Perhaps no country embraces the use of fruit in beers more so than Belgium. Numerous traditional as well as regional specialty ales are infused with every sort of fruit imaginable. In this way, the flavor of the fruit becomes especially prominent. Red Poppy Ale is a veritable celebration of Sour Cherries in an explosion of aromas and tastes. Brewed from a brown ale base and aged in our oak barrels for over 6 months, this beer is not for the faint of heart. The Golden Poppy is the state flower of California and the Red Poppy is found in Flanders Fields where our inspiration for this beer comes from.
Beer Ratings and Reviews:
[1] Review by Stoutlover72 from Northern, California, USA who has tried this beer once. (5/29/2008 4:34:27 PM)
"One of the best beers of the night, came courtesy of Lost Abbey. A fantastical American made sour beer, that are just exquisite when done right. The beer pours out a reddish color, almost like black cherry juice, with a 2-finger frothy white head. Aroma notes were black cherries, lots of funky goodness and some soft wood notes. The beer just felt like a total mouth massage...tingly and lively. Sour cherries showed up in the flavor and lots of it. It really had a outstanding combo of sweet and tart, almost like liquid candy. Some of the wood comes out towards the end, finishing this beer in style. Loved the drinkability of this beer. "
Aroma:
8/10
Appearance:
8/10
Mouthfeel:
9/10
Flavor:
8/10
Overall:
8/10
Final Rating, by Style:
(4.1)
Sampled: Bottle Sample Size: 375oz @ $0 Unit Cost: $0 per Pint
[2] Review by Sap from Tucson, AZ, USA who has tried this beer once. (3/21/2008 11:37:33 PM)
"Pours with a frothy, initially one-finger thick, tan colored head. The beer is a very dark, concentrated cherry color, but shows an almost brilliantly clear, ruby-red color when held up to the light. The aroma is sour and funky; aromas of over-ripe cheese, lactic acid notes, a touch of an acetic edge and funky / woody mushroom notes. Underneath this initial funk is a noticeable fruit character that provides characteristic cherry aromas, but also a touch of cranberry and some sour plum. The aroma is on the sharp side as it seems just a touch too funky, if that makes sense; at first it seems that the beer is a little too wild even compared to a Lambic, though actually now that I think of it, a lot of this sharp character is a mix of the funkiness and a substantial oak character. The oak contributes bourbon-like spiciness, buttery-oak aromatics and a touch of vanillin, each of which seem to clash a bit with the up front funk.
Tart tasting, predominantly lactic, though there does seem to be a tart cherry contribution too. The carbonation, while not wildly effervescent, provides enough zip to tickle the tongue as the beer runs down my throat. The oak flavors are soft at first, but pick up steam as I take a few more sips; spicy wood and ample buttery oak pick up steam in the middle and into the finish were a touch of vanillin is also noticed. Tannins & fruit contribute to a cherry skin flavor and texture up front as well as some bright, cherry flesh notes. The cherries definitely add to the complexity of this brew, yet I wouldn't say this as a fruit beer necessarily; this beer doesn't scream cherry, instead the fruit is really well integrated with the other flavor components. This is quite light and quaffable, the wood / tannis provides some texture to keep this from being anything near thin; the texture may in fact be tone of the best things about this beer.
While the oak is never overwhelming here, it does seem to get in the way of the funky-fermentation notes and the base, beer-ingredient driven flavors & complexities; I think about a quarter of the oak character would be perfect for this beer, keeping it nice and subtle and in more of a supporting role. The buttery oak notes really seem to dominate the aroma of this brew after a bit, though I wouldn't say that it get over-whelming, it just does overwhelm all the other aromatic components. Not bad, even quite good, but the dominant oak keeps it from being incredible for me, though I must admit that I love seeing all this flavor packed into a beer of only 5%abv."
Aroma:
8/10
Appearance:
8/10
Mouthfeel:
8/10
Flavor:
8/10
Overall:
7/10
Final Rating, by Style:
(3.9)
Sampled: Bottle Sample Size: 375ml @ $0 Unit Cost: $0 per Pint
[3] Review by beerguy101 from Newark, CA, USA who has tried this beer once. (12/25/2007 3:51:21 PM)
"Tasted at the Pizza Port Strong Ale Fest 2007, bottle compliments of Tomme Arthur. This sour ale pours a medium reddish color from a 375 ml bottle. Medium sized white foamy head. Aroma is cherries, funk and sweet. A medium bodied sour ale. The malts are fruity and sweet, very funky and tart. Lots of fruit and funk, yet there is malt, hops and yeast. Excellent. Looking forward to more of this one. Mouthfeel is full. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is tart/sour and fruity. "
Aroma:
9/10
Appearance:
8/10
Mouthfeel:
8/10
Flavor:
9/10
Overall:
9/10
Final Rating, by Style:
(4.3)
Sampled: Bottle
Value of this beer for its style: Not Sure
Do you want to see the rest of the reviews? Sign In or Register FREE! = BeerPals Only
Review this Beer:
You must be a member to write a review. Please sign up or log in.
(4.1)
