As I approach my review of this beer, I must say that it’s a difficult nut to crack. That’s because the conventional wisdom seems to place it as a five-star, world class brew. I think, if I’m not mistaken, beer savant Michael Jackson chose it as a selection for one of his beer of the month clubs. Others have rated it highly as well.
Now don’t get me wrong, I liked it well enough, too. I did find it a bit one dimensional though. Petrus Aged Pale has an intense, mouth puckering sourness to it that will definitely not appeal to all drinkers. It’s an acquired taste if there ever was one, I can assure you.
Petrus Aged Pale is slightly similar to the Flanders Red style of ale, also known as Oud Bruin. But only slightly similar. Rodenbach Grand Cru is the classic example of this style, but Petrus makes a very good one as well called Petrus Oud Bruin. The commonality between these and the Aged Pale lies in the maturation process, since both are aged in oak barrels that allow a bacterial fermentation that adds a distinctive tart and sour character.
However, the Oud Bruin style is a bit darker as you might expect than the pale. That seems to make a big difference here, as the sourness accents and complements the sourness in the Oud Bruin style. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. A taste of the Aged Pale would seem to be in order.
Petrus Aged Pale pours to a deep gold color with a thick foamy head and a very sour nose reminiscent of Sweet Tarts candies. A fine layer of Brussels lace coats the sides of your glass, and a steady stream of fine bubbles streams to the top of the glass. This is a very appealing beer to the eye indeed.
As soon as you sip, you realize that the malt body is surprisingly light. Or maybe it’s just dominated by the intense sourness. The beer has a winy, very sour, almost vinegary, mouth-puckering sour character. A hint of oak struggles to be recognized. Same applies to the finish, where it is again very tart and very sour.
The pale malt just doesn’t have a chance to stand up to the sourness, and to me that makes the beer rather one-dimensional. It’s still a unique beer, but I think I much prefer the Oud Bruin. That is a much more balanced brew, and in my opinion is all the better for it.
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