danger red

I take all beers with good will, despite being leery of some.  If I can avoid the typical Belgian beer, I will.  Still, I've had some very nice ones, and you always have to keep yourself open to something new.  La Maison Belge on Santa María de la Cabeza specializes in Low Country beers, mostly Belgian with a few Dutch brews thrown in.  If there's a safe place to get a Belgian beer, I guess that'd be it.  They also have a selection from La Virgen now, which I don't remember seeing the first time I went.  Gotta support local industry, even if it has some (ahem) international support.  Actually, AB InBev is based in Belgium I think, so it all fits together.  After a bit of browsing, I picked up Corsendonk Rouge, thinking a red beer would be a nice compromise between my beloved black beers and the oppression of the seasonal temperatures.

The aroma is appley, crisp, and sweet, and the head is lively and robust.  I guess the beer is redd-ish, sort of a coppery color.  It does fit more closely with "amber".  If you get your nose down in it the aroma goes a little sour.  The taste is Belgian; hits with sweet, tails off with sour.  While other Belgian beers do have some bitter in the middle or even the beginning, Corsendonk Rouge covers it up pretty well.  There might be just the slightest hint of it at the top of the swallow.  But, mostly it's a cidery sweet, a bit thick in the mouth. It is a nice smooth beer, and doesn't get all syrupy or develop some weird tangy aftertaste.  It is, perhaps, a wee bit heavy for the sunny afternoon.  Not too much though, not by a long shot.  And the light fruity sweetness of the flavor keeps it refreshing and a reasonable choice even for a summer drink.  Well done this time, Belgium.

Supplier: La Maison Belge
Price: €2.90