a while back, I was perusing the bevmo shelves (surprise!) when I came across a few offerings from rodenbach that warranted closer inspection.

• I usually pass over brews labeled as a “grand cru” because the designation is vague and seems to be all-encompassing.  when I grab a bottle I usually end up with a strong, spicy tripel-esque beer that I am usually not fond of.
• however, after scanning the label of rodenbach’s grand cru, my eyes lit up – this beer was a flanders red, and was 1/3 “new” and 2/3 “old,” the “old” being matured for a couple years in oak vats.
• since the majority of the beer was old, I figured it would be more dry and tart and less sweet than its counterparts, such as the duchesse, which I personally find a bit too sweet (relatively speaking).
• when I finally got around to popping this guy, I was happy to find that the above was true.  the beer had a slight vinegar note, and was pleasingly sour, with a little sweetness to back it up.  it was still a little too sweet for my tastes – I could go for an 85/15 blend.
• the current blend gave the beer a great drinkability, however, and my glass was empty way too fast.  I definitely plan on grabbing future bottles, since at $11 or $12 a pop it sure beats getting a champagne glass pour for $5-6 at toronado.
• turns out the MJ is a fan of this beer too.

AP and I share an affinity for east flanders oud bruins, , and monk’s cafe from van steenberge is an approachable example of the style.

• after cracking open a bottle of the dissident, we figured it was time for a comparison against something from the source.
• monk’s cafe was mildly sweet with a pleasant sourness, nothing too extreme.  it reminded me of the duchesse de bourgogne – a little too sweet/vinegary for my tastes.
• a little trivia: this beer is commissioned by monks cafe in philly.
• another good blog post on this beer can be found here.