Struise Aardmonnik / Earthmonk

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

Huge thanks to Chris Lively for procuring oteyj and I a bottle of this stuff. Dark brown/ruby pour, small head. Words actually don’t do this beer justice; a fitting end to an insane night of brews. Incredible Flander’s brown.

A massive thanks goes out to Chirs Lively for this amazing creation. I don’t actually need to say anything intelligible or use any descriptors because this beer transcends modern human nomenclature. That’s all.

Bottle:   Cola in color, thin dishwater like head, faint lacing, very faint.   Almost appears still.   Assertive woody aroma, minor vinous like qualities.   Almost want to say Merlot or Cab barrel aged.   Tart on the tongue, very soft fruitiness, very subtle.   This one isn’t too sour, its clean, soft from start to finish.   Almost makes me wonder if this one was meant to be a bit more abrassive.   Lingering woodiness, tartness, and grape skin... from immature grapes.   Yeah, its like a Sour Ale with this immature fruitiness.   Clean, subtle and soft, with a puckering that doesn’t make your mouth water too much.   Good stuff, especially for someone getting into the style.   However, while well crafted... does it really need to be $20 a bottle?   Thats the only downside to this one.   Good, but not earth shattering like I thought it was going to be.

Generous sample poured by Urbain from the barrel at the smaller brewery in Oost Vleteren. Almost completely black, lively tan head that settles quickly and leaves scant lacing. Aroma of malt vinegar and old wine. Flavor starts with port wine and progresses to a rick sourness and very high acidity. A unique brew, something to be sought after.

Thanks to mreusch for this one. The bottle looks great, the beer in the glass also. Starts intense sourish but not too much. Wonderful fruity notes of grapes, plums and raisins. A maltiness soft as velvet. Goes down slowly burning, a bit prickly, warming. Well balanced sourish. Wonderful!

Bottle 33cl Pours near dead dark cola brown no head. Aroma is fantastic tons of vanilla hits me at first then a nice crabapple tart fruit. Slight honey and a near vinegar sour. Very good just got some great dried dark fruit. Flavor is a very light sourness of unripe granny smith apples and crabapples, dry fruit of figs, and just a little sweetness believe it or not great beer could be a little more sour.

Bottle shared by alexsdad06. Poured cloudy brown color with a minimal frothy off-white head that mostly lasted with good lacing. Medium to heavy dark fruit, alcohol and wood aroma. Medium body with a smooth texture and good carbonation. Medium to heavy sweet & sour flavor with a medium to heavy sour finish of moderate to long duration. Complex sour that is a standout for style.

75cl at Pikkulintu, BBE 07/11, big thanks to everyone who shared. Very dark ruby, nearly black, tiny and coarse beige head. Aroma has dry Käck liquorice, hint of cherry, balsamico sourness, dark grapes. Warming balsamico flavor, burned notes, licorice, little figs, spiciness I can’t get a grib of, long balsamico finish similar to Rodenbach GC. Totally lovely sour, keeps getting better with every sip, got even some roasty notes.