Rode Vogel
Strangebird Beer

Pours almost clear with a medium copper hue and swarms of microfine carbonation. The body glows reddish copper, while a thin, fine to medium bubble head is pale taupe in color. The head quickly forms a thin fog, leaving a solid ring around the glass.

Cherries and vinegar add to the very tart aroma. Green apple and red wine are mild, yet discernible. Oak is only apparent after warmth, and gradually becomes more pronounced than the cherries.

The tartness is extremely strong with a medium amount of acidity. There is no real sweetness, and the oak dominates over the cherries. The other fruits including green apple take second place, pushing the cherries to the side as it warms. The finish is strong with acidity and lingering tartness.

It has a medium body and soft texture that suddenly turns sharp once the ample carbonation bursts onto the tongue. The alcohol is as expected, strong, mouth puckering with each sip.

The tartness and acidity are a bit much and become a distraction when compared side by side with a Rodenbach Alexander. Without the comparison, both beers seem similar, yet the fruity oak is certainly more controlled in the Rodenbach.

Bottle purchased and drank at Fattey Beer Company in Rochester, NY.

This one pours a dark-ish brown/reddish color, with a small head, and lots of lacing.

This smells pretty tart, with green apple, mulling spices, caramel, bready malt, red wine, and black cherry.

This one took a bit to get through, as it was pretty tart, but fortunately it just stopped short of being vinegary, like some Flanders sours can be. There’s a nice cherry, raisin, and apple fruitiness to this, with lots of barrel and red wine notes, and a nice caramelly and slightly bready malt backbone.

This is light bodied, with a puckering tartness on the back end. It’s decently drinkable, but definitely a slow sipper.

I love that we have a local brewery making honest to goodness Belgian wild ales.