A beer worthy of the Monk's moniker
Written: Jul 11 '05
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great taste, wonderfully unique style
Cons: may be too sour for some palates.
The Bottom Line: I love Monk's, and when you're there, you should indulge in this house specialty. These guys know their beers, so you can be sure that it's worth it.
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| martytdx's Full Review: Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour Ale |
Way too long ago, in my favorite pub just over the bridge, I was supposed to meet up with several other Epinions members for a small drink and gathering. As is my norm, I arrived early to Monk's and sat down to wait for Slarter,Doc and Tom Barnes showed up. What to do, what to do? Well, it was then that I had an original idea - I'll have a beer.
Well, at Monk's, deciding on a beer can be difficult, what with over 200 nearly famous beers on hand, including many you'd be hard-pressed to find elsewhere in the city. You see, Monk's is a landmark because the owners, Tom Peters and Fergus Carey, started importing Belgian Ales 8 years ago, and many credit them at least in part with growth in the popularity of Belgian Beers in the region. In fact, they were the first bar in the country to get kegs of Chimay imported into the U.S., and the sales led Chimay to start full exporting to America.
So, it was only fitting that when they went to make a 'house beer', that it would be a Belgian style. Not so typical, however, is that it is actually brewed in Belgium by Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V. and shipped exclusively to Monk's. And they steered away from your standard Belgian wit, instead opting to go with a more unique Flemish Sour Ale - a variation on the more common lambic style. The choice, it turns out, was an inspired one.
[ • sour is SO SWEET • ]
Flemish sour ales are a unique taste, and one that many beer drinkers will struggle with initially. Aged in oak casks and fermented using bacteria, they produce a somewhat extra bitter lambic-like beer, with occasional wisps of sweetness hidden in the tartness of the reddish or brown beer. If you like sweet tarts and sour patch kids, then you should like this beer - but beware the tartness, because it will hit you.
Monk's Flemish Sour Ale has all of that and more.
When I receive my sample, I take note of the color in the dim lighting of the bar. The man next to me - obviously not a regular - asks what I'm doing, so I explain. He seems impressed, drinking his lighter ale of some sort. But back to my beer...
pour » The beer is a cloudy red color with faint head and smallish bubbles. I don't know if it had been sitting for a while, but the fact that there is a gap between the top of the glass and the top of the head leads me to believe so, so the head might be better on a fresh pour.
nose » My first direct 'taste' of this beer comes before I even get very close to the glass. The nose of sour cherry, even similar to a 'sour apple' flavor. There is a slightly sweet aroma, quickly overpowered by the acidic tartness that I would enjoy once I got my first sip.
taste » The first taste was a mixture of sour, sweet and full of 'awesome'. The first thing to hit you is the very sour cherry flavor with a bit of a bite, delicious through and through. A good amount of carbonation adds to the flavor that hits the tongue with a sourness that fades to a faint sweetness as it reaches the throat. Each sip manages to hold onto that tartness, though I expect that multiple glasses would hold onto it less - but this isn't a beer to overindulge in (though the alcohol content is fairly low for a Belgian). Instead, the luxury of each sip is to be savored and appreciated, as are the men who brought it to these shores.
[ • parting is such SWEET SOURNESS • ]
Alas, my fellows showed up just about the time I was finishing, and it was time to retire to the back bar to try out some new brews while enjoying the meal and conversation. The company was great, and makes up for leaving this excellent ale behind. As I said, it might not be for everyone, and it might not be a beer you get a six-pack of, but this beer is a great example of what men who love beer can do when they refuse to listen to naysayers. To me, it represents what Monk's is about - and makes me hopeful that if they can get this right, maybe we can make other things in the world just as good.
[ • related REVIEWS • ]
Monk's Cafe »
THE place in Philly for good beer
Ludwig's Garten »
A close second, but this bar focuses on German styles.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
martytdx
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 - Top 200 |
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Member: Marty
Location: New Jersey
Reviews written: 481
Trusted by: 180 members
About Me:
Doing what I can to try new places, restaurants, books and beers.
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