Brouwerij Rodenbach Grand Cru
What the brewers say
“A blend of one-third young beer and two-thirds beer aged 2 years in oak vats. The oak-matured beer contributes to its fruity taste, complexity, and intensity. The finish is worthy of a great wine.”
What our panel thought
Aroma: “Cherry, fig, and raspberry tart aromas dominate. Grape notes with a touch of sourness and low malt sweetness. As it warms, grape notes recede and sourness comes forward.”
Flavor: “Flavors of cherry, blackberry, fig, and biscuity malt with a clean lactic sour. The light sourness is well balanced by the round, full-bodied malt character. Lingering sweetness and a dry finish. Some spicy phenolics. Moderate tartness up front that’s mildly fruity. High carbonation with a medium body. Linger is dry with fruity notes and is medium lasting. Acidity is moderately high and balanced by the residual malt character.”
Overall: “Very crisp and refreshing. High fruitiness mixed with high carbonation and a touch of acetic sourness and touch of herbal. The fruity sweetness is complex and well-balanced with a slight acetic sourness. A classic example of the style. Very tasty and smooth. Not super complex, but very nice.”
