Rodenbach Brewery Fruitage

__Aroma:__ “Bright spritzy blend of the three fruits, almost smells like a juice cocktail. Raspberry and cranberry, and a little bit of cherry. Sweet and fruity with some sherry notes.” __Flavor:__ “Each berry carries a different part of the flavor. The tartness from the cranberry balances well with the delicate sweetness of the raspberry and the richness of the cherry. The base beer is a bit of a mystery, but is likely a sour brown of sorts. A supporting roasty malt profile that definitely supports the fruit flavors. Good balance and complexity. Very drinkable with a great finish.” __Overall:__ “A good complex beer that has both the fruit and malt characters that support each other, but it would be good to taste more of the base beer to help balance out the intense fruitiness. This would only add more complexity. Nice beer!”

**Aroma:** “Bourbon, vanilla, oak, dark chocolate, coconut, molasses, coffee, and a touch of licorice. Cherry, raisin, plum. Strong malt sweetness. Open and bold whiskey/bourbon–barrel notes. Definitely leans more toward the barrel than the base beer. Inviting mild sherry oxidation with a bit of cardboard.” **Flavor:** “Flavor delivers on the nose: intense barrel notes, with the chocolate and vanilla turned up to eleven. Sweet cherry and raisin/dark fruit blend well with the barrel. Great mix of mild phenols, evocative esters, and alcohol warmth. Nice sherry character.” **Overall:** “The barrel is strong with big vanilla and bourbon, complemented by cherry fruitiness that pulls it together. A wonderful sipper, and an amazing example of what a barrel can impart to a beer in the hands of a talented and deft brewer. More, please!”

__Aroma:__ “Ripe raspberry. Raspberry jam. Lots of raspberry aroma. Intense raspberry sweetness with a light malt complexity hiding beneath. Some other berry notes as well as cherry.” __Flavor:__ “Lots of raspberry, raspberry jam supported by a light base beer. Jolly Rancher–like candy taste of the raspberry is almost artificial. Dark cherry, blackberry, and a light honey-like complexity beneath. Cloyingly sweet up front that slowly fades into a low-to-moderate but somewhat astringent bitterness. Finishes slightly sweet, but also with the slight tannic character. A light hops bitterness helps lighten the body by cutting through the sweetness.” __Overall:__ “Aside from the slightly sweet finish that is offset nicely by the perceived tannins, this is a nice beer. Makes me long for early summer evenings with a bowl of gelato. This will please those who like their candy-like fruits. I could enjoy one for dessert. It would be good with a bitter chocolate.”