Elixir of the gods
I am on a quest to find out if Rodenbach beer is kosher. Rodenbach is an amazing Belgian brown ale, and was a rare treat prior to me keeping kosher as it is not readily available in the States.
You may say - but isn't all beer kosher? Typically - yes. However, Rodenbach is stored in wooden casks. Oftentimes, these can be old wine casks, which would make the beer not kosher.
I am not sure how to go about this investigation. I am pretty sure that no American certification agency would know anything about it - it is not a very common beer.
I am thinking that I may email the Chabad in Belgium and see if they know anything about it. Any ideas from my readers are appreciated!
Meanwhile, please enjoy this picture of the Great Synagogue of Brussels.
posted by e-kvetcher at 8:36 AM
10 Comments:
Well, thanks for the tip. I'll look for it. (You know, you can assume that it's battel b'shishim - though there is the notain taam problem.)
dbs, I do believe you're right. I recall reading on some website that the reason some whiskies are not cosher is that they are aged in sherry casks. But it seems like the battel b'shishim applies according to some authorities. You think there is a notain taam problem?
It's a subjective question. I doubt that it adds more than a very slight nuance to the flavor. Nottain taam must be an identifiable flavor to be a problem. Many frum (genuinely, not just relative to myself) people still drink scotch from sherry casks (and up until a few years ago, this was never even known as a problem - though single malts have become much more popular recently).
Okay. I just found this via google (it looks like it's been through babelfish):
\http://www.hbd.org/brewery/library/Rodnbch.html
Apparently, these are special barrels which are specifically used for brewing. Should be no problem. L'chaim.
You may need to find out if you need to make a "Hatov V'hamaitiv" if you've been drinking Bud and then switch to Rodenbach. :)
Dude, you made me a very happy man. Now to find a distributor...
PS I don't think that page was babelfished. I work with a Belgian and that is pretty much exactly how the guy speaks.
You may need to find out if you need to make a "Hatov V'hamaitiv" if you've been drinking Bud and then switch to Rodenbach. :)
Funny, especially because we were discussing Hatov V'Hamaitiv over Pesach, and my chavrusa and I just hit a Tosfos in Pesachim that discusses it also.
Was there ever a clear answer found to this question (it's been about ten years)?
Was there ever a clear answer found to this question (it's been about ten years)?
not that i know of
I don't know how dead this thread may be but I've had Rodenbach Red at Pardes Bistro in Brooklyn which is under OU supervision. I could use information on Rodenbach's Caractere Rouge, though.
It's pretty dead, but thanks for the info. I've been drinking it anyway, supervision be damned. Although my latest passion is Berliner Weisse beers. I've tried both 1809 and Bayerische Bahnhof Berliner Weisse. Both are amazing...
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