Rodenbach Classic Red. 75% Young Ale, 25% Ale Matured for two years. Brouwerij Rodenbach N.V., Belgium. Flanders Red Ale. 5.2% ABV.
Served cold from the bottle and poured into a brandy snifter. Pours a beautiful mahogany color with a thin tan lace head. The smells are dark fruits-mostly cherry. Medium carbonation and relatively light body. Has a slight sour taste to it but nothing overpowering. Overall, a very drinkable Flanders Red Ale. Not my favorite beer but this would be a good introduction into sours for newbies.
I knew very little about Rodenbach before trying this beer. I saw it at Carmine Street Beer down in the West Village, and it was one of the few Flanders Reds that they had. After doing a bit of research, I learned that the brewery was founded by four brothers back in 1821 in West Flanders, Belgium. It was a family business for nearly 50 years, until the son of one of the founders produced no male heir. The company went into a public LLC, and the brewery was sold in 1998. One other interesting fact is that their brewery used to supply yeast to Westvleteren, one of the highest regarded breweries in the world (see Westverleteren XII-considered the holy grail of beers).
Overall, I would recommend checking this one out. In terms of sour beers, this one is much more affordable, and if you like it, it goes uphill from here!
86/100
RSS Feed