Founders Blushing Monk

Brewed by Founders Brewing Company
Style: Fruit Beer
Grand Rapids, Michigan USA

22 oz bomber from Capones. Wow this is more dangerous then Snake Eyes from G.I. Joe. Superstrong and devilishly sweet with just enough carbonation and maltiness to make you remember this is a beer. Poured a hazed lavender body with a large bubbly slightly pink head. Aroma is very tart with lots of raspbery, slight alcohol hit, honey, mead qualities, yeast and bread. The body is full with a god dose of carbonation and some alcohol warming but nowhere near the 12.3% would lead you to believe it should be. The flavor has some serious Belgian yeast up front with lots of tart raspberry, honey, bread, mead, yeast. This is one seriously strong fruit beer that has been done right just like most of their other beers, LONG LIVE FOUNDERS!!!!

Just had this beer the other day at the Brewery in Grand Rapids. This is one exceptional beer! Labeled as a Belgian Trippel fermented with raspberries and the ABV is 12.3%. Kind of a champagne type mouth feel with huge amounts of raspberry aroma and taste. You would never know that this beer is as high in ABV as it is indicated because is it is dangerously smooth going down. It would be easy to call this a "chick beer" because of the flavor, but I would venture to guess that even the biggest of beer drinkers would have a short night after a couple of glasses of this beer. That being said this beer is my wifes favorite and it is simply delicious for a fruit beer. I’m still much more of a KBS fan, but this is a nice touch to drink on occasion.

Pours from the bottle a very deep red with a very high carbonation rate but no head. Aroma is very strong of raspberry, tart nose, mild orange citrus note and overall sweet profile. Flavor starts off with a strong sweet raspberry punch that quickly fades to a fantastic tartness that makes you squint a bit and ends with a strong Merlot type of dark fruit note. Body of the brew is heavy with a thinner bubbly body. Alcohol is almost non-existent in the nose and flavor, making it pretty dangerous. Overall a fantastic brew. The tartness in the flavor really makes this a special brew but it is a brew that best be savored on special occasions with friends or family.

22 oz. Bomber from Champanes about 1 ½ years ago maybe more, pours a hazy Raspberry red with some effervescent bubbles floating up the edges of the glass, hardly gave a ring and some tiny islands of bubbles on the top of the beer, looks nice, left some small spotted lacing on the sides of the glass, aromas of Raspberry, Raspberry juice, fruit and berry sweetness, berry dry citrus, and faint caramel, flavors of Raspberry and sugar sweetness, and faint caramel, finish has no sweetness except for some caramel and trails with Raspberry citrus tang flavor, mouth feel is medium, maybe a bit more, aroma and flavor of this beer is pretty much Raspberry, not hints of the 12.3% alcohol, I found the alcohol to be hidden well, I thought with the name of this beer ‘Blushing Monk’ the ale would have some Belgian influences but I found none, pretty much a straight Fruit Beer. I gave this beer a 3.6 but I do not get wowed much by Fruit beers and I would probably never pick-up this beer again, so many of them, like the Blushing Monk come across as a fruit drink, in some ways a Wine Cooler, anyway, if you like Fruit Beers, you may want to try this drink.

Bottle thanks to bhensonb. Poured a grape color with white head. Light carbonation. Aroma is of a fruity wine, rasberry, spice, and a hint of caramel! Flavor was a tart berry, alcohol, and an after taste of choclate. Too tart for me!!

hand bottle sent back from bhensonb. poured a grape-ish/purple-ish/red with a white head that goes away pretty quick. aroma is very fruity with raspberry with maybe a touch of vinegar which could be coming from the acidic tartness of it. flavor is pretty much all business with raspberry finishing with a grape juice type finish. cant tell that there is any alcohol in this by the taste. i originally sent a bomber of this to bill and when he found out i had not had it he graciously said he would send me a hand bottle back. bill is an awesome guy!!

Bottle from ericandersnavy. Thanks very much for this one! Pours very dark ruby with a light pink head. The aroma is fresh raspberry. Medium body with mild carbonation. Primary flavor is raspberry. Somewhat tart. Could be a bit of detectable malt. Finish is all raspberry and raspberry seed for bitter. Just slightly acidic after awhile.

Dark red with a small head. Aroma is sweet and candy like. Flavor is almost a bit artificial with lots of sweetness. A little green grassy flavor too with a bit of alcohol.