Rodenbach Grand Cru - Brouwerij Rodenbach N.V.

Jason

Massachusetts

4.3/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Presentation: 33 cl bottle with a “consume before” date on the back label.

Appearance: Quick to foam though retains a healthy looking lace, deep reddish brown lets little light through.

Smell: Sour fruit; cherries, grapes and lemon. Hints of vanilla and malt husk.

Taste & Mouthfeel: Mild viscous smoothness, lots of tartness with fruity suggestions of cherries and plum. Mild flare of alcohol with a hollow vanilla flavor. Not much for hops though any kind of hop flavor would not be expected any way.

Drinkablity & Notes: A pretty exceptional brew, I have had better from this brewery in the past though this one still stands up to be a quality brew for sure.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2004 03:46:49 | More by Jason

Todd

Massachusetts

4.95/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Presentation: 33cl European-style brown bottle. Foil neck and an illustrated label of their famous oak casks.

Appearance: Hazy dark red, almost deep brown in colour with a nice whisp of a white laced head.

Smell: Acidic, sharp fruity aroma. Hints of caramel notes and oak as the beer warms.

Taste: Crisp, dry and refreshingly tart. Has a very intense sourness and a raw cherry juice fruitiness about it. Body is perfectly balanced, full and gentle. A subtle background malt sweetness provides balance. Hops are masked by the instense flavours. Light malt grain and oak flavours as the beer warms. Finishes semi-tart, clean.

Notes: Grand Cru is probably the most famous of the West Flanders red ales. It's made with Vienna malt and 5 yeast strains. It's then aged in massive unvarnished oak casks for over 2 years. Then, it's blended with other 2 year old ales, no young ale addition. There's no fruit in this beer. All fruit flavours are imparted by its unique house blend of yeast strains.

Dear beergod, thank you. This is indeed one of the most refreshing beers on the planet. An absolute must try.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2000 15:39:08 | More by Todd

mtalley999

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev -0.9%

06-17-2013 11:11:11 | More by mtalley999

jaxon53

Connecticut

4/5  rDev -6.8%

06-17-2013 08:50:10 | More by jaxon53

BeerGut4Life

Indiana

4.5/5  rDev +4.9%

06-16-2013 23:05:18 | More by BeerGut4Life

IndyDad

New York

4/5  rDev -6.8%

06-16-2013 02:35:57 | More by IndyDad

anson42

California

3.75/5  rDev -12.6%

06-16-2013 01:32:06 | More by anson42

Hoptron_3000

Australia

5/5  rDev +16.6%

06-15-2013 22:35:45 | More by Hoptron_3000

IchLiebeBier

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Appearance: Dark chestnut, cloudy body; no real head

Aroma: wine-like; oak notes; sour

Taste: Acidic; Sour; fruity;

Remarks: good to have something different every once in a while. Don't normally like sour beers, but this one wasn't bad.

Did not score A, T, S, M at that time; disregard those scores

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2013 22:08:12 | More by IchLiebeBier

afallon86

California

4/5  rDev -6.8%

06-15-2013 09:26:03 | More by afallon86

mmapes

Colorado

4.1/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Had a bottle earlier in the day that was fresh. Reviewing a roughly five year old bottle from Beer Mania.

Poured into wine glasses. Head was there briefly but dissipated quickly. Color is cola-reddish-brown.

Smell is sour up front, carmel, maybe a hint of slight vinegar... we hope it's okay. I think the fresh bottle earlier had a more appealing scent -- the sour note seemed more fruity.

Very interesting first sip: Sweet, a little sour, very complex. Some cherry up front, but quickly turns less fruity than the fresh bottle earlier had been. The age makes it smoother than the fresh bottle. The sour component is preceded by a dark brown sugary malt that is quite sweet, and just the right offset for the sour. The long finish makes it easy to sip. I'm not the biggest fan of sour beers, but this is delicious.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2013 15:31:02 | More by mmapes

KStark

British Columbia (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +4.9%

06-14-2013 14:27:29 | More by KStark

BrockLanders

Oklahoma

4.75/5  rDev +10.7%

06-14-2013 01:44:49 | More by BrockLanders

Eighty

Washington

4.25/5  rDev -0.9%

06-13-2013 20:34:11 | More by Eighty

Brewman123

New York

4/5  rDev -6.8%

06-13-2013 12:17:31 | More by Brewman123

dwren89

Virginia

4.61/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: dark black/brown with red hues in the light, creamy tan head, no clarity from dark color

Aroma: fruity with notes of black cherry and orange, and plum, soft malt sweetness in the background

Taste: immediately taste the cherry, orange and plum, malt then takes over and rounds out taste to keep it definitively in the beer taste category and not wine, sour finish, incredible complexity of flavor and evolution of taste

Mouthfeel: high carbonation, medium body, prickly in the mouth like a soft drink but smooth on the swallow

Overall Impression: A beer with amazing complexity and depth. Deftly skirts the line between beer and red wine, sour and sweet, and biting and smooth. Best described as a beer dressed up as a red wine with a sour kick.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2013 22:02:02 | More by dwren89

freebirdbm14

New York

4/5  rDev -6.8%

06-11-2013 18:53:26 | More by freebirdbm14

dunix

Vermont

4.25/5  rDev -0.9%

06-11-2013 17:50:59 | More by dunix

VernonBaxter

Texas

4/5  rDev -6.8%

06-11-2013 03:56:45 | More by VernonBaxter

mojuyt

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +10.7%

06-11-2013 01:10:17 | More by mojuyt

riemster

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +4.9%

06-10-2013 20:38:22 | More by riemster

beepill

California

5/5  rDev +16.6%

06-10-2013 16:46:27 | More by beepill

Brian_B

Kentucky

4.75/5  rDev +10.7%

06-10-2013 12:27:37 | More by Brian_B

jarrgal

North Dakota

3.25/5  rDev -24.2%

06-10-2013 11:49:34 | More by jarrgal

JRdaSconnie

Wisconsin

4.5/5  rDev +4.9%

06-10-2013 11:27:06 | More by JRdaSconnie