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La Folie
Fort Collins, Colorado
BJCP Category: 17B Flanders Red Ale
New Belgium Brewing Co. <visit site>
40
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[expand]Total Score: 40/50
A bit one-dimensional focus on acidity that would be aided by some residual sweetness that would make this a more complex beer. more >
[close]Total Score: 40/50
Aroma: Fruity aroma of cherries and plums with noticeable acidic (acetic) character. Rich maltiness with hints of chocolate. No DMS. No diacetyl. No apparent alcohol aroma. No off aromas. Very inviting. (10/12)
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Appearance: Clear with bit of chill haze. Deep mahogany color. Adequate but dense head dissipates all too soon but appropriate to style. (3/3)
Flavor: Moderate to intense sourness with acetic and lactic components. Black cherry and chocolate are both present but acidity dominates. No hop flavor. Low hop bitterness. Dry finish. Very low malt backbone—wine-like more than beer-like. Additional sweetness would add to complexity and balance. Alcohol not particularly evident. (16/20)
Mouthfeel: Medium-low body. Above average carbonation leaves a prickly sensation and lighter mouthfeel. No astringency. A dry, puckering mouthfeel that is light and crisp. (4/5)
Overall Impression: A bit one-dimensional focus on acidity that would be aided by some residual sweetness that would make this a more complex beer. Sweetness would also help to showcase the fruity characteristics. Balance would be improved were the sweet and sour in harmony. Still the brewer has created a very good example of the Flanders Red Ale style. Combining this sour beer with a complementary sweet dessert that melds with the chocolate and cherries would be great. The remainder of my sample made a great float with vanilla ice cream. (7/10) -
[expand]Total Score: 36/50
Definitely wine-like with balance toward acidity rather than fruit, intense sourness at first overpowered the rich currant fruit, rich malt and engaging spiciness. more >
[close]Total Score: 36/50
Aroma: Currant fruity esters, intensely sour, acidic aroma leaning toward red wine vinegar, ripe to almost the point of over-ripe blood orange flesh and orange peel citrus. Rich Munich-like maltiness comes forward as the beer breathes; no hop aroma to speak of. (10/12)
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Appearance: Deep reddish brown, with brilliant clarity. Tannish, finely bubbled, creamy head forms, but falls quickly. (3/3)
Flavor: Up front intense lactic sourness couples with citrus fruit, more similar to pomelo or yellow grapefruit than the orange in the aroma. Hints of currant follow. Vanilla and clove phenol emerge midway. A faint sweetness, barely detectable as a background characteristic comes in at the finish. Balance is definitely toward sourness, with very low hop bitterness and no hop flavor. Lingering moderately dry finish carries the lactic sourness and is accentuated by a Brett spiciness and low clove-spicy phenol that hangs at the back of the throat for a very long time post-finish. (14/20)
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, with moderately low carbonation. Moderate tannic acidity with a clean, lingering dry finish. (3/5)
Overall Impression: Definitely wine-like with balance toward acidity rather than fruit, intense sourness at first overpowered the rich currant fruit, rich malt and engaging spiciness. More like a very young rustic spontaneously fermented red. A quite lovely beer now, it would be interesting to cellar one—or two, or more—and see how it develops in the bottle. (6/10) -
[expand]Total Score: 43/50
Excellent example of the Flanders Red style. The color is more like an Oud Bruin, but there are not enough toffee and dark fruit notes for that style. more >
[close]Total Score: 43/50
Aroma: Sour aroma with lemony lactic notes and a trace of acetic acid in the background. Black cherry notes combine with almond and toasted oak to provide a nice complexity. Citrus notes emerge later to add some red currant character. (11/12)
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Appearance: Reddish brown notes with a beige head are dark for the Flanders Red style. Head retention is below average, even for this style, but clarity is excellent. (2/3)
Flavor: Complex blend of malt, esters and acids. The malt provides some sweetness and caramel notes that balance the acidity and give the sweet-n-sour character that exemplifies this style. The fruity esters are complex, with black cherry, currant and a touch of raisin. Lactic acid is the main source of sourness, but acetic acid adds some bite to the finish. Some pleasant woody, vanilla and toasted oak flavors linger after swallowing. (17/20)
Mouthfeel: The body is low to medium and would be improved with a little more carbonation. Slight astringency that coats the roof of the mouth but well within bounds for style. The assertive prickle from the acids is comparable to the classic Belgian examples. (4/5)
Overall Impression: Excellent example of the Flanders Red style. The color is more like an Oud Bruin, but there are not enough toffee and dark fruit notes for that style. The sweet-tart candy character is right on the money for the style, with contributions from both lactic and acetic acid giving a nice complexity. The ester character balances the fruitiness of black cherries with the sourness and citrus notes of currants. (9/10) -
[expand]Total Score: 44/50
Walking the line between Flanders Brown and Red, closer to red based on the sourness but the malt hints toward the brown. more >
[close]Total Score: 44/50
Aroma: Malty-rich, light chocolate and black cherry, dried fruit, hints of dusty malt. Moderate sourness intertwines with malt and esters. Complex and interesting. Hints of orange emerge. Lightly acetic but that adds a complexity factor. No hops. (11/12)
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Appearance: Reddish-copper hue—very attractive. Clear. Moderate beige head, persisted. (3/3)
Flavor: Balanced malty richness with an acidic finish. Strong sourness but the malt rises in the finish to soften the impact. Light milk chocolate and dark cherry flavor. Lactic sourness is sharp mid-palate but softens in the finish. Medium-low bitterness. Light oaky flavor. Seems aged and smooth. Flavors are very well-integrated. Not as vinous as some examples. (18/20)
Mouthfeel: High carbonation. Medium to medium-full body, a bit too full. Quite tart but creamy character of the malt balances it. No alcohol burn. The acidity dominates. Tannins noted but in background, perhaps adding to the body. (4/5)
Overall Impression: Walking the line between Flanders Brown and Red, closer to red based on the sourness but the malt hints toward the brown. Not as one-dimensionally dry/sour as past examples I’ve tried (when bottled in 750s). Malt is pumped up a bit but the other flavors are strongly like Rodenbach. Great balance, very drinkable. A little more approachable than in the past, which is a plus. I used to have to age it before enjoying it, but this is drinkable now. (8/10)
