Bellegems Bruin - Brouwerij Bockor N.V.

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.05/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Clear chokecherry with orange-bronze edges. The two finger head of bubbly tan foam looks odd since it's at midglass instead of topglass (because of the 8 oz. bottle). It's a wonderful looking lid that sticks resolutely to the glass and falls in the center, giving a 'king's crown' appearance.

The nose is funky, sour and fruity, reminding me of fermenting cherries, cranberries and freshly tilled earth. I like it more and more the more I sniff. It's satisfying in the way that well-worn old books are satisfying. Words like venerable, time-tested and Old World come to mind.

The flavor isn't as impressive as the nose. Although the same basic components are in place, they're diminished in scope. It's still funky and modestly sour with a not quite ripe cherry and berry fruitiness. Unfortunately, the mouthfeel is too light to carry those flavors across the palate with the panache they deserve.

In accordance with the style, there's very little sweetness. The beer is politely sour and acidic, culminating in an impressive display of aridity. The finish is surgically clean with hints of surgical-grade steel. As noted, the body/mouthfeel is too light for the flavor profile. A more substantial mouth presence would kick this sucker into a higher gear.

Bellegems Bruin is my second Flanders oud bruin and I like it just fine. I see some room for improvement though. Given the basic elements of the style, I'm certain there's a version out there that will blow me away, I just need to find it. This wasn't it, but I still could have used a bigger bottle.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2005 13:27:05 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.43/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

lovely dark garnet. Nice and opaque but has a decently thin look to it. Nice small head of light off white then comes up and over the top, dropping loads of lovely lacing down the sides.

Aroma is dark fruits, ripe plums, figs, pears, anything dark is a winner here. Really just nicely done. Sweet with raisins and touches of spice coming into the fold, beyond well put together. Each sip is like thanksgiving dinner with the flavors. A tremendous range here with huge swings from sugary dark fruits to light spice and hints of tart cherries

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2011 01:37:53 | More by mikesgroove

UCLABrewN84

California

3.93/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a slightly murky dark crimson brown with a 1 inch foamy tan head that settles to an oily film on top of the beer. Foamy streaks of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of tart and sour cherries, slight vinegar, and slight funk. There is a slight grape aroma that comes out as the beer warms. Taste is of the cherries up front with some slight vinegar flavors, but the taste is only mildly tart and funky. There is a grape-like aftertaste on this one. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer with a nice fruity presence in the aroma and flavor.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2012 04:26:04 | More by UCLABrewN84

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.83/5  rDev +19.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Teasing aromas of sweetly caramelish malt and a sour cherry-like fruitiness greet you in the nose of this beautiful oud bruin. As it crosses your lips and tongue you find it's quite smooth and lightly creamy with an exceptionally fine-bubbled natural carbonation and medium body. The flavor, however, is distracting with its beautiful juxtaposition of sour apple/mild citrus-like tartness and lightly sweet, caramelish, and toasty malt. Raisins and brown sugar appear along the way; and a thin spritz of lemon juice hits you at the finish, drying it nicely! It lingers in the mouth though, with a film of dry maltiness that makes you want to take another sip! Quite nice. And although it's not complex, the combination of the sourness and sweetness is interesting enough to keep you coming back for more! This is a superb rendition of the style that doesn't rely on added sweetness to overcome its sourness; and isn't too sour over all - just perfectly balanced!

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2005 21:27:42 | More by NeroFiddled

metter98

New York

3.98/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: The beer is slightly hazy light brown in color (with some amber highlights) and has a light amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a thin off white head that rapidly faded away, leaving some lacing on the surface and a thin ring of bubbles around the edge of the glass.
S: There are light to moderate aromas of sour fruits in the nose.
T: Like the smell, the taste is rather tart and has sour flavors of cherries.
M: It feels light-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is quite easy to drink for the style because the sourness isn’t that strong.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2011 13:35:04 | More by metter98

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.38/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap, from a fresh keg. Appearance, clear, dark garnet hue, deep eggplant with crimson edges, under slim, but lasting dotted beige head.

Aroma: grape, cherries, and blackberries hit the nose first, with caramel malt beneath. A rendezvous between sour and sweet, with sour taking over assuredly.

Taste: the sweet and sour tug of war begins immediately again on hitting the palate. Sour fruit commands the stage with malty brown ale flavors holding steady in the background, but plainly giving way to the dominant tart. Another sip, another wince and pucker, but the sweet factor and the comforting caramel malt backbone ease us away from any onslaught of tartitude.

Medium bodied, and long in the finish, with sweetness and sour aplenty, quenching and refreshing as the best of them.
I do love our bruins, and perhaps I prefer them to flanders reds, the jury's still out on that one. This one would make a fine every day drinking, with-food-drinking, all around enjoyable ale, with price being the only hindrance.

Glad to finally try it at last, after seeing it in my old, dusty Michael Jackson tomes of yore!

Serving type: on-tap

11-21-2010 23:28:49 | More by feloniousmonk

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.95/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap 4/26/2013 at Track 84 in Warwick, RI, served in a tulip glass.

A: The beer is a deep dark reddish brown color, with a short off-white head that fades slowly and leaves a thin lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains Belgian yeast, esters, tart fruit and light caramelized malts.

T: The taste starts with tart dark fruits. Then some light Belgian yeast breadiness comes in along with a touch of hops to create a good balance for the style. The after-taste is slightly tart.

M: Crisp and smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is dry.

O: Tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, mild kick, good representation of style, this is a solid beer to drink for a while if you’re in the mood for the style.

Serving type: on-tap

05-01-2013 18:40:02 | More by TheManiacalOne

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This poured out as a deep brownish red color with a fluffy tan colored head on top. The head settles and leaves a a light amount of scattered lacing on the glass. The smell of the beer is tart and wooden smelling, there is also some cherry I'm picking up also. The taste is actually much better than I expected. It's a much more muted sour that some of the Flanders Reds out there. The mouthfeel was lightly carbonated and pretty smooth. Overall it was a pretty tasty brew even though I'm not a big fan of the style.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2011 02:36:51 | More by Knapp85

emerge077

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I was told this is a blend of 70% brown ale, 30% 18-month old lambic.

Pours placidly into a small ten ounce goblet, a quarter inch of light tan foam on top, a sparse swath of lacing sticks inside the glass. Rusty reddish tone, completely clear, no sediment in the bottle, leading me to believe it's filtered.

Softly sweet grape aroma, dry leather, some faint fruity acidity. Straightforward, pleasant but not especially complex.

Flavor is similarly fruity with sweet tart grapes leading the way, vaguely earthy sweet malts underneath. A slight medicinal Ricola or tangy cherry candy, brown sugar, grape soda. Medium bodied, slightly creamy with soft carbonation. Some distant resemblance to Jacobins Rouge but not nearly as sour or acidic, more like the "training wheels" version.

This was in the states a few years ago, then disappeared. Glad to see it's finally back, it's a good transition to the wilder side. Note: Imported by SBS Imports, Seattle,WA.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2011 01:05:02 | More by emerge077

Halcyondays

California

4.72/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

11.2 oz. bottle, lucky to find a lone bottle in plain sight as it were at Hi-Times, great '30s style label,

A: Pours mahogany with a moderate white head, solid lace.

S: Nice dark fruit nose, not really sour smelling, molasses, inviting.

T: Delicious acidity, not overly sweet, just a hint of sugar with a great sweet-sour finish. Lots of dark fruit, fantastic.

M: Medium-bodied, moderate but easy acidity, beautiful structure, holds off the acid, but it still pervades throughout the whole drink.

D: A gem at $4 a bottle. Simply delicious, like the session beer version of an Oud Bruin, a great everyday drink, a must have from Belgium. Too easy to drink, refereshing to a T, simply an exceptionally well made beer. A classic acidic country ale.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2010 05:22:14 | More by Halcyondays

tempest

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Had a chalice at the Blue Nile. Thanks to Al for bringing in the sours. I'd say this is on the more drinkable end o the spectrum for the style. Of course, it also lacks some of the deeper complexity of the style you might find in Goudenband, but is still a step ahead of Petrus Oud Bruin. There's a sweet, lightly fruity caramel and light cocoa malt flavor with tart candy bite at the finish. I was eating a plate of spicy beef sambussas and this beer went surprisingly well with the fat and spice.

Serving type: on-tap

11-17-2010 00:42:50 | More by tempest

WVbeergeek

Ohio

4.1/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Dark cherry hued brown body with a light tan head, fine bubled lacing with speckled patterns left on my chalice. Aroma has tart cherries hints of tart sliced apples. Earthy note with lactic yogurt, hints of dark roasted malts. Flavor will satisfy your sour ale side with tart cherries, sliced green apples, hints of yogurt and dark roasted malts. Excellent version of a classic style, I've never heard of the brewer the label is a bit generic but the beer is high quality Bellegems bruin West Flanders Ale. Mouthfeel has a dry finish with fruity balance to make everybody happy, even sturdy flowing carbonation a bit effervescent and bubbly like. Overall high drinkable and enjoyable version of a hard to find style, glad I picked it up definitely worth it at around 4 bucks a bottle.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2012 17:10:42 | More by WVbeergeek

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

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

Oh Flanders ales, how I just don't get enough of you. This beer is pretty straight forward and direct.I mean that in as good a way as possible. It doesn't really step out and try to be anything beyond a good beer. Straight forward. Fits to style. I like it, but it is pretty pure to the style parameters, which might be a lot for some people to deal with.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 19:11:13 | More by RblWthACoz

rhoadsrage

Illinois

3.98/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

(Served in a tulip glass)

A- This beer pours a dense clear garnet red glowing body with a spotty oatmeal cream head that sticks to the glass with each sip.

S- The soft tartness has a faint cherry quality with a faint barnyard and cola quality mixed in. There is a wet wood aroma to finish.

T- The warming tartness has some soft blend of malt and old wet wood adding a faint cheese rind hint to it and the finish is a faint aged cherry note that lingers for a moment.

M- The medium-light mouthfeel has a tight fizz in the finish and grows as the beer warms.

O- This beer is a nice classic flanders red with some soft depth of other flavors, like a nice blended brown malt and a good amount of tartness.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2011 21:32:08 | More by rhoadsrage

Jason

Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Presentation: Slender 8oz brown bottle with a freshness date stamped on the label.

Appearance: Hazy reddish brown with a thin whispy tan lace.

Smell: Mild yet even tartness, very vague aroma.

Taste: Smooth semi creamy mouth feel, a clash of carob and tartness. Lemon and grainy smith apples come to mind with a toasted bread flavour. Dark raisin fruitiness. Tartness is snappish with the grainy following, hops are nonexistent and should be that way for this style. Dark candy sugar and tart finish though gets dryer and dryer as a husky grain puckers the mouth.

Notes: A happy brew in my mouth, back and forth complexities of tartness and carob or dark malt. Pleasing to the palate and refreshed my mind.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2002 22:01:58 | More by Jason

wl0307

United Kingdom (England)

3.5/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Tasting 6 months after the suggested expiry date (08/07/2008), served only very lightly-chilled in Rodenbach's slim goblet.

A: dark Burgundy-ruby in colour, with large bubbles in action but not fiercely, and a fast-dissipating off-white foamy head.
S: slightly pungent sour fruits with strong hints of salted-sour Chinese brown prunes, cherries and a little oily balsamic vinegar - refreshing and not too sweet, but the brown malt base lies firmly underneath. "Woodiness", due to the long ageing (18 months, according to the back label), is everywhere, but is also mixed intrinsically with the fruity main theme. Nice.
T: the taste is very quiet indeed - semi-tart, metallic and tannic-chewy, almost like cranberry juice-drink on the palate, followed by a unique savoury edge as of well-aged alcohol in wooden barrels and herbally, licorice-flavoured prunes. Fruitiness is pretty restrained, as opposed to the nose, while malts are pretty much absorbed into the main flavour, leaving a soothing, lingering undertone of fermented dark berries, smoked black prunes, and a chewy bitterness of hops in the semi-short finish.
M&D: not extremely refreshing as the carbonation is slightly artificial and yet also flat-ish (coz it's "expired" by 6 months??). I can't help thinking if the expiry issue really has something to do with the underperformance of this bottle, but, if not, I would have to say this thin-ish beer is at best a mediocre example of the classic style. I might have to try the tap version to change my mind, or find a bottle within the BB date.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2009 20:42:22 | More by wl0307

Gusler

Arizona

3.95/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The beer pours a dark garnet color with a pertinent head and the lace formed is a fine sheet to coat the glass. The aroma of fresh ripe plums, malt and somewhat musty, light nut sweetness also present a pleasure to sniff. Start is sweet and malt laden, the top is a bit thin, and the finish nicely carbonated and the hops apropos for the style. The aftertaste dry and somewhat sour, good drinkable beer and well worth the sample.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2002 12:22:46 | More by Gusler

kojevergas

California

3.55/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

11.2 fl oz brown glass bottle (batch code 02) with standard pressure cap served into an EKU 28 snifter in me gaff in low altitude Los Angeles, California. Bottle acquired at Wally's Wine in Westwood, California yesterday. Reviewed live. Expectations are high as I really enjoyed the Jacobins Rouge from this brewery.

Served slightly warmer than refrigerator cold and allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a one finger head of okay thickness, very light cream, and bad retention. Colour is a nontransparent very dark amber. No yeast particles are visible.

Sm: Sour cherries, wild yeast, and bacteria. Lively and appealing. A moderately strong aroma.

T: Sour cherry, wild yeast, and bacteria. The sourness is pretty tame, with some fruity tartness on the back end. Clean malted barley comprises the foundation. All around it's a bit simple for the style, but features notable subtlety. Enjoyable and pleasant to drink. Some layering. Well balanced and built.

Mf: Smooth and wet, suiting the flavours generally. Adequate carbonation. Moderately light on the palate. It has presence. No real cream. The thickness is adequate but not ideal. Thins towards the finish.

Dr: A drinkable Oud Bruin that will please fans of the style but won't impress. I'd definitely have it again and it's quite enjoyable, but I wouldn't recommend it to friends. There are better beers in the style for around the same price and availability.

Low B

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2012 04:51:47 | More by kojevergas

ccrida

Oregon

4.71/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

33cl bottle (batch code 04) poured into my large Gulden Draak tulip, Bellegems Bruin is a dark amber with a tan head leaving heavy, foamy brussels lace - textbook really.

Smell is first sweet than sour, cider vinegar, with a touch of must.

Taste is very bright cherry, abruptly cut by a moderately acidic, dry finish. A touch of caramel, apple cider. Really spot on with the style, a nice quick shock with a fairly clean, modestly malty finish.

Mouthfeel is slippery, light and dry.

Drinkability is phenomenal, this is a close to perfect as it gets, a benchmark example of the style.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 04:35:36 | More by ccrida

RoyalT

Ohio

3.9/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance – Nice, semi-thick brown color with a decent head that laced well on the glass.

Smell – Initially, a whiff of Sweet-Tarts hits the nose. This is followed by a deeper malt flavor and strong sourness, again like candy.

Taste – The candy flavors kick in more on the tongue. The sourness comes in towards the end (true lemon, not the cheap kind), but the tart flavors are the highlight of this show. The malt is there but drowned out.

Mouthfeel – There’s some light carbonation to be had, but mostly this puckers the mouth and kicks the salivary glands into high gear.

Drinkability – This is great to drink on an empty stomach. The smallish bottle reflects the sipping nature of this brew. A nice example.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2003 02:43:50 | More by RoyalT

avalon07

South Carolina

4.29/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

A: Poured from a bottle to a tulip glass. Had a brown color with ruby tints and a thick consistency. There was a small amount of tan-colored, foamy, fairly long-lasting head. Below average lacing.

S: A good aroma of dark fruit, sugar, and malt.

T: Tasted of malt, dark fruit (raisins), apples, and a sugary components. A very well-rounded, complex and likeable flavor. Maltier than I would have expected, but it's not a bad thing.

M: A decent amount of carbonation with a super creamy-smooth finish. Medium-bodied.

O: A superior example of a Bruin. Very much a drinkable beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 00:05:15 | More by avalon07

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

4.58/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pour a deep amber to brown in color with a light tan head. In the aroma, it smells of sweet tarts. In the taste, sour dark cherries, the taste grows with time. A small sour bite with a medium bodied mouthfeel, with a small sour cherry in the aftertaste. Sour cherries all day, but not overly acidic.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2012 22:35:36 | More by OWSLEY069

TheLongBeachBum

California

4.38/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Comes in a small 8 fl.oz. bottle. The label is dark blue with a red border, and has a picture of two guys toasting each other with over-frothing beers. The guy with the straw boater hat looks particularly inebriated and very happy.

Pours a lovely ruby red-deep brown chestnut color with a nice off-white colored head, that rescinds quickly, to a thin covering.

Aromas are of a sour beer with a slightly nutty dark fruity smell.

Tastes are initially sour, sharp and very clean. The delicious sourness in this beer is very intentional, but it does make way for a malty, slightly sweet ending. Excellent inherent carbonation lends to a great mouthfeel, a great spritzy presense as the beer first hits the palette. Nicely balanced and very drinkable.

Was well received by fellow BA’s at a beer tasting that I had in my Apartment recently.

Once you start drinking this beer, if you are familiar with the style, I guarantee two things will happen;

1) You will grow to like this, and….
2) It Only comes in an 8 fl.oz. bottle !?! Very Annoying.

There are not too many accomplished Flemish Brown Ales knocking around these days. And this offering, whilst not the best, is a good example worth seeking out.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2003 20:29:13 | More by TheLongBeachBum

dirtylou

Washington

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

11.2oz bottle, the publican - chicago

appearance: served in a nice tulip, mahogany body - dark garnet highlights

smell: light tartness, cherry, wood, caramel, vinegar

taste: the oud bruin is admittedly not my favorite of the flanders varietals - bockor does produce the finest flanders red on the market though so i figured this was worth a run. Muddy caramel flavors, a touch metallic, dry woody notes, toasty malts, sweet dark fruits, touch of grain, earthy

mouthfeel: delicate tartness, medium-light body, good carbonation

overall: good

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2011 23:30:18 | More by dirtylou

twiggamortis420

Texas

4.03/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

11.2 oz bottle pours a ruddy brown color with a modest cap of tan head. Not much lacing, fair retention.

Nose is sweet and sour caramel malty goodness. Overripe strawberry jam and light red wine vinegar notes are just about perfect for the style.

Flavor is a little lighter and less sweet than a Duchesse. Jammy, tart fruit with plenty of caramel maltiness. Id like to see a bit more sourness, but overall it is pretty good. I am always down for a good Flanders and while this one is not great, it'll scratch that itch.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2012 20:13:27 | More by twiggamortis420