Ichtegem Grand Cru Red Ale

Ichtegem's grand cru is a Flemish red ale. This unique style of beer is brewed as two separate beers, that are blended together to form the final product. Similar to the lambic geuze, one beer is brewed to be aged in oak barrels. This beer is aged for two years, where exposure to oxygen, the wood of the barrels, and naturally occuring microflora alter it's flavor, making it dry and sharp with an acidic tang. The second half of the equation is a sweet young beer, brewed before blending, that the brewer uses to balance the beer to his specifications. The Ichtegems grand cru is nutty, malty, and has a subtle dark cherry tang to it that balances it beautifully.