Monk's Café Flemish Sour Ale | Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V.
Brewed by:
Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V.
Belgium
vansteenberge.com
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
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers
Ratings: 2,995 | Reviews: 1,158
3.27/5 rDev -15.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Serving Type- Poured from a bottle into a Tulip Glass
Appearance- Tons of foamy brownish white head with an aggressive pour, dark ruby red color...just a beautiful looking Flemish sour
Smell- Funkyness, almost an effervescent character to the beer in the nose, fresh and dark cherries in the nose, light dark fruit character, some great barnyard funk to it
Taste- Effervescent quality in the front of the palate, dark cherries, fresh cherries, funk, light tart off dry sourness, very refreshing just a great sour no matter if you have had a lot of sours or you are new to the style
Overall- Just an awesome sour I have had this beer several times but this bottle has been in my cellar for a year or a little more and has not changed much maybe a little more funk but still awesome if you have never had a sour this is a great start I LOVE sours in my opinion they are the most under appreciated beer style by Americans....CHEERS
933 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Serving Type- Poured from a bottle into a Tulip Glass
Appearance- Tons of foamy brownish white head with an aggressive pour, dark ruby red color...just a beautiful looking Flemish sour
Smell- Funkyness, almost an effervescent character to the beer in the nose, fresh and dark cherries in the nose, light dark fruit character, some great barnyard funk to it
Taste- Effervescent quality in the front of the palate, dark cherries, fresh cherries, funk, light tart off dry sourness, very refreshing just a great sour no matter if you have had a lot of sours or you are new to the style
Overall- Just an awesome sour I have had this beer several times but this bottle has been in my cellar for a year or a little more and has not changed much maybe a little more funk but still awesome if you have never had a sour this is a great start I LOVE sours in my opinion they are the most under appreciated beer style by Americans....CHEERS
933 characters
4.3/5 rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
A: Very dark amber with a little red around the edges, and plenty of sediment floating in the glass.
S: Smells a little like sour apples, but I may be missing something here.
T: Tastes like apple juice on the front mixed with a couple other dark fruits, the sour starts to kick in midway mixed with the malt which makes it sweet, and the finish is a very crisp sour that last a very short amount of time.
M: I'm pretty new to sours, but this was very thin on the mouthfeel considering how dark it is. But the sour warms the mouth as you continue to drink.
O: If I was going to recommend a sour to someone new to the style, this would definitely be one the few, and it's an easy drinker so you could have a 2-3 before the alcohol starts to kick in.
751 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
A: Very dark amber with a little red around the edges, and plenty of sediment floating in the glass.
S: Smells a little like sour apples, but I may be missing something here.
T: Tastes like apple juice on the front mixed with a couple other dark fruits, the sour starts to kick in midway mixed with the malt which makes it sweet, and the finish is a very crisp sour that last a very short amount of time.
M: I'm pretty new to sours, but this was very thin on the mouthfeel considering how dark it is. But the sour warms the mouth as you continue to drink.
O: If I was going to recommend a sour to someone new to the style, this would definitely be one the few, and it's an easy drinker so you could have a 2-3 before the alcohol starts to kick in.
751 characters
3.89/5 rDev +0.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
After spending much time wandering desultory in the wilderness of sour-beer apprehension, wondering what the hell I'm not getting, I'm becoming more and more intrigued by these ales and the complexity they can bring to the table. Hopefully this one can pull off the delicate balance between off-putting and brilliant.
Pours dark brown with crimson hues and finishes with a light tan head that fades quickly.
Smells of belgian yeast, sugar, plum, grape, various other soured fruit guts, vinegar, and taffy.
Grape juice, grain, and vinegar to the tongue. Just enough bitter to make you pucker up a bit before the next sip.
Thinner than expected resulting in a less than medium body but easy on the palate comparatively speaking.
A quality brew that seeks greatness, keeps it between the goalposts, but falls just slightly short of the goal when it's all on the line.
872 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
After spending much time wandering desultory in the wilderness of sour-beer apprehension, wondering what the hell I'm not getting, I'm becoming more and more intrigued by these ales and the complexity they can bring to the table. Hopefully this one can pull off the delicate balance between off-putting and brilliant.
Pours dark brown with crimson hues and finishes with a light tan head that fades quickly.
Smells of belgian yeast, sugar, plum, grape, various other soured fruit guts, vinegar, and taffy.
Grape juice, grain, and vinegar to the tongue. Just enough bitter to make you pucker up a bit before the next sip.
Thinner than expected resulting in a less than medium body but easy on the palate comparatively speaking.
A quality brew that seeks greatness, keeps it between the goalposts, but falls just slightly short of the goal when it's all on the line.
872 characters
3.87/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
A: poured deep ruby in color into a mini snifter. Very little head. Last pour from the bottle is sediment heavy.
S: rich dark fruits with a nice moderate tartness to it.
T: the fruit characteristics are first which develops in to a medium tart kick with a clean finish.
M: good feel to the beer, not too thin, it has some thicker viscosity aspects to it but does not coat.
O: a good moderate sour with some dark fruits and tart cherry that is very pleasing to drink. Nothing out of this world but a good everyday beer for when the sour mood strikes.
554 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
A: poured deep ruby in color into a mini snifter. Very little head. Last pour from the bottle is sediment heavy.
S: rich dark fruits with a nice moderate tartness to it.
T: the fruit characteristics are first which develops in to a medium tart kick with a clean finish.
M: good feel to the beer, not too thin, it has some thicker viscosity aspects to it but does not coat.
O: a good moderate sour with some dark fruits and tart cherry that is very pleasing to drink. Nothing out of this world but a good everyday beer for when the sour mood strikes.
554 characters
Monk's Café Flemish Sour Ale from Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V.
Beer rating:
3.86 out of
5 with
2,995 ratings
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