2008 Vintage Oak Aged Ale (Barrel No. 96) - Brouwerij Rodenbach N.V.

drabmuh

Maryland

4.28/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Beer is poured into a tulip. Beer is red, dark red, mostly clear with a white head of medium and small bubbles that leaves some lacing on the glass. Carbonation moderate to low, good head retention.

Beer smells mostly lactic, I was expecting more acetic but lactic is the winner. There is also a faint aroma of cherries.

Beer is nice and creamy with a mixture of acids, including some cherry tartness. Some tannic / oak notes in the midpalate as well. There is a lot going on in this sipper of a beer. Medium to light in body and overall a great sour. I was so convinced there were sour cherries in here I kept re-reading the label hoping that I would see the word "cherries" on there but alas. I would definitely have this again.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2011 20:44:12 | More by drabmuh

DousedInStout

Washington

3.48/5  rDev -20.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a snifter with thin pink head that diminished quickly. The aroma is spot on - sweet cherry, medicinal, cider vinegar and acid. Unfortunately, the aromatics led me to believe this would be more sour that it was. The taste is overly sweet with a teeth-coating mouthfeel. You get a little oak, and little sourness, but those flavors are overwhelmed by the fruity sweetness. As it warms, you get a little more notes of cider vinegar. I know Flemish sours are typically more sweet, but I was hoping for a more dry, sour flavor from the barrel-aging process. In my opinion, not worth the near $20 price tag.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2011 17:31:23 | More by DousedInStout

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.72/5  rDev +8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle shared by drabmuh. Thanks Matt!

A: This Flanders brew appears a dark, ruby hue with a huge, dense, white head. The head exhibits excellent retention and leaves copious lacing throughout the glass.

S: Fruit, mostly sour cherries, funk, oak, red wine.

T: A really delicious beer. It's tannic in nature, with a wonderful bouquet of sour cherries, funk, and oak. A delicate dance of sweet and sour. This is so enjoyable and intriguing. Wonderfully complex and masterfully crafted.

M: Medium bodied, appropriately carbonated, lingering aftertaste that continues to develop for a few moments after each sip.

D: A very tasty beer and a great example of the style. This is definitely worth acquiring.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2011 01:30:48 | More by Huhzubendah

Halcyondays

California

4.9/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 3 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

750 mL bottle,

A: Pours a light amber with a real mild white head, fair retention, no lace.

S: Great acetic sweet/sour nose with a lot of cherries, breathtaking.

T: Sweet cherries, cranberries, unripe raspberries with the undercurrent of delicious acid, a treat.

M: Medium-bodied, moderate acidity, very refreshing and easy on the palate.

D: Absolutely fantastic, I'm glad I picked up a bottle of this, at $22 even it's a bargain, great beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2010 05:06:17 | More by Halcyondays

jrallen34

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap into a Rodenbach Grand Cru class at Kulminator...A dark ruby brown pour, some clearness, more red then the regular. A light tan head of two fingers, great retention but only ok lacing...The aroma is slightly tart with vinegar, wish it was a bit stronger. Not as sweet or rubust as the regular, more oak...The taste is more acidic but not in a vinegary way. A lot more of the wood comes out, this is tart. This is a little bland, I'm no so impressed. This is not an improvement, a lot of the vinegar is gone and replaced with oak. Don't mess with the best one going unless its going to be awesome.

Serving type: on-tap

11-29-2010 01:02:05 | More by jrallen34

shivtim

Georgia

4.8/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at churchkey in DC.
Clear, orange/red, small off-white head.

Nose is phenomenal. Sour cherries, funky sweet sugars, deep plum and dark fruit notes. Oak and nuts.

Taste is complex and wonderful. Tangy, sweet oranges and grapefruit, oak, brown sugar. Lime and honey. Wow.

Mouthfeel is tart/dry; foamy, fantastic.

The sourness on this beer might limit drinkability, but it's still amazing.

Serving type: on-tap

11-11-2010 21:32:52 | More by shivtim

InspectorBob

New Jersey

4.33/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at The Blue Monkey, Merchantville NJ. Poured into a Rodenbach tulip, a dark reddish/brown color with a trace of head and minimal lacing.

The aroma of sour cherries. taste of cherry with a slight hint of vanilla and oak wood.

This beer for me was outstanding, one of the best sours I've tasted. Tart, sweet and tangy. The mouthfeel was very good, medium body with carbonation which goes well with the sourness of this beer.

I really like this beer, I must of had three 10oz pours that night and a couple more the other day when I stopped in for lunch.

All I can say is outstanding...

Serving type: on-tap

11-11-2010 16:21:25 | More by InspectorBob

Shouzen

California

4.6/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap for 2 days over Belgian Beer weekend at O'Briens in San Diego.

A - Poured a dark red/brown into a Rodenbach tulip. Just a trace of head, otherwise it is a murky mystery inviting one to come closer.

S - Lovely sour cherry aroma, somewhat reminiscent of a traditional sarsaparilla. This was my first beer of the night and the nose really perked all my senses right up.

T - Simply outstanding. One of the most delicious beers I've ever tasted. Sweet and sour all swirled together, tempered by some slight oakiness (which was less pronounced than I had expected). No bitterness, with a fairly bold molasses and malt character. Overall, every aspect is perfectly balanced in this beer. I can't get enough!

M - Surprisingly light-bodied, given its colour. Very smooth on the palate. Coated the inside of my mouth with a pleasant creaminess. It goes down eaaaasy with no trace of alcohol.

D - Great as an opener or to finish. It's sour, and yet I find myself wanting more and more. I suppose it's the most drinkable sour I've ever tasted. I'd easily go for 2-3 pints of this, but probably not more. I would get this every session if I could, though.

Serving type: on-tap

11-07-2010 03:54:59 | More by Shouzen

albern

Massachusetts

4.88/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is a beer well worth the $20 sticker price. It is maximally complex and smooth, smooth, smooth. This is the best Flemish Red Ale you will find. It is so complex, so subtle, wonderfully tart, and sweet, and tangy. This is one of the most complicated beers I've ever tried. The oak aging just smoothed this beer out in ways that most oak aging just adds too much booziness or a coarse whisky type taste. Not so this beer.

The beer pours a slighly reddish brown, cloudy color with a slighly fizzy head, just a touch of lace and retention. There is a natural fizz and carbonation to this beer that is much appreciated. The nose is just a touch vinegary, tart, cherry soda like. The nose is good but the taste is stellar. I can't get enough of the smooth, tartness, cherry complexity, and sweet and sour qualities of this beer. Just fantastic, this is a must try. The aging on this beer imparts just a melange of malty flavors complemented by the sours and slightly cherry sweetness. Wow! Each sip on this beer is just a new experience. It is even better once it settles. A huge L'Chaim on this beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2010 23:34:06 | More by albern

strangefate

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at the Hulmeville Inn on 10/10.

Pours an amber with a one finger head that dissipates quickly and leaves a small and fleeting amount of lacing. Smells like sweet and sour cherries with a hint of vanilla. The taste is of sour fruits, particularly cherry and apple. The oak taste is very faint - much less than other oak-aged beers. This has a great mouth-feel, a medium body and well carbonated which greatly compliments the sourness. A great beer and one of the best sours I've had. I could easily drink two pints of this, but I find it hard to drink much more than that of any sour, otherwise I could drink this all day.

Serving type: on-tap

10-18-2010 20:38:03 | More by strangefate

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the Hulmeville inn on a sunday.

A- Rodenbach number 96 looks deep orangish red within the glass. Looks a bit brighter than most Rodenbachs. Nothing on top of this coming off the spout, swirls could not bring any life out on top, no lacing.

S- Smells like your typical Rodenbach but there is a bit more emphasis on the sweet side with vinegar coming through a bit more than barrel 230 which I recently had on tap as well. Cherry, wood, oaking and a dash of vanilla.

T- And yes, there it is that foder goodness, sweet cherry flavor mixing in well with the oak. A touch of vanilla. As expected the vinegar comes out a bit more in this vintage but not on the level of the new rodenbach grand cru that came back to Philly after it's year long absense from the area. Lemon juice pours through.

M- Tart and sweet and kinda thin, this is not a blended roady so I guess I can see that. All in all above light bodied with tart capabilities and a small amount of carb punch. The lemon kinda lingers around a bit.

D- Not so much, the 7% does not scare me, but this barrel did not really do it for me, I prefer the 2007 version more, but 08 remains damn good beer from a great brewery, possibly the best flanders producer in the world. Get on this if you get a chance.

Serving type: on-tap

10-11-2010 22:59:43 | More by onix1agr

jamie2dope

Massachusetts

4.35/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to the staff at Redstone for this bottle. This edition of Rodenbach comes out a handsome glowing red, with an inch worth of white heading. In the nose, as to be expected is a mix of sour and sweet, with some red wine vinegar. The cherries are also very apparent. The taste starts off sour, then fades into the sweetness. Vanilla can be detected, along with the oak, providing for a very smooth finish. The cherries are not as intense as in the Grand Cru. Mouthfeel is acidic, yet approachable with the oak sweetness. It is medium bodied, and coats the palate. Alcohol is not apparent in the taste, but after a few gulps there is a warming effect. This one seems to be the middle child between the regular Rodenbach, and the Gran Cru. It definitely tastes the smoothest out of the three. Before it is gone, I would like to get another bottle to compare it to the other two. Another delicious brew from Rodenbach.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2010 23:41:36 | More by jamie2dope