The clock turns over

At 2.25pm on Thursday 28th April 2005 I was sitting at my desk in the basement of Leinster House. Mindful that I'd be beering in Birmingham in a few weeks' time, and that Oktoberfest was on the horizon for the autumn, I figured it was time to stop putting off starting a beer blog. Having satisfied myself that all the good names were already taken I picked a rubbish one, wrote an introductory post and clicked "Publish".

And here we are now: ten years, 1100 posts and some 4000 beers later. I suppose some sort of celebration is called for. I bought some Rodenbach Caractère Rouge, special like. Rodenbach has been my drinking buddy for longer than 10 years, so it seemed an appropriate choice.

This is a 7% ABV special edition given two years in oak and then six months ageing on raspberries, cherries and cranberries. I don't know if six months is a lot or a little as these things go, but the fruit certainly leaps out, with an immediate burst of tart fresh raspberries on the first sip, and then luscious juicy cherries coming in after and the dry tang of cranberry juice putting an edge on the finish. And the mature sour base beer is also present, subtle wood and just the light, refreshing acetic quality that I love about standard Rodenbach but is overdone in the Grand Cru. I'm glad it comes in 75cl bottles because it's very easy drinking. Well, it is my birthday, after all.