Flanders Red: The Burgundy of Belgium
A regional specialty ale in Belgium, the red and brown sour beers of Flanders have an almost cult-like following among beer enthusiasts and have helped inspire the modern craft beer obsession with creating soured barrel-aged beers. Borrowing 19th century English techniques, the modern Flanders red ale is somewhat of a throwback style. It has had challenges in finding a wider market without losing its traditional character, a problem shared with many historical styles.
Flanders red and the related oud bruin (old brown) are characterized as different styles by the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP), styles 23B and 23C respectively, but Belgians consider them as part of the same family of beer. The BJCP differentiates them because there are sensory differences between the two styles, enough to be detected by judges. I find it ironic that people argue about them being considered the same style by Belgians. Wait. Aren’t these the same people who don’t believe in styles at all? Pick a position. In my opinion they are different, but related; cousins within the same family. Michael Jackson was probably the first to talk about Flanders red as distinct from oud bruin.
The red and brown beers share mixed fermentation, as well as an extended aging period. Reds are traditionally oak-aged in large barrels while browns are not. The finished product represents a blending of old and young versions in varying percentages to give a different drinking experience. Versions with a higher percentage of aged beer have a more assertive acidity. Some versions may be sweetened, although this isn’t traditional. Blending with a younger version is the traditional method of balancing sweetness.
The red and brown beers of Flanders differ from lambics in that they are not spontaneously fermented and they don’t traditionally contain wheat.
The red and brown beers of Flanders differ from lambics in that they are not spontaneously fermented and they don’t traditionally contain wheat. Fruited versions have been produced — and they are wonderful. These beers don’t have a heavy yeast character from the primary Saccharomyces strain, contrasting with many other famous beers of Belgium, but rely on the mixed fermentation and aging process to develop complexity.
History
It’s hard to talk about this style without focusing on Rodenbach Brewery, due to their size and influence. They basically have set the standard for the style even though others make something similar. Rodenbach was established in 1821 in the West Flanders town of Roeselare, but the current Rodenbach product doesn’t really trace to that age. A visit to England in the 1870s introduced the concept of aging and maturing beer in giant wood vats, which was then copied at the brewery. So in some ways, this Belgian beer is carrying on an English tradition. The blending of old and young beers was also part of this foreign heritage.
Wild or mixed fermentations are common in Belgium, but the wild ales of Flanders don’t rely on spontaneous fermentation through open-air coolships as do the lambic breweries of the Senne Valley. Rodenbach developed their mixed fermentation slurry over time, and often provided it to local breweries (famously, to the “Mad Brewers,” De Dolle). However, they no longer provide this service after the company was sold to a larger brewery group, Palm.
The sour ales of Flanders developed over time, but modern examples are influenced by the red ale of Rodenbach and the brown ale of Liefmans. Jeff Sparrow wrote in Wild Brews that reds are from West Flanders and are matured in wood, while browns are from East Flanders and matured in stainless steel. I don’t know if this was traditionally true but I know of browns that are aged in wood, such as Ichtegem and Petrus. As the Belgians don’t really differentiate between the styles, it’s probably better to think of the beers as being from Flanders with a variety of production techniques utilized to produce them.
Sensory Profile
I think this style confuses a lot of people because of how it is described as “wine-like” — I think that point needs some clarification. Michael Jackson wrote that the beer style is the “most refreshing in the world” and called them the “Burgundies of Belgium.” But it’s pretty clear he was talking about the oldest examples of Rodenbach. Tasting some sweetened examples made me wonder what kind of hooch people were used to if they were calling it “wine-like.” But the best examples can inspire that image, even if it is echoing Rodenbach marketing — “C’est vin!”
What makes this style wine-like is its color (a beautiful deep red), its acidity (although light acetic acid would be a serious fault in wine), its fruity flavors, and its dry, tannic finish. It isn’t as strong as wine, and the acidity can be stronger, but the red fruity flavors are appropriate. Malt is serving the same purpose as the grape, providing some body and the oak aging gives it some structure.
Yet no one should literally believe that the beer is mistakable for wine. Certainly not when it has been sweetened, or when some acetic acid is present. The sweetened versions remind me more of balsamic vinegar, in fact. So please don’t repeat the “wine-like” characterization as literal – think of it more as an artistic impression or interpretation rather than a direct copy. If you do want to compare it to wine, a high-acid Burgundy would be closest, showing off Pinot Noir grapes.
A Flanders red ale should have a deep red color and be clear. It can have a low white head, but otherwise should look like a red wine. It should have an aroma of fruit such as black cherries, plums, red currants, or oranges; the fruitiness can be fairly strong, but there is also the impression of sourness and spice. The acidity can have a light acetic (vinegar) note, but this should never be strong. The spices can be light vanilla, if the beer was wood-aged. Sometimes there is a light chocolate note, although a stronger chocolate character is more characteristic of an Oud Bruin instead. There can be a moderate toasty-rich maltiness present, which may have a lightly sweet note.
The flavor is similar to the aroma in its fruitiness and spice. The sourness tends to have a complexity, not just be a simple lactic sourness. It should not be funky, however, and the sourness shouldn’t be overly vinegar-like. The hop bitterness is restrained but enough to keep the maltiness in check, and the finish is usually dry. If the beer was aged in wood, some tannic notes help the impression of dryness and balance the malt. It shouldn’t seem overly oaky, however. Like a fine red wine, the oak should be providing structure and balance, not be prominent. Toasty malt flavors round out the beer, but some versions are sweetened.
The body tends to be medium, not heavy, although the tannins can provide some additional body in younger examples. Carbonation is moderate or less, and the beer remains light on the palate due to the acidity. Sweetened versions will seem heavier.
Brewing Ingredients and Methods
The grist of these beers is based on knowledge of the Rodenbach recipe. Vienna malt as the base, with some additional Munich malt for richness. Corn is used to lighten the body and flavor. Specialty malts provide some flavor and color, with moderate color crystal-type malts being common, as well as some darker crystal malts like Special B providing additional color and raisin-like flavors. The color may be adjusted further with some darker malts, as a touch of black malts helps give a true red shade to the beer. Rodenbach says that the darker malts and corn help control the unwanted acetic acid bacteria by providing anti-oxidants and lowering the protein content of the wort.
The mash program typically uses an infusion mash, with either a single step or multiple steps. As the mixed fermentation involves a complex mix of yeast and bacteria, worrying too much about mashing for attenuation isn’t a problem – the microbiota will consume most everything. Unlike many other Belgian beer styles, sugar is not typically part of the recipe. The boil is often long so as to encourage the Maillard reaction, which also helps provide anti-oxidants, color, and flavor.
This isn’t a hoppy beer, so using typical Belgian or German hops will be fine. Lower alpha acid varieties with a floral or spicy character are typical for many Belgian breweries. Some people caution against adding too many hops as this can inhibit some bacteria, but I haven’t noticed this problem in this style. Hops should be restrained but this isn’t a kettle-soured beer, so don’t look for a quick lactic acidity. You want to develop complexity that only time can bring.
Flanders red and brown beers aren’t spontaneously fermented like lambics are, but they do share many of the same yeast and bacteria. Saccharomyces, Brettanomyces, Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, and others are common. Brettanomyces tends to give more of a fruity character than a leathery or horse blanket flavor in this style. Pediococcus shouldn’t give the beer a buttery diacetyl character, either. But you are looking for a complex acidity. Acetobacter can come into play in this style, but you have to be careful about it since it can rapidly overpower a beer. I wouldn’t introduce this bacteria intentionally; Belgians don’t.
One of the distinguishing factors between Flanders red and brown ales is that the reds tend to be oak-aged. In Belgium (Rodenbach, at least), they use enormous oak foudres (foeders), which are like vertical casks. Reminiscent of vatted porter, these are used for maturing the beer and developing the acidity. When replicating this character on the homebrew level, just keep in mind the surface area of beer in contact with the wood. If you use a smaller barrel, you will be getting much more wood than in these beers. Rodenbach ages their beer for about two years at ambient temperatures of 59 °F to 77 °F (15 °C to 25 °C). This maturation process helps develop the acidity and also to produce many of the fruity notes as organic acids esterify.
Another interesting production method is similar to gueuze in that the beers are often blended. Rodenbach has several beers that display a varying quantity of the “good stuff” or the most-aged beer. Blending an older and a younger version can temper the acidity and smooth the flavor. Some versions are sweetened, or fruit is added.
I was fortunate to visit Rodenbach one week after touring New Belgium in 2006. The beer served at Rodenbach directly from the foudres was very similar to what New Belgium was packaging as their La Folie at the time. However, the foudre beer at Rodenbach was more aggressively sour than what was packaged as Rodenbach Grand Cru; that beer had been blended. The ordinary Rodenbach had even more of the younger beer in the blend. So understand that there is a range to the style, and even among the classic providers, there is a varying degree of acidity and intensity. Other providers sweeten the beer, although (as with lambics) I feel this is getting further away from the classic style while chasing inexperienced palates.
Homebrew Example
This one is going to take some time, so please prepare yourself for it. I’m going to focus my comments on the special notes. The recipe itself is straightforward, and follows the types of ingredients typical of a Rodenbach-style ale. I like the wort for other uses too, so you can also use it for an amber lager with a clean German lager yeast. You can probably also make a clean ale from it too. If you make a larger batch, you can enjoy the other versions while you’re waiting for this one to finish.
I’m using first wort hopping in this recipe but you can convert it to a 60-minute boil addition if you like. I like a little hop flavor in my beer, although it isn’t traditional. It tends to fade anyway during aging, and I think it adds a little background complexity. I have chocolate wheat in this recipe, but any huskless dark malt will do since it is just for color adjustment.
This recipe uses an oak spiral. Please boil it first to help remove some of the fresh-cut wood flavor and tannins. The usage rate isn’t high, but it will be in contact for a long time. If you can’t get medium-plus toast, medium toast is also good. Hungarian oak can be used instead, but I wouldn’t use American oak due to the stronger flavors it instills including vanilla and dill. French oak should be fairly easy to find, though. If you can’t find spirals, you can use cubes but I’d avoid chips, powder, or other smaller formats. Small barrels typically add too much oak, so I wouldn’t use those either unless it is well-used and neutral in profile.
The yeast is a special blend of a variety of yeast and bacteria. It takes a long time to work, so don’t rush this one. Don’t make a starter (manufacturer’s recommendation) since there is a balance of yeast here. The sourness may take some time to develop, so don’t expect a rapidly soured beer. I think the complexity gained over time actually tastes better, so again, be patient. There may or may not be a pellicle formed, so don’t be stressed if it doesn’t. Don’t try to intentionally oxidize the beer or introduce oxygen later to encourage Acetobacter growth.
The final gravity may be lower than I suggest, depending on what the yeast and bacteria do. If the beer is too sour for your liking, you can blend it with a version of this recipe made fresh and fermented with a clean yeast. When you’re dealing with these kinds of wild fermentations it’s hard to get perfectly repeatable results so don’t despair. If after a year the beer isn’t sour enough, you can pitch some dregs from commercial sour beers with a profile you like. I don’t like this practice early since it doesn’t give your fermentation a chance and doesn’t really show you what the selected yeast blend can do.
Flanders Red by the Numbers:
OG: 1.048–1.057
FG: 1.002–1.012
SRM: 10–16
IBU: 10–25
ABV: 4.6–6.5%
Gordon Strong’s Flanders Red
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.050 FG = 1.010
IBU = 16 SRM = 17 ABV = 5.3%
Ingredients
7 lbs. (3.2 kg) Vienna malt
2 lbs. (0.91 kg) flaked maize
12 oz. (340 g) dark Munich malt (9 °L)
12 oz. (340 g) Caramunich® III malt
6 oz. (170 g) Special B malt
2 oz. (57 g) chocolate wheat malt
3.4 AAU Styrian Goldings hops (first wort hop) (0.75 oz./21 g at 4.5% alpha acids)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Saaz hops (5 min.)
Wyeast 3763 (Roeselare Ale Blend), or White Labs WLP665 (Flemish Ale Blend), or White Labs WLP655 (Belgian Sour Mix 1), or Yeast Bay WLP4633 (Melange Blend Yeast)
French oak spiral, medium-plus toast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
This recipe uses reverse osmosis (RO) water. Adjust all brewing water to a pH of 5.5 using phosphoric acid. Add 0.5 tsp. of calcium chloride and 0.5 tsp. of calcium sulfate to the mash.
This recipe uses a single infusion mash. Use enough water to have a moderately thick mash (1.5 qts./lb. or 3.1 L/kg). Mash the Vienna, Munich, and maize at 153 °F (67 °C) for 60 minutes. Add the remaining specialty malts, raise the temperature to 168 °F (76 °C) and recirculate for 15 minutes.
Sparge slowly and collect 6.5 gallons (24.5 L) of wort. First wort hops go into the kettle early in the sparging phase. Boil the wort for 75 minutes, adding hops at the times indicated in the recipe.
Chill the wort to 66 °F (19 °C), pitch the yeast, and ferment for 12–18 months. Put the oak spiral into the fermenter at the start of fermentation; before using, lightly boil the spiral for 15 minutes, discarding the water and using the spiral.
Rack the beer, prime and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate.
Flanders Red
(5 gallons/19 L, partial mash)
OG = 1.050 FG = 1.010
IBU = 16 SRM = 17 ABV = 5.3%
Ingredients
3 lbs. (1.4 kg) pale ale dried malt extract
1 lb. (0.45 kg) Vienna malt
2 lbs. (0.91 kg) flaked maize
12 oz. (340 g) dark Munich malt (9 °L)
12 oz. (340 g) Caramunich® III malt
6 oz. (170 g) Special B malt
2 oz. (57 g) chocolate wheat malt
3.4 AAU Styrian Goldings hops (first wort hop) (0.75 oz./21 g at 4.5% alpha acid)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Saaz hops (5 min.)
Wyeast 3763 (Roeselare Ale Blend), or White Labs WLP665 (Flemish Ale Blend), or White Labs WLP655 (Belgian Sour Mix 1), or Yeast Bay WLP4633 (Melange Blend Yeast)
French oak spiral, medium-plus toast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
This recipe uses reverse osmosis (RO) water. Adjust all brewing water to a pH of 5.5 using phosphoric acid. Add 0.5 tsp. of calcium chloride and 0.5 tsp. of gypsum to the mash.
This recipe uses a single infusion mash. Heat 7.5 qts. (7.1 L) of water to about 165 °F (74 °C). Place the crushed Vienna and Munich malts and maize in a large muslin bag and submerge the bag. Stir to make sure no dough balls exist. Rest at 153 °F (67 °C) for 60 minutes. Add the remaining specialty malts in separate bag, raise the temperature to 168 °F (76 °C) if you can without scorching the bags. Remove both bags and place in a large colander. Wash the grains with 2 gallons (7.6 L) of hot water. Add the malt extract and stir thoroughly to dissolve completely. Top off kettle to 6.5 gallons (24.6 L), add the first wort hop, then turn the heat on and bring to a boil.
Boil the wort for 60 minutes, adding hops at the times indicated. Follow the all-grain instruction for fermentation temperature, aging timeframe, and packaging.
