Bios Vlaamse Bourgogne

Brewed by Brouwerij Van Steenberge
Style: Sour Ale
Ertvelde, Belgium

Pours a ruddy brown which clears to crystalline garnet red; strong balsamic vinegar odor, some oak, dark grapes; flavors follow through, light-medium body, slightly zesty, pale malts come through in the finish with a pleasant yeast smoothness and a slight kiss of grassy hops. I’m always up for a flemish sour, and while this isn’t the most complex I’ve had, its certainly not bad either.

rating #100
...and 1 month on ratebeer. So this should be something a bit different. The most convenient I had at home was this as it would be my first sour ale at all.
0.25 l bottle. Poured clear brownish red body with medium,ebony head. Quite strong vinegar aroma. Very interesting so far. Flavor is nicely sour but without too many other this discernible here... Pleasant finish, not too sour and relatively long. I expected more complex beer, but definitely made me more interested in sour ales.

Very dark mahogany with a small beige head. Aroma of tart raspberries and cherries, along with balsamic vinegar. Flavor is straight up sour, without much else going on. No notes of yeast or wood to speak of. Very quick, dry finish. Good palate cleanser, and would make a refreshing summer drink, but not enough complexity to rank up there with the best of the Flemish Sours.

THOUGHTS: Nice beer, but nothing great compaterd to other Flemish sours I’ve tried. Very good beer, but not the greatest Flemish. Not bad, but not worth the $6 for a 12 oz. bottle. Not super easy to drink, but makes you want to keep drinking more. Goes nice with Utz Extra Dark Special Pretzels. TECHNICAL: Bottle. Poured a dark, brownish red with great carbonation and a small, off-white head that mostlry diminished, but left fair lacing. The lacing was sporadic on the side of the glass I was drinking from not on the opposite side like most beers. The aroma was cherry. Mostly sour cherry but some sweet cherry. A little too fruity. The initial flavor was lightly sweet and sour, while the finish was moderately sweet, lighlty bitter and very sour with an average to long duration. The dominant flavor was sour cherry. It was a little on-sided. Great flavor, just not very complex. The light to mediumm body was syrupy with extremely fizzy carbonation and a heavily astringent finish.

Being the first sour ale I ever drank, it is impossible to compare this one against its peers. However, it was a very refreshing beer, nice tart taste. I wouldn’t mind drinking it again.

Draft. Dark, Coke-syrup brown coloring. Rimmed head around the glass. Sour-apple, bitter, bamboo. Faint hint of vinegar. Thin body. Tangy and watery. Not much of a finish and leaves you wanting.

Name: Monks Cafe Flemish Sour Ale
Date: 04/07/2005
Mode: Bottle
Source: Ale Atlanta

cloudy brown, sharp tart aroma, big tart flavor, hints of dark malts, sweetness trying to come out
-------- /> Name: Monks Cafe Flemish Sour Ale
Date: 04/15/2005
Mode: draft
Source: cummits

clear dark brown, thin tan head, nice lace, rich malt aroma with a nice tartness, light body, strong tart flavor from start to finish, clean finish, hidden sweetness, sourness not not overwhelm even after a 20oz mug

Aroma: 5/10; Appearance: 8/10; Flavor: 5/10; Palate: 5/10; Overall: 10/20
Rating: 2.7/5.0
Score: *4
-------- /> Date: 03/07/2007
Mode: Bottle
Source: Cellar Stock

muddy brown, wispy beige head, strong dark cherry aroma with woody tart cherry pit character, creamy body, rich cherry flavor up front followed by a moderate tartness, good woody character like sucking on a cherry pit,

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 6/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 13/20
Rating: 3.3/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: **+/4

Labeled as Monks Cafe Flemish Sour Red. Sour cherry nose, cloudy, murky brown, a tiny cream head. Muted sour fruit, light bodied, sweet and tart. Fine. A real treat! Thanks Dave Steen.