Monk's Café Flemish Sour Ale | Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V.
Brewed by:
Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V.
Belgium | website
Style: Flanders Oud Bruin
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 5.50%
Availability: Year-round
Notes / Commercial Description:
Brewed for Monk's Café in Philadelphia, but also available for retail purchase elsewhere. Oud Bruin in style; a traditional blend of young and old beers.
Added by nomad on 06-19-2003
Reviews: 1,128 | Ratings: 2,901
3.71/5 rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
L: Dark brown, almost black body. Head is rocky and reduces to a thin lace.
S: Sour funky smell with some dark fruit, like apples or cherries.
T&F: Taste is slightly sour. I get an apple like flavor reminiscent of a cider. A little bit a malt with some tannins in the finish that makes it somewhat dry.Moderate carbonation.
O: Could use a little more tartness but overall pretty enjoyable. Fruity and refreshing for a summer day.
★ 432 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
L: Dark brown, almost black body. Head is rocky and reduces to a thin lace.
S: Sour funky smell with some dark fruit, like apples or cherries.
T&F: Taste is slightly sour. I get an apple like flavor reminiscent of a cider. A little bit a malt with some tannins in the finish that makes it somewhat dry.Moderate carbonation.
O: Could use a little more tartness but overall pretty enjoyable. Fruity and refreshing for a summer day.
★ 432 characters
4.08/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Aroma is more muted than expected, with mostly caramel and cherry; some light oak and vinegar. The flavor profile is more assertive, with layers of caramel, cherry, cranberry, vinegar, and a general earthiness. The finish is sour, with sharp oak as well as tannic and white pepper notes. Not as sour as some Flemish Ales, and generally balanced between the sweet, the tart and the earthy/tannic.
★ 395 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Aroma is more muted than expected, with mostly caramel and cherry; some light oak and vinegar. The flavor profile is more assertive, with layers of caramel, cherry, cranberry, vinegar, and a general earthiness. The finish is sour, with sharp oak as well as tannic and white pepper notes. Not as sour as some Flemish Ales, and generally balanced between the sweet, the tart and the earthy/tannic.
★ 395 characters
3.88/5 rDev +1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
I first had this on tap in Philly at the Monk's Cafe. Circling back now for a review at home with a bottle several years later. Dark reddish black with a frothy pillowy brown head. Smells of bright fresh brown soil with a cedar bark. The taste starts off earthy, oaky and leathery with a dark molasses and brown sugar baked gingerbread cookie. It quickly turns tart and fruity of dark red cherry, blood orange, cranberry and cabernet. A dark pipe tobacco finishes long on the aftertaste. The feel is okay, finishing a bit too sugary and cloying like cranberry juice with a touch too much dryness that doesn't seem to line up with the rest of the beer.
★ 651 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
I first had this on tap in Philly at the Monk's Cafe. Circling back now for a review at home with a bottle several years later. Dark reddish black with a frothy pillowy brown head. Smells of bright fresh brown soil with a cedar bark. The taste starts off earthy, oaky and leathery with a dark molasses and brown sugar baked gingerbread cookie. It quickly turns tart and fruity of dark red cherry, blood orange, cranberry and cabernet. A dark pipe tobacco finishes long on the aftertaste. The feel is okay, finishing a bit too sugary and cloying like cranberry juice with a touch too much dryness that doesn't seem to line up with the rest of the beer.
★ 651 characters
4.36/5 rDev +13.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
L: Brownish Red with a giant stubborn off white almost tan head
S: Funk, Raisins, Oak
T: tart strawberry, sour lemon, blackberry, oak,
F: well carbonated, not much but a little tannin action
O: Love this one. Great brew.
★ 221 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
L: Brownish Red with a giant stubborn off white almost tan head
S: Funk, Raisins, Oak
T: tart strawberry, sour lemon, blackberry, oak,
F: well carbonated, not much but a little tannin action
O: Love this one. Great brew.
★ 221 characters
3.53/5 rDev -8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Pours a murky brown color with an underlying ruby tone. 1/2 finger of an off-white head.
Aroma starts with the aroma akin to that if you held a penny for too long in your hand and then smelled your hand. Pretty funky also. Notes of dried plum, blueberry, fig and cherry. Some lactic acid.
Taste is no where close to the other elites in the class. A very unbalanced beer. It's funky, metallic, sweet, sour, fruity, and citrusy all at separate times. The finish is slightly salty with a bit of a crushed aspirin bitterness.
Overall, not worth the price. There are substantially better offerings for the same price. I see it pairing well with a sour green apple slaw. It gets a 71/100.
★ 686 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Pours a murky brown color with an underlying ruby tone. 1/2 finger of an off-white head.
Aroma starts with the aroma akin to that if you held a penny for too long in your hand and then smelled your hand. Pretty funky also. Notes of dried plum, blueberry, fig and cherry. Some lactic acid.
Taste is no where close to the other elites in the class. A very unbalanced beer. It's funky, metallic, sweet, sour, fruity, and citrusy all at separate times. The finish is slightly salty with a bit of a crushed aspirin bitterness.
Overall, not worth the price. There are substantially better offerings for the same price. I see it pairing well with a sour green apple slaw. It gets a 71/100.
★ 686 characters
3.78/5 rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Good looking brown ale. Pale tan/off white head, relatively large lace, not super persistent.
Aroma is sweet, clean, fruit and dried fruit.
Taste is sour, clean. Ok. Strawberry. Blood orange. Light malt.
Mouthfeel is ok. Moderate to moderately rich. Big carbonation. Nothing special, nothing bad. Good. Better than fair.
Finish is ok. A little early, dirty, not super long. More fair than good, but flavors well integrated with the beer.
★ 441 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Good looking brown ale. Pale tan/off white head, relatively large lace, not super persistent.
Aroma is sweet, clean, fruit and dried fruit.
Taste is sour, clean. Ok. Strawberry. Blood orange. Light malt.
Mouthfeel is ok. Moderate to moderately rich. Big carbonation. Nothing special, nothing bad. Good. Better than fair.
Finish is ok. A little early, dirty, not super long. More fair than good, but flavors well integrated with the beer.
★ 441 characters
4.27/5 rDev +11.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
The head is huge, fluffy, and kind of a creamy dark white. There are actually (what seem to be) seeds on top of the head. There is consistent fizz bubbling up from the bottom of the glass. It's a dark red color that shines orange in the light. This is the fluffiest and most beautiful head on a beer, I've ever seen. It smells fruity, like a Gueze or a Lambic. Kind of a berry, sour smell. The taste is fairly sour, kind of berry-based, but maybe hints of pears and apples come through. The mouth feel is light, but it comes with heavy carbonation. A strong berry aftertaste lingers in my mouth, and has for about 45 minutes. Supremely good and long lasting aftertaste. Overall, this is a fantastic beer. It's not too sour (like some Geuzes), but it is a good amount of fruity sour. The beer looks beautiful and tastes great. I would highly recommend this to anyone, especially if you want to try this beer style.
★ 927 characters
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
The head is huge, fluffy, and kind of a creamy dark white. There are actually (what seem to be) seeds on top of the head. There is consistent fizz bubbling up from the bottom of the glass. It's a dark red color that shines orange in the light. This is the fluffiest and most beautiful head on a beer, I've ever seen. It smells fruity, like a Gueze or a Lambic. Kind of a berry, sour smell. The taste is fairly sour, kind of berry-based, but maybe hints of pears and apples come through. The mouth feel is light, but it comes with heavy carbonation. A strong berry aftertaste lingers in my mouth, and has for about 45 minutes. Supremely good and long lasting aftertaste. Overall, this is a fantastic beer. It's not too sour (like some Geuzes), but it is a good amount of fruity sour. The beer looks beautiful and tastes great. I would highly recommend this to anyone, especially if you want to try this beer style.
★ 927 characters
3.77/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Dark, but shows a ruby red if light shines through it. A little creamy head. Sour fruity aroma. Sweet fruity, slightly sour with a tannic aftertaste.
★ 151 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Dark, but shows a ruby red if light shines through it. A little creamy head. Sour fruity aroma. Sweet fruity, slightly sour with a tannic aftertaste.
★ 151 characters
4.22/5 rDev +9.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Monk's Cafe pours a dark reddish color with a big frothy lacing head. Big strong sour aroma, with hints of dry fruit. Taste is sour, and sweet, with some spices and dry fruit. Just a hint of wateryness, good feel. Overall its a pretty big sour ale.
★ 252 characters
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Monk's Cafe pours a dark reddish color with a big frothy lacing head. Big strong sour aroma, with hints of dry fruit. Taste is sour, and sweet, with some spices and dry fruit. Just a hint of wateryness, good feel. Overall its a pretty big sour ale.
★ 252 characters
3.85/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
Pours a very cloudy, dark, dark amber/red color with a thick foamy head. Head retention and lacing are both excellent. Has a sour dark fruit aroma. Taste is pretty much the same. Lactic acid sourness with a sweeter dark fruit at the end. Lighter bodied with moderate carbonation. Very smooth.
★ 298 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
Pours a very cloudy, dark, dark amber/red color with a thick foamy head. Head retention and lacing are both excellent. Has a sour dark fruit aroma. Taste is pretty much the same. Lactic acid sourness with a sweeter dark fruit at the end. Lighter bodied with moderate carbonation. Very smooth.
★ 298 characters
3.9/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3-10-16 - On tap at the new Barcha in San Francisco. Served in a tulip glass with nice head. Sour, yet balanced, that paired very well with my grilled angus beef kabob. Nice surprise to find this one out west. Good company with our west coast team and Marsh pals. Gave props to Kais and especially Peter for having this ale on tap at their new venture. Eat here, but if you can't make it, pick up a Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour to quench your thirst.
★ 452 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3-10-16 - On tap at the new Barcha in San Francisco. Served in a tulip glass with nice head. Sour, yet balanced, that paired very well with my grilled angus beef kabob. Nice surprise to find this one out west. Good company with our west coast team and Marsh pals. Gave props to Kais and especially Peter for having this ale on tap at their new venture. Eat here, but if you can't make it, pick up a Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour to quench your thirst.
★ 452 characters
3.93/5 rDev +2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Pours dark red brownish color with a 2+ finger foamy tan head that faded very slowly and left great foamy lacing and thick rings as it went down.
Smelled of sweet dark fruit, orange peel, sour fruit, yeast, caramel and tart rotting fruit like apple or pear. The sweetness gets cut off by the citrus, and then it turns sour and filled with a mix of dark fruits.
★ 361 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Pours dark red brownish color with a 2+ finger foamy tan head that faded very slowly and left great foamy lacing and thick rings as it went down.
Smelled of sweet dark fruit, orange peel, sour fruit, yeast, caramel and tart rotting fruit like apple or pear. The sweetness gets cut off by the citrus, and then it turns sour and filled with a mix of dark fruits.
★ 361 characters
4.13/5 rDev +7.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Pours dark with a huge head. Aroma of tootsie rolls, prunes, funk, and figs. Tart and fruity taste. A very nice beer, complex, sour, and refreshing, I enjoyed this quite a bit.
★ 176 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Pours dark with a huge head. Aroma of tootsie rolls, prunes, funk, and figs. Tart and fruity taste. A very nice beer, complex, sour, and refreshing, I enjoyed this quite a bit.
★ 176 characters
4.14/5 rDev +7.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
This is a very nice sour. Had it on tap at our favorite bottle shop in Raleigh, The Hop Yard. Nice dark color, very good fruity aroma, and a full body mouth feel that could only have been made better by a little more pucker. Definitely a do for sour loving fans.
★ 262 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
This is a very nice sour. Had it on tap at our favorite bottle shop in Raleigh, The Hop Yard. Nice dark color, very good fruity aroma, and a full body mouth feel that could only have been made better by a little more pucker. Definitely a do for sour loving fans.
★ 262 characters
4.24/5 rDev +10.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
This beer is not really sour or tart...compared to the more recent examples of "sour" beers. But the Flemish Red style is more than just being sour.
This beer has more malt than you can shake a stick at....and full of dark fruits..cherry, prune, raisin, currant, etc.
Love Love Love.
★ 287 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
This beer is not really sour or tart...compared to the more recent examples of "sour" beers. But the Flemish Red style is more than just being sour.
This beer has more malt than you can shake a stick at....and full of dark fruits..cherry, prune, raisin, currant, etc.
Love Love Love.
★ 287 characters
3.81/5 rDev -0.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
11.2oz bottle into a Teku...I know, I know - odd glass choice...just breaking in some new glass.
A: Pours a nearly-opaque chocolate/mahogany with crimson highlights when held up to direct light. 1/2" light-tan head recedes somewhat quickly. Retention & lacing are both about average-to-style.
S: Extremely deep & well-defined macerated & pitted fruit notes. Plum, date & fig are all very up-front with a slightly tart raspberry character that serves to bind everything together.
T: Comes on with a faintly funky apple/pear quality that leads into a somewhat more tangy mid palate. Overripe raspberry & blueberry come into play along with a just-slightly brettish quality leading toward the finish. Finishes overly simple with a one-two punch of fructose & barnyard.
M: Pleasantly effervescent medium carb married to an appropriate-to-style mid-weight body. Finishes moderately dry.
O: This brew walks a fine line between subtle & overly-simple. I'm inclined to place it closer to the overly-simple side.
★ 1,020 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
11.2oz bottle into a Teku...I know, I know - odd glass choice...just breaking in some new glass.
A: Pours a nearly-opaque chocolate/mahogany with crimson highlights when held up to direct light. 1/2" light-tan head recedes somewhat quickly. Retention & lacing are both about average-to-style.
S: Extremely deep & well-defined macerated & pitted fruit notes. Plum, date & fig are all very up-front with a slightly tart raspberry character that serves to bind everything together.
T: Comes on with a faintly funky apple/pear quality that leads into a somewhat more tangy mid palate. Overripe raspberry & blueberry come into play along with a just-slightly brettish quality leading toward the finish. Finishes overly simple with a one-two punch of fructose & barnyard.
M: Pleasantly effervescent medium carb married to an appropriate-to-style mid-weight body. Finishes moderately dry.
O: This brew walks a fine line between subtle & overly-simple. I'm inclined to place it closer to the overly-simple side.
★ 1,020 characters
3.43/5 rDev -10.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Poured into a tulip glass from bottle. Deep brownish red almost opaque with a small head dissipates. Minimal lacing. Smell vinegar, hint of cherry. Taste is fairly sour with strong vinegar on the tongue. High carbonation. I would buy this again if I was in the mood for a sour. I don't think this is for everyone, especially the vinegar taste might put people off.
★ 369 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Poured into a tulip glass from bottle. Deep brownish red almost opaque with a small head dissipates. Minimal lacing. Smell vinegar, hint of cherry. Taste is fairly sour with strong vinegar on the tongue. High carbonation. I would buy this again if I was in the mood for a sour. I don't think this is for everyone, especially the vinegar taste might put people off.
★ 369 characters
3.51/5 rDev -8.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Red and brown, muddled, thin tan head on it, 1/4". The aroma was plenty sour, minimal wood, and some bitter darker cherry fruit notes.
Taste was fairly sour, a little bit of vinegar like acetic acid, milder wood, plenty acidic. This one isn't a mild blended sour, it hits with a sharp quotient, even if it isn't the most complex or top tier kind of flavors, not a lot in the way of fruit impressions, cherry, mild.
These are plenty affordable, good intro to sours kind of beers.
★ 484 characters
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Red and brown, muddled, thin tan head on it, 1/4". The aroma was plenty sour, minimal wood, and some bitter darker cherry fruit notes.
Taste was fairly sour, a little bit of vinegar like acetic acid, milder wood, plenty acidic. This one isn't a mild blended sour, it hits with a sharp quotient, even if it isn't the most complex or top tier kind of flavors, not a lot in the way of fruit impressions, cherry, mild.
These are plenty affordable, good intro to sours kind of beers.
★ 484 characters
3.31/5 rDev -13.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Dark brown to amber with a quarter inch of beige head resting on top. Light lacing. The aroma is tart Brett and horse blanket. The taste is lightly tart Brett and dark malt and is very balanced. The mouth is highly carbonated and very dry.
★ 243 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Dark brown to amber with a quarter inch of beige head resting on top. Light lacing. The aroma is tart Brett and horse blanket. The taste is lightly tart Brett and dark malt and is very balanced. The mouth is highly carbonated and very dry.
★ 243 characters
4.08/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Type: 12-oz. draft
Glass: Clear tulip glass
From: Junk House in San Diego, Calif.
Price: $7.00
Purchased: Jan. 8, 2016
Consumed: Jan. 8, 2016
Misc.: N/A
Poured a dark reddish auburn color with 1-to-2 fingers of dark khaki-white, frothy head when I got it. Excellent, foamy layered lacing on the sides of the glass. Above average retention on the top of the glass. (Sight - 4.25)
Smelled dark fruits - raspberry, red apple, strawberry and pomegranite - along with raspberry sorbet, sour lactose notes and some rosy vinegar. (Smell - 4.25)
Tasted similar to the nose, getting dark boozy raspberry, raspberry sorbet, dark apple, pomegranate, light blueberry, plum, purple grapes, rosy vinegar and sour milky lactose. (Taste - 4.00)
Medium body. Oily texture. Average-to-lively carbonation. Long, smooth finish. (Feel - 4.00)
This was a very good beer. I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to have it. (Overall - 4.00)
4.08 | 91 | A-
★ 942 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Type: 12-oz. draft
Glass: Clear tulip glass
From: Junk House in San Diego, Calif.
Price: $7.00
Purchased: Jan. 8, 2016
Consumed: Jan. 8, 2016
Misc.: N/A
Poured a dark reddish auburn color with 1-to-2 fingers of dark khaki-white, frothy head when I got it. Excellent, foamy layered lacing on the sides of the glass. Above average retention on the top of the glass. (Sight - 4.25)
Smelled dark fruits - raspberry, red apple, strawberry and pomegranite - along with raspberry sorbet, sour lactose notes and some rosy vinegar. (Smell - 4.25)
Tasted similar to the nose, getting dark boozy raspberry, raspberry sorbet, dark apple, pomegranate, light blueberry, plum, purple grapes, rosy vinegar and sour milky lactose. (Taste - 4.00)
Medium body. Oily texture. Average-to-lively carbonation. Long, smooth finish. (Feel - 4.00)
This was a very good beer. I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to have it. (Overall - 4.00)
4.08 | 91 | A-
★ 942 characters
3.5/5 rDev -8.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
A nice dark brown with a tint of ruby. My first sour ale and I could smell a bit of sweet and sour on the nose. Sourness at the start to a somewhat malty sweetness finish.
★ 172 characters
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
A nice dark brown with a tint of ruby. My first sour ale and I could smell a bit of sweet and sour on the nose. Sourness at the start to a somewhat malty sweetness finish.
★ 172 characters
3.8/5 rDev -1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 4
Poured at 46°F from an 11.2 bottle into a snifter. Consumed on 02Jan15.
LOOK: Pours with a fingers worth of khaki foam that dissipates into a quarter fingers worth within 50 seconds. Dark brown in color with a ruby tint. Rising bubbles are very subtle in quantity and medium in size. Lacing is thin and moderate.
SMELL: Mild aromas of sweet and sour balsamic vinegar, oak, figs, plums, and black cherries are backed by subtle aromas of toasted malts and hints of butter.
TASTE: Mild balsamic vinegar, fig, plum, and black cherry flavors enter initially. The sourness from the balsamic vinegar flavors is slightly stronger than the sweetness, which is different from what the smell told me. Mild toasted malt flavors and subtle oak flavors immediately follow the initial flavors. Subtle flavors of butter finish of the taste symphony as all previous flavors persist, except for the fruit flavors, which grow slightly stronger.
FEEL: Light-bodied and highly carbonated (I really dislike that combination). Goes down rough. Finishes crisp.
NOTE: This is only my second of its style. This was not as sour as I thought it would be. The taste was great with more fruit and butter coming through than they did in the smell. The mouthfeel brought down the overall rating for me. I'm not a fan of thin beers nor highly carbonated ones.
★ 1,329 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 4
Poured at 46°F from an 11.2 bottle into a snifter. Consumed on 02Jan15.
LOOK: Pours with a fingers worth of khaki foam that dissipates into a quarter fingers worth within 50 seconds. Dark brown in color with a ruby tint. Rising bubbles are very subtle in quantity and medium in size. Lacing is thin and moderate.
SMELL: Mild aromas of sweet and sour balsamic vinegar, oak, figs, plums, and black cherries are backed by subtle aromas of toasted malts and hints of butter.
TASTE: Mild balsamic vinegar, fig, plum, and black cherry flavors enter initially. The sourness from the balsamic vinegar flavors is slightly stronger than the sweetness, which is different from what the smell told me. Mild toasted malt flavors and subtle oak flavors immediately follow the initial flavors. Subtle flavors of butter finish of the taste symphony as all previous flavors persist, except for the fruit flavors, which grow slightly stronger.
FEEL: Light-bodied and highly carbonated (I really dislike that combination). Goes down rough. Finishes crisp.
NOTE: This is only my second of its style. This was not as sour as I thought it would be. The taste was great with more fruit and butter coming through than they did in the smell. The mouthfeel brought down the overall rating for me. I'm not a fan of thin beers nor highly carbonated ones.
★ 1,329 characters
3.91/5 rDev +1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance: dark amber-brown, relatively persistent head, quite a bit of lacing. Nose: slight funk, malt, gently hoppy, light VA, v. slightly metallic. Palate: slightly drying mouthfeel, only moderately sour, good weight and carbonation (though perhaps a touch frothy for me), surprisingly bitter finish, which is a disappointment right at the end, because the rest of this is good. As with most good sours, this benefits from warming up to ~50 F. A little lighter than some of the heavy hitting sours. Decent, but not really worth it when there are plenty of better sours around this price point.
Also, I like my sours *sour*, and this doesn't quite bring that.
★ 663 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance: dark amber-brown, relatively persistent head, quite a bit of lacing. Nose: slight funk, malt, gently hoppy, light VA, v. slightly metallic. Palate: slightly drying mouthfeel, only moderately sour, good weight and carbonation (though perhaps a touch frothy for me), surprisingly bitter finish, which is a disappointment right at the end, because the rest of this is good. As with most good sours, this benefits from warming up to ~50 F. A little lighter than some of the heavy hitting sours. Decent, but not really worth it when there are plenty of better sours around this price point.
Also, I like my sours *sour*, and this doesn't quite bring that.
★ 663 characters
4.73/5 rDev +23.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Look: Poured into a Propolis tulip. Very dark brown-red body, three finger brown-white head.
Smell: Cherry, raspberries, brown sugar, and a note of apple cider vinegar.
Taste: Same.
Feel: Somewhat tart upfront, brief brown sugar sweetness in the middle which gives way immediately to a somewhat aggressive dryness or bitterness, I can't tell which. Medium body, high carbonation.
★ 383 characters
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Look: Poured into a Propolis tulip. Very dark brown-red body, three finger brown-white head.
Smell: Cherry, raspberries, brown sugar, and a note of apple cider vinegar.
Taste: Same.
Feel: Somewhat tart upfront, brief brown sugar sweetness in the middle which gives way immediately to a somewhat aggressive dryness or bitterness, I can't tell which. Medium body, high carbonation.
★ 383 characters
Monk's Café Flemish Sour Ale from Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V.
3.84
out of 5
based on 2,901 ratings.
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from an 11.2oz bottle into a tulip. Pours a deep mahogany color with a thick off-white head that fills the glass and leaves trails and lacing on the side of the glass as the head dissipates. Smell is of dark sour plums and a touch (small touch) of oak. Taste is everything you'd expect of an oud bruin. Good balance of sweet malts, a touch of brown sugar, and tart sour yeast, and a tart and slightly oaky finish. Nothing particularly jumps out at me, but solid, nonetheless. Feel is kinda light in body, but sorta refreshing in that way. Overall, a solid oud bruin, especially for the 3 dollar price tag! I'd recommend it.
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