Monk’s Café Sour Red Ale

5.5% abv
11.2 oz bottle (comes in a 4 pack)
Van Steenberge Brewery (I seem to like their beers)
Belgium
My Strength Rating: 4

This is an Oud Bruin style, meaning they take a mixture of young beer and old beer and blend them together and in this case they also age it in oak.

I have never had Monk’s Café before so, let’s see how it goes. First sip … its ok. No strong sour note as in vinegar sour. I have not had a sour beer in a year or so; the taste buds need to adjust a little. All right this has a tasty sour profile. After a few more sips my taste buds are ready to figure this Flemish Sour Red Ale out.

Let’s start with the finish – I think it has a clean and refreshing aftertaste. Not clean as in pilsner clean (void in taste). Think of mouthwash clean! You get a mouthful of mouthwash and swish it around and then after you spit out the mouthwash your mouth feels refreshed but still retains some of the mouthwash taste. Well, you get a mouthful of this mild sour ale and yes swish it around to get the full taste of this delicious sour ale. After you have swallowed the ale you are left with a refreshing mouthfeel. Also, think of a Champagne aftertaste – clean and tingly.

Get a big mouthful of foam – uhmm good. Taste that cherry-oaky taste within that foam – very good. While drinking this ale (3 bottle review over three different days) I really enjoy the balance of the mild sweet-sour style. I also have grown to like its complexities. Flavors of: green apple for a little tartness, green grapes for a little freshness, dark cherry for sweetness, with a slight oak background, and a cola like effervescence that just seems to explode when it’s in your mouth. This is delicious! Damn! Another new favorite in the makings.

Here is something I did not expect. Sour beer on a hot day? No way, right! Yes, this is very good on a hot day indeed. It is 91 degrees out with the humidity around 90+% and this Sour Ale is refreshing.

This is a living beer. Living beers have yeast added to them just before they are capped. This helps to build the taste profile, alcohol, and to help with the aging of the beer. Your ‘domestic’ type beers are dead beers. They have been cooked, processed, and pasteurized and then capped. They have no aging potential. That is why born on dates or expiration dates are so important (to a point). Also, all that yeast sediment floating around in your living beer – its vitamin B there in that glass.

Buy: Yes. If you have never had a sour beer before you need to build your palate. Buy Petrus Oud Bruin first and then try Monk’s Café. You will have to work on your perception at first. The first few sips or bottle – you will have to learn to develop your palate and change your thinking. Your brain is still thinking Bud-tasteless and then you sip this and your brain is still thinking this is a beer and this is Bud-tasteless and wham!!! Sour! And you will say I don’t like this. Then, look at the bottle and read, Flemish Sour Red Ale. Now, just sip it – slowly. Think about the flavors. Or just pour a big glass of foam and taste the head. The foam is really tasty, it has a cherry cola taste.

I’ll take this over an IPA any day of the week. Week-ends too!

Since I wrote this posting a month ago I went back to the store and bought a case of this ale.  This is a wonderful beer to end the night with after you have had a wonderful dinner.