak barrels takes away some of the sourness, and the age hides the bite making this an extremely smooth beer that drinks like juice. Absolutely loved this beer and will buy the remaining 2 bottles at my local store.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2013 03:14:46 | More by ericlawton007

claspada

New Jersey

4.31/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Pours a clear, deep red color with a small pinkish/tan head of bubbles that recede to leave some minimal spotty lacing.

Aromas begin with a great deal of dry dark, tart cherries and cranberries. As it warms there is a light caramelized maltiness but the tannic cranberry and dark cherry is quite strong. Some oak and earthiness emerges moer and more as it warms.

Th tastes begin with a small amount of caramelized maltiness and brown sugar but soon after the tart berries really pop and take over. A great deal of cranberry and dark cherry (not artificial like some krieks can come across as but really dark mascerated cherries). As it warms you get more oak, tannic and light vanilla flavors but the sour fruits are still the dominating flavor contributor.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with a medium to low amount of carbonation. The finish ir fairly fruity but still pretty darn tart and sour to balance.

Overall I really enjoyed this beer and was super surprised and impressed with the shelf vintage beers. It was the last one on the shelf and I had no real expectations, but this really shocked and impressive me with it's complexity and dialed in flavor. I am not enamored with fresh Rodenbach (it's not bad I just really doesn't wow me), but this aged/vintage edition is really stellar and I will be looking to add more of these or either of the '08 or '09 to my cellar in the near future.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 13:54:28 | More by claspada

scootny

New York

4.58/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Clear garnet brown with a thin head. Some nice lacing as I drink. Smell is rich in vinous notes with a healthy amount of oak and alcohol. A hint of vanilla. Some funk and fruit with cherries being the biggest part. Taste is superb. A healthy malt core with a light toasted caramel malt sweetness. Sour and dry with lots of cherries, oak, and vanilla. Really a subtle complex blend of fruits. Finish is dry and juicy with a sour puckering. Feel is medium weight with a mild effervescent carbonation. This went exceptionally well with a special New Years Eve chili and the after dinner cheese a crackers. A superb Flanders Red.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 04:40:30 | More by scootny

Damian

Massachusetts

4.8/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Drank from a 1 pint 9.4 fl.oz./750ml bottle purchased at Harvest Fine Wines & Spirits, West Hartford, CT
Best before: 10 08 12
Served in a tulip

The beer poured a dark crimson-amber color. Nearly crystal clear. A spotty film of large, tan colored bubbles topped the liquid, but they quickly dissipated.

The aroma was outstanding. Cherry pie notes came through strong. Lots of vanilla. Good dose of brown sugar and caramel malt sweetness. The sweetness played well again the moderately tart and acidic balsamic vinegar notes. Rich and robust. There was also an unexpected sweet, brandy-like character. Remarkably well balanced.

The flavor profile was very similar to the nose. Sweet up front with a rich, stiff, malty backbone. Strong vanilla notes. Vinous in the center. The beer drank more like a fruit-forward red wine than a "typical" beer. Strong sour cherry notes. Mild oak. Balsamic vinegar came through on the tart and moderately acidic finish. At 7% ABV, the alcohol was incredibly well buried.

The beer was medium bodied. Rich, frothy and creamy. The liquid contained a finely bubbled effervescence and it turned light and fluffy once it hit my palate.

All in all, this was the best Flanders red ale I have ever tried. The Rodenbach 2008 Vintage Oak Aged Ale I had recently was quite impressive but this was even better. Definitely grab a bottle or two if you can still find them sitting on shelves.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2012 05:25:16 | More by Damian

eduardolinhalis

Switzerland

4.73/5  rDev +8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml corked bottle (as the one in the picture) served in a Snifter glass.

A: Pours a dark and cloudy reddish to brown color forming a small yellow to beige bubbled head. A thin layers remains forever on the tops and a lot of lacings are formed and left in the glass

S: Smell is simply delicious. A mix of cherries, strawberries, grapes, vinegar, sweet malts, yeasts and oak. Absolutely great woody notes in the nose. A Flanders Red to the bone

T: Taste is just perfect. Slight sweet malts upfront followed by a soft vinegar sourness. Strong fruit notes, mainly cherries, strawberries and grapes. Belgian wild yeasts and a light hops bitterness can finally felt in the very end

M: Medium body and carbonation. Aftertaste is mainly made of a smooth which is also a bit sweet and fruity

O: Excellent drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 12:16:07 | More by eduardolinhalis

ao125

Virginia

4.6/5  rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Serving Type: Poured from a chilled bottle into a goblet on 7/16/2012.

Appearance: Reddish brown - more like a rust color. Some alcohol lacing and minimal head.

Smell: Holy crap. The smell is a crazy mix of strawberry, black cherry, vinegar, malt, yeast, oak, and something I can't quite put my finger on. Half the fun of this beer is the smell, which is quite unlike any other beer I've smelled before. It keeps going on and on.

Mouthfeel: Yet another beer that's great to hold on your palate. It's just the right viscosity - neither too thin nor too thick.

Taste: Wow. This beer touches on so many notes. There is a definite sour component that is like a vinegar. The oak is there, as is some malt. There is so much going on that it's almost impossible isolate one thing from another.

Overall: This beer is a symphony of flavors and smells that is probably impossible to duplicate, and I feel fortunate to have tried it once.

I paired this up with a beef brisket that I marinated in barleywine, garlic, and black cherry juice, which I had dry-rubbed and then smoked over cherry wood. It was perfect. I don't think I could have made a better food pairing.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2012 17:06:27 | More by ao125

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

4.54/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Just finished up with Red Poppy and Cuvée Des Jacobins. It's a Flemish Red kind of night, so time to dig into the cellar and pop a bottle.

Best Before 08/12/12.

Pours a medium brown with orange hues. Some bubbles gravitated to one side of the glass after the quarter-inch head fell. Nice to see this many bubbles, in general. I like swishing it around, it looks good.

Lightly tart nose with some cidery vinegar, almost-ripe cherries, and a masked oak presence. Some whipped topping creaminess, but it's faint.

Very mellow. A great deal of the juicy fruitiness from the cherries and vinegar have converted to vintage red wine complexity. Still retaining some of the cherry sweetness with notes of overripe peach and vine-frozen grape, and the balsamic quality of the Grand Cru is a red wine vinegar dose in this one. Oaky in the middle-to-end, but hardly tannic or bitter throughout the whole mouth of the beer. Great peppery finish that I could not have calculated. Having tasted both Rodenbach and Rodenbach Grand Cru, this beer has its own character through evolution.

Very wet and full for the style. Nice spritz alarms you when you suck it back. The alcohol is so well-hidden, it's first picked up as a warm glowing in my belly.

My only bottle, so here's to scoring more of this awesome brew! Thanks Rodenbach! You were always my first love in the world of good beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2012 03:06:00 | More by thecheapies

tbeckett

Ontario (Canada)

4.48/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Bottle at Beer Deluxe. I was so stoked for this.

A - Poured a hazy dark red. One finger of light brown head left some spattering of lace and a film of retention.

S - Wood and lot's of sweet fruit and slightly sour cherry. Rich maltiness combined with a sourness that was quite inviting.

T - Wood, smooth maltiness and lot's of sourness. So tasty with so much cherry, rich malt, dark fruits, and sour fruits.

M - Starts out tart and gets really smooth in the middle then gets tart as hell in the finish. So smooth with good carbonation and a medium to full body. Really good.

O/D - What can I say? This beer is great. So incredibly smooth while being so complex as well. I only had a third of the bottle but it was heavenly. I believe I could drink and savour this all day while uncovering so much more. Great.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2012 07:26:29 | More by tbeckett

sjccmd

Minnesota

4.73/5  rDev +8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Pours really quite murky. It might be chill haze. Almost mud like red/brown with a thin light tan head that slowly erupts and quickly recedes leaving a ring around the glass for quite some time.

Vanilla, oak, and tart cherries in the aroma. Sweet bread in background. Lactic sourness and basement-like funk. A touch of warming alcohol. Very effervescent. It practically filled the room with the aroma after popping the cork.

Wow, it was quite unexpected how much more depth the flavor has as compared to a fresher Grand Cru. Sweet and sour accompanied with massive oak flavor especially on the finish. Tart cherries as well as mild milk chocolate. The finish is crisp and dry. Actually quite refreshing despite the sourness and oak flavors.

Carbonation is a little less spritzy than other (probably fresher) Flanders Reds, but this is made up for with a slightly creamier mouthfeel. Cleans out of the mouth quickly, leaving just a bit of tartness on the tongue.

Overall, quite an awesome beer. Except for the murky appearance, practically flawless. I was surprised how much the single barrel and age had an effect on it. Ridiculously drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2012 23:45:09 | More by sjccmd

stealth

Minnesota

4.97/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I wish the rating system was a tad more flexible. Rodenbach Grand Cru is a near perfect, and this is just a hair better.

All the characteristics of Grand Cru, except balanced better, and slightly woodsier, from the aging I assume. A beautiful sour and really shows how wonderful aging is for this beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2012 12:14:31 | More by stealth

Radome

Spain

4.5/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Poured from a 750 ml bottle that I bought in Belgium.

A - Slightly murky amber color. The cloudiness could have been from handling, as I took it to my relative's house for Christmas dinner. The head was almost non-existent but there was some lacing and wine-like "legs" on the side of the glass.

S - Aroma of vinegar, oak and brown sugar. Although it sounds like an odd combination, it is quite inviting.

T - Delicious and easy to drink. There is almost no hops flavor, but lots of malt roundness, vinegar-like aged/oxidized notes and good brown ale flavors such as figs and raisins. Surprisingly crisp and dry, given the complexity. Some oak notes.

M - Light to moderate body. No hops bitterness burn, some alcohol. Carbonation is surprisingly prickly and very evident.

O - This is a wonderful beer. It is both more complex and easier to drink than what I remember from earlier tasings of Grand Cru. The extra aging and the oak has added complexity, but seemed to dry it out and thin out the apparent body. The carbonation also seems higher than I remember. Delicious.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2011 23:44:53 | More by Radome

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.47/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

With so much maturation and refinement, Rodenbach has selected a masterful barrel for their Vintage '07 release. Now four years in the bottle and now in my belly, this barrel exhibits a smoother, more rounded and less astringent character than even the world class Grand Cru.

Pouring a tawny ruby-brown color and with crimson highlights, the beer shows nearly perfect clarity until the finishing pour which disturbs the sediment. Finely knit bubbles for a thin sheet of foam with very good staying power that once again errupts with a gentle swirl of the flute. Low on lace, the acidity of the beer eventually prohibits the head character to this small extent.

Savory aromas of balsamic vinegar, apple cider, black cherries, and oak all braid together in a decadent rich scent that's backed by sun-kissed malt, mild chocolate, bread crust, and oily nuts. Tart and rich all at the same time.

The sweet and sour interplay plays most prominantly on the palate as the malty rich flavor of chocolate, fruity sweetness, and rich walnut provide the base flavor to anchor the ale. Fruity acidity is lead by tart cherries, and followed by crabapples, cider, under-rippened berries, limes, and vinegar. Aged notes of leather, must, brine, balsamic, and soy sauce gives a regal maculinity to the beer that tempers the otherwise brash sourness. Low in bitterness, the beer relies on the sour to balance the sweetness and does so with low phenolics and complementary esters.

Medium to start, the body delivers perhaps a richer impression than is actual because of precieved fruit sweetness and chocolate. But the mid palate develops from malt richness and into dry tartness that proves refreshing and palate cleansing. Mildly astringent, the beer keeps all the surfaces of the mouth guessing. A linger of balsamic vinegar and chocolate covered cherries leave lasting impressions in aftertaste.

This is an absolute gem of a beer. Rodenbach's Grand Cru is my top ranked Sour Ale and this Vintage (Barrel 230) might be better than that.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2011 04:31:41 | More by BEERchitect

tewaris

Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed late 2011 with friends.

Murky brown with a dirty off white head that leaves soon but leaves a persistent ring behind. The aroma is big on oak... very soft with notes of vanilla. Of course, the sourness is around, but the softness and roundedness was very welcome.

Very mellow taste too, with notes of tart apples and dark fruit. Distinct oak in the finish and perhaps even vanilla. Rather lacking in intensity but very complex. Medium carbonation, smooth mouthfeel and a dry finish. I liked it a lot especially I got it about five bucks cheaper than the usual price at 11.99!

4, 4, 4, 4, 4.5

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2011 15:37:06 | More by tewaris

BeerImmediately

Pennsylvania

4.4/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Have been cellaring this one for a little while, and felt that it should be enjoyed before it got too close to it's due date.

Pours with a short cream brown colored head over a dirty amber to brown body.

Aromas are classic for the style - lots of oaky and vinous tannins, rich red grapes, and brown sugar sweetness.

Flavors are full of grape juice, oak, juicy fruit gum, just a touch of vinegar and earthy dirtyness. It falls on the sweeter side of the style, without being too sour.

Very little carbonation creates a smooth mouthfeel, but is held in check by the juicy tartness.

I would recommend letting this one breathe for a good 15-20 minutes before tasting, as I enjoyed it much more after it sat for a bit.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2011 21:51:58 | More by BeerImmediately

ciachef1212

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this with some great company and hot wings.

A- Red and effervescence

S- Carmel, Cherries, Oak, Nuts

T- Sweet and Sour, with sour cherries, and nuts

M- It felt like it was dancing on my pallet

O- I love sours and this is one of the best. The aging add another level of complexity.

The hot wings brought out the cherry flavor in the beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2011 15:30:32 | More by ciachef1212

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.93/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Rodenbach 2007 Vintage, Oak Aged Ale Barrel No. 230, Rodenbach, the exceptional red/brown sour ale of mixed fermentation, takes on it's unique character by maturing in handmade oak vats, some over 150 years old. This exclusive limited edition vintage by Rodenbach (7% ABV) is the result of a two-year aging process in Vat No. 230, resulting in our finest ale produced. Enjoy it's unparalleled sweet and sour palate with a complex aftertaste."

Gorgeous burgundy hue, a rich lavender, a rosy raspberry…with a slim, pinkish head atop. Very clouded. Looks utterly inviting, lovely as can be.

Aroma: Ah! Wow. Mmmm. Ripe raspberries meet mature cherries, under the fog of funky Belgian yeast. Tart, and sweet, and so tempting. I honestly and truly don't want to take my nose away from it. A lambic like no other. Complex, indeed. And, now to drink it…

Taste: on the lips…sublime. Incredible depth of flavor, large oak effects, delicious fruit factor. Lacks the sharpness and acidity in fresher red ales/ sours, whatever we call them these days. So rounded, so mellow, so groovy. (You know, that's going to become a regular thing in my vocabulary.) There's still plenty of sour snap, lots of zest, very vibrant funky kick, lush fruit…so tasty. So robust, so complex, deep …pretty near impossible to really encapsulate with mere words alone. If I could paint it for you? Animate it for you? Do an interpretive dance? Spin some poetry…perchance?

I went and rhymed again. So sue me. (Worse, it's bad, and trite. And forced. Ah, forget it.)

Medium-bodied, fullest of flavor. Long lasting tartness on the tongue. Gets more complex, with tannin-type feeling on the palate. Wow, I say again. Damn, this is deliciousness. A mellifluous mix of wine-like flavors, lambic sour and sweet, fruit flavors above and beyond, with an unheard-of depth and complexity.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2011 06:35:08 | More by feloniousmonk

mdaschaf

Washington

4.47/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Shared with Mike at the Pickled Pig Pub.

A: Pours a murky mahogany/purple/maroon color with a small, bubbly head on top. Not much head retention nor lacing at all.

S: Wow, very acetic, but fantastic. Much deeper than regular Rodenbach. A nice combination of sweet and sour/vinegar. Some cherries, oak, candied sugar, and some bready malt.

T: Fantastic. It is quite acidic, but not extremely sour, if that makes sense. Nice cherry sweetness, a little bit of oak and vanilla, and some fig and bruised apple.

M: Medium bodied, very smooth, but tart. The right level of carbonation.

O: Incredibly drinkable. Some age on did this beer wonders. Actually had it next to some fresh Rodenbach and it was amazing how much better this beer was, and I really like Rodenbach. It was hard to imagine that the aged version would be that much better, but it was.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2011 02:20:39 | More by mdaschaf

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.47/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Rich red in color and cloudy with a ruby/garnet look to it. No head at all, nothing, lifeless and still. Intimidating one could say. Then I go in for the smell and I am knocked back. Sour, apple vinegar with hints of citrus bouncing around it as well. So amazingly complex. Grapes, and plums, lots of fruit notes and a granny smith apple or two all coming up into the air. Carried over very well in to the first sip, as it was biting tart through and through. Really lip puckering sour that took a second to get used to, but once you did, look out. Bright lemon and orange notes then lit it up. Very light, very bright flavor that was soo complex and wonderfully done. Smooth, gentle, not overly carbonated, but amazingly drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2011 01:56:01 | More by mikesgroove

MADhombrewer

Oregon

3.8/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Barrel number 230. 750ml bottle poured into a tulip.

Appearance- Muddy, dark orange. Very small off white head. 3/5

Smell- Punchy sour aroma. Wood. Sour tropical fruits abound. 3.5/5

Taste- Sweet caramel up front then it slams you in the face with the sourness. Lots of carbonation in the end clears the palate for the next sip. The sweet caramel comes out to mute the sourness ever so slightly as the beer warms. 4/5

Mouthfeel- Thin until it warms then the caramel thickens the beer up a little. 3.5/5

Overall- A very interesting beer to say the least. The first time I had this I fell in love with the complexity. Now, I don't know what to make of it. It keeps me filling my glass for sure. 4/5

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2011 04:23:45 | More by MADhombrewer

BeerForMuscle

New Jersey

4.47/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - A glowing ruby-brown body, burgundy luminesence. A fizzy champagne top.

S - Dry fruit acidity and faint tart vinegar notes. Sour cherries and grapes with a big tart fruit bouquet and some mild sweetness.

T - In 4 years this beer has dried out nicely, giving it a very pleasing and clean taste. Faint acidity but not much tartness or sour on the palate. Mild smooth, dry fruit flavors. The cherry and sour notes have smoothed over.

M - Incredibly clean mouth, it feels like it cleans your mouth. Champagne carbonation and crisp, fresh nectar.

O - Fantastic as a fresh beer and just as well aged.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2011 14:02:46 | More by BeerForMuscle

eric5bellies

Australia

4.6/5  rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours a hazy mahogany colour with a large bubbled tanned head that dies quickly

S - Plenty of funk and dark sour cherries

T - A nice tartness on the start before some sweetness kicks in. The cherries are very present and balance out the sweetness and tartness to absolute perfection.

M - Medium body and medium carbonation.

O - The balance on this beer is total perfection on the palate. An absolute must try.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2011 17:27:28 | More by eric5bellies

davey101

Connecticut

4.47/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle, served at 50 degrees in a Palm tulip. Presentation is fantastic, foil covered caged and corked bottle with a classy label. I was surprised to see that the cork was was so small, it only goes about a half inch into the bottle making it pop off quite easily.

A - Pours a great hazy brown/red color with a decent head that fades quickly. Good lacing

S - The smell is of cherries, stone fruit, malt, oak and light funk/vinegar. Very inviting smell.

T - The taste follows the scent, but with a tart sour finish that sticks around for a while. The oak and cherry/fruits blend together really well.

O - This is a very good beer, easily the best Rodenbach I have tried. It is hard to justify the $16 price tag for a flanders, but I’ll be picking up another bottle for the cellar.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2011 03:12:34 | More by davey101

ThoreauLikeAGirl

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml bottle - foil covered cage and cork. Bottle opens with a pop.
Poured into wine glass.

Cloudy light brown/amber. Pours with a very small head, but ample fizzy carbonation bubbles. Head recedes very quickly, though.

The aroma is wonderful. So much better than the Grand Cru. Dark fruits, oak, vinegar, sour funk.

Taste: Immediate sour fruits up front, but not overpowering sour/vinegar like the Grand Cru. Very well-balanced and mellowed vinegar. Taste then dramatically changes and finishes dry with lots of oak.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied and dry.
A delightful beer. I wish it was easier to get a hold of.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2011 16:01:51 | More by ThoreauLikeAGirl

kscaldef

Oregon

4.35/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this at a work function with sub-standard glassware, so I'll try to adjust in my appearance and smell ratings. (Have I mentioned I like my job :-) )

A: little cork pop, pours fairly flat, murky reddish brown

S: Cherry, wood, vinegar, fig. Tough to pull much out due to somewhat musty glassware.

T: Tart, but not excessively, definitely mellowed from the oak aging. Cherry, plum, mild barnyard funk. Faint grapefruit undertones.

M: Low carbonation. Rich body for the style. Moderate linger, moderate acidity.

O: The oak aging has done really nice things here, creating a complex, yet very approachable beer. Especially for the price, this is a very good beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2011 21:29:26 | More by kscaldef

snaotheus

Washington

4.43/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle split into two pretty large snifter shaped glasses

Pours cloudy brown, pretty small head. Smells deliciously sour (which is what I was hoping for) -- maybe a plum or cherry sour smell.

Taste is nice and sour with a bit of a sweet malty background, again I think sour plum.

Mouthfeel is slightly flat, a little bit filmy (but I think that's not uncommon for the style, although I'm no expert). There is some kind of brighter, maybe citrusy sour that comes out in the aftertaste. I think I can just barely detect a little oakiness.

Overall, I find this a very pleasant beer. My wife and I opened this as her first beer after her long beer hiatus (pregnancy), and I don't think it's a disappointment. Personally, I'm satisfied.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2011 00:19:15 | More by snaotheus