Last night I went to a going away party for one of our soon-to-be grads. After having a few pints of Guinness the party broke up. I went to another bar with 2 folks, fully intending to drink only water.

Having acquired my water I began perusing the list of fine beers they have. I happened to notice that they had a “Rodenbach” on tap currently. I went up to the bartender and asked if this might in fact be the Belgian Rodenbach and, if so, how long they might have it on tap. She said, “Yes,” and began extolling its virtues to me. I quickly told her I was well aware of its many virtues having drunk it by the case for over 3 years in Belgium in the mid-80s. I asked how long they would have it, intending to come back another time. She said, “It only comes in these tiny little kegs and when the one they have is empty, well, that would be it.” Sigh.

I had no choice. Really. I had to have one. I even had to borrow $2 from my friend to afford it. But I had to have it. Rodenbach was one of the 3 main beers I drank for my 3+ years in Belgium.

Belgium makes the oddest, but often wonderful, beers. Lambecks, krieks, framboises, geuzes, top- and bottom-fermented ales, lots of monks involved, and so on.

Rodenbach is a Belgian sour ale. It isn’t all that heavy, but it is pretty dark. It also smells kind of vinegary, and even has a small bite of acridness. While it is not an everyday beer, it is exquisite. The funny thing is, I don’t remember ever having it in draft in Belgium. I got it in brown 33cl bottles with wonderful painted labels. I may still have a bottle somewhere in storage. It doesn’t look like they have painted labels anymore; ‘progress’ is not always a good thing.

I’m hurting just a bit today, but man, oh man was it ever so tasty.