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Author Topic: Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour Ale  (Read 12852 times)

Offline roguejim

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Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour Ale
« on: July 01, 2012, 04:25:15 pm »
I wouldn't know a good Belgian ale from a mediocre one, so maybe one of the resident Belgian devotees can rate this beer for me?  How does it rate in terms of the style it represents?  Sitting by the Rogue River in the shade on a sunny, 80F degree day...it's tasting good.  Now sure how many sours my palate could take though.

Offline bluesman

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Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour Ale
« Reply #1 on: July 01, 2012, 07:23:15 pm »
One of my favorites!  It's hard to find but I can get it locally from State Line liquors on the Maryland/Delaware line about 45min from my house or at Monk's Cafe about an hour away in Philly. A real classic Belgian Flanders Red. Very well balanced and it's a BJCP standard in Flanders Red as well.
Ron Price

Offline erockrph

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Re: Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour Ale
« Reply #2 on: July 01, 2012, 09:58:38 pm »
What a coincidence. I just made a beer pilgrimage today to stock up on some brews. I ended up going all-Belgian style. I haven't experienced much sour beer, so I grabbed a couple to get my feet wet. The Monk's Cafe Sour was one of them, and I'm really enjoying a Rodenbach as we speak. I'm digging it so much, that the Monk's Cafe is going in the fridge for tomorrow night as soon as I'm done typing this.  :D  Can't wait to try it.

Here's a pic of my haul from today:
Eric B.

Finally got around to starting a homebrewing blog: The Hop Whisperer

Offline kmccaf

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Re: Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour Ale
« Reply #3 on: July 02, 2012, 10:28:43 am »
Monk's Cafe really hits the spot for me in the hot weather. I am looking forward to brewing a Flanders Red when I move.
Kyle M.

Offline erockrph

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Re: Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour Ale
« Reply #4 on: July 02, 2012, 08:40:07 pm »
I'm still not sure how I stand on sour beers in general, but I just cracked into this and it's a really nice beer. I'm impressed by how much malt I can still get through the sourness. There's a nice pretzely note in there that comes through the tartness. I think I dig the Rodenbach a bit more, but this is still a damn fine beer. Mouthwatering, that's for damn sure  :D
Eric B.

Finally got around to starting a homebrewing blog: The Hop Whisperer

narvin

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Re: Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour Ale
« Reply #5 on: July 02, 2012, 11:06:07 pm »
Really nice beer, brewed by Van Steenberge (in Belgium) for Monk's Cafe.  It's a very well done, and drinkable, Flanders that is approachable without being a sweet imitation.  Rodenbach Grand Cru (not the blended regular Rodenbach) is THE classic and still my favorite, but this is a great one to pick up as well.

Offline MDixon

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Re: Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour Ale
« Reply #6 on: July 03, 2012, 06:06:31 am »
I actually find it kinda average. Now it has been 7 years since I penned notes on it and things do change over time. It's just very one-dimensional and lacks complexity.
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Offline redbeerman

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Re: Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour Ale
« Reply #7 on: July 12, 2012, 05:43:43 am »
I think this style as well as other funky and/or sour beers is a matter of personal taste.  I find Rodenbach Grand Cru a bit too sour (on my stomach) to drink more than one, so I prefer the classic (blended) If I'm having a few.  Monk's is OK, but does not have the depth or complexity of Rodenbach or Duchesse (which being sweetened, balances the sourness a bit).  I brewed a Flanders for my daughter that I am very pleased with, very complex, the dark malts (special B and Caramunich) actually come through a bit in the flavor.  It's pretty sour so she wants me to back sweeten it a little to cut the edge, but I think I will bottle a few without sweetener as well.
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Jim