2020 Vintage, will keep for 5 years according to De Ranke. Tea colored pour with a bubbly head that fades quickly - as expected. No retention, no lace. Fair enough given the style. Nose is surprisingly non-descript. Perhaps a little funk (that I was NOT really expecting), and a little cheese. I was expecting some more acidity. Tastes are very light, dry tartness. In no way heavily ethanoic acid, and the oak is a real feature. No sweetness that can sometimes blend with any acid present. Almost...
Notes on beers in the style
Flanders Oud Bruin
Wijnberg
Monk’s Cafe Grand Cru
(Flemish Sour Ale)
11.2 oz "stubby" bottle as part of the Van Steenberge mixed, six pack. Beautiful, dark garnet pour, especially as the light catches it. Head is great, nice retention and lace. The nose and initial tastes are that of intense ethanoic acid, BUT after those first bursts the beers falls into that classic, beautiful, sweet and sour mode. Great balsamic, rich dark cherry, especially as it warms. The sweet and sour complement one another. Some oak, not a great deal of fruit for me, just that gently...
The Dissident (2019 Reserve)
2019 Reserve. Bottled 7/17/2019. Don't know if I remembering correctly but I thought this used to come in 750 mL bottles. Anyway ... 500 mL, deep, antique red colored wax. Capped. Bright looking orange brown pour which creates a decent, if light head with an aggressive pour. Some film remains, with a little lacing. As good, if not better than expected given the style. Plenty of oaky, musty acidity in the nose. Puckering, tight acid hits early, but paradoxically backs off but then lingers and...
Bourgogne Des Flandres Brune / Bruin
The is is definitely better categorized as an Oud Bruin (rather than the current Belgian Dark - change requested as of 10/15/10) and I have reviewed it with that in mind. Pours as one would expect for a Bruin into the the Val-Dieu chalice. Minimal head that is provoked only by an aggressive pour and a brownish red body with quite a high carbonation. All of the attributes for an Oud Bruin are there; sweet & sour notes with the emphasis on sweet, a light mouthfeel and gentle carbonation a few...
Ommegang Zuur
750 mL corked and caged, Hop City, Atlanta, GA, USA. Damaged cork pops out ALARMINGLY quickly ( http://beeradvocate.com/forum/read/2851950 ). Pour is a resplendent dark brown with a pretty decent amount of carbonation when considering the style. No lace to speak of, but a thin film on the surface of the beer and a nice collar of foam at the extreme edges. Mild, fruity acidity in the nose but nothing too ethanoic acid based. Tastes are very gentle with the beer not really living up to its name....
Red Brick Black Brick
On tap at the Brick Store on 10/16/2009. Description precisely as follows; 80% Altanta Brewing Co. 2007 Winter Ale + 20% Atlanta Brewing Co. Brown Ale, then aged in Jack Daniels barrels since 2007. Described by the brewer/brewery as a "Sour" and appears on the Brick Store menu as such, BUT only because it seems difficult to classify, and as it has been fermenting away for a couple of years. Classified in terms of the closest style available on BA, but fairly inaccurate. Very dark, still,...
Monk’s Café Flemish Sour Red Ale
Single, 11.2 fl oz bottle from Michael's in Marietta, GA, USA. I think that this is an oldish bottle, but no matter, age will probably treat this well. Poured into the Terrapin snifter, this sits in the glass a still as a mill pond, looking like a slightly reddish coke. Zero head and lace. Looks suspiciously like a LARGE brandy in that glass! Pretty much a classic example of he style. Strong acidic/vinegar notes along with a thinnish body and an almost completely flat mouthfeel. Taste is less...
De Dolle Oerbier Special Reserva 2005
330 mL single bottle, Greens, Buford Highway, Atlanta, GA, USA. I dunno, I guess it's the style but this doesn't do much for me. Dirty dishwater (Dubbel) appearance, scant carbonation and a decent head, but it fades quickly (ABV?). A little lacing but not much. Plenty of sinus clearing acid in the aroma and the repetition is there in the taste. Highly acidic rather than sour and to me very little other character. Remind me very much of a rough scrumpy West Country cider without the charm. The...
Goudenband
Notes added 09/18/2021 Last year I did manage to find a couple of bottles of 2011 Goudenband in Indianapolis (pictured in the body of this post), but these notes are on a bottle that I bought from Finest Belgian Beers and had shipped over. Blended in 2020. This is the beer pictured as the featured image on this page. Beautiful pour as ever, and the head looks tremendous. Thin, coffee film like lacing. Deliciously balanced across the board. Gentle sourness play with the complexity of the beer,...
Petrus Aged Pale
Well, for all intents and purposes this is a sour beer (flanders red or something similar) and to call it a Belgian Strong Pale is very misleading, even to an experienced drinker. High, fizzy carbonation on the pour, but the head is gone as quick as a soda. Golden body. Smell is all funky, cider notes with some earthy notes too. Taste is sour, with an emphasis on vinegar. Not my cup of tea, and to be honest I am a bit miffed at this being labeled the way it is - this is a Belgian Sour, not...
Petrus Oud Bruin
Orange/brown pour with some good carbonation. Lacing is slight but present. Very distinct and definite apple/cider sourness, reminiscent of the Lambic or Saison styles. This was somewhat surprising to me, because I'm not familiar with the Flanders Oud Bruin style. Slight smokiness in the initial taste and very light in the mouth. I would imagine that the lightness might sit uncomfortabley with some, especially those people who were expecting a more robust brown ale type beer. Drinkable and...