Red Poppy | The Lost Abbey
Brewed by:
The Lost Abbey
California, United States
lostabbey.com
Style: Flanders Red Ale
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 6.50%
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
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Ratings: 2,009 | Reviews: 594
4.37/5 rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured from 375 mL bottle into snifter.
A: Pours a nice clear ruby hue with highly active carbonation jets fueling a 1-2 inch frothy light tan head with good retention.
S: Lovely cherries dominate the aroma. Hints of cinnamon, soft caramel, and an earthy spice note too.
T: Tart cherries, strawberries, cranberries, cinnamon, black pepper, and a good amount of oaky tannins.
M: Light-medium body. Tart and sour with some berry sweetness. Lingers and matures nicely on the palate.
D: Nice tart berries and cherries. Goes well on its own, but would be even better paired with food.
583 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured from 375 mL bottle into snifter.
A: Pours a nice clear ruby hue with highly active carbonation jets fueling a 1-2 inch frothy light tan head with good retention.
S: Lovely cherries dominate the aroma. Hints of cinnamon, soft caramel, and an earthy spice note too.
T: Tart cherries, strawberries, cranberries, cinnamon, black pepper, and a good amount of oaky tannins.
M: Light-medium body. Tart and sour with some berry sweetness. Lingers and matures nicely on the palate.
D: Nice tart berries and cherries. Goes well on its own, but would be even better paired with food.
583 characters
4.26/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Undated bottle poured into a snifter. A copper-red color with a faint tan head. Cherries and bread on the nose, with faint floral esters. A slick, not too tart, stone fruit flavor. Lots of Belgian esters but more accessible than the usual Flanders Reds. Clean and dry finishing. High carbonation. Outstanding.
309 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Undated bottle poured into a snifter. A copper-red color with a faint tan head. Cherries and bread on the nose, with faint floral esters. A slick, not too tart, stone fruit flavor. Lots of Belgian esters but more accessible than the usual Flanders Reds. Clean and dry finishing. High carbonation. Outstanding.
309 characters
4.59/5 rDev +7.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Red Poppy Pours a dark reddish/brown color, with a big fizzy head. Tart aroma, with hints of oak. Flavor is big, full, tart oak, hints of chart cherries, and a sour finish. Not overpowering, but very body. Overall, a fantastic beer, very full bodied, slightly sour, nice fruit flavors.
289 characters
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Red Poppy Pours a dark reddish/brown color, with a big fizzy head. Tart aroma, with hints of oak. Flavor is big, full, tart oak, hints of chart cherries, and a sour finish. Not overpowering, but very body. Overall, a fantastic beer, very full bodied, slightly sour, nice fruit flavors.
289 characters
4.34/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.21/5 rDev -1.6%
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
4.36/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.33/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2013 batch
A: Poured into a tulip glass to a deep mahogany topped by a dense finger and a half of cream colored head which fades slowly to a collar around the edge of the glass with minimal lacing
S: Smells of delicious sourness with some bright cherries, leather, oak, vanilla, and light caramel. Slight hints of funk as well. Huge complexity on the nose.
T: Taste is pretty sour up front with a lot of funk, oak, sour cherry, leather, slight vanilla and even more funk. Good fruity undertones throughout. Swallow is funk and oak with some lingering cherry and leather.
M: This beer has a mouthfeel that is on the lighter side of medium. Carbonation is quite effervescent which is nice and keeps things moving across the palate. The beer has a drying finish from the acidity and attenuation.
O: Overall this is a very well executed Flanders Red. It's a little heavy on the funk but it's also pushing five years old. Overall it's still well balanced and drinks well with a really nice complexity. Definitely worth a try if you can find it.
1,055 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2013 batch
A: Poured into a tulip glass to a deep mahogany topped by a dense finger and a half of cream colored head which fades slowly to a collar around the edge of the glass with minimal lacing
S: Smells of delicious sourness with some bright cherries, leather, oak, vanilla, and light caramel. Slight hints of funk as well. Huge complexity on the nose.
T: Taste is pretty sour up front with a lot of funk, oak, sour cherry, leather, slight vanilla and even more funk. Good fruity undertones throughout. Swallow is funk and oak with some lingering cherry and leather.
M: This beer has a mouthfeel that is on the lighter side of medium. Carbonation is quite effervescent which is nice and keeps things moving across the palate. The beer has a drying finish from the acidity and attenuation.
O: Overall this is a very well executed Flanders Red. It's a little heavy on the funk but it's also pushing five years old. Overall it's still well balanced and drinks well with a really nice complexity. Definitely worth a try if you can find it.
1,055 characters
3.98/5 rDev -7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Caged and corked bottle poured into a snifter
Solid dark brown liquid crowned by a taupe two finger foam cap, some lacings
Aroma is tart, sour cherries
Tart taste , get some of the oak as well. But, I get an off taste in this beer . Musty,
Good sudsing,
Good beer
270 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Caged and corked bottle poured into a snifter
Solid dark brown liquid crowned by a taupe two finger foam cap, some lacings
Aroma is tart, sour cherries
Tart taste , get some of the oak as well. But, I get an off taste in this beer . Musty,
Good sudsing,
Good beer
270 characters
4.21/5 rDev -1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
4.25/5 rDev -0.7%
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
4.25/5 rDev -0.7%
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
4.25/5 rDev -0.7%
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
4.06/5 rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
2014 vintage, cork and cage, served in a stemless glass. Medium brown body, one finger white head, short retention, not much lacing. Smell is huge lactic acid, cherries, slight toffee, lemon, oak, a bit vinous. This is an aggressive smelling Flanders red in terms of the lactic acidity, which actually dries out the palate a fair amount. I like the smell better than the flavour here. It's quite heavy on the lactic acidity, with a bit of cherry flesh; slight toffee sweetness adds a bit of balance, and the vinous oak character rounds it out. Carbonated (!), medium lighter body, nice drinking flanders despite the heavy lactic acidity, and actually not that far off from the likes of Rodenbach.
696 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
2014 vintage, cork and cage, served in a stemless glass. Medium brown body, one finger white head, short retention, not much lacing. Smell is huge lactic acid, cherries, slight toffee, lemon, oak, a bit vinous. This is an aggressive smelling Flanders red in terms of the lactic acidity, which actually dries out the palate a fair amount. I like the smell better than the flavour here. It's quite heavy on the lactic acidity, with a bit of cherry flesh; slight toffee sweetness adds a bit of balance, and the vinous oak character rounds it out. Carbonated (!), medium lighter body, nice drinking flanders despite the heavy lactic acidity, and actually not that far off from the likes of Rodenbach.
696 characters
4.55/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.5/5 rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
3.59/5 rDev -16.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
4.29/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
A - Dark mostly opaque brown with some light around the edges; bubbles like a soda, with a head that dissipates quickly.
S - Cherries; grapes; sweet tart fruits.
T - Medium sour cherries; like a cider.
M - Crisp and carbonated; Medium body.
O - Sourness is not overpowering and smell is pleasant.
302 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
A - Dark mostly opaque brown with some light around the edges; bubbles like a soda, with a head that dissipates quickly.
S - Cherries; grapes; sweet tart fruits.
T - Medium sour cherries; like a cider.
M - Crisp and carbonated; Medium body.
O - Sourness is not overpowering and smell is pleasant.
302 characters
4.34/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.49/5 rDev +4.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.23/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
Clear burgundy body with a constant white head, foam slightly sticking to glass, can see through bubbles going up.
Smells cherries, hint of acetic acid, notes of darker malt.
Tastes tartness up front, fruitiness comes next and then with a milder finish more on the stone fruit, light barrel flavours.
An overall great beer, not overly sour, just perfectly dosed as we know Flanders Red can be sometimes too much.
415 characters
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
Clear burgundy body with a constant white head, foam slightly sticking to glass, can see through bubbles going up.
Smells cherries, hint of acetic acid, notes of darker malt.
Tastes tartness up front, fruitiness comes next and then with a milder finish more on the stone fruit, light barrel flavours.
An overall great beer, not overly sour, just perfectly dosed as we know Flanders Red can be sometimes too much.
415 characters
4.08/5 rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
nice clear brown body with beautiful ruby highlights, deep beige foam that dissipates quickly,
notes of balsamic vinegar, dark wood, red fruits, morello cherries, raspberries, earthy, almost red culture cheese.
tart but not overly sour, balsamic vinegar, surprising spicy finish like cinnamon, dry and minerally, balancing caramel malt body. vanilla and vinegar after everthing else is long gone
prickling, little astringent aftertaste, tannins
This is a splendid interpretation of the flanders red ale. I paid a lot of money for a little bottle in the Netherlands and I know it is also expensive in the US. Compare it to the widely available leader in this category, Rodenbach (Grand Cru), and it feels greatly overpriced. I also enjoy the vinegar note more in the Grand Cru than here. The spiciness is nice though and makes it special. Great beer, tough price.
863 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
nice clear brown body with beautiful ruby highlights, deep beige foam that dissipates quickly,
notes of balsamic vinegar, dark wood, red fruits, morello cherries, raspberries, earthy, almost red culture cheese.
tart but not overly sour, balsamic vinegar, surprising spicy finish like cinnamon, dry and minerally, balancing caramel malt body. vanilla and vinegar after everthing else is long gone
prickling, little astringent aftertaste, tannins
This is a splendid interpretation of the flanders red ale. I paid a lot of money for a little bottle in the Netherlands and I know it is also expensive in the US. Compare it to the widely available leader in this category, Rodenbach (Grand Cru), and it feels greatly overpriced. I also enjoy the vinegar note more in the Grand Cru than here. The spiciness is nice though and makes it special. Great beer, tough price.
863 characters
4.6/5 rDev +7.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Red Poppy from The Lost Abbey
Beer rating:
4.28 out of
5 with
2,009 ratings
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