As promised, a few pictures from our trip to Rodenbach last month.
We were lucky enough to join a tour with brewmaster Rudi himself. During his extensive explanation he answered loads of questions and divulged a few secrets 🤫🕵️♂️
Rodenbach makes Flemish Reds, a style characterized by dark cherry and raspberry flavours. After boiling the wort is fermented in stainless with a commercial yeast and lactobacillus strain. It is then blended with old beer (Rodenbach Classic), or aged in foeders to become the old beer (Rodenbach Grand Cru).
Over the course of 2 years the bacteria present in the foeders further sour the beer and create complex fruit flavors.
Every year a foeder performing exceptionally well is filled with a beer 1% higher alc destined to become the Vintage release.
Rudi also explained that before isolated yeasts the beers were inoculated by koolschip, a method he hopes to one day use again for a special release. Here’s hoping!🤞🤞
