Vive Bruxelles
Cambridge Brewing Company

 

375ml bottle

Pours mostly clear amber red with a creamy frothy off-white foam head. Smells like tart black currants, sour red grapes, red fruit, black fruit, dark fruit, strawberry, cherry, raisin, fig, plum, prune, cranberry, acetic red wine, oak, phenolic spice, dark caramel malt, vanilla, dark molasses, with floral earthy herbal hops. Tastes real acidic and sour with tart black currants, red fruits, sour red grapes, black fruits, dark fruit, strawberry, black cherry, raisin, fig, plum, prune, cranberry, some acetic vinegar, red wine, oak barrel, phenolic spice, dark caramel malts, dark molasses, vanilla, hay, barnyard funk, with floral earthy herbal grassy pine. Feels medium bodied, creamy with smooth moderate high carbonation. Overall a real nice barrel fermented sour red ale aged on black currants.

Good tartness levels and the fruit notes are nice, but I was really hoping for more depth complexity...even a little more malt backbone which I expect for a Flanders red.

 

Poured from a recently purchased bottle into the De La Senne glass.
A - Dark copper, mahogany color, active carbonation crackled as it poured into the glass topping out with a towering froth. The cap quick to dissipate is followed by a thin but well supported ring.
Nice clarity allows for the full display of the interplay of carbonation unbound.
S - Dark cherry skins, oak, red wine, notes of shade tobacco, berry puree, as the offering warms more subtle elements like fig and lily sneak in.
T - Complex, strong cherry presence, black currant jam, sweet malts followed by leather and oak, mixed cultures keep the taste focused
M - Wow, walk off tartness strips the palate in quick action, recovered with a touch of sweet center followed by a delightfully dry and slightly tart finish. Light in body and well carbonated the offering is delightful on the palate
O - That's a fine how do you do! The Flanders style on full display, the tartness starts aggressive then settles in nicely. Rich flavors roll out slowly with a rise in temperature, Cherry, currant, toasted oak, burgundy wine, and dark grains.

 

 

 

 

 

A darker but clean red ale. Intense cherry on the nose, hint of apricot, leather. Bright, serious, delicious sour taste. Impressive brew from CBC, even considering the De La Senne colab.