Rodenbach Caractère Rouge

It hasn't been around for too long, so there probably aren't many educated opinions on this one. The more optimistic among us are hoping it ages like Alexander... but it's a really stellar fruit-forward beer fresh, so if you've not had it I'd open and enjoy. They're continuing to make more so it won't be very difficult to acquire in the future (unless you have a batch 1, with the b&w neck tag -- those are somewhat more sour than batches 2 & 3 and I would guess likely to age a little more gracefully, plus rare so future trade magic).

Teal deer: Hold on to batch 1, drink everything else.

 

Cross-referencing this with a November cellar note on a 2009 R. Grand Cru not improving http://beeradvocate.com/community/threads/november-cellar-reviews.127531/, and with the fruit in mind, I'm inclined now not to sit my remaining bottle too long. (I'd have to check the brew date but it's the parchment-colored neck tag, not the quasi-experimental first batch.) Keeping in mind also that it's been sitting in oak for a couple years, so the brewery has done some of the time for us, I'm thinking that a year or so to polish off some of the fruit will be OK but not necessary.