Bios Vlaamse Bourgogne

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

Tap at Blind Tiger as Monk’s Flemish Red. Deep red-amber beer, thick tightly laced off-white head. Great aroma, wet wood, oak and sherryish sweetness underlie soft wild yeast and a touch of balsamic acidity. Light vanilla underlies the soft oaky aroma of the beer. Flavour however has a coppery/metallic character that I often find distracting in this style. Maltier than many other examples of the style I’ve had, showing a definite caramelly sweetness. Despite the sweetish flavour, the body is fairly thin. As it warms though the aroma becomes even more interesting. Light maltiness plays off of the cherry fruitiness and woody oak/vanilla. It’s a really great smelling beer, but the flavour just doesn’t quite live up. Lightly watery and lacking in intensity.

Monk’s Cafe Flemish Sour Ale. Bottle. Pours a hazy orange-brown with a lacy, off-white head. The aroma is sour cherry, citrus, and a bit of malt as well. Taste is heavily sour cherry, with a nice tart "zing" afterwards to really push the flavor across. The first sour ale I ever tasted, and until Struise Earthmonk it was my favorite. Outstanding beer.

as monks cafe flemish sour - i love this beer. it has become one of my summer refreshers...or my palate cleanser after having a heavy stout or big hoppy IPA. a nice subtle sourness that its very clean and doesnt linger too much. slight funk with a tart cherry note. delicious and refreshing.

The Dan Journal #68. Tasted 1/14/2007. 12oz bottle. Hazy bronze hue. Layer of off-white head. Musty aromas with notes of dark dried fruits, cocoa and sour citrus. Medium bodied with zesty effervescence. Nice with tart sour cherry and citrus zest. Cocoa and caramel on the initial mouthfeel. Then the tart sour cherry kick. Yeasty finish.

On tap. Had a little fruitiness in the aroma. Strong sourness, some sweetness comes through. A little too much sour for me, I wasn’t very impressed.

Sampled as Monk’s Flemmish Sour ale on tap at Monk’s Cafe in Philadelphia. Aroma was pleasant; slightly sour, little funk, some hints of earthiness and maltiness. Beer pours a reddish brown with a thin medium tan head. Flavor profile was pleasant with a maltiness that is accentuated with a slight sourness and a light earthiness. Mouthfeel was light to medium... moderate malty sweetness was balanced by slightly drying acidity. Overall, pleasant drinking experience. A bit bland for a flemmish sour, kinda seemed young to me, another year of aging would allow for the funk and sourness to develop.

Nice gentle sourness. Sweet and sour and just slightly funky. Refreshing. I think I was expecting more from the smell and look though.

Aroma seemed to be of cherries and a light sourness. Flavor was a little dry and slightly bland but had a little malt profile to back it up. A light lactic sour flavor but not over powering at all . Really easy to drink but not overly exciting.