About Roudenbach, I understand that the new importers are serious about keeping the supply lines open. The trick, of course, is an import rep in our area, who cares about the beer and can talk it up to distributors and pubs. And people like you and I. We do have influence. Pub owners and proprietors at good beer stores do listen. Especially, if they try what we suggest and like it.

I truly love both Supplication and La Roja. I spent a happy hour at the GABF in Denver last year at the Jolly Pumpkin booth. They had an amazing assortment of sour beers.

I’ve been hitting German restaurants recently lookkng for Berliner Weisse, haven’t tried it in a few years. So far, no luck. Apparently the sole Weisse imported, I believe it’s Schluheiss, is not coming into the U.S. at this moment. At least thats what the manager at Suppenkuche in San Francisaco told me a couple of week ago.

Cantillon Bruocsella is wonderful, nice straight lambic with no carbonation. It really changes the mouthfeel and finish. Compare with a good bottle of Cantillon Iris in the same sitting.

Rodenbach Classic and Grand Cru. Wonderfully refreshing complexity with a little sweet and a little sour, a little brett, a little acetic. Sorry to see these drifting away again for a while because of distribution problems. Classic is sold in cans in Belgium. If I’m ever stuck in a train station in Belgium, I’m going to go looking for cans of Rodenbach to kill the time..

For the American take on these things it’s hard to beat Russian River Supplication. La Roja from Jully Pumpkins is a nice twist on a Flanders Red.

And then there’s the awesome lactic refreshing Schultheiss Berliner Weisse. Who says all Germans make are lagers?

also: tonight is the last night for the Linden street friday thing. at least for a bit. I’ll be there.