Struise Aardmonnik / Earthmonk

Simply out, this is my favotite beer of all time. Like Balsamic Vinegar in a bottle. I want to drink this for the rest of my life.

The Musings:
As lush cherries in plush earth are deeply steeping,
And balsamic richness to the nose is leaping,
One can tell
The seed of luxury has been duly planted.

Dark chocolate is drifting, sifting through, and lifting
A gardenful of grapes around the tongue wafting,
So that one can tell
The germination of greatness has been granted.

Then,
Tartness sprouts its savvy snout, as a wooden drought
Flashes the filling fruit, and now there is no doubt
That I can tell
These roots are in my veins; I am nearly daunted.

Yes,
An illuminated assumption’s guaranteed
Through the consumption of this wise cultivation,
And I can tell
That if I drank
As much of it as my seduced soul would permit,
I can confirm it, I would be a fat hermit.

The Bottom Line:
Although some might complain that some effort is needed to produce a big-bubbled head, most will indulge in this authentic Flemish deity, and perhaps ponder its resemblance to a more drinkable Cuvée de Tomme. These De Struise Brouwers truly are as talented as they are generous.

Bottle; best before 07/2010.

In short: Intensely sour/tart beer. My favourite Flemish Sour Beer? Maybe…
How: Mtl-crew Halloween-tasting session. Bottle from Rastacouere my hero. This is from the first batch (and only one so far I believe)
The look: Cloudy purple body without much head
In long: From the nose you know you’re in for something intense. It’s a tight rope to walk to make such an intensely sour and tart beer and not fall in the vinegar side. But the earthmonk does not only walk the tight rope, it’s making backflips on it. Sour oak and tart dark cherries (or is it the other way around?) supported by a chocolate backbone and some spicy notes. Intensely sour/tart/acidic. I’m talking making-funny-faces sour/tart/acidic. A sipper. It might be sweet, I don’t know, my taste buds were too busy with other more intense aspects of the beer. The really soft carbonation would be considered dull in any other beer but is totally fitting here. I‘ve been smelling the empty bottle for a few days now. Drinking that unannounced masterpiece with my favourite beer-geek friends was one of those “beer-moment”. It’s remembering moments like that that fuels my passion for beer although unfortunately it is also because of beer that I don’t remember many moments like that.

Dark brown beer with a small but creamy beige foam. Nose is malty and fruity with hints of sour oxidized apples, cinnamon and madeira. Taste is complex and the mouthfeeling is smooth and oily. The taste of this beer is sweet and sour with interesting touches wood, dry fruits, nuts and even muchrooms. Thanks to Carlo for this exeptional beer. Retasted at Zythos 2007 from a Big bottle Beer showed a much beeter apperance and the taste is even more impressive than the first time I tasted this special sour Flemish beer. Well done guys.

Bottled. 33cl bottle courtesy of Carlo (Lachesis) at RBLCM last September. Huge thanks go to Carlo for the gift of this beer, but also for the fact that his company brew such a masterpiece. Pours dark brown with a purple hue, and very little beige head. The aroma is super sour. Gorgeous acidity but also a woody barky note and the merest hint of chocolate. More puckering sourness in the taste, together with all the flavours of Mother Nature: Earth and Wood abound. Tingly on the tongue but that’s the sourness rather than carbonation which is minimal. A beer I could honestly drink every day for always. I had the highest hopes but was prepared to be disappointed. My only disappointment is I cannot buy this anywhere close to home. Thanks again to Carlo, a true Gentleman.

This rating is dedicated to my second beautiful daughter Charlotte Megan Edwards born 5th October 2007.