92. Rodenbach Flemish Sour Ale

Brouwerij Rodenbach is in Roeselare, Belgium. Their Flemish Sour Ale starts with a sour candy adhesive nose, or, as it is known around here, the classic ol’ dirty band aid smell. Color-wise, it is a deep brown with red highlights—something of a mahogany—with a light ivory head. Bright, tart, and light on the mouth, it starts with a soft creamy and lightly tart front, moves into candy sweetness with sour fruit notes, and finishes with a tart, tongue-curling sourness. There is bite from both the flavor and the carbonation; in terms of mouth-puckering goodness, this one is a winner, although it is not as sour and puckery as Rodenbach’s Grand Cru. The only downside—when you’ve only got small bottles, it disappears too quickly.

From the bottle: “Rodenbach is the world-famous sour red ale from Roeselare, Belgium. Fremented by a complex culture of microflora, it is brewed to be intentionally sour and fruity with a sharp bouquet. A unique, centuries-old method of oak-aging and blending softens its bite and gives Rodenbach a clean, refreshing finish.”

From the Rodenbach website: “bestaat uit 3/4 jong en 1/4 gedurende 2 jaar op eik gerijpt bier. Michael Jackson, een internationale autoriteit als het om bier gaat, kende Rodenbach de eretitel toe van ‘het meest verfrissende bier ter wereld.’”

We couldn’t have said it better.

ABV: 5.1%

(9/30/2009)