La Folie

The beer pours a slightly hazy, walnut brown color with a very mousse-like and long-lasting tan head. The aroma is slightly acidic, with some medium-dark, cooked caramel malt notes. There are also notes of cherry and some low raspberry impressions, possibly from the anticipation of tartness. I do not get any hop aroma, but for the Oud Bruin style that is typical. The flavor is very well done. The first thing you notice is the tartness, which gives the impression of sour cherries when coupled with the esters. I do get some more dark cooked caramel malt, which is pleasant, and some hop bitterness in the middle that hangs out into the finish. For a sour brown, the flavors are well-blended and work well together. The acidic sourness does dominate over all other flavors but the malt and fruity esters are not so restrained that you can't pick them out. The beer is quite sour, but not so much so that it’s unpleasant or puckering. It does finish quite dry, which is good. The mouthfeel is medium-low with a medium level of carbonation, and I get a bit of alcohol warmth in the finish as well. Overall the beer is extremely well done for an Oud Bruin. I enjoyed the malt profile combined with the tartness that blended into a combination of cherry, light raspberry and black plums as the beer warmed. I’d highly recommend this refreshing and flavorful beer for any fans of Oud Bruin out there.