By K. Florian Klemp Published March 2006, Volume 27, Number 1
Petrus Old Brown
Liefmans Goudenband
Duchesse De Bourgogne
Rodenbach Gran Cru
Beer, in general, was a product of its own immediate surroundings, be that microbiological or agricultural. Some environments lent themselves better than others to providing the necessary components for great beer, and those environments undoubtedly endured as brewing centers. Except in areas like Germany and Bohemia, where brewers were actively selecting pure, bottom-fermenting strains of yeast, beer was (for the most part) expected to be somewhat sour and musty, especially in England and Belgium.
As fermentation became more controlled and thus, refined, most brewers sought to eliminate those flavors that they considered undesirable. English brew masters, especially those in London, had established complicated schedules of aging and blending their ales in the 17th and 18th centuries. The natural, expressive contribution from the top-fermenting ale yeast was augmented by the more traditional practice of aging in wood. Young and old beers were blended to get the desired qualities.
Likewise, Flanders brewers aged and blended their ales, a practice that may have been learned from the English or vice versa. Eugene Rodenbach, of the brewery that bears his name, is known to have studied brewing in England. Also common to both areas was a preference for flat, or lightly carbonated, cask beer.
At any rate, blended ales eventually fell out of favor in England but not in Flanders. Later, the preference for light, bottom-fermented beers in Europe either forced brewers to make something similar or give up part of their market share. Similarly, many brewers throughout Belgium adopted the scientific advances in yeast propagation but shunned the trend toward lighter beers. The brewers of Flanders red and brown ales resisted both movements, further insulating their brewing preferences.
K. Florian Klemp is a research analyst in Durham, NC, and an award-winning homebrewer.
Tags: Belgium, Duchesse De Bourgogne, Liefmans Goudenband, New Belgium La Folie Wood Aged, Petrus Old Brown, Rodenbach Gran Cru
Tasting Notes
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Petrus Old Brown
Flanders Oud Bruin brewed by Brouwerij Bavik in Harelbeke-Bavikhove, Belgium. A ruby-brown presentation, with a nice, but fleeting head leaving lacy remnants. The aroma has notes of wood, cherry, and a slight lactic and vinegar tinge. Medium-bodied with a caramel and earthy flavor, and a painless sourness. Very easy to drink at 5.5% ABV, and remarkably appetizing. Its smoothness comes from 2 years in oak casks.
ABV: 5.5%
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Liefmans Goudenband
A superb Flanders brown from Brouwerij Liefmans in Oudenaarde, Belgium. Deep, lucid red in hue, the modest head is fed by a steady carbonation. A sweet-sour aroma, reminiscent of cherries, cranberries, caramel, and tart apple. Creamy oak and sour fruit flavor with a medium mouthfeel and a sweetish finish. Very snappy due to the acidity and soft carbonation. This beer is as complex as any, truly a classic example of the style.
ABV: 8.0%
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Duchesse De Bourgogne
Flanders Red Ale brewed by Brouwerij Verhaeghe in Vichte, Belgium, is a blend of 8- and 18-month oak-aged brews. Brilliant mahogany color, with a pink-beige head. The aroma offers balsamic vinegar, wood, cherry, and vanilla. The taste is sweet upfront, but gives way to a spicy, almond, red wine complexity. The pleasantly astringent finish is both quenching and inviting. Best enjoyed slowly to savor the composite character.
ABV: 6.2%
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Rodenbach Gran Cru
Brewed by the distinguished Rodenbach family in Roeselare, Belgium, this is an unquestioned classic. The vinous nose is matched by a burgundy color. Port wine, fruit, oak and vinegar notes comprise the aroma. Sweet and sour cherries and plums highlight the flavor, which is finished by a puckering tartness. Aged 18 months in oak, Rodenbach Gran Cru is a paradox, considering its sharp flavors and quenching smoothness. This is the one to savor if given the chance.
ABV: 6.0%
