The Rodenbach Brewery which is located in Roeselare, Belgium was founded by the Rodenbach brothers in 1836. Their specialty is barrel aged Flanders Red Ales which are blended, i.e. they use different combinations of 2 year old and young Flanders Red Ales, to create different Rodenbach beer expressions. Here's a video created by the brewery which explains several of their different offerings...
Their latest release, which is the subject of today's blog post, is called Fruitage. Here's what the Rodenbach Brewery had to say about this beer when it was initially released back in February of 2017...
Rodenbach Fruitage gets its name from aged-old brewing techniques, combined with fruit infusions. It's an instant classic - comprised of 25% authentically aged Rodenbach (2-year matured beer from oak standing Foeders) blended with 75% young Rodenbach ale, with added fruit of cherries and elderberries. With an ABV of 4.2%, Rodenbach Fruitage is light and refreshing, perfect for easy drinking and to be enjoyed year-round.And here are my impressions...
- Appearance: The color of crushed raspberries or a red delicious apple. Tan foam that tops out at a 1/4 inch and dissipates rapidly.
- Aroma: Very fruity with hints of raspberries, ripe strawberries, and a healthy dose of sourness coming through.
- Taste: Light and fizzy with a slightly syrupy mouthfeel. Very fruity with a good bit of strawberry and raspberry tartness. You get that slight pucker like you would get from a glass of red wine, but without being overbearing or cloying. Almost like drinking a glass of Sangria thanks to its highly refreshing nature.
- ABV: 4.2%
The Verdict
Much like the Duchesse De Bourgogne, Rodenbach's Fruitage is a definite gateway to sour beers thanks to its high drinkability and session worthiness. While I'm definitely enjoying Fruitage during this super frigid cold snap of ours, I'm thinking that this beer is better suited to warmer weather. I would definitely add this beer to the late spring / early summer rotation!
Categories: Brew Review, Rodenbach
Tagged as: Beer, Beertography, Belgian Beer, Craft Beer, Drinkwire, Flanders Red Ale, Glotography, Review, Reviews, Rodenbach, Rodenbach Fruitage
