Vichtenaar
Brouwerij Verhaeghe

VichtenaarVichtenaar
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From:
Brouwerij Verhaeghe
 
Belgium
Style:
Flanders Red Ale
Ranked #45
ABV:
5.1%
Score:
88
Ranked #14,491
Avg:
3.92 | pDev: 12.5%
Reviews:
233
Ratings:
454
Status:
Active
Rated:
Oct 01, 2023
Added:
Jun 25, 2003
Wants:
  38
Gots:
  40
The "Vichtenaar" is a beer that is brewed on the basis of deeply burned malt, spicy and fruity hops, yeast and soft water pumped from a well with a depth of 172 m, which is a guarantee of the quality and the purity of the water. After the main fermentation and the second lagering the "Vichtenaar" undergoes a third fermentation in oak casks for several months. The oak casks are large vats with a capacity ranging between 5000 and 25000 liters.
The "Vichtenaar" is a traditional and typical beer for West Flanders, in the Northwest of Belgium. The taste of the "Vichtenaar" can be described as slightly acidic and complex and this through the long fermentation in oak casks. The fresh taste of the "Vichtenaar" makes it a particularly thirst-quenching beer, especially during the summer months.
The "Vichtenaar" is also one of the last old-Flemish red-brown beers which are matured in oak casks and is especially appreciated for its authenticity by the beer connoisseur. In 1958 “Brewery Verhaeghe” obtained for its beer "Vichtenaar" the first prize in the international contest for beers in Ghent.
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Ratings by HoboChangBa:
Photo of HoboChangBa
Reviewed by HoboChangBa from Connecticut

1.72/5  rDev -56.1%
look: 2 | smell: 1.75 | taste: 1.75 | feel: 1.75 | overall: 1.5
Vinegar. Sweet. Sweet vinegar. The smell of heinous strawberry and pear mixed into oak. The sweetness overrides the vinegar, but still this remains off. I would label the Vichtenaar the moscato of the flanders and the flemish. My taste tends towards the sour though, so if you like sweet, then try the Vichtenaar from Brouwerij Verhaeghe. The carbonation is decent, and as the flanders warms up the vinegar becomes slightly more present. This is the first Flanders Red Ale I have tasted that has been so predominately sweet; and the twinge of vinegar is strange with oak notes. Now that I am writing this and finishing the drink, it tastes like I am drinking a candy apple. Carbonation is key though, and it gives this beer something more even though the sweetness displeases my palate. But! I will be the first to say that maybe I need to get used to sweet & sour, though I don't find this Vichtenaar sour at all; this tasting is just something like sweet balsamic reserved. I will say that I have a hard time drinking sours that have a taste dominant in vinegar. This is the first beer I have tasted with these particular notes, and this is the first review I have ever given; but I intend to give more. Now as the beer has warmed and become a few more swigs from my glass, vinegar is the smell I get from this drink. Maybe I should have drank this faster, for maybe most sours—particularly gueuzes—tend to end smelling vinegary when they become warm and lesser within the glass.

—Hobo Chang Ba

"Strawwood claw rattlin' m' jaw
I can't call it usin'
It's just sumptin' soothin'
Feather times uh feather
Mornin' time t' thaw
Hobo chang ba"
May 06, 2014
More User Ratings:
Photo of MikeWard
Reviewed by MikeWard from Pennsylvania

2.76/5  rDev -29.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75
330ml bottle into a teku. Best by 2/12/17, so could be a problem here.

Looks pretty good. Deep red body, clear when held up to the light. Good head retention too. Aroma is very vinegary. On tasting, there is some sweetness, but it's fighting a losing battle with the vinegar. Sour of course, quite drying as well. Clearly does not age well.
Oct 01, 2023
Photo of Altrurian
Reviewed by Altrurian from Portugal

4.18/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Brown with minimal head. This “brown,” however, cannot be summarily dismissed. It has a limpid, gemlike quality when held to the light that gives the beer’s appearance a certain distinction. The aroma conveys a promising tang. The beer’s flavor is a luscious combination of sour fruit and caramel. Its richness punches beyond its modest ABV. The texture is refreshing on the palate, with a pillowy aspect complementing the rich taste.
Apr 18, 2023
Photo of Sigmund
Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway

3.68/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Bottle, at Carlsen’s Kvarter, Odense, august 2005. Sell-by date was 23.12. 2003! Typical Flemish sour ale. Very dark reddish brown colour. Red wine / balsamico vinegar aroma and flavour, some sweetness remains. Oaky elements.
Aug 07, 2022
Photo of jmdrpi
Reviewed by jmdrpi from Pennsylvania

3.99/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
330 ml bottle. Just purchased it, but realized it's dated Best By 2017. But with this style should still be good

pours a dark brown in color, off-white colored head that fades. aroma is a mix of dark malt and some sharp acidity. taste is more balanced, pleasantly tart but not overly sour. thin to medium bodied
Dec 19, 2021
Photo of elnachooo
Reviewed by elnachooo from Spain

3.8/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
De cuerpo medio y alta carbonatación, ésta cerveza de color cobrizo presenta un aroma avinagrado y a cereza. En boca es ligeramente seca, agria, con notas de frutos rojos y caramelo lo que la hace muy agradable.
Aug 01, 2020
 
Rated: 4.13 by Jaasoares from Virginia

Jun 28, 2020
 
Rated: 4.45 by jbehlar from Mississippi

Feb 08, 2020
Photo of JonnoWillsteed
Reviewed by JonnoWillsteed from England

3.69/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
L- Distinct red-brown, clear, pours with 2Cm pale tan fine-bubble head [holds well].
S- It smells quite acidic, or perhaps of sour fruit.
T- Interesting, straight in and it tastes like quite a tangy yet medium apple cider! Well that's where the acidic/sour-fruit smell came in. Somehow that offends my taste-buds less than many equivalently tangy/sour beers. For several mouthfuls, each time I'm thinking 'Yep, still tastes more like cider than beer'...
F- The apple element brings a richness that adds to the relatively modest 5.1% ABV. I'd expect that to add to the versatily (year-round) of this beer.
O- It's certainly different and I'm enjoying it. Digging around for info I see it's aged in oak barrels. Hmmm, I don't get an oak edge as such, but maybe that's where the apple facet comes from...
Bought from London Beer Lab's shop 330ml bottle BB: 15/05/2020
Jan 07, 2020
 
Rated: 3.74 by Pacioli1445 from South Dakota

Sep 07, 2019
 
Rated: 4.02 by 11-52_4hops from Virginia

Aug 09, 2019
 
Rated: 3.94 by Kolb from Montana

Apr 24, 2019
 
Rated: 5 by pjh36 from District of Columbia

Apr 21, 2019
Photo of MonDak_Joe1953
Reviewed by MonDak_Joe1953 from Minnesota

4.04/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from 11.2oz bottle into glass. Best before stamped on label as '23/05/2014'.
Ruby brown colored body, with red highlights. Half finger off white head sticks around. Leaves behind some webs of lacing.
Smell has a sour, vinegar aroma, with some sweet dark fruits way in the back.
Taste is soft, with a gentle balance of sweet and tart. Flavor reminds me of cherry syrup which transitions to a sweet plum. Slight acetone whiff of flavor at the end. Has some oak tannins also. Tastes like a living beer but the funk is minimal; just a hint of yeast.
Medium mouth feel, with a syrup component, and active fizzy on the tongue. Quite sweet but also refreshing.
I thought the aroma might indicate a soured beer, but the taste is full of flavors and layered. The smooth mouth feel adds to the positive drinking experience. I have not had this beer before and I cannot say whether it is still true to its intended taste, but the age label was of a concern (more than four years past its given best by date).
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
10/31/2018
I found another bottle with a best by date of '2018-6-22'.
The taste is the same as with the other bottle, with the cherry, plum, and quick acetone note at the end.
Sep 08, 2018
 
Rated: 2.25 by COBEERHUNTER from Colorado

Aug 09, 2018
 
Rated: 4.25 by paulish from New York

Apr 10, 2018
 
Rated: 3.94 by Jcarriglio from Florida

Mar 10, 2018
 
Rated: 1.79 by Stofko1992 from Pennsylvania

Feb 24, 2018
 
Rated: 4.67 by Julesxxl from France

Feb 06, 2018
Photo of MaximalC
Reviewed by MaximalC from Illinois

3.94/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Pours a muddy brown color with tawny highlights and an ephemeral veil of coarse, khaki bubbles. Aroma smells of tart cherries with a touch of apple cider vinegar and a vague funkyness.

The taste features a bright, punctuated tartness up front featuring apple cider vinegar, candi sugar, and a much more subdued cherry character than the nose would suggest. Tart and sweet strike a skillful balance that allows you to enjoy both ends of the spectrum without either getting out of hand. Warming reveals plums and toasted bread on the back end. High carbonation does a skillful job of scrubbing the palate between sips, while the medium body lends robustness that keeps things from going full seltzer.

Overall, this is a classy Flemish brown that compares favorably to some of the best in its style.
Feb 06, 2018
Vichtenaar from Brouwerij Verhaeghe
Beer rating: 88 out of 100 with 454 ratings