Rodenbach Grand Cru - Brouwerij Rodenbach N.V.

Lakemonster

4.51/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this beer on tap at a wonderful new little bar / bistro in Stowe, VT called Crop. I am exploring the world of sours and when I saw this on tap I knew I had to get it, that and they just ran out of the Hill Farmstead Double Galaxy IPA, that was my first choice. The beer is light and refreshing with hints of cherries and a medium sourness. The flavor that is left in your mouth as you put your glass down is the part where this beer really shines. Nice to pair with a bland smooth cheese to reset your palate. I will most def. order this again.

Serving type: on-tap

01-13-2013 16:08:32 | More by Lakemonster

MarioM

California

4.83/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

750 ml poured into tulip

A: Cloudy deep reddish brown color with a light tan head, small bubbles and lingered for about a minute to a thin rim of creamy looking bubbles ending with some minor lacing.

S: Fruity, sweet smell with some sourness notes, fresh tart fruit upfront. This is a great smelling brew.

T: Great balance of flavors. Sweet dark fruit, slightly sour, great tartness and fruity. Its a bit bitter right after a drink but goes away quickly due to the balance being spot on. Just a tad vinigry, pleasant sourness, mostly tart fruitiness, almost no funk and very drinkable and very enjoyable. Fits the style very well.

M: Tartness lingers a bit with the sourness but then transforms into a fruity almost bread like maybe yeasty or funky aftertaste that is actually enjoyable, makes me want more and more. Carbonation is on the lighter side of medium, compliments the beer well, also a slight warm mouthfeel.

O: What a great beer. This is one of those beers that I keep on passing and ignoring when shopping, so so glad I finally gave it the attention it desired and well deserved. The balance of this Flanders Red is spot on, very enjoyable brew. I find myself stopping from typing to keep sipping this mouthwatering liquid. A must have.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 05:34:44 | More by MarioM

jrenihan

Ontario (Canada)

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

Beer is dark red with a moderately-sized off-white head.

Smell is very good. Balsamic vinegar, oak, juicy fruits (cranberry, dark cherry, grape, plum).

Taste is a bit sour, a fair bit of oak, some nice fruit flavours (cranberry, plum, currents, grape, cherry), balsamic vinegar. Very nice.

Medium bodied, moderate to low carbonation, dries the mouth. Oak is strong.

Overall, very good. A really nice Flanders.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 20:00:22 | More by jrenihan

FLima

Brazil

4.58/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Beautiful dark ruby color. Poured 2 fingers of consistent beige head with a medium retention.
Nice aroma of sweet malt with red or black fruits, mostly grapes, and a clear noticeable hint of Port Wine or Jerez, result from aging it for 2 years in oak barrels.
Similarly, very complex taste, sweet cherries, currants, citric, grapes, wood and touches of plum with peel on a malty base. All in a perfect balance, mildly acid, and sweet and sour. Aftertaste is a bit astringent.
Medium body with a good carbonation with small bubbles. Alcohol is well hidden, almost like drinking a carbonated grape juice.
In my opinion it tastes better than any good champagne. Close to perfection, awesome beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2012 19:19:58 | More by FLima

StaveHooks

Oklahoma

4.38/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

750 split between 2 people. Served in an Orval chalice

A - Russet brown, with a creamy light brown cap.

S - Sharp oak wood, very fruity, apples, pears, dates, raspberries, plums, apple cider vinegar,

T - Soured fruit, candied apples, pears, tart cherries, wet oak wood runs deep throughout the drink, trappist yeast, bananas, great malty background that creates a sweet backdrop against the sourness.

M - Medium body, syrupy feel, low carbonation, soft and acetic at first but quickly turns sharper and sour.

Very complex intermingling fruit and malts, sour but not puckering. It's sweeter than the Classic red but is more tart. One of my favorite Flanders.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 01:59:11 | More by StaveHooks

Bouleboubier

Pennsylvania

4.4/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

So much to love about this beer. It stands alone in my eyes. With further sippings, I may hope to one day fully realize its greatness.

EYES: Big, foamy suds - lasts okay, but no lace. Cranberry-red color and brilliantly clear.

NOSTRILS: Smells slightly funky - almost, but not quite vinegar. Mostly fruity aromas - mostly that of a cranberry juice cocktail wine, though no alcohol present. Not as vibrant as I would like.

MOUTH: Tartness (exponentially so with larger sips) - potent, but not puckering. Quite fruity in the aforementioned cranberry, et al fashion. Now this is vibrant, but it lacks the sugary sweetness of a fruit juice. Also, I could swear I tasted a touch of chocolate in the back/finish.

It's thirst-quenchingly dry and lightly crisp, however, I almost yearn for just a bit more (malty) body/sweetness - of course not quite in the arena of Duchesse. Mellow, pleasing sour tang/film seems to coat the entire mouth after each sip, fading real slow. And as I mentioned above, a large, quick sip will just about shock the palate.

VERDICT: A magnificently-crafted beer (that I wouldn't doubt was better before Rodenbach was bought by Palm). One of the more effervescent, thinner examples of this style - seems like a bit of a joke grouping this with Duchesse, but I get it.

Serving type: on-tap

12-11-2012 18:24:56 | More by Bouleboubier

spdyfire83

Ireland

4.05/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

303rd Review
33cl bottle poured into Westy 12 chalice

A: Burgundy. ½ (mocha) fingernail head on brisk pour.

S: Candied brown sugar, vanilla, vinegar, and touch of caramel.

T: Sweet red fruit, soft caramel, and rounded tartness. Very enjoyable.

M: Medium body with soft carbonation.

O: I've never enjoyed a capped bottle of the Grand Cru previously (only draft and C&C bottles), but this was quite good. Very young and "fresh" for a Rodenbach, but quite tasty nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2012 18:20:44 | More by spdyfire83

CloudStrife

New York

4.28/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle split and poured served into a snifter.

A: Pours a clear but very dark ruby red with a 1 finger off white head. Pretty good visible carbonation. Leaves some good lacing on the sides of the glass.

S: Just a hint of any sour. A fairly non-desrcript beer, maybe a spice or something in the background.

T: Was surprised at the amount of oak that came through on this brew. A very yeasty and malty blend but a great sour and funky backbone. One of the more well balanced sours I have tried. Fairly sweet, candied sugar?

M: A smooth, velvety character with a crisp finish. Has a great carbonated mouthfeel almost like a soda.

Overall a beer I would love to have again. Impressive sour and sweet combination going on here. Can tell this is blended with care and doesnt spare the oak aged ales.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 01:29:15 | More by CloudStrife

MadScientist

New York

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

A: A hazy deep cooper with orange and ruby highlights. The head is light tan made of creamy bubble with a good retention. Some lacing.

S: A strong fruit aroma of red currents and sweet red cherries with a moderate sour aroma. There is a moderate spicy phenol, a little bit of malt aroma and a light chocolate note. No hops, no diacetyl.A little bit of leather

T: Strong complex, fruit flavors again with red currents but the cherry flavor seems tart with the moderately-strong sour flavor. A moderately-light sweetness provides a counterpoint to the sour but the balance is fairly tart and satisfyingly so at that. A light chocolate note. No hops flavor and a restrained, light hops bitterness. The wine-like character is very evident with some tannic and acidic bitterness. No diacetyl.

M: Smooth and creamy with a medium body and moderate carbonation. No warmth.

O: A outstanding Flanders and a world class beer. The fruit and that sourness are strong but in balance with the other element. I'm partial to the Flanders Red style so I'm trying not to let it bias my score but this is almost perfection.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2012 01:04:17 | More by MadScientist

garuda

Pennsylvania

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

A - Crimson, khaki head that has some retention and pretty good lacing, considering the style.

S/T - Very well balanced with good flavor depth. Sour cherry up front, candy sugar sweetness mid palate, finishing a touch sour again with a dry oakiness.

M - Light/medium body, medium carbonation, very smooth across the palate.

O - Very drinkable with a nice depth of flavors and aromas balanced nicely.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2012 17:09:49 | More by garuda

allengarvin

Texas

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

Poured into a Chimay glass, this is deeply dark ruby-red beer with a modest film of foam across the top. The nose is very nice, featuring a very fruity (cherry-like, but not sweet) dominant scent, and undertones of woodiness and iron. The flavor is truly exceptional, with slight fruity sweetness (this time more ripe grapes than cherry so much), giving way to a deliciously fruity acidity (think granny smith apples), and lingering tartness, but not particularly sour. The mouthfeel is soft with a slight tannic character.

One of my favorite beers, but I've only been able to have it on trips to other states until now, when it has become available in Texas. This is a great beer to be paired with many foods, but it does especially well with certain thai dishes where the sour and/or hot flavors could overwhelm many beers. It's great with pickled foods, and also with tex-mex. A classic.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 03:04:30 | More by allengarvin

Stoutfan23DJ

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750ML Bottle, 6% abv, Best before date of 12/09/2014 on the bottom of the bottle.
Poured into a Duvel Tulip glass at 50 degrees.

Appearance: Poured it right down the center of the glass and received a 2 finger off white head that resided down to a nice lacing on the top. Dark, dank brown & red body with a medium carbonation and a nice looking lacing on the sides after each swirl.

Aroma: An assortment of dried fruit like sweet apple, grape, plum, prune, and some cherry. I’m getting some other interesting characteristics like vinegar, candied sugar, tart fruit, and aged oak. This is complex and I’m in for a real treat.

Taste: The flavors that hit you first are the dry, sweet and sour fruits. Apple and apple cider, grape, cherry, prune, plum, pear, raisin and citrus in the background. Much sweeter than I expected, and is the sweetest Flanders Red that I’ve had so far. There is a nice sourness here but it is very mild compared most other red sours. The other characteristics like the breaded malts, sweet sugar candy, old leather, tobacco, old wood, vanilla, and a slight astringent funkiness come through just as prominent as the fruit characteristics. The sweet and dry fruit and all of the other interesting characteristics really come together at the same wavelength. This is a very well-crafted and well-blended beer that simply has everything you want in a Flanders Red Ale. Very complex, robust yet very smooth, very well balanced, and very well-crafted!

Mouth feel: Medium carbonation that is right where I wanted it and really helped move the flavors along through each sip. The drink ability on this is moderate. As it warms up, all of the characteristics really unfold and it really makes you want to take your time and sip on it little by little.

Overall: I am really impressed with this and I definitely will be buying this again when it’s available around me and when I’m feeling a top shelf Flanders Red again. This sits on top of the list of Belgian Red Ales so far for me. I definitely recommend this to anybody who hasn’t had this and already enjoys this style of beer and to anybody that wants to start somewhere in the range of Flanders Red Style Ales.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2012 23:55:32 | More by Stoutfan23DJ

chocosushi

Oklahoma

4.58/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

C&C->Duvel Tulip

A ~ Pours a rich dark red/mahogany with a nice head.

S ~ Red Wine grapes & Vinegar Barrel with some dried cherry & lemon rind.
Great complexity here. Twinge of clean metal & cellar. Plums as well.

T ~ Dried cherry & grapes follow through in full effect with hints
of homemade caramel/spun sugar with Bragg's apple cider vinegar & finishing
with crisp granny smiths & cranberry. Wow. There's just deep pockets of flavor that I simply cannot describe.

M ~ Top notch feel with the smoothest carb & cleanest tart bite that excites yer palette I have ever experienced in a red.

O ~ Incredible. This was a birthday present & I was not disappointed. Seek this out.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2012 23:57:29 | More by chocosushi

ToddT

Pennsylvania

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

L- Deep brown with ruby highlights almost no head when served but little bits of lace above the top of the beer to indicate that it once had a head. There is no lacing left on the glass while drinking this.

S- Dark candied fruits hidden under a funky, tart, and slightly sour aroma of vinegar, complex and balanced.

T- Candied cherries with a subtle tartness right away, the middle is a mix of tart green apple, grape, and wood notes, then the finish has a slightly puckering sour final note of cherries to close things out. Very complex lots of subtle flavors continue to come forward as this warms and the palate adjusts to the sourness in this. I could drink a lot of this.

M- Medium in body and carbonation, right on the mark to go with the complex flavors and the sourness in this one.

O- This is one fantastic beer, highly recommended, and an easy drinker at 6.0% ABV. This has a character that is all it's own, it is somewhat like other sours I have had, but in a league of it's own.

Serving type: on-tap

10-22-2012 05:53:43 | More by ToddT

MagicJeff

Georgia

3.95/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Just had an RR Supplication, in a sour mood.

Poured from a big bottle into my Russian River tulip glass.

Appearance: Brown but when held to the light deep amber and dark ruby. Nice off-white head. This one looks pretty.

Smell: Vinegar and lemon. Acidic plum and pear? I'm afraid based off the smell...

Taste: Tart lemon and cherry. This one is a lot more subtle than other sours I've had which is a good thing IMO. Tart apple finish. As it warms the lemon and vinegar become prevalent. Even some slight sweet caramel on the back end. Somehow, it's sweet and sour in different ways. Taste is way harsher than the smell, somehow.

Mouthfeel: On the lighter side of medium bodied. Carbonation is more moderate than other sours I've had.

Overall: This one is awesome, along with being a great value. Smell threw me off but the taste made up for it. Highly recommend to any sour enthusiast. Very refreshing and drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2012 01:18:23 | More by MagicJeff

BEERMILER12

Maine

4.43/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a slightly hazy ruby red color with a fingers worth of head that quickly fizzles away

S: Sour and tart, with the usual smelly gym socks and vinegar aromas. Get some nice oak and fruit as well

T: Follows the nose, minus the gym socks. Vinegar is very light compared to the rest of the flavors coming forward. Tart raspberry and cherry come forward for the fruit aspect, along with a good oak character. Slightly puckering, but not as bad as, say, a gueuze

M: Medium bodied with moderate spritzy carbonation

O: A very good Flanders red, with just enough tart fruit to combat the oak. Very good price point at under $9 for a 750 mL bottle, too. Probably not the best intro for sours because of the complexity and overly funky nose, but aside from that, this is very good

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 06:49:17 | More by BEERMILER12

pkalix

California

4.85/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

pours the darkest of possible reddish-brown, only on the thinnest of edges is the light able to lighten the color. thick, foamy two-finger head, tan.
smells of vinegar, not balsamic, but spiced-in-some-way type of vinegar.
taste is sweet and beautiful on the front and middle of the tongue, vinegar-sweet when it falls off the sides of the tongue- almost a tongue on battery bitter/sweetness. kind of a fish-n-chips vinegar after-taste (although i'm not a fish guy- it's what i think it would be like- the malted vinegar packet that comes with it...)
mouthfeel a little carbonated and surprisingly light. perhaps it's because it tricks the mind into thinking it's a thicker vinegar product.
overall.... i love this stuff. i love the petrus sour also, and this one feels lighter. i could drink these things all night. the abv is less than i appreciate whereas the petrus is a 7.6%, i believe, but that probably explains the abv.
just poured the second part of the large bottle and the color is incredible. i am truly excited about this brew. i can understand how some folks wont like the vinegar and the tartness, but i love vinegar and this is an absolutely special product. if there were a score between 4.5 and 5 available, i'd give this a 4.8. but since there isnt, i have to give it a 5 for overall. i mean, i dont think there is another beer out the which i could 'session' like i could this one, or the petrus....

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2012 22:17:55 | More by pkalix

Jetulio

Spain

3.53/5  rDev -17.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a Big Tulip Glass (Judas glass) from a 33 cl bottle.
A/ muddy brown with a head of-white (1 finger)
S/ vinegar, alcohol and wood. Long laste, acetic smells even when the tulip is empty.
T/ sour vinegar taste with a little sweetness touch. Long.
M/ medium body with high carbonation (little bubbles ), very fizzy in mouth.
O/ strange, bizarre ale. Honestly I can't say if I have enjoyed or I am only surprised.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2012 18:48:54 | More by Jetulio

raynmoon

California

4.53/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Its deep ruby red. I love it.

Smells nice. Tannins, astringent, acidic, red wine, funk from the yeast. Very much identical to a dirty, earthy red wine. The smell lacks strength however.

So smooth. I get a perfect amount of tartness coating my mouth and a nice cherry/ mixed fruit and then it goes down smooth and sweet. Not too acidic or cloying like the Duchesse, and the price is way too great. $9 for a 750ml may be the best beer deal next to Old Rasputin 4 packs.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2012 05:27:12 | More by raynmoon

TheRealBigC

Nevada

4.53/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Flanders Red might be my favorite Belgian style, and Rodenbach Grand Cru is one of the best I've tried. Tart cherry & grape flavor causes the most pleasant of puckers. Nice, mild carbonation is enough to tingle your tongue and it has a synergistic effect with the tartness. What a fantastic beer.

Serving type: on-tap

10-07-2012 19:18:27 | More by TheRealBigC

TheDrunkMonk

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

Poured it from a 750 ML bottle. Nice dark rusted reddish hue with a creamy 2 finger head that disapates slowly. Light lacing on the glass. Aroma is all dark cherries and toasted oak and vanilla notes. Smells tart and sour almost metallic. Taste is all sour cherries and raspberries. A little spice lingers on the palette. Mouthfeel is medium body with mouthwatering acidity and long finish. I like this as much as the Cuvee des Jacobins Rouge.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2012 22:30:34 | More by TheDrunkMonk

Maxwell

Massachusetts

3.98/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The beer pours a murky brown like melted brown sugar, and there is a nice light cream head on top that circles the glass but leaves the middle clear. The second pour produced a bigger head with some slight tanning to it. The beer is quite dark and very murky, but there are some light carbonation bubbles. There is also a nice dark rose tinge to the color. The beer smells big and sour with strong cherry leather wafting. The alcohol is also a little present at the back of the nose, leaving a slight spicy burn. The beer also smells richly caramelly, but this is over powered by the vinegar sour which stings at the nose, and the cherry leather which plays with the caramel. The beer tastes wonderfully cherry tart with terrific and strong esters coming off the yeast and suggesting green apples and slight pineapple accents. Of course this beer is mostly about the big sour taste, and it delivers beautifully, bringing big sweet fruit notes over the tongue while it puckers the sides of my mouth. The initial rush of flavor is big with sour cherry, but as the beer opens up it really highlights the esters beautifully. The aftertaste is very strong with the apple esters and the remnants of the sweet cherry. As the beer warms the apple esters also become more dominant. The mouthfeel is prickly and effervescent with carbonation, leaving it a little harsh on the tongue, but the beer is soft and chewy, leaving the palate wet with lots of dry patches and wanting more as it puckers with the sour after-shocks. Overall this is another tasty Flanders Red that is quite cheap and easily accessible making it a great introduction to the style. I liked Oude Tart a little more than this I think, as it was thicker and got a little more caramel into the sour, but this is a terrific sipper and is worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2012 01:56:42 | More by Maxwell

Danny1217

Florida

4.45/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Dark red with a very fizzy head that fades quickly. Lots of carbonation visible. Good lacing.
Smells very sour and acidic. Some dark fruits and caramel, but mostly an almost vinegar strength acidic smell.
On first sip it tastes very simple. The sourness is the first thing that comes out. After a few sips I seemed to finally get a grasp on all the flavors going on. Some dark fruits, almost like a Belgian dark ale, with a lot of sourness to go with it. Tart cherries and apples. Some nice oak character. Medium body and carbonation. Very drinkable.

I think I have found the sour beer for me. It's a very reasonable price and probably the best tasting one I've tried.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2012 18:11:50 | More by Danny1217

thagr81us

South Carolina

3.95/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served from tap into a Rodenbach Grand Cru tulip. Poured a deep dark ruby red with a one finger off-white head that subsided to half a finger slowly. Maintained excellent lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, fruit, wood, vinegar, and sour. The flavor was of sweet malt, vinegar, fruit, wood, and tart. It had a light feel on the palate with medium carbonation. Overall this was a fairly good brew. I have had this one before out of the bottle and I have to say that It carries over quite well on-tap as well. The vinegar touch on this brew is what keeps me coming back to it over and over. This also includes the various Vintage versions that I have had in the past as well. Really enjoyable and definitely brings the pucker along for the ride to keep you on your toes. An absolute must try as Rodenbach is doing good things with this one.

Serving type: on-tap

09-27-2012 10:45:00 | More by thagr81us

falloutsnow

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

From: Friar Tuck's, Savoy, IL
Date: "12/09/14 13:56" stamped on bottom of bottle
Glass: Tulip

Rodenbach's Grand Cru is a superb Flanders Red Ale, with complex malt, cherry, and wild yeast flavors and aromas. Overall, not as potently sour as Jacobins, but approaching that level; slightly less to equally complex. The price point and availability of this beer is phenomenal as well. I think I'd like to have one of these on hand at all times.

Pours a 1.5cm head with small to medium-sized bubbles, tan in color, that has average retention, fairly quickly receding to a thickish ring around the glass and a wispy island of foam isolated atop the body. Lacing is fairly substantial, small continents washed upon the sides of the glass. Body is an opaque dark brown with reddish tinge. Carbonation is visible only towards the top of the glass.

Aroma has elements of apple cider and balsamic vinegar, sauerkraut, oak barrel, fresh sweet cherries, and a bit of cherry candy.

Generally well-balanced between tartness and sweetness. Opens with some brown malt sweetness, mineral and iron nuances, and lush, ripe, red cherries with just a hit of tartness. Tart cherry becomes dominant in mid-palate, alongside lighter notes of vinegar and oak barrel. Back of palate is stronger on tartness than sweet cherries and brown malt base, but those are still there, too. Aftertaste of brown malts and lingering tartness on the sides of the palate.

Beer is medium-bodied, with higher-level carbonation that foams the beer substantially across the palate. Overall mouthfeel is at first fizzy, then smooth and creamy, suitable for the style. Closes dryly, with notable lingering tartness on sides of palate.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2012 05:01:58 | More by falloutsnow