And who has tried an
oud bruin?
The name literally translates as "old brown", referring to the long
aging process which can take up to a year. It undergoes a
secondary fermentation, which takes several weeks to a month,
and is followed by bottle aging for several more months. The
extended aging allows residual
yeast and
bacteria to develop a
sour flavor characteristic for this style. While some examples
of an Oud Bruin may be aged in oak, typical beers in this style
are not, and this is what helps Flanders Brown ales distinguish
themselves from the more sour
Flanders Red ales. This style
of beer is medium bodied, reddish-brown, and has a gentle
malty flavor and no hop bitterness. The aroma is a complex
mixture of fruits and estery smells of plum, raisin and cherry.
The flavor is sweet, caramel, fruity, tart, and slightly acidic,
caused by various bacteria in the maturation process. In a
good example, the tartness is often balanced with a malty
character, tasting of toffee and a giving a "sweet-and-sour"
impression. Commercial versions may mix aged beer with
younger, sweeter beer to temper the acidity and create
a more complex flavor.
(wikipdia)