Friday beer review Bacchus

Bacchus, an "oud bruin" in the Belgian style brewed by the same brewery as Kasteelbier, is a truly remarkable beer. The beer pours a deep reddish-brown color with a creamy, off-white head that dissipates quickly. The aroma is a complex blend of sour cherries, raisins, and hints of vinegar, with a slightly sweet caramel undertone.

Upon first taste, the sourness of Bacchus immediately hits the tongue, with a strong tart cherry and sour apple flavor. This is balanced by a sweet caramel maltiness, which provides a pleasant contrast to the sourness. The beer finishes with a lingering tartness that invites another sip.

The sourness is the result of the fermentation taking place partially by lactic acid bacteria. "Oud bruin" are partly barrel aged, and than the bottled product is a part "new" beer (though completely fermented), mixed with a part barrel aged beer. SOme breweries will have different varieties with different percentages new vs aged. the aged beer tends to be a lot more sour.

The mouthfeel of Bacchus is medium-bodied with moderate carbonation. The sourness gives it a refreshing, almost effervescent feel, while the sweetness adds a certain smoothness and richness to the beer. This balance between sour and sweet makes it a perfect beer to pair with food.

Overall, Bacchus is a delicious and complex beer that is a must-try for anyone who loves Belgian sour beers. It's a great example of the oud bruin style, and the brewery behind it has done an excellent job in crafting a beer that's both flavorful and refreshing. Highly recommended.

Below, you can find a picture not of the regular Bacchus, but of a Bacchus Frambozenbier, which is a bacchus which was barrel aged with raspberries added to the barrrel.

cheers

Soti, Bacchus frambozenbier, CC BY-SA 3.0