Vlaams roodbruin bier

Vlaams roodbruin is a reddish-brown beer with a mildly acidic taste. What defines it is the maturation: all or part of the beer spends a long time in foeders, huge upright oak barrels. There, yeasts and bacteria continue their work and give the beer its acidity and fruity aroma.

Brewing begins like other top-fermented beers. Then, in the wood, mixed fermentation occurs with microorganisms such as Saccharomyces, Lactobacillus and Brettanomyces. Many breweries blend matured beer with young beer to balance the flavor. Hops are used sparingly, because bitterness does not pair well with acidity.

Its origin lies in the Middle Ages, in the former County of Flanders, west of the Scheldt river. Beer was flavored with a mixture of herbs, the gruit, instead of hops, and therefore did not keep well; maturation in wood and slight acidity helped preserve it. Later, the matured beer began to be blended with young beer, a technique that survives today.

The European Union registered the name Vlaams roodbruin bier / Flanders Red Ale as a protected geographical indication. Brewing, maturation in the barrels and blending must take place in defined parts of West Flanders, where breweries in towns such as Roeselare and Vichte maintain whole rooms of foeders.

It is served cool, as an aperitif or at the table. Some versions include red fruits, and those with more matured beer are more acidic and complex.