2009 Vintage Oak Aged Ale (Barrel No. 145) - Brouwerij Rodenbach N.V.

ginemesis

North Carolina

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

A- A heavy head with a strong rust color and good lacing

S- Oak with an obvious sour scent

T- A balanced sour. The sweetness and sour linger in the aftertaste, which ruined my joy

M- Light bodied with a lot of carbonation

O- Flanders makes a great red, all of which are tasty. The balance makes this a sour most people would enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 04:20:38 | More by ginemesis

BigBry

Alberta (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev -0.9%

06-09-2013 01:03:27 | More by BigBry

FUwolfpacker

South Carolina

4/5  rDev -6.8%

06-01-2013 03:15:10 | More by FUwolfpacker

mdfb79

New York

4/5  rDev -6.8%

05-20-2013 13:38:36 | More by mdfb79

Kmat10

Alberta (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev -0.9%

05-20-2013 04:50:44 | More by Kmat10

FliryVorru

Alabama

5/5  rDev +16.6%

04-29-2013 18:06:01 | More by FliryVorru

IronDjinn

Alberta (Canada)

4.38/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75

From a 750 ml brown bottle, black foil around the neck, caged and corked. Pours out a hazed nutty garnet hue, with a tall spongy light beige head that slowly settles.

Sour cherries and wood appear first on the nose, while further inspection reveals some mild grainy malt, hints of caramel, along with some cidery acidity.

Does ephemeral goodness count as a flavour description? Ah, but that would be the easy way out. Sour cherries, grainy and biscuity malt, earthy and wood character, balsamic vinegar, dry pear peel, dry cider, a general musty character on the finish. Dry wafery chocolate notes appear in the aftertaste, lingering with some oak and acidity. Honestly the break down does no justice to how well this all works together, it's far greater than the sum of its parts.

Light-bodied mouthfeel, silky slick texture that is augmented by mild yet effective effervescence for carbonation.

The Flanders Red isn't the first style I grab for when I'm scoping out the beer shelves, I'll be the first to admit that. Even still I was incredibly impressed by this offering, it works beautifully on its own merits, and I'll be stocking up on a couple more bottle to pull out for the right time.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 19:45:48 | More by IronDjinn

TheRuss9585

Vermont

4.75/5  rDev +10.7%

04-06-2013 23:39:49 | More by TheRuss9585

dvmin98

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev -0.9%

04-03-2013 19:16:49 | More by dvmin98

Archemedies

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +4.9%

03-22-2013 23:28:45 | More by Archemedies

ngeunit1

California

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

A - Hazy reddish-brown with a finger of frothy off white head. Fades at a normal pace.

S - Caramel malts, sour cherries, oak, vanilla, funky yeasts, some acidity.

T - Caramel malts, sour cherries, lactic acid, vanilla, oak, mild sourness.

M - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Smooth with a sour and acidic finish.

D - Great Flanders Red. Good balance and smoothness.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 05:48:51 | More by ngeunit1

nzerbe

New York

5/5  rDev +16.6%

03-04-2013 09:30:37 | More by nzerbe

Jonada

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +4.9%

02-27-2013 04:49:55 | More by Jonada

Jspriest

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev -12.6%

02-25-2013 22:10:25 | More by Jspriest

kylehay2004

Florida

4.25/5  rDev -0.9%

02-18-2013 05:44:38 | More by kylehay2004

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

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

750ml bottle. After being assured that this was the only case available in the province, it appears, of course, that there is much more to behold, and that this is not exactly a retired product.

This beer pours a rather hazy dark reddish amber colour, with two fingers of tightly foamy, somewhat creamy off-white head, which leaves some broad splatters of hanging cloud lace around the glass as it evenly abates.

It smells of surprisingly sweet, sugary, sort of tangy cherry and apple cider fruitiness, timid grainy malt, a faint milky essence, a twinge of balsamic vinegar, and a wet papery woodiness. The taste is moderately sour stale cherry liqueur, more hefty grainy, somewhat crackery pale malt, musty apple cider, a touch of my mom's seemingly ancient mother of vinegar salad dressing starter, and a subtly acrid woodiness.

The bubbles are duly present, but not at all obtrusive, the body a genial medium weight, and more or less smooth, the lingering acidic notes having their say as they very well might be expected to. It finishes with a suggestion of off-dryness, but that's a veritable sham, as the wine vinegar sourness kicks it up another notch, and overpowers the paltry efforts of the lingering malt.

A nicely moderated sour ale, the wood essences contributing well to the cause, gently sublimating the tart fruitiness, justifying the booze, and providing an overall softness that any imbiber can't help but feel thankful for here. That said, this is a mite bit more drinkable than the 'standard' offering from this brewer - see above for details.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 04:13:17 | More by biboergosum

wdarcy77

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev -0.9%

02-11-2013 21:33:29 | More by wdarcy77

randylangford

Pennsylvania

4.75/5  rDev +10.7%

02-11-2013 03:59:06 | More by randylangford

sendbeer

Georgia

4.5/5  rDev +4.9%

02-11-2013 01:28:15 | More by sendbeer

CADMixes

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev -0.9%

02-08-2013 18:23:39 | More by CADMixes

Morpheus

Alberta (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev -0.9%

01-13-2013 11:05:38 | More by Morpheus

Tmappin

British Columbia (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev -0.9%

01-02-2013 05:30:06 | More by Tmappin

CManuel

Colorado

4.63/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Brought in 2013 by opening this 750ml cork and caged bottle as my first beer for 2013.

Pours a very lovely cloudy reddish brown color minimal head that fades quickly.

Has that classic rodenbach smell. Tart fruit (cherries) up front with a hint of oak, but not much.

Tastes very tart up front, followed by a fruity sweetness and finishes with a hint of oak/wood flavor. Very nice. Mouthfeel is exceptional, very smooth beer.

A fantastic beer and probably one of my favorite of the Flanders reds. Great way to bring in 2013.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 19:39:23 | More by CManuel

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

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

750ml corked and caged bottle poured into tulip 24/12/12

A brownish orange with a ruby glow when held to the light, a finger of tan foam hangs around for a while leaving no lace

S do you remember those Fizz candies that came in two foot long strips with a candy every few inches? raspberry cider, faint toffee and balsamic vinegar, not much oak but some earthy notes work well, vinous notes but I can't pinpoint, I can't explain it but the smell is just amazing,

T much like the nose but with a little more cider and vinegar and less of the sweet candy notes, slightly sour and it still tastes great but the smell has something special going for it, I get a little brown sugar as it warms

M silky and smooth, leaves some slickness behind with a slight sour bite, bubbles are a little prickly and leaves a sour candy aftertaste

O I had no idea what to expect but this one made me a happy boy, its a great blend of sweet and sour with a beautiful nose, perhaps the age mellowed it out? either way I was expecting my mouth to turn inside out and that's far from the case

this one changed my perception of the style, the sweet and sour thing this has going on is wonderful, perhaps I'm just reliving my favorite childhood candy in a glass of beer but I can live with that

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 06:53:59 | More by wordemupg

BartMcStout

Belgium

3.75/5  rDev -12.6%

12-17-2012 20:01:46 | More by BartMcStout