Rodenbach Grand Cru - Brouwerij Rodenbach N.V.

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

Goblinmunkey7

Massachusetts

3.63/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Deep reddish brown. Some haze. Head is off-white and drops to a loosely carbonated collar rather quickly. Some deep oranges when held to the light.

Smell: Red apples and cider vinegar. Big malty sweetness as well. Some other dark fruits, cherry and plum. Acetic and sweet. Some caramel sweetness as well. Slightly phenolic and some apple flesh and skins.

Taste: Balsamic vinegar base with some cider vinegar thrown in for good measure. Apple flesh and tart cherry skin. Almost jelly-like sweetness. Grapes, flesh and juice. Vinegar builds as the beer warms. Incredibly sweet. Some malty sweetness. Some slight breadiness. So much vinegar. Apple balsamic vinegar.

Mouthfeel: Minimal carbonation. Tartly dry. Medium body.

Overall: Blended vinegar and cherry juIce. Decent cold, but warms close to jelly an that's just weird.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2012 20:44:09 | More by Goblinmunkey7

angrybabboon

Rhode Island

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

Consumed 9/16/12

Appearance: On the darker side of amber with some purple highlights - pours with a little, bubbly off-white head, fades quickly, leaves a few nice streaks of lacing

Smell: Vinegar, sugar, and acidity - light musty, wet Belgian basement - funky wood, dark fruits, and some red wine characteristics - some other light spices

Taste: Follows the smell, with tons of sweet, acidic vinegar - sweet Balsamic vinegar to the degree that I would consider cooking with this - Belgian funkiness, tart and lightly sour - cooked and caramel malts underneath - malty sweetness and some straight-up sugar - some oak and some vanilla

Mouthfeel: On the heavy side of medium, smooth in an oily, slick way - light carbonation, with a mild tart aftertaste

Overall: Would you like some beer with your vinegar?

Flanders Reds are weird. This is no exception. On the spectrum of a "dank sponge in a basement" to "straight-up vinegar," this is on the vinegar side. Nicely complex, but a little too sweet for me.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2012 20:43:28 | More by angrybabboon

heygeebee

Australia

3.95/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

No BB. From Platinum.

Pours a deep mahogany red - the one finger off white head dies to film. Large spots of lace.

Aromas of lemon citrus, cherries, sherbert, vinegar. A tart explosion.

Taste is in the same vein. Dry crisp, refreshing, without being overpoweringly sour. More cherry on palate than on nose.

Mouthfeel is zesty and well carbonated, light bodied.

Overall, good drinking, prefer this to their Classic.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2012 09:46:17 | More by heygeebee

gtermi

Texas

4.68/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: This pours a very dark black cherry body with a thin white head that quickly fades to nothing.

S: If I ever did a blind taste test with this beer, I would thought somebody put a wine in front of me. It has a deep merlot oak smell to it with some cherry and a little bit of booze.

T:Oh god this is absolutely delicious! It starts off like the smell where i pick up the oak Merlot, but then the beer flavors start to go crazy. There is a bunch of cherry and grape flavor sweetness..

M: The mouthfeel is very nice and crisp as it goes down, but the only problem is that it sort of reminds me of a coke and has a little bit of a burn to it.

O: Just an all around fantastic beer. The flavor is so delicious and unique that it stands out and a totally different style of beer to me. I will for sure get this beer again.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2012 04:18:57 | More by gtermi

spoony

Colorado

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

From a 11.2 oz bottle into a snifter.

A-Pours a murky brown with golden highlights. Not much red to speak of. There was a half finger of khaki head that died down pretty quickly. The thin ring left behind didn't leave much lacing. Not much visible carbonation.

S-It was not super-tart like some other sours, but you know you're drinking a sour brew. There is a sweet, somewhat malty backbone. I got cherries, green apple, and grapes. I didn't pick up much heat or wood initially, but as the beer warmed, the smell got a little more funky and oaky.

T-This tasted like real cherries (sour cherries), not just some beer-like imitation of fruit. Very fresh with just the right amount of sour for me. The flavors are on the sweeter side, but it isn't just sweet juice, there is a long finish of tartness that hangs around the back of you mouth.

M-Really smooth and balanced. Not particularly carbonated, but not slimy or oily feeling. Again, quite drinkable for a sour without being boring.

O-I really enjoyed this. If I were looking for a sour that I could drink easily without overpowering everything else on my palate, but something that is still concentrated/interesting enough to be worth drinking, I would go here.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2012 05:38:29 | More by spoony

Falcon91Wolvrn03

California

4.6/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance – Pours a dark clear amber red with a rich thick head and exceptional lacing.

Smell – Cherries, very intense oak, a nice sweetness combined with sour, with a hint of grapes and red licorice.

Taste – Cherry, with a sweet and sour that balance each other out.

Mouthfeel – A light carbonation; very smooth and creamy, with a slightly sour aftertaste.

Drinkability – A great sour beer because it's not overly sour.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2012 04:46:35 | More by Falcon91Wolvrn03

gatornation

Minnesota

4.73/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

corked caged 750ml bottle with BB 070314 on bottom of bottle

A- pours a dark chestnut color with a 1 finger tan head that recedes to a fresh filmed cap thru out

S- was grapes and black cherry with dark fruit it had a sweet and sour smell nothing overpowering but very inviting

T- perfection! tart cherries with currant fruits a sweet grape taste with oak in the background

M- it was tart upfront but was sweetened with wine like taste a subtle amount of wood with with just the right sweet and sour mix

O-outstanding brew for the style and $8 will not be beat,this is in a top tier rung for the style

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2012 20:23:51 | More by gatornation

Filosoof

Netherlands

4.65/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

From some beers you will never forget where and when you drank your first. Rodenbach is such beer.

My first impression was (like the colour): Ice-tea-beer. My second impression was Ice-tea-beer (because of the sourness). My third impression is: there's nothing like Rodenbach.

L: the foam won't win be world champion;
S: not too powerful, but elegant, nuts, vanilla, milky sours;
T & M: absolutely great; starting round and fresh, with a nice sour finish, a very tine tartness.
O: classic!

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2012 19:15:34 | More by Filosoof

flyingpig

United Kingdom (Scotland)

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

Chestnut brown colour that is topped with a thumb sized, light brown head with a foamy texture and solid retention.

Sour cherry and dark fruit aroma to kick things off and backed up by some tarty aromas. There is some sugar and sweetness in the middle and a hint of grape and acidity.

Lingering sour taste to it and it just seems to go on and on. There is some cherries, grapes and apples along with a definite sugar presence and a little bit of tart. Almost like a champagne at points towards the end.

Medium and very smooth with some acidity and a huge helps of sourness that follows this. It is quite sweet and goes down a treat with great balance and medium, bordering on strong carbonation.

An exceptional beer and one that I could drink all night, the flavours and aromas had great balance and all seemed to work well together for the better of the beer. At first I thought the sourness would prove to much for me but it settled down a little with great depth.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2012 20:06:43 | More by flyingpig

Titans77

Maryland

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

On tap at Roasthouse Pub in Frederick MD.

A - Dark brown/red with a half finger of light brown head. Solid looking beer.

S - Sour cherry and dark fruits. Very strong and enticing.

T - Dark sour fruits. Cherry up front and fig in the back. Some lemon as well. Very good taste.

M - Smooth and medium bodied with a sour feel to it. Almost perfect for the style.

O - currently my favorite sour as of this review. Very solid brew.

Serving type: on-tap

08-22-2012 20:32:25 | More by Titans77

tbeckett

Ontario (Canada)

4.18/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle at Beer Deluxe. From notes.

A - Poured bright with a ruby red colour. One finger of light brown head left a ring of retention and spotty lace.

S - Tart cherry, sugar, sweetness, wood.

T - Tart cherry, dark fruit, nice tartness and sweetness together. Sugar, wood, and fruit all together. Flavours blend well.

M - Gentle carbonation, nice medium body and a sweet then dry finish.

O/D - A nice Flemmish Red. Lot's of easy flavour with complexity while being easy to drink. A good one.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2012 19:45:07 | More by tbeckett

stakem

Pennsylvania

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

750ml bottle split with friends. I decided to do a side by side tasting and open this along with the clasdic red and also the caractere rogue to analyze the differences in each. Poured into a cervoise, the brew appears a murky brown with a yellowish clarity around the edges and ruby through the body. A figner of tan head appears across the top and fades leaving spotty lace.

The smell is tangy with alcohol. Much more bright and less sweet smelling than the normal red rodenbach offering. It displays fruity esters, oak and vinegar in a more bright way. The barrel character impats some mild burnt sugar quality like caramel and toffee that does a good job contrasting the alcohol an tangy aspects of the nose. As it warms up, some vanilla comes through with lots of fruity tones.

The taste is fruity almost like raisins. Lotd of tart cherry and mild apple cidar vinegar. Some barrel presence like caramel/vanilla contrasts the mildly acidic nature. A touch of oxidation in the aftertaste has a bit of focus shifting towards the woody and almost cardboard quality mingled with earthy components.

This is a medium bodied brew with a modest amount of carbonation. There is a light effervescence and it is overall very easy drinking with low alcohol impact. I really enjoy how well blended and flavorful this beer is without being face crushing/puckering sour. It has just a bit more tartness and is overall more dry than the base. Nicely done and even more enjoyable than the rodenbach red.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2012 13:05:03 | More by stakem

BucannonXC5

California

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

Draft into a champagne glass at San Diego Brewing Co. on Aug. 17, 2012 (for $6.50), in San Diego. Poured a caramel honey with two fingers (when I got it) of white head. Good retention on the top and the sides on the way down.

Smelled sweet, tart, candy and sugar. Reminded me of Smarties or Sweet Tarts at first. Some spices as well. Surprisingly seemed like a good amount of citrus hops.

Tasted those citrus hops first. Then sweet, slightly sour, tart, grape and cherry. Slight white wine (champagne?).

Light-to-medium body. Thin, acidic texture. Average carbonation. Long, bitter finish.

A pretty good sour beer. Not anywhere as good as Russian River’s Supplication that I had recently, but good overall. My slight cold may have hurt or helped this rating as well.

Serving type: on-tap

08-21-2012 07:11:02 | More by BucannonXC5

kjyost

Manitoba (Canada)

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

Bottle acquired at Princeton Liquors in Maple Grove, MN. Poured ~5C into a snifter glass.

Rich ruby red edges and a small tab head that rings the glass and leaves some nice gobs of lacing that slide back down into the glass. Nice nose of rich sweet malts a hint of acetic acid and some nice cherry pie notes. Tons of cherry pie in the body with a syrupy malt sweetness that delivers some soy sauce. Much more malt than I had expected though and it distracts from the light sourness in the body. Very nice beer, that finishes well.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2012 03:13:56 | More by kjyost

Darkmagus82

Montana

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

Served on tap in a snifter glass

Appearance – Served a deep ruby color with a small off white head. The head faded relatively fast to leave only a very light level of lacing.

Smell – The aroma was of a heavy sour grape and cherry aroma with some green apple and vinegar smells.

Taste – The taste begins of a fruity sourness. A puckering cherry and grape are most noticeable in the beginning. As the taste advances however a apple cider vinegar taste comes to the tongue and blasts the taste buds with a sour flavor. These take the taste to the end where a light yeasty flavor comes to the tongue along with a lighter dark fruit sweetness which ever so lightly mellow out the very vinegary taste.

Mouthfeel – The body of the beer is light and a little prickly with the carbonation level being above average. Both do a wonderful job with the very sour nature of the beer and make it quite drinkable.

Overall – While not really my favorite beer style, this is a nice and sour Flemish with a good flavor profile. It is classic for a reason.

Serving type: on-tap

08-16-2012 18:56:51 | More by Darkmagus82

MicroBeerMan1980

Pennsylvania

4.45/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Dark amber brown. Tan/white head with light retention. Ring of head retention remains around edge of beer.

S: Tart and sweet, candy and lemon meringue.

T: Wild and flavorful. Tart, Sharp and full bodied. The presence of earthy loam, funk and tannins are heavy. It's like drinking a good Chateauneuf du Pape combined with a dry Champagne.

M: Round, tart, acidic and lingering.

O: A wonderful beer! Wild yet tame. Drinkable and enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

08-16-2012 01:10:50 | More by MicroBeerMan1980

goblue3509

Pennsylvania

4.78/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a clear reddish color with brown tints around the edges. There is a one finger tan head which gives way to edging. The aroma starts out with a sweet bready and cherry aroma before a big inviting vinegar smelll takes over and dominates. The taste follows suit with a sweet cherry and tart dark fruit flavor starting and then a sour vinegar flavor. Well blended. The mouthfeel is smooth and stingy. Overall this is a fantastic beer a must try.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2012 21:01:42 | More by goblue3509

greenmonstah

New Hampshire

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

750 mL into HF glass

A - Nice ruby brown color with a tan one-finger head.

S - Sour and vinous, wine-like with grape and oak. Vinegary and acidic.

T - Sour as can be, but it mellows into a sweetness in the back end, like an over-ripe concord grape. Sour and tart as can be in the first sips, but you get used to it and appreciate the cherry flavors and the red wine character. Balsamic vinegar and blackcurrants were noted in another review and I think that is spot-on.

M - Velvety smooth with a bit of sharpness from the carbonation. Really wonderful.

O - Perfectly balanced and drinkable. Exemplifies the style. Can be enjoyed by people new to sours and is a classic to those who love them. A perfect beer to serve to wine lovers to try to convert them.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2012 18:25:24 | More by greenmonstah

Hoppsbabo

United Kingdom (England)

3.7/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Drunk from the Rodenbach glass.

A: Clear reddish brown.

S: Cidery and vinegary.

T: Wow, tastes like a sour English cider. Fizzy, sour and vinegary with a soft aftertaste of bread and cherries. That's really it.

O: Refreshing but boring. I doubt I'll ever have it again.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2012 06:22:33 | More by Hoppsbabo

B967ierhunter177

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer pours a very dark brown with ruby highlights under the light. There's a 1 finger head and lasting lace. The aroma is of dark fruit, a yeasty mustiness, and wood. The flavor has dark cherry, plum, and vinegar notes with a hint of wild yeast. It's mouthfeel is medium with a mild lasting warmth. Rodenbach Grand Cru is a good beer. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2012 01:19:07 | More by B967ierhunter177

mattsander

Alberta (Canada)

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

A: Quite hazy, chocolate brown with lots of red highlights. No head, tiny bubbles.

S: Cherries, lactic and acetic twang, cocoa, overripe pears, some oak. More acetic/vinegar vibe than La Folie but less than Duchesse. Kind of a 'cola' vibe, this smells great.

T: Fruitiness first: cooked apples, more pears & cherries. In the center there a soft acetic sourness and a slight roasted malt / chocolate vibe. Finishes crisp, lactic and wet.

M: Low-medium carbonation allow for the full delivery of complex flavor. A very complex and refreshing beer. The slight vinegary character took me a few sips to acclimate to, but this is an awesome beer I will drink anytime I get the chance.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2012 01:10:01 | More by mattsander