2007 Vintage Oak Aged Ale (Barrel No. 230)
Brouwerij Rodenbach N.V.

2007 Vintage Oak Aged Ale (Barrel No. 230)2007 Vintage Oak Aged Ale (Barrel No. 230)
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From:
Brouwerij Rodenbach N.V.
 
Belgium
Style:
Flanders Red Ale
ABV:
7%
Score:
96
Avg:
4.34 | pDev: 11.06%
Reviews:
79
Ratings:
157
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Sep 20, 2018
Added:
Dec 31, 2009
Wants:
  12
Gots:
  35
No description / notes.
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Ratings by Vylo:
Photo of Vylo
Rated by Vylo from New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -19.4%

Jan 01, 2012
More User Ratings:
Photo of REVZEB
Reviewed by REVZEB from Illinois

4.69/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Bottle cellared for years, so obviously my rating will be affected by this. The maturation is breath taking. The cherry has settled in as a deeply rich and warm base with the plum, fig and boozy oak. Still has tart and sweet notes too, but now they have been brought to sublime balance. The wife loved this one too, and she usually finds the style to be meh. I am aging my more recent vintages as soon as I get home!
Sep 20, 2018
 
Rated: 4.75 by smithj4 from New York

Aug 15, 2017
Photo of MtnSoup
Reviewed by MtnSoup from Colorado

4.75/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Last time I had this was three years ago, and I have to disagree with the reviews stating this is past it's prime - it tasted equally amazing this time around. Time has been very kind to this beer. Fruit flavor still evident with no oxidation, and just a perfect amount of carbonation. An incredible beer. Still. With proper cellaring conditions this is still a winner despite being past due in terms of suggested cellaring time via Rodenbach.
Sep 28, 2015
Photo of Roguer
Reviewed by Roguer from Connecticut

4.38/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Transparent dark reddish-brown brew. Fizzy head that immediately disappears, leaving a thin outer ring.

Fruity and sour aroma. Slight sweetness. Light oak.

Flavor follows: delicately sour, a tinge of funk. Berry-like sweetness. Oak is faded but excellent. Complex. Flowers.

Light, smooth, silky feel. Not overly sour.

This is a beautiful beer, but at 8 years, it's a little past its prime. Still, it's absolutely fantastic, a stunning brew quite different from American sours, and a classic.
Jul 15, 2015
 
Rated: 4.4 by BranfordBound from Connecticut

Jun 09, 2015
 
Rated: 4.33 by Liquidswordz from Texas

Apr 13, 2015
 
Rated: 4.39 by wethorseblanket from California

Apr 03, 2015
 
Rated: 4.93 by nathanmiller from New York

Feb 28, 2015
Photo of Jugs_McGhee
Reviewed by Jugs_McGhee from Colorado

4.23/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
BOTTLE: 750ml brown glass. Black foil-ed over unbranded hood and wire cap over a cork. 2007 vintage; I think this was released in 2009? Best before: 10/06/12 (oh well; I trust it's fine, if not even improved).

Purchased at The Ginger Man in New York City and served cold into a tulip at low altitude in Austin, TX. Allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Reviewed live. Expectations are sky high; I love this brewery and this style.

7% ABV.

Yields the softest cork pop I've ever heard upon opening - still carbonated, but age is evident.

No bubble show forms as it's poured.

HEAD: Half finger head dissipates almost instantly, yielding only a floater ring. Leaves no lacing.

BODY: Dark deep ruby-brown. Gorgeous. Translucent. Quasitransparent. No yeast particulate or hop sediment is visible.

Great appearance overall for the style. Appears undercarbonated.

AROMA: Rich vinegary notes, plump cherry, some acetic pie crust, oak. Maybe maple syrup? Someone at this tasting suggested rose wine; I definitely get hints. Some cherry jam.

Aromatic intensity is moderate to high. Fantastic aroma overall. Sourness is perfect for the style - about 5/10 intensity.

Not funky, yeasty, or boozy. No off-notes. Has no off-character from age or oxidation (e.g. cardboard). I think the oak has faded somewhat.

TASTE: Amazing. Perfect hints of faint wine character/red wine vinegar. Boasts the signature Rodenbach acetic pie crust I love and can't get enough of. A subtle oak tone guides the flavour profile. Belgian red malts. Evocative cherry is perfectly integrated into this impeccable balance. Gorgeous depth of flavour. Long flavour duration. Flavour intensity is moderate. The sourness is also moderate, which is apt for the style - about 5-6/10 in terms of intensity. A kiss of maple. How do they do this? The oak comes with some wine-like tannins that only enhance and accentuate the delicate flavours in this flavour profile.

No doubt a gestalt build; this beer is more than the sum of its parts and has incredible subtlety and nuance. Not quite as intricate as the very tippy top best beers in the style (most of which are brewed by Rodenbach!), but damned complex nevertheless.

Just great. I can't get enough of it.

TEXTURE: Soft, delicate, and luscious. Smooth, wet, refreshing. Acetic and acidic but not puckering. Carbonation is perfect - even after 8 years of aging. My main complaint with this beer is that it's a bit thin, but I wouldn't call it weak - because it's also a biteen syrupy. Could use a bit more body to amplify the fragile flavours.

Not oily, gushed, hot, boozy, astringent, harsh, rough, or scratchy.

Near perfect. Accentuates the taste beautifully. There's a rare harmony of taste and texture in this beer that creates an ineffable effect.

OVERALL: Rodenbach once again astounds with an incredible brew that is of the highest caliber. Easily in my shortlist of best beers in the style. It's aged incredibly and could probably continue to do so for at least 5 more years. I have to stop myself from just inhaling this, and part of me can't help but wish that I greedily kept this bottle to myself (I shared this with good friends). This will humble even the most discerning of drinkers.

High A-
Feb 20, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by olradetbalder from Sweden

Dec 03, 2014
 
Rated: 4.19 by TomVerhofstede from Belgium

Nov 29, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by Duffman79 from Connecticut

Nov 20, 2014
Photo of garymuchow
Reviewed by garymuchow from Minnesota

4.34/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Been sitting on this for a bit and I guess now is the time.
7 years old really smooth Flanders out. Still holds all the good characters of fruit and tart, but just softer and much smoother. It's really nice,
Head is kinda' small and the color brownish and largely clear. Body seems moderately light and maybe age has reduced the carbonation some.
The aroma is a little tame. Soft tart with some oak and the fruit is in the background. The oak is more woody than vanilla.
A little funk in the taste, but it is really balanced with everything else. There is so much going on in each drink. What a pleasure.
Oct 19, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by KAF from Iowa

Oct 15, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by halo913 from Connecticut

Oct 11, 2014
 
Rated: 5 by whatsleftofyou from Michigan

Jul 14, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by Eighty from Washington

Jun 05, 2014
 
Rated: 5 by psoriasaurus from Thailand

Feb 25, 2014
Photo of janubio
Reviewed by janubio from Spain

3.24/5  rDev -25.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
750 ml. bottle. Pours a brown reddish colour with almost no head. Smell of cherries, cider and apples, vanilla or maybe cinnamon. I can't smell oak or sourness. Good body, sticky palate. Taste of cherries and cider. Again, I would have expected much sourness here. And more complexity.
Feb 15, 2014
2007 Vintage Oak Aged Ale (Barrel No. 230) from Brouwerij Rodenbach N.V.
Beer rating: 96 out of 100 with 157 ratings