Blushing Monk-3/15 Backstage Release

there is a shop in Elkhart, IN that got 7 cases of it.....I'm sure that Michigan got more, but I still am surprised at how easy it was to get here yesterday. I suspect a lot will be available today....

 

Yeah, the Crown close to me got 7 cases. 3 bottle limit for now.

 

Okay, I did the side-by-side with Raspberry Tart last night, and he's my take on it:

Blushing Monk is a vibrant pink color, smells very close to RT, the raspberries pop pretty well, and it has a very distinct Belgian backbone to it. With that said, I felt that the Belgian characteristic ruined the beer. It took away from what could have been an excellent raspberry profile, and made the beer rather bland. As it warmed up, the Belgian flavors took over more, and it suddenly had a nasty boozy finish (obviously from this being over 9%).

Raspberry Tart is basically what pureed raspberries tastes like. A fair amount of sweetness and tartness that is prevalent in fresh raspberries. Comparing the raspberry profile alone, this one beats Blushing Monk by a big margin. But Blushing is a different type of beer, so it's not exactly a fair comparison. I also wouldn't say that Blushing is like an Imperial Rubeaus solely for the fact that Blushing has the Belgian side to it.

Overall, I commend Founders for doing something different. But for my own tastes, I was disappointed with the clash of flavors that just didn't work for me.

 

Pretty good but not great = Blushing Monk fresh
Fucking incredible = Blushing Monk aged 3+ years

 

I like this review and thanks for doing it. I hope you got another BM and can review these together in about 2 years.
I've got a feeling you will like it a lot more!

 

a bland beer with a clash of flavors?

also i have to disagree with Rasp Tart tasting like rasp puree, i really enjoy it but i always notice a fake candy syrupy flavor when i drink it.

 

Might come down to personal taste then. Buy some raspberries sometime and try it.
I grow raspberries, and I think it's pretty spot on. A lot of tart sugars in fresh ones.

And I don't understand your question about "rather bland". I thought I explained it pretty thoroughly. The Belgian flavors made what could have been a really nice sweet bold berry flavor into something less vibrant. Not sure where your confusion is coming from. You mentioned earlier that Blushing is like raspberry jam. There is nowhere near enough raspberry flavor to even resemble a jam.

 

rather bland with a clash of flavors seems like a contradiction.

 

I'm kind of with you both here - Blushing Monk didn't have as much raspberry as I would have liked (or as I remembered from 4 years ago), and it had a metallic taste to it that I didn't care for. That said, I'm with @fishmich on Raspberry Tart. I still like it, but I definitely get where he's coming from on the fake candy syrup flavors.

Basically, I wanted to like both of these beers more than I actually did, but they were both still good. BMonk edges out Rasp Tart for me, but only slightly.

EDIT: And I know the style's different and it's not the fairest comparison, but in the "raspberry beer" category, LP Framboise blows them all out of the water.

 

So this year's Blushing Monk will be the first time I've had it and can't wait to try it. But I'm curious...

For those who have aged it and also tasted fresh, what's the difference in taste between fresh and aged?

 

How? It's two separate concepts...
Two contrasting flavor profiles were mixed together and the outcome was bland. I still don't see where the confusion is coming from.

 

i hear ya. this Blushing Monk didnt blow my mind or anything but i do find it more enjoyable to drink than Rasp Tart. i actually find it difficult to get through a whole bottle of Rasp Tart by myself but had no issue taking a bottle of Blushing Monk down and wanting more. it is my favorite non sour raspberry beer id say.

in regards to LPK, yes miles above both as is Atrial but those are in a different category.

 

I had the 2011 about 7 months ago. I felt like it was slightly tart vs the Belgium yeast flavor. Basically got no Belgium taste in the 11 and did taste it in the 15. The 11 also seemed a lot more raspberry forward and balanced. I think it changes a lot, for the better.....not that I think the 15 is bad. I feel like 2015 is a 4/5 for me and the 2011 was 5/5 easily. This is only my opinion.

 

Completely agree. The 2011 is better than it has ever been. Looking back on my notes from the last release, there were some "Belgian" notes to it early on. These do fade over time and you are left with something that tastes like raspberry jam but in beer form.

 

exactly, 2 separate concepts that contradict each other. bland is lack of flavor, Bud Light is bland. i get that you dont like the Belgian aspect and thats totally understandable but using the word bland seems like a bit of an injustice to the beer. im drinking another one right now and i dont think bland is a word that would ever come to mind. i can see the Belgian yeast being a bit offensive to the taste feels though.

 

Looks like some of the Big Reds in Indianapolis have this now too. Little overpriced at 17.99, but I snagged a bottle anyway. Now to drink it or save it....

 

My wife and I drank our second bottle tonight, I'd say absolutely drink it and if you love it get more for the cellar. There's a ton of real raspberry flavor and a great biscuity aftertaste that compliments the raspberry perfectly. Like drinking raspberry short cake.

 

Opened up a bottle of 2011 Blushing Monk side by side with the fresh batch on tap in Chicago this weekend. Been quite a while since I opened a bottle and I was a little curious of what to expect. Fresh on tap it's very thin, brightly colored and not too fruity. Tart and definitely Belgiany. Not bad but not how I remembered it being.

The 2011 bottle was phenomenal. I shared it among some friends, other people at the bar, and the Founders rep. It was dark and dank. It made the entire area around us smell of beautiful raspberries. It tasted like straight up raspberry preserves. Most jammy beer I have ever had. The Founders rep was pretty blown away. He said the 2011 bottle was the only bottled Founders beer he hadn't tried and had no idea it was so different from the fresh version.

Even though I don't feel like the fresh batch will ever reach the same quality level as the 2011 batch, I still picked up a few bottles and plan to put them away for 3 to 5 years just to see what it turns into. If it gets even half as good as the original bad it will be amazing. For now it's decent but I'm not sure it's worth the price.

 

Just saw this sitting on a shelf at a Walgreens in the far west burbs of Chicago for $14.99, no limit and probably a case worth just sitting there.

 

Had this on tap tonight. Lucked out and got the last glass before the keg was done. Very good, more tart then I was expecting. I have 2 bottles in the basement, so I will let them sit for a bit.

Half off night so it was 3.25 for an 8oz pour.