Vintage bottle of four years old (bottled 2013) from De Caigny, still with the original Sang Rouge label; a blend of barrel-aged Flemish red-style sour ales, even if the brewery insists on having created their own "North West sour ale" style. Very creamy and regularly shaped, yellow-beige, densely moussy, very stable head, medium thick and opening slowly here and there in the middle but otherwise hardly collapsing at all actually, crowning an initially completely clear, beautifully wine-red, dark burgundy coloured beer with deep ruby tinge, a marvel to look at and fitting this time of the year perfectly. Classic and classy sour ale bouquet, initially a bit closed but graciously opening up to reveal impressions of medlar, sour wild apples, unripe blue plums and ripe blackberries, maracuja, 'dusty' old furniture-like oak wood, red wine vinegar and very old Saint-Emilion, caramel, hints of dried pomegranate (anardana), soggy grey rye bread, redcurrant, sherry flor, varnish, blackcurrant juice, autumn leaves on a forest floor, figs, balsamico. Hits the mouth with a lot of acidity right from the start, like red wine vinegar, puckering and stretching all over the palate - yet in the end 'thin' enough to unveil the beer's full complexity; lots of acidic redcurrant, wry unripe plum, sour grape and crabapple impressions accompany the vinegary factor in a mildly carbonated, supple, bit vinous environment. Develops a soft sweetish core in the middle, thanks to mellow caramelly maltiness, providing a bit of balance against that vinegar sourness - yet perhaps just not quite enough, as the latter goes on to completely dry the palate, especially when an increasing, very tannic oakiness sets in, adding additional dryness, but also complexity. A glue-ish effect shows up, followed by an afterglow of warming alcohol, a tad sherry-like (probably due to a very subtle beginning of oxidation as well), and a late but firm, 'deep', earthy hop bitterness in the tail - yet all of this remains deeply soaked in that vinegar sourness and fruity wryness. Cascade has played a crucial pioneering role in the rise of new, American (and now international) sour ales, this one being clearly inspired by the ancient Flemish red tradition, but like many of these new wave sours, especially the American ones, the sourness is perhaps just a bit much; its vinegary effect does distract a bit from the rest of the flavours, but if you can take a robust amount of sourness in your beer, this is a must try. It has complexity, beauty and boldness enough, but admittedly I enjoyed Cascade's fruit sours even more. 'Modern classic' sour ale though, one that sourheads should not miss.

Refrigerated 75 cl brown bottle corked and capped poured into a tulip. Dark red with medium beige head. Aroma is tart wood, medium body, medium/well carbonated, and thick small-bubble lacing. Taste is tart oak and stone fruit.

Bottle / Can @ ZZT 2017. Nice dark red color, small to average sized beige head. Smell and taste sour, sour red fruit, tart, oak, oak dry sour dark fruit flavors. Decent body and carbonation. Ok but quite sharp sour.

Bottle at ZZT. Almost clear dark reddish brown with bubbly beige head. Lots of balsamico, overripe red fruits, light red wine vinegar, dusty grapes, a touch of glue, sour grains, light caramel and dust. Medium sour, light sweet and bitter. Over medium bodied with soft fizzy carbonation. Quite nice although it's a little rough.

Bottle @ ZZT Fall 2017. Cherry colour with an offwhite head. Smells wine, fruity, wood. Tastes red fruits, sour, fruity, wood, dusty. Medium body, soft carbo.

750 ml bottle. Pours a dark red/brown with little head. Aromas of dark red cherries, oak, and a little balsamic vinegar. Flavors of dark cherries, dry red berries, more oak, and light fruity vinegar. Very nicely put together. Great stuff - except for the pricing...