Rodenbach Vintage
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Tasting Notes
The aroma opens with dark cherry, balsamic vinegar, dried fruit, and a hint of oak from extended barrel aging. On the palate, tart acidity leads, backed by notes of raisin, fig, and a subtle vanilla that comes from the foeders. The body is medium, with a soft roundness that tempers the sourness. The finish is long, tannic, and dry, with a lingering winey character that rewards slow drinking.
About the Brewery
Rodenbach is based in Roeselare, in the West Flanders region of Belgium, and has been producing foeder-aged sour ales since the 1820s. The brewery is widely regarded as the defining producer of the Flanders red-brown ale tradition, aging its beer in massive oak tuns called foeders, some of which are over a century old. The Vintage release is an unblended, single-foeder expression selected for exceptional character, making it the most expressive beer in their lineup.
Food Pairings
Aged hard cheeses like Gouda or Comté work well because the acidity cuts through fat while the tannic finish echoes the cheese's crystalline sharpness. Braised beef or duck confit pairs naturally, as the sour-fruity character mirrors the function of a wine reduction sauce. Dark chocolate with at least 70% cacao softens the beer's tartness while amplifying the dried fruit notes. A slice of paté or chicken liver mousse finds balance in the contrast between the beer's vinous acidity and the richness of the spread.
Style Guide
Flanders Oud Bruin, sometimes called Flemish red-brown ale, is a Belgian style defined by a complex interplay of lactic sourness, dark fruit, and oak character derived from long aging in large wooden vessels. ABVs typically fall in the 5–7% range, and the style sits apart from lambic in that its sourness comes primarily from lactic rather than wild yeast fermentation, giving it a smoother, less funky profile. It originated in the West Flanders region of Belgium and is distinguished from Flanders Red by being generally darker, fuller-bodied, and somewhat less aggressively acidic, with more emphasis on malt-forward dried fruit character.