Struise Aardmonnik / Earthmonk

Formerly brewed at De Struise Brouwers
Style: Sour Ale
Oostvleteren, Belgium

This dark brown ale poured as prescribed with a group of tan bubbles floating on top. There is a strong enticing aroma of sour vinegar. This is a sour brown ale with a subtle and complex flavor. It has clearly benefited from the oak aging, which has turned the sourness to a slightly tangy rich mellow fruit and malt taste with a dry satisfying finish. Well done.

courtsey of tpd975. Thanks Greg for sharing this gem. Not usually a big fan of sour beers, but this one is just amazingly well done and drinkable. Pours brownish, with close to no head. Aroma of vinegar, and red wine. Taste, a nice woody barrel with enough sourness mixed with dark fruits giving it a tart red wine mouthfeel.

Pours dark brown, almost like a dark eisbock, with no head and garnet hints at the edges. I almost want to give a 5.0 for appearance. Smells of malt, prune and wood with slight vinegar. The mouthfeel is light-to-medium though this beer has some viscosity though it finishes quite dry. This is a very tasty beer with white grapefruit and spiciness reminiscent of Muller-Thurgau up front and a mild prune and wood finish. The acetic qualities are well-balanced, with the tartness between an old, viscous barrel-aged beer and a Flemish red. An exceptional sipper! Not like any other beer I’ve ever had, but it shows some characteristics shared with l’Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien 2005. This beer is very drinkable but unfortunately quite rare. Well, well worth seeking out if this sounds like something you’d enjoy. I now consider it one of the great soured ales in the world.

Crushed with Jakebra. Damn, disappointed. This is more of a red wine mixed with vinegar and sweat. I’m sure Struise meant that to happen, because somehow it works out from time to time. Not quite unpleasant, but not exactly good.

Sampled during MN first annual Sourfest and shared by BDR. Pours a dark semi-haze brown brew with a fast dissolving beige head that dissipates clean. Aroma of brown sugar and tart dark pitted fruits, a touch of cherry and vanilla. Taste is tart berries, vanilla, some brown sugar and even a little lactic acid. Finish has a mild raisin and tart berry aftertaste that is nicely balanced.

bottle thanks to bhops. black pour with no head. very smooth sour notes along with some earth. no carbonation with a good brett flavor and a slightly tart finish.

Pours dark brown/black with zero head. Sour aroma with some woodiness and vanilla. Complex flavors of oak, vanilla and sourness. The taste is very good but the beer is totally flat. I think this took alot away from the enjoyment of this beer. Good, but disappointing. I was hoping for more. I have another bottle that I will re-rate soon. I hope it will be better.

33 cl bottle shared at Kulminator in Antwerpen. Very complex beer, but MUCH to sour for my liking.