Back in the late seventies, when Rodenbach was so popular that the brewery couldn’t keep up with production, Van Honsebrouck created his own oud bruin and named it Bacchus, which fortunately is still around today, though the heydays of the style have long passed. It is a typical ’Flemish red’ with a yellowish pale beige, sticky, thinnish head breaking open after a while but leaving a steady rim, and a deep brownish wine red colour with haze. The aroma, though not very strong, immediately presents itself as a typical example of the style: red berries, plums, brambleberries, passion fruit, yoghurt, medium dry sherry, vanilla-like tannins, caramel, cloves, figs, wine vinegar. In the mouth, fruity esters open the palate, combined with a sharpish lactic acidity, with refreshing and lightly drying effect, somewhat powdery yet slick mouthfeel with medium carbonation, vinous, with caramelly malts in the background and dry oaky tannins and sourishness in the finish, almost reminiscent of a dry red wine. Very correct for the style and quite enjoyable, but a bit subdued and softer and less complex than Rodenbach. Ideal beer for making ’carbonades à la flamande’, especially when combined with an abt or a dubbel...

37.5cl Bottle from Prik&Tik Pauwels. Clear dark brown colour with a red hue, off-white head. Aroma of wood, red wine, some oak, red fruits, berries, light tartness, sugar, light metallic. Flavour is medium-sweet, tart, brown sugar, red wine, wood, forest fruits, red fruits, berries, short light tart-bitter finish. Light-bodied. Goudenband light. Nice.

Bottle. Aroma fruity, berries, red berries. Bretty bubblegum. Deep brown colour. Taste has light diacetyl, almost moderate sourness. Somewhat plain and watery in the finish, lacks length and depth. Otherwise good and sessionable.

Bottle @ St. Nicolas, Brussels. Pours dark brown with a light brown head. Aroma of malt, caramel, brown sugar, wood, light sourness. Flavor is very light sour, some malt, caramel, wood. Thin body, average carbonation, light acedic finish. 290714

Bottle from Willems. Clear dark brown with a beige head. Aroma is sweet, malty, caramel, earthy and light sour. Flavor is medium sweet and light acidic. Dry and light acidic finish. 290714

Flaska från Beernavigator. Brunröd klar skumlös vätska. Snäll syra, måttlig sötma och därmed ganska drickvänlig. Om jag någon gång kommer att hitta en Oud Bruin 3,5% på ICA så kan jag tänka mig att den skulle smaka så här. Det känns som en lättversion av ölstilen och kanske lite karaktärslös men annars är det ingen dålig idé, speciellt i sommarvärmen. Ek, soja, vanilj, farin, honung och lite vinäger i doften. Smaken går i samma linje och avslutas med en lite körsbärston med lite kärnbeska. Trevlig.

Light tart cherry aroma. Pours dark maroon with some head and lacing. Light acidic, sour finish. Good balance. Well done, and good without being next level. Tap at Max’s.

Donker troebel bier. Smaak is zuur als Lambiek met fruit. Blijft tamelijk lang hangen.