Recently I received a very lovely treat. Someone gave me a bottle of Rodenbach Caractère Rouge. Don’t know what that is? I don’t blame you. It is a once-a-year seasonal where they take the sour beer base and soak it in oak with cherry, raspberry and cranberry. The goal is to create a fuller, more complex and fruity version of their Grand Cru, which is a marvel of a beer.

With only 900 bottles produced annually, it can be expected that Caractère Rouge is usually not available in Alberta. So getting my hands on one was a bit of a coup. I picked the right moment to open it and savour what it offered from inside.

It pours a dark red, verging on brown. It is quite cloudy with not much head at all. It seems to have a darker, more intense colour than the usual Rodenbach and less carbonation. In the aroma I pick up moderate sourness but balanced by raspberry, cherry and other fruitiness. The sour is clean, slightly winy and lactic. I am reminded of a raspberry wine in the nose.

The flavour has a sharp tart to start, but it is quickly over-run, temporarily, by an enjoyable berry flavour. Raspberry, cherry and strawberry come through. The tartness re-asserts itself mid-palate only to again be countered by a soft fruitiness. It is a fun intertwining. The beer finishes clean and refreshing with a light berry linger.

This is a truly intriguing beer. It is more wine than beer in its presentation. It reminds me of berry-based wines I have sampled. The tartness is expertly delivered and the fruit just add a nice counterweight, making a surprisingly balanced beer. It is subtle, clean and refreshing. I could have this beer inplus-30 degrees or minus-30 degrees. It is a brilliant expression of what a flanders can be. The fruitiness contrasts the tartness wonderfully, creating a dangerously drinkable beer.

It is one of those beer to which I would love to have access at all times. Alas, I must satisfy myself with the one bottle I did procure.