Way back in May 2010, I featured a beer on the Friday BeerBuzz that has become the most requested beer we have every featured. Everyone I talk to about the show mentions this beer and everyone loves it. The week was May 28th and the beer was Brewery Ommegang’s Three Philosophers. So this week I decided to see if we can find another readily available beer, with the same flavor and complexity AND excitement of 3P. We’ve spent the last 6-months parading great guest after great guest, and since it was just the Friday BeerBuzz team this week, I knew it was the perfect time for today’s beer. It seemed obvious to me that I needed to reach out to the country responsible for the brewing techniques needed to produce an amazing blended beer like Three Philosophers. It also seemed obvious that I needed to look for another Belgian Quad / Kriek lambic mix but most importantly, a beer that you can find locally on tap and in bottles…and boy did I find it.
This week we featured Kasteel Rouge (Caste Red) from The Castle Brewery Van Honsebrouck, Ingelmunster Belgium. This is a beer that IS readily available locally, but it has an amazing brewing heritage and history. The Castle (Kasteel) brewery Van Housebrouck has been in existence since 1900 and continues to brew some amazing beers. Certainly not the oldest brewery in Belgium, but by far one of the easiest to buy in NEPA.
While there is considerable secrecy about the exact recipe, Kasteel Rouge, is a blend of Kasteek Bruin, a strong Belgian Quad, and a Kriek lambic (probably their St. Louis Kriek). I’ve heard rumors of a simple sour cherry fruit infusion or even cherry brandy in the mix, but I suspect the brandy rumor isn’t true. The beer is aged for a year and comes out typically between 8.5 & 11% ABV..and I lean toward the 11% number. Kasteel Rouge is easy drinking and has sweet dark cherry notes ala Smith Brother’s cough drops…but in a good way.
Try this one for yourself and let me know.
Thanks
to John, Nancy, Joe & Bosco for yet another fun Friday.
The Friday Beerbuzz…bringing good beers and good people together.
As always you can check out the video on-line at the WILK Friday Beerbuzz page by clicking HERE
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Certain songs, certain smells, certain flavors can instantly put you in a specific place and time. Kasteel Rouge reminded me of two childhood tastes...Sweet Tarts and Smith Brothers cough drops...but you're right, in a GOOD way!
ReplyDeleteTasty, tart, and hi-test goodness. One or two of these by a fire? Fuhgeddaboudit!
Krugel's has it, go get some!
And all that and BeerCam too? Giddyup!
Thanks Bill,
John
webster@wilknewsradio.com
Thanks John...another fun show and a really great beer. BEER CAM is on the way and the show video is in progress so stay tuned and congratulations to the Beer Festival ticket winners in the Friday BeerBuzz TEST club...see you at the festival!!
ReplyDeleteA+ Guys!
ReplyDeleteGreat beer choice
ReplyDeleteAmy
My wife loves this beer and I never knoew it was blended or aged. Great info Bill.
ReplyDeleteMarty
You guys are hitting a home run every week. I have no idea how you continue to pick these great beers, but Rouge is one I know well, in fact I just had it on draft.
ReplyDeleteRyan W
Joined your text club yesterday and won free beer festival tickets today. I'll try to say hi this weekend at the fest.
ReplyDeleteThank you WILK!@
The buzzers strike again. On my way to Krugel's for lunch and a Kasteel ROuge 4-pak for Sat. Thanks Bill
ReplyDeleteAmy
Great idea on the Text club thing. I joined and tricked my wife by revealing your beer while we were listening before you did. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteAaron K (Hawley)
I love beer cam!
ReplyDeleteBeer Cam is amazing once again. Who picks the music? I laughed out loud with Lady Marmalade on the show too.
ReplyDeleteThanks Anon. Our Maistro Bosco picks the show music and I picked the beer cam music today...and I'd agree that Lady Marmalade from Moulin Rouge was great!
ReplyDeleteBeer Cam for Presdient! Seriously I love the Beer Camera shows and your beer choice today was supreme.
ReplyDeleteAndy JJ
A+++
ReplyDeleteNice beer
ReplyDeleteSee you on Sunday for the festival. This will be our first one so I was glad you spoke about it today. Good beer knowledge!
ReplyDeleteSteve K
All this beer fun...and I love all of your comments about Hanson. Funny stuff.
ReplyDeleteJJ
MMMMM Bop!
ReplyDeleteI've been tuning in to the program for a few months now. I'm not sure I've heard every show, but my wife and I have watched all of the video going back to May. I'm never compelled to comment, but I thought I'd pass on that we are thanksgiving thankful for the Friday Beerbuzz show. :)
ReplyDeleteWe're long time beer lovers, and you manage to get us excited about even the beers we've had many times. Your enthusiasm for the beer and your knowledge of the beer are top notch and I really don't know if you all realize what a great thing you're doing for our local beer community.
From a radio show standpoint I absolutely love it. There's so much doom and gloom in the new that It's a breath of fresh air to just hear you all enjoy a simple beer together. I only wish you would get Sue and Corbett to do the same on Friday afternoons.
In any case just wanted to say thank you. We love the show and it's become part of our weekend routine to watch the video. Fun show today and you all have such great chemistry, it's contageous. We have some Rouge in the basement so I promised my wife we'd get it out and sample some while we watch the video tomorrow.
Cheers to the Friday BeerBuzz!
Paul & Sheila (Plains, PA)
I planned to write in and say you guys have by far the best beer show in NEPA, but I decide you likely have one of the best beer shows in the state or even more. Insightful, funny, knowledgeable and super-creative (who invented beer cam)??
ReplyDeleteShaun
Thank you everyone. Paul & Sheila...thanks for taking the time to comment. We do appreciate the comments and we do get very excited when people like what we're doing. I'm a firm believer if you love what you do, that love comes out in the product---and we love what we're doing. Thank you again.
ReplyDeleteShaun--we'll take it! Thank you and Beer Cam was a beach beervention I created back in Aug...and it's been a ton of fun.
I WILL be attending the Split Rock Beer Festival this Sun 11/21---Mrs BeerBuzz & I will have on mybeerbuzz.com T-Shirts so please feel free to stop by and say hi....and I'll even buy you a beer ;)
Couldn't you get Hanson to do some MMMM-bop with a beer?
ReplyDeleteExcellento buzzers Kasteel makes a great beer.
ReplyDeleteYou guys have the best show by far. I'll buy you a beer at Split Rock.
ReplyDelete