Red Poppy Ale | The Lost Abbey
Brewed by:
The Lost Abbey
California, United States
lostabbey.com
Style: Flanders Red Ale
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 5.50%
Availability: Rotating
Notes / Commercial Description:
Perhaps no country embraces the use of fruit in beers more so than Belgium. Numerous traditional as well as regional specialty ales are infused with every sort of fruit imaginable. In this way, the flavor of the fruit becomes especially prominent.
Red Poppy Ale is a veritable celebration of Sour Cherries in an explosion of aromas and tastes. Brewed from a brown ale base and aged in our oak barrels for over 6 months, this beer is not for the faint of heart.
The Golden Poppy is the state flower of California and the Red Poppy is found in Flanders Fields where our inspiration for this beer comes from.
Added by BeerBeing on 09-07-2007
View: Beers | Place Reviews | Events
Ratings: 1,960 | Reviews: 580
4.29/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.38/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
3.84/5 rDev -9.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
Red Poppy is great if you are a Flanders Red fan. (Red Poppy is in the top-rated triumvirate of American renditions.)
But, I am not a Red Flanders fan (I've tried. Had 10; but the style has not grown on me.)
So, my rating is well-below the average. (Pay my buds no mind.)
With a billowing head it releases all its complexity and then settles down enough to drink. And I'm reminded of how difficult it is to blend sweet and sour into the same ale. Red Poppy does this well enough to enjoy with cherries and chocolate cookies for dessert. But that was separated from the meal by over an hour. So, the evening was a culinary success. But care is required to manage having a Flanders Red at meal-time.
Red Poppy is listed on "1001" and deserves to be there. It is an early stroke of excellence by American crafters interpreting this acquired taste.
846 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
Red Poppy is great if you are a Flanders Red fan. (Red Poppy is in the top-rated triumvirate of American renditions.)
But, I am not a Red Flanders fan (I've tried. Had 10; but the style has not grown on me.)
So, my rating is well-below the average. (Pay my buds no mind.)
With a billowing head it releases all its complexity and then settles down enough to drink. And I'm reminded of how difficult it is to blend sweet and sour into the same ale. Red Poppy does this well enough to enjoy with cherries and chocolate cookies for dessert. But that was separated from the meal by over an hour. So, the evening was a culinary success. But care is required to manage having a Flanders Red at meal-time.
Red Poppy is listed on "1001" and deserves to be there. It is an early stroke of excellence by American crafters interpreting this acquired taste.
846 characters
4.07/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Poured from a bottle into my Allagash tulip.
Look: Deep, dull copper, brown. Nice whitish tan head with lacing retained throughout drinking.
Smell: some Cedar and cherries. Slightest whiff of balsamic vinegar and some flowery/citrusy notes too.
Taste: Fresh bowl of sour cherries. Some oak notes--I think this beer is barrel aged in oak so this makes sense. Tart but not too overwhelmingly tart or sour. Pleasant and easy to drink, despite the oak presence this is very quaffable. Some lemon pith on the finish.
Feel: Very creamy full bodied beer. Would love to try this on nitro. Despite the full body, as stated earlier, this is very refreshing on a hot day.
Overall: I'm not sure where the poppy comes in to play on this beer--is it in the citrus notes? Despite that, this is very well crafted. I'm not sure I could justify buying another bottle given the price point, but this is an interesting take on a Flanders red. Not as vinegary tasting as the Belgian ones I've tried, but complex and enjoyable.
1,023 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Poured from a bottle into my Allagash tulip.
Look: Deep, dull copper, brown. Nice whitish tan head with lacing retained throughout drinking.
Smell: some Cedar and cherries. Slightest whiff of balsamic vinegar and some flowery/citrusy notes too.
Taste: Fresh bowl of sour cherries. Some oak notes--I think this beer is barrel aged in oak so this makes sense. Tart but not too overwhelmingly tart or sour. Pleasant and easy to drink, despite the oak presence this is very quaffable. Some lemon pith on the finish.
Feel: Very creamy full bodied beer. Would love to try this on nitro. Despite the full body, as stated earlier, this is very refreshing on a hot day.
Overall: I'm not sure where the poppy comes in to play on this beer--is it in the citrus notes? Despite that, this is very well crafted. I'm not sure I could justify buying another bottle given the price point, but this is an interesting take on a Flanders red. Not as vinegary tasting as the Belgian ones I've tried, but complex and enjoyable.
1,023 characters
4.21/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.38/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
I'm generally not gung-ho for sours, but this is an excellent one - great balance of sweet malt and sour fruit, with a crispness that's tempered with heavier oak tones. Good stuff!
181 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
I'm generally not gung-ho for sours, but this is an excellent one - great balance of sweet malt and sour fruit, with a crispness that's tempered with heavier oak tones. Good stuff!
181 characters
4.06/5 rDev -4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a deep dark reddish mahogany brown with an active two finger head of foam that dissipates to a light tan crown.
Sour cherries, oak, leather, and other dried fruit aromas.
Strong oak gives way to juicy and tart cherries.
Medium-bodied, high carbonation, tart, crisp, refreshing.
Overall, quite an enjoyable and easy drinking Flanders Red.
347 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a deep dark reddish mahogany brown with an active two finger head of foam that dissipates to a light tan crown.
Sour cherries, oak, leather, and other dried fruit aromas.
Strong oak gives way to juicy and tart cherries.
Medium-bodied, high carbonation, tart, crisp, refreshing.
Overall, quite an enjoyable and easy drinking Flanders Red.
347 characters
4.54/5 rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75
4.31/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.3/5 rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.29/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
3.74/5 rDev -11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
4.25/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
3.65/5 rDev -13.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
4.08/5 rDev -3.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Mysterious and murky garnet color with quickly disintegrating head. Lots of lacing. Huge bowl of fresh picked cherries in an oak bowl. Oak explodes on the palette followed by tart cherries and citrus pith for a short lived pucker. Good carbonation and a dry finish. Nice take on a Flanders.
290 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Mysterious and murky garnet color with quickly disintegrating head. Lots of lacing. Huge bowl of fresh picked cherries in an oak bowl. Oak explodes on the palette followed by tart cherries and citrus pith for a short lived pucker. Good carbonation and a dry finish. Nice take on a Flanders.
290 characters
4.55/5 rDev +7.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Deep brown with a ruby hue, no visible carbonation, and one finger of beige head.
Smells of vinegar, cherries, floral notes (perhaps the poppy seeds?) liquorice, dark and oaky, woody notes, funk and cellar.
Sour, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, deep, dark, oaken woody notes, hints of floral and cherry, but predominately a sour, lemon juice, acidic quality.
So dry with no sweetness, wonderfully smooth, foamy and rich carbonation.
Got this on in in Santa Rosa in Sept, 2016. Drinking today, March 29th, 2017 in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Heard about this years ago on new brew thursday, and added it to my beer bucket list. Was glad to have found it. Really good, more acidic and comparatively complex to its Belgian inspirations, its solid, with a great label and historical connection.
790 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Deep brown with a ruby hue, no visible carbonation, and one finger of beige head.
Smells of vinegar, cherries, floral notes (perhaps the poppy seeds?) liquorice, dark and oaky, woody notes, funk and cellar.
Sour, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, deep, dark, oaken woody notes, hints of floral and cherry, but predominately a sour, lemon juice, acidic quality.
So dry with no sweetness, wonderfully smooth, foamy and rich carbonation.
Got this on in in Santa Rosa in Sept, 2016. Drinking today, March 29th, 2017 in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Heard about this years ago on new brew thursday, and added it to my beer bucket list. Was glad to have found it. Really good, more acidic and comparatively complex to its Belgian inspirations, its solid, with a great label and historical connection.
790 characters
4.58/5 rDev +8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
3.62/5 rDev -14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Red appearance with a lighter head. The aroma smells like apple with a hint of cherry. Taste is very very dry and somewhat fruity. Too much carbonation and too dry for my taste.
179 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Red appearance with a lighter head. The aroma smells like apple with a hint of cherry. Taste is very very dry and somewhat fruity. Too much carbonation and too dry for my taste.
179 characters
Red Poppy Ale from The Lost Abbey
4.23
out of 5
based on 1,960 ratings.
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Dark burnt reddish-brown with a large beige foam that dies to a softer, creamy blanket with a thick, coral-esque collar.
Smell is oak, tart malic cherry, and deep, rich wood and toasted seeds.
Taste is nice and balanced, not as sharp as the nose suggests, with a cherry/Bruin essence, toasted brown toast and cracker, charred oak, and a lactic after taste.
Full body with a light froth and a dry finish.
406 characters