Oud Bruin
Guest: Bart Springer, Owner of Chateaux Selections. Bart was a wine man until a few years ago, when he was turned by a tasting of various Thomas Hardy vintages. He now imports Bockor lambics, Bellegem's Bruin and a multitude of other Belgian and German beers. He is very inter-connected with the Belgian beer importing and distribution scene.
Generalized Summation:
- Ichtegem's
- Tied for most intense, tied for most sour, greatest residual sweetness.
- Oud Zottegem
- Least sour and lightest in color by far.
- Petrus
- Driest finish, three way tie for least sour and lightest flavor.
- Bellegem's Bruin
- Three way tie for least sour and lightest flavor.
- Felix
- Most carbonated, perhaps most complex.
- Vichtenaar
- Tied for most intense, tied for most sour, fruitiest
- Goudenband
- Most "dubble-like", three way tie for least sour and lightest flavor.
- Rodenbach Red
- "Chewiest" (detail below). Perhaps the smoothest.
Ichtegem's
Big, gigantic flavor experience - a real standout in this line-up. If you are curious about this style but unsure if tartness sounds like a good idea I would not recommend trying this one right out of the gate. However if you experiment with oud bruins and find you like them this is a "must try". It does have a huge sourness, but it has an equally huge sweetness to balance it. Whether you feel this is a sweet beer or a sour beer might come down to leanings of your tastebuds - we're all a little different. Bottom line is there is lots of both.
Other comments: of them all it was the most "wine-like", although they all are to a degree. Of the bunch it was the most balanced (malt vs. sourness as opposed to malt vs. hop)
My instinct would be to suggest a novice steer clear of this one, but I did an experiment to test that theory and it did not hold. Our neighbors at the Old Bay - two couples out to dinner - were fascinated by what we were doing, but not beer savvy. They were kiddingly trying to mooch samples so for kicks I passed the Itchegem's over. They were all really surprised by it, but it was a big hit. Also, Bart brought a friend not familiar with eclectic beer who was enraptured by the Itchegem's.
Ichtegem's is imported by the Global Beer Network (also known as Win It Too).
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Oud Zottegem
Next to the others sourness was almost not perceivable. It stood out because of this and its light amber color, the lightest of the bunch by a lot. It had a sizable presence, a combination of a muted malty character, an almondy taste and a roasty thing as well - all which pushed it out of style. I remember having this one in Belgium (it is not imported) and finding it only a little sour. Next to the rest I could detect no sourness at all.
Whilst drinking in Belgium a youth hosteler trying to figure out this world of ours walked up to the bar and asked the tender "what's good?". This place had 300 beers. It was the bartender's policy not to suggest beers, so I recommended Zottegem. He was a little stunned by it, but came back to order a second. I recommend the same to you - if you find this beer try it but don't judge oud bruin by it.
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Petrus
I have less to say about this one. It is a fine example of the style, and by itself I have enjoyed it many times. Next to the others, though, I found it a bit boring. It is much lighter in flavor intensity, with the driest finish of the bunch. It was the only example where I thought I could detect hops in the aftertaste. This one, Bellegem's and Goudenband would be tied as the best "starter" oud bruins. All three are very true to style, but there are more exciting things to graduate to. As Petrus comes in a smaller bottle and is only around $3.00 I would have to call it the oud bruin beginner's choice.
Petrus is imported by Better Beverages Importers.
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Bellegem's Bruin
This was another example of a lighter oud bruin. A little malty, a little sour and a little bready, it sat in the shadow of some of the other bigger beers. This is another good example of a starter bruin (see Petrus). It lacks the dryness of Petrus, so if you want to sample the style for the first time and dryness is a turn off for you consider this one. Despite the name, Bellegem's Bruin is considered a "Flanders Red". This is an offshoot of bruin but with more similarities that differences.
Bellegem's Bruin is imported by the Chateaux Selections.
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Felix
As I have mentioned elsewhere, it saddens me this one doesn't receive more attention. Of all the bruins of the evening this one was by far the most carbonated - perhaps beyond style. It is a medium sour beer and generally on the milder side but has some very nice complexity to it. The only way to say much more would be to yank out flavor details - which I promised not to do. Please don't let so few words throw you; if you are abroad, in the mood for an oud bruin and you see Felix I strongly recommend giving it a go.
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Vichtenaar
Tied with Ichtegem's for the biggest beer of the bunch. This one had a lot of intensity and a remarkable presence. It was equal in sourness to Ichtegem's, but it did not have the same dose of sweetness. Instead the balancing act was with a pronounced fruitiness. If you are familiar with the taste of cherries in Belgian beer I think you will make a connection with this one. In fact, we were all very surprised it was not a fruited beer. If I had to taste it blind I would have guessed Liefman's Kreikbier, although that would be a slight stretch. Still, it's as close as I could get. This one was also passed to the table of on-lookers next to us at the Old Bay. Many smiles.
If you are in Belguim and feel ready to graduate to a real hard hitter order up a Vichtenaar. It is a really distinct beer but not for the timid.
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Goudenband
I hate to say I think this beer has taken a dive in the last year or so. This was my first oud bruin, and my first sip left me staring in awe at the glass. There are many beers that have done this to me upon first contact and that still do. Sadly, Goudenband is not among them. It is slighly sour and a little malty, which leads to good balance but not much pizazz. Of all of them, it was the only one where I encountered a hint of the flavor of a dubbel. It didn't taste like a dubbel, but do you know that classic, bready Belgian taste in Chimay that many dubbels also have? It didn't shout, but it was in there. This would suggest to me a "mainstreaming" (in relative terms) has happened to Goudenband since it was seized by Riva.
Like Petrus and Bellegem's this is a good starter bruin, though it is pricey. It is no longer a hugely different beer, and will most likely not shock an open-minded novice.
Goudenband is imported by Phoenix Importers.
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Rodenbach Red
The classic Flanders red ale. This beer is why I was a holdout on the "are oud bruin and Flanders red the same style" issue. In the end I believe it is appropriate to group them together, but this beer is distinct. I was very surprised to find it was only medium sour in comparison with the rest. In the past I have found it to be very wine-like, but next to some of the very sour beers we had it really was not. I found it's malty character overtook it's sourness. It is really possible this was just a weird batch.
Anyway, in regards to malty chewiness this was on top. It was not as malty as some of the others, but the balance led away from tartness. When I say "chewiness" I refer to a maltiness that is not raw sweetness, but more elegant - almost a hint cakey. I must say again this may have been a flukey bottle.
Rodenbach is a Belgian classic, and I believe anyone interested in exploring Belgian beer who misses it has screwed up. If for no other reason taste it so you can say you did! Personally, I suspect you will find other reasons.
Rodenbach is imported by VanBerg & DeWulf.
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