Rodenbach Grand Cru - Brouwerij Rodenbach N.V.

RaulMondesi

California

4/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Straight out of a bottle at tha hipster joint - Haven

Like a Tiger Woods drive: fouuur! All across the board, fours all across the board. Pretty decent brew for Raul. Solid like a prescription of Cilias. Sour, tart, spunky and funky (like Raul's first girl - I still think of you, ma).

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 23:29:08 | More by RaulMondesi

Humulus85

Minnesota

4.65/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

I've had this several times, but this is the first real sit down analysis for me. From the 750ml C&C bottle into my tasting glass. BB 11/06/15

Pours a murky garnet with a tight two finger light khaki head. Solid retention for the style with pretty good lacing.

Tart, but not sour. Picking up a bunch of funky apples, like really ripe apple skins. Characteristic balsamic vinegar. Dome vinous notes, and barrel juice. Bits of oak and even some vanilla. No hops, and no straightforward malts. Wonderfully complex, I could smell this all day.

Slightly tart on the front that quickly blossoms into an array of that funky apple, ripe cherry, and oak. More vanilla than I anticipated. All this with a very nice Belgian candy sweetness that keeps things in check. The sour side of this beer is subdued compared to some of the hardcore guezes and American wilds, but very well balanced between the lactic and acetic. Sourness builds ad this warms, but never overpowers. This is seriously tasty.

A solid medium, with ample carbonation. Finishes dry and clean, with just the right amount of pucker. Superior drinkability, and one of the most refreshing beers I've
had.

Overall this is one of the best Flanders Reds I've had, right up there with Cuvee des Jacobins. This hits the perfect balance of sweet and sour. So layered and complex, I can hardly believe this is just water, barley, hops, and assorted bugs. There are just so many fruit flavors here, and the added vanilla/barrel character just brings it to that next level. The best part is its widely available and cheap relative to the style. I could drink this every day. If you are a fan of sours and haven't tried this one you need to. If you are wondering about trying a sour beer, this is a great place to start. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2013 06:25:40 | More by Humulus85

BigBarley

Texas

4.44/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75

Some Flanders red ales come almost comically close to being balsamic vinegar with alcohol, but this one is amazing and balanced. The nose belies a red-fruit sweetness, hinting at figs and cherries with a hint of plum, and when you taste, you get what you came for. Sometimes you want that Balsamic vinegar thing, and I feel this beer has enough tartness and sweetness to at least satisfy that desire without being an overpowering note. Very well-blended beer, a delight to drink, without being scary for the unprepared (my first Flanders red was way heavier than this, and might've scared me away from the style... ) all around enjoyable offering from Rodenbach, and one of my new favorites.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 08:35:04 | More by BigBarley

alex_hart

Massachusetts

4.14/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: A dark, chocolaty red with a thin, off-white head and good carbonation.

Smell: Fruit Fruit Fruit. A bit of sourness along with a good sweetness in the back.

Taste: This is just tasty. The tartness of the fruit really comes in, but not in an overpowering way at all. The sweetness balances is it our perfectly and keeps it enjoyable from start to finish. Plum, grape, and some others I cant quite put a finger on.

Mouthfeel: Great carbonation across the tongue. Extremely drinkable with little to no residue left in the mouth upon the swallow.

Overall: This is my first brew of the Sours category (Flanders Red in this case), and I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I was very pleased with the outcome, and with this price tag it is a must get.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 23:58:19 | More by alex_hart

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.24/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

This poured out as a nice deep red color with a fizzy white head on top. Hardly any lacing and retention on this beer. The smell of the beer is slightly sour, with notes of oak and cherry. The taste is really nice, it's got a subtle tart cherry flavor with a slight sweet malt backbone. The flavors are very well balanced. The mouthfeel is light bodied, with a solid carbonation and very drinkable. Overall this beer is very good. Would drink it again anytime.

Serving type: on-tap

04-21-2013 04:34:48 | More by Knapp85

scottfrie

California

4.36/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

This bottle has been sitting in my cellar for a while now but I don't remember when I bought it. Probably at least a couple years old. Poured into snifter.

A: Pours a murky wooden brown color with a finger of off white head that faded into a thick collar that left spotty lacing down the glass.
S: Dry oak barrel scents are woody and musty. Cherry is earthy and tannic, with slightly sweet cherry juice and a hint of cranberry. I get some cheesey notes as well.
T: Sweeter than nose suggested. Flavors of red berry fruit juice, apple juice, slight lemon tartness, grape, and earthy must. Dry gritty tannic finish but not sour. Splash of caramel and fruit pinch in the aftertaste.
M: Medium full body, low fuzzy carbonation, clean, sweet, drying mouth. Refreshing.
O: Really good, ages well, not too sweet, one of the best in style for sure.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 16:59:17 | More by scottfrie

bonkers

New Jersey

4.33/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

I recieved this as part of the sours for dummies bif, poured from a 750 into a tulip. Pours murky brown with a big white head. Lots of cherries, balsamic vinegar, on the nose. The flavors blend nicely, cherries, oak, lactic acid. The beer is slightly drying, good carbonation, refreshing. A great beer, exceptional flanders.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 00:53:14 | More by bonkers

M_C_Hampton

Georgia

4.86/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

A: poured from a 750mL bottle into a tulip glass, red brown with a big tan head that lingers leaving good lacing, clear

S: sour and vinegary, mouth watering goodness

T: wonderful sour flavor, balsamic vinegar, sweet and sour maltyness

M: full yet refreshing, great creaminess

O: an excellent sour

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 18:42:04 | More by M_C_Hampton

LeeryLeprechaun

Colorado

4.68/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Beer pours a deep and murky brown color with a sticky ring of foam.

Aroma is earthy, malt vinegar, sour aroma, and toffee.

Bright sourness, malt mixed with a very smooth sour. A bit of malt vinegar comes through, roast, slightly sweet with a tangy finish.

Very smooth mouthfeel and silky.

Overall a wonderful example of what sour beer can be. It is well balanced with a wonderful acidity. I like the earthiness as well.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2013 22:29:51 | More by LeeryLeprechaun

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

4.44/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle into a Duvel tulip.

A: Pours a murky brown color. The head is a one finger light mocha shade that features a beautiful creaminess to it. Lacing is great for the style.

S: A lot going on in this one, and a lot going on that I love, as well. Huge sourness (mainly lactic) is augmented brilliantly by tart cherries. Underneath that are layers of oak and cream. It's complex enough, and immensely enjoyable.

T: The first note on the palate is a wave of pleasant, well-restrained sourness. Then, fantastic cherry notes overtake the midtaste before a finish that strikes a balance between cream-like sweetness and oaky dryness. It's not the sourness or the fruitiness that lures me into this one; it's the sophisticated cohesion between all the different elements which does so.

M: Crisp and light, not to mention refreshing. Mellow dryness and carbonation help it go down with incredible ease.

O: Wow, this kicks ass. On the right kind of day (let's say perfectly sunny, 80F, sitting on a patio) I'd have no trouble crushing multiple 750ml bottles of this left and right. Beautiful stuff, this one.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2013 19:55:12 | More by ThisWangsChung

csrbv

Pennsylvania

4.91/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A--Deep reddish brown color with a thin white foamy head. Carbonation bubbles flow.

S--Fruit cherry aroma with a hint of tartness.

T--this Flanders Red is sour and tart. Leaves your mouth begging for more. Sweet, but not candy sweet - more like sour cherry sweet with a fantastic dry finish.

MF--Light/medium with good carbonation, very thirst quenching and super crisp!

O--Rodenbach Grand Cru has become a standby for me. Unbelievably complex! I always have some ready to serve. It's inexpensive, readily available, and far and away the best Flanders Red Ale/sour I have had.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 18:10:55 | More by csrbv

jmarsh123

Indiana

4.35/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Pours a very clear rusty color with nice ruby tones around the edges. Slightly bubbly. Small off-white head fading quickly leaving minimal lacing down the glass.

Lots of cherry and oak on the notes. Some vinous acidic sourness and a bit of musty funk.

Light tartness up front. Cherries with a little bit of acidity. Nice balance. More oak and vinegar tones come out later creating a tart dry finish with the cherries. Very nice.

A little bit lighter body style than average with good prickly carbonation that enhances the tartness. Finishes pretty dry.

Very pleasant beer for the style. I love good acidity in a Flanders and this one doesn't fall into the trap of being a vinegar bomb like most. The sourness is noticable and pleasant yet restrained.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 20:46:42 | More by jmarsh123

TMoney2591

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a Duvel tulip glass.

Things are just as burgundy here as in Classic world, though a touch darker and a whole degree of magnitude more brackish. The khaki cap is now more baseball than beret, ‘cause it has to appeal to a wider audience, and who doesn’t love America’s pastime, eh? No one, that’s who!

Whatever subtlety lived in the classic nose is mostly gone here, replaced by an even sharper contingent of berries, the elite sniper brigade of the bush/bog/wherever the hell else berries happen to come from. Luckily for the sanity of the nose hairs, these sumbitches are constantly hounded (and likely annoyed) by a loudmouthed, yappy little toffee bastard. Now the berries know how Spike felt all those years ago with that pest Chester always tagging along, makin’ a comedic mess o’ things for the big lug. The traces of red wine on the edges are more blatant now, in the vein of a rich, earthy Pinot Noir. A short field of dark ivy crawls beneath it all, ensuring the tartness and the sweetness don’t battle in a vacuum, that it’s not just a young buck taking on a crowd of comers one at a time (I’m lookin’ at you, any extra that’s ever been in an action movie before). Finally, swinging along the edge of the canopy with the last vestiges of the wine is a twinge of apple vinegar, young, lithe, and carefree, but still with a chip on its shoulder. Be wary of this little fireball, as it probably won’t take much to set it off in an adolescent rage. I blame the parents. It’s always the parents. Usually. Sometimes.

Similar layers stratify themselves atop the tongue. First comes a basal sediment of sweet, buttery toffee. On top of this rolls a tide of berry-laced wine, this time verging closer to a Malbec. Then comes a thin-ish wash and veneer of straight white vinegar, quick and effervescent as a misty ninja, yet effective as the blade of a veteran samurai. Once this silent wind of puckering doom whooshes away, the wine and toffee helically battle through the air, a Torch and Sub-Mariner for these Modern Age times (clearly I’m not counting their appearance in Marvels as anything new, more a rerun of the past in stunning Alex Ross HD). Depending on the curvature of your tongue at the right instant, you may be left with a dry, tannic scar or a mildly-nutty sweetness. Either way, the feeling doesn’t last long, but a crater is indeed left behind, laden with remnants of everything that once dwelt on that craggy little asteroid. Shit, geologists are gonna have field days for years to come with this nonsense.

As hearty as everything comes and as thoroughly as things express themselves, there is a very bearable lightness in their collective being. An evanescence somehow pervades, even in spite of the lack of that dark beauty, Amy Lee. Dammit, this shit just turns out to be so drinkable because of this. There are worse burdens, I s’pose.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 02:53:29 | More by TMoney2591

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

4.36/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from tap into globe style glass at flying saucer Nashville.
Pours a deep red brown...nice thin lacing hugs the glass. Awesome woody sour red aromas...lots of funk and wood. Taste is amazing...woody funky sour tart amber malt. Wow.
Its just so drinkable and tasty...get it now. If you like the style you will love this. Its damn near perfect and a guaranteed palate pleaser.

Serving type: on-tap

02-26-2013 01:01:19 | More by DrinkSlurm

HuskyinPDX

Washington

4.26/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Bottle opened on 2.2.13

A - Pours a ruby-dark brown with a one inch tan head, fizzy and fades fast.

S - Wood, cherry, raspberry, funky.

T - Cherry, wood and funky.

D - Good carbonation and a medium body.

O - Dark and fruity with a strong wood impact, not overly sweet, well balanced.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 05:27:06 | More by HuskyinPDX

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4.38/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A: Pours a clear dark reddish brown (almost mahogany) in color with garnet red highlights and moderate to heavy amounts of fine visible carbonation. The beer has a half finger tall thin off-white to light beige head that quickly reduces to a small patch of extremely thin film and a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Minimal amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Overall there is a moderate amount of sourness to the nose of this beer with some moderate to strong aromas of vinegar, cherries, oak, and just a hint of vinous/wine notes.

T: There is a light to moderate amount of tartness/sourness that is fairly well balanced with the sweeter notes from the cherries. Moderate notes of oak, vinegar, and wine. Very little bitterness but a lingering acidity that can be appreciated.

M: Just shy of medium bodied with just a touch heavier than light amounts of carbonation. Extremely acidic and prickly on the tongue.

O: Overall this beer is not quite as tart/sour as one might think from an initial sniff, making a little more approachable for people that are new to the style. The beer is fairly easy to drink with a lighter mouthfeel, lower ABV, and not too intense flavors.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 22:11:18 | More by dbrauneis

HabiMendes

Rhode Island

4.45/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The Grand Cru displays an elegant dark red body, with a slightly tanned head, and carries a well-balanced aroma with caramelized malts and discrete hops. The taste has a carbonated and refreshing acidity, well-harmonized with the hops. The aftertaste retains a little bit of the acidity, reminding you that you just had an excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 03:11:17 | More by HabiMendes

tdm168

North Carolina

4.29/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

On tap at Bottlemixx.

A - dark reddish amber with a large, dense, off white head that has great retention

S - tart, cherries

T - tart cherries, sour, lactic, oaky, winey, mild malt presence

M - medium bodied, well carbonated

This was delicious. I was excited to have found it on tap. It has a tremendous flavor that is complex yet drinkable. The tartness isn't overpowering either which helps the drinkability. This is not a style I typically go for, but when I saw the chance to try this one I jumped at it. I would definitely have this again. It was very enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

02-10-2013 02:20:14 | More by tdm168

Hopswagger

Oklahoma

4.26/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

P: Dark murky brown body with a frothy cappuccino head that swarms to the edges. Great wet lacing that gingerly grasps the edges.

S: Sweet sugar plums, tart limes and lemon. White grapes, candy alcohol and vanilla French oak.

T/M: Taste follows the nose with musty aged yeast, tart apple peels and pears sprinkled with pippali pepper.

O: Great complex yeasty fruit flavors. Nice and refreshing beer that I really enjoyed. Anxious to do a side by side with Jacobins rogue. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 21:39:05 | More by Hopswagger

Michael_D

4.16/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Dark pour with a khaki head. Smells very tart with some hay and earthiness. Tastes impressively smooth with heavy notes of cherries, sour, cherry, with some bitterness to balance. Very nice. Would definitely drink this again, and regularly if possible!

Serving type: on-tap

01-31-2013 02:45:38 | More by Michael_D

constantine_272

Oregon

4.7/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

A: In a tulip, little to no head with few speckled white foam dots. Dark brown with no cloud.

S: Rich sweet raspberry. Sweet fermented tobacco. Very rich and very sweet.

T: Amazing. Sweet, full bodied raspberry. Tangy and zesty with hints of orange and lemon zest. Mouthwatering.

M: Not too thin, not too heavy. Tingles nicely on the tongue with the sour taste.

O: One of the best beers I've ever had. I've never been huge on sour ales but this is a desert island beer. The tanginess leaves you feeling more thirsty wanting more with each sip.

Serving type: on-tap

01-26-2013 06:31:21 | More by constantine_272

wedge

North Carolina

4.15/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Clear-ish, deep ruddy chestnut topped with a slender, bubbly cap. Tart cherry, acetone, caramel malt, mustiness, and some roast in the nose. Juicy cherry tartness, oak, dark fruit, and malt flavor. Super slick, very dry, tart, and quite refreshing. Very nice...

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 00:24:42 | More by wedge

tastybeer

North Carolina

4.1/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4

A: Fully hazy, deep brown, hint of red. Head is small and patchy but never completely fades.

S: Apparently tangy in the smell. Sweet, bright flowers, a hidden bit of toasty malt, and a good portion of caramel-toffee maltiness. Wine and wild flowers.

T: Deeply sweet and malty with a punchy tangy fruitiness.

M: Texture of this is fantastic. Smooth, almost creamy, slick, full and frothy feeling.

O: A good beery tangy treat.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 22:04:41 | More by tastybeer

merc7186

New York

4.09/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

On tap at Crabapples in Cheektowaga NY, poured into a pint glass.

A: Reddish/Brownish Hue, Passes Mild Light, Off White Head, Some Lacing

S: Tart Cherries, Plums

T: Tart Cherries, Red Plum

M: Decent Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Mildly Tart

Overall, a pretty solid grand cru with nice mildly tart fruit flavors, so easy drinking....and I only paid $3 for the pint, a steal!

Serving type: on-tap

01-14-2013 21:08:59 | More by merc7186

zac16125

South Carolina

3.76/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

750mL bottle into a tulip
no bottled on date

A: Pours a dark mahogany brown with 2plus fingers width of light mocha colored head, that is quite dense and had good retention. Leaves a good amount of streaky lacing.

S: Aroma is tart and sweet dark fruits. Cherries, figs, and currants. A good amount of oak. And a bitter sweetness, like bakers chocolate. There are some vinegary notes that I dont particularly enjoy, that detracts from an otherwise really nice aroma.

T: Some tartness, balanced by a large sweetness. VERY reminiscent of a homemade apple cider. Lots of dark fruit sweetness including plum and cherry to go along with the red apple. There are some malty notes of sweet bread. And the vinegar notes that I found somewhat unpleasant on the nose are here in the taste as well. I like it, but dont love it as I think its a little too sweet, and not enough sour for my palate.

M/D: High carbonation, which gives it a somewhat lively mouthfeel, but
its denser and heavier than I was expecting, and is also somewhat syrupy. Ever so slightly puckering it times, but for the most part the sourness doesnt reach that level. Drinkability is moderate, somewhat limited by the syrupy sweetness.

O: This was my first take on a Flanders Red. Its not what I was expecting, much sweeter and not as sour. I enjoyed it, but I much prefer the lighter feel with greater sour notes of Lambics and Gueuze's. I would drink this again if it were on draft somewhere and I was in the mood for something different, but its not something that I want to go out and buy another bottle of or a beer that would make my regular rotation. Worth a try though, for sure.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 20:06:42 | More by zac16125