Monk's Café Flemish Sour Ale
Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V.
- From:
- Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V.
- Belgium
- Style:
- Flanders Oud Bruin
Ranked #51 - ABV:
- 5.5%
- Score:
- 87
Ranked #23,879 - Avg:
- 3.86 | pDev: 13.21%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 1,192
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Apr 21, 2026
- Added:
- Jun 19, 2003
- Wants:
- 99
- Gots:
- 489
SCORE
87
Very Good
87
Very Good
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.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Iamaskier:
Reviewed by Iamaskier from Idaho
4.04/5 rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
4.04/5 rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
L: Dark reddish brown body, thin head with a bit of lacing.
S: Soft, tart, fragrant. Strawberry, cherry, honey, oak, a few chocolatey notes.
T: Upfront tart cherry and raspberry, quickly settling into sweet grape jam notes, honey, a faint bit of vinegar, and finishing with hints of chocolate and roasted malt.
F: Initially a bit sharp and slightly acidic, smooths out quickly, moderate carbonation.
O: Fairly sweet, enjoyable combination of flavors, a bit like a tart jam on toast.
Mar 28, 2023S: Soft, tart, fragrant. Strawberry, cherry, honey, oak, a few chocolatey notes.
T: Upfront tart cherry and raspberry, quickly settling into sweet grape jam notes, honey, a faint bit of vinegar, and finishing with hints of chocolate and roasted malt.
F: Initially a bit sharp and slightly acidic, smooths out quickly, moderate carbonation.
O: Fairly sweet, enjoyable combination of flavors, a bit like a tart jam on toast.
More User Ratings:
Rated by muchloveforhops3 from Montana
3.84/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.84/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
*archived rating*
Apr 21, 2026
Reviewed by taxandbeerguy from Canada (ON)
4.25/5 rDev +10.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +10.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
330ml bottle served cool into a tulip.
Dark brown in color. Finger plus of light tan head. Great retention.
Smell - A bit tart with a huge grainy nose. Hint of brown sugar and marshmallow as well.
Taste - Lightly sweet, tons of grain, a hint of brown sugar and marshmallow, with a tart undertone. Wonderfully complex. Some berries mixed in.
Mouthfeel - Medium bodied, soft almost puffy texture. Drinks like a dream.
Overall - A surprise and one of the best brew's of the mixed pack. Will gladly look out for this if it ever appears as a standalone beer.
Nov 19, 2025Dark brown in color. Finger plus of light tan head. Great retention.
Smell - A bit tart with a huge grainy nose. Hint of brown sugar and marshmallow as well.
Taste - Lightly sweet, tons of grain, a hint of brown sugar and marshmallow, with a tart undertone. Wonderfully complex. Some berries mixed in.
Mouthfeel - Medium bodied, soft almost puffy texture. Drinks like a dream.
Overall - A surprise and one of the best brew's of the mixed pack. Will gladly look out for this if it ever appears as a standalone beer.
Reviewed by Kgoldsbe from Colorado
4.35/5 rDev +12.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.35/5 rDev +12.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
The best part of this sour is that you can really taste the grain. It is sour, but in an incredibly finessed manor. The lactic sweetness comes out as berry tartness. This is delicious.
Dec 29, 2023
Reviewed by BJB13 from Maryland
4.05/5 rDev +4.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
4.05/5 rDev +4.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
330ml bottle poured into a Tulip.
L: Clear, ruby hued dark brown, 2 inch off-white pink-ish head, thick persistent foam, decent lace.
S: Full nose, lactic and sour, vinous aroma, oak wine cask, brown sugar malty aroma takes over.
T: Tart, a bit of lactic (berry) sweetness and dark sugary malts but mostly dry.
F: Medium-light body, low-ish carbonation, clean feel.
O: Easy drinking for a sour (for me), not overly sour or tart, nice enjoyable sipper.
Jul 30, 2023L: Clear, ruby hued dark brown, 2 inch off-white pink-ish head, thick persistent foam, decent lace.
S: Full nose, lactic and sour, vinous aroma, oak wine cask, brown sugar malty aroma takes over.
T: Tart, a bit of lactic (berry) sweetness and dark sugary malts but mostly dry.
F: Medium-light body, low-ish carbonation, clean feel.
O: Easy drinking for a sour (for me), not overly sour or tart, nice enjoyable sipper.
Rated by rclangk from West Virginia
3.87/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.87/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
9/2023 BOM
Dec 22, 2022
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