Rodenbach Alexander

Tasting Notes

The nose leads with ripe cherry and red currant layered over a vinous, oak-tinged sourness that comes from extended maturation in large foeder barrels. On the palate, the addition of sour cherries deepens the fruit character while the base beer's lactic tartness keeps things balanced against a mild sweetness — it never tips into cloying territory. The body is medium, with a smooth, round texture that reflects the long aging process. The finish is dry and fruit-forward, with a lingering tartness that invites another sip rather than demanding one.

About the Brewery

Rodenbach is based in Roeselare, in the West Flanders region of Belgium, and has been producing its distinctive sour red ales since the 1820s. The brewery is the defining institution of the Flanders red-brown ale tradition, known above all for its massive foeders — wooden aging vessels — some of which hold tens of thousands of liters. Their core lineup runs from the approachable blended Rodenbach Classic to the more intensely aged Grand Cru, and the brewery has remained a benchmark for the style globally even after coming under the Palm Breweries umbrella.

Food Pairings

The beer's tart cherry and acidity make it a natural match with duck confit, where the fat richness gets cut cleanly without overwhelming the meat's flavor. Aged Gouda works well because the beer's fruity sourness mirrors the caramel and crystalline sharpness in the cheese. A straightforward charcuterie board of cured pork — salami, coppa, prosciutto — lets the acidity act as a palate cleanser between bites. Dark chocolate desserts, particularly those with cherry or raspberry elements, echo the fruit in the beer without competing with it. Roasted beet salad with goat cheese is a more unexpected pairing, but the earthiness and tang on the plate align naturally with the beer's vinous, sour profile.

Style Guide

Flanders Oud Bruin, sometimes called Flanders red-brown ale, is a Belgian sour style defined by a complex interplay of fruit-forward acidity, mild sweetness, and oak character developed through long aging in wooden vessels — typically large oak foeders. Originating in West Flanders, it differs from the related Flanders red ale primarily in that the Oud Bruin tends to be brewed with darker malts, producing a richer, more malt-forward backbone alongside the sourness. Unlike German sours or American kettle sours, the acidity here comes from a slow, spontaneous or mixed-fermentation process over months or years rather than from a deliberate acidification shortcut. ABV typically falls in the 4–8% range, and the style occupies a middle ground between clean amber ales and the more aggressively sour lambic family.