24th Anniversary Flanders-Style Ale
Karl Strauss Brewing Company

very smooth for a flanders. Some ageing helped mellow it. Cherry character. Very lovely. Reddish colour.

 

This has been aged two years. Maybe it's the age, but the taste is mellowed. I don't get much puckering effects. It's pretty flat. I get some cherry, and wine flavor.

From BeerAdvocate Magazine #75 (April 2013):

Wow, happy 24th. One hell of a milestone for this industry. Karl Strauss taking a departure from their norm by going sour for their anniversary brew. Very well put together, a sipper all the way but something we could easily gravitate to if it was year-round and readily available.

STYLE: Flanders Red Ale
ABV: 7.5%
AVAILABILITY: Limited

LOOK: Semi-clear garnet, solid lacing

SMELL: Cherry pits, citrus pith, lemongrass, earthy, woody, bready, blackberry, tart

TASTE: Medium bodied, healthy tartness, pulling woodiness, vanilla, cherry skin, slight warmth, hint of caramel, fresh grass, vague spice, woody finish

 

 

 

 

 

 

Slightly hazy dark amber pour with little head retention despite the high level of carbonation. Moderately sour with aroma and flavors of apple cider vinegar, oak, and earth. There is some sweet caramel and apple cider on the aroma. The flavor is strong on the oak and brings a very dry, tannic and astringent bitter finish. The carbonation is a too much while the mouthfeel is oily and slick. Overall, decent but not recommended.

 

 

 

 

 

Poured from the bottle into a tulip glass.

At first glance this appears chestnut mahogany brown, but when fully poured it comes with a very deep Indian red. A simple tan head of three fingers is produced on the pour, and some slow settling happens to a bubbly puck. There's some noticeable snapping audible carbonation on this as well, and just a faint middle column of rising carbonation through the glass.

Very interesting nose. Some brown sugar, light classic soft acidity and oak round character. A bit simple, but done well, there's a hint of soft brown sugars here more so and moves toward vanilla cream. Real nice, definitely unique, but very subtle.

What a real interesting palate. Matching bouquet in flavor, but there is a lot dry and spritzy carbonation. Biting mineral water carbonation, which really does take away from the flavors in the palate. All the flavors are here though, real nice soft oaky vanilla, a mild soft tartness of sour cherry, with an incredible matching cream vanilla finish, just real impressive. There's a hint of toasted malts coming out here like a baked bread with cherries in it.

This is a real interesting take on the style, with some unique barrel character coming out of it. The carbonation though is just too high and cuts through and jars a bit. If that was just dialed down and letting the mouthfeel soften this beer would really start rocking. Still though the palate delivers nicely, uniquely, but subtly. You have to dig, but it's worth it. Nice brew, just wish this could be great (cause it can).