I've a habit of picking some fairly interesting and unique beers for review here, and what follows is no exception. Perhaps a brief of note explanation is in order. My wife Michelle is not a huge beer fan but over the several years it has taken me to grow into a confirmed beer geek, she has tried much of what I bring home (or make), and has developed a palate for some of the more rare beers available. In particular she likes the sour stuff; a nice Berliner Kindl is her favorite. But it is mixed blessing; we can enjoy a beer together, which is good, but cost and availability of these things makes it difficult to stock up. Drinking Budweiser would be cheaper, but not nearly as fun or tasty.
Beer Advocate has this to say about the style:
A Flanders Red, are commonly referred to as the "red" beers of West Flanders. Belgian Red Beers are typically light-bodied brews with reddish-brown colors. They are infamous for their distinct sharp, fruity, sour and tart flavors which are created by special yeast strains. Very complex beers, they are produced under the age old tradition of long-term cask aging in oak, and the blending of young and old beers.
So anyway...on to the review.
Monk's pours a hazy brown, swirling with a yeasty haze. A nice white head forms but quickly dissipates into lacing, though it did not stick around for the entire session.
The nose is a funky sourness, with some vague fruitiness. There is something else going on in the background, very subtle, but I couldn't tell what it was.
Mouthfeel is thin, but nicely carbonated. You can feel the bubbles quietly stirring if you pause before swallowing.
The taste…whoa buddy. Sour and lactic, initially puckering, but mellowing into a nice tartness. Some cherry and what could be granny smith apples is also coming through. Warming up, the flavor becomes more pronounced and less severe on the palate. A dull hop flavor is fighting with a subtle malt flavor, but the sour wins. No hint of bitterness, nor of spice.
Overall, a crisp refreshing beer, probably worthy of warm weather enjoyment. Michelle ended up drinking at least 1/3 of the glass, so add this one to her list!!
Labels: beer reviews