Brouwerij van Honsebrouck is one of the larger independent breweries in Belgium. Still a family-owned business, it has origins dating back to 1811, and is now being controlled by the 5th generation of the family.
The brewery is in Ingelmunster, with the ‘Kasteel’ label commencing in 1989 following the family purchase of the magnificent Ingelmunster Castle.
The first Kasteel beer produced was the Donker, an 11% strong dark ale we featured in December 2014. The Rouge is a blend of Donker and sweet cherry liqueur.
The aroma and colour scream cherry beer. The flavour of the sweet cherries dominates the malt of the dark beer, though it is in the background lending hints of chocolate, and a little soft hop bitterness.
It is one for the sweet-tooth, and is like drinking a sweet cherry liqueur without any alcohol presence. This beer I prefer served cooler. It is a great aperitif on a hot afternoon.