Red Poppy Ale
(has 9 batches)
The Lost Abbey in San Marcos, California, United States 🇺🇸
Flemish Red / Bruin Rotating|
Score
7.90
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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 12 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. This beer is 6.5% ABV and is available in 375 ml bottles and on draft at inspired locations.
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 12 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. This beer is 6.5% ABV and is available in 375 ml bottles and on draft at inspired locations.
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7.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Keg at Cannery Row Brewing Co, Monterey, 29/04/14. Murky reddish amber with a good sized light beige covering. Nose is dank wood, must, tarte apple, red grapes, funk, spice, dark stoned fruit. Taste comprises musty red grapes, bitter tropical fruit peel, soured dark berry fruit, funk, musty wood. Medium bodied, fine carbonation, semi puckerings in the close. Solid Flemish, plenty of depth to this one @$10 a 12oz pour feeling a little poor !!!
Tried
from Can
on 07 May 2014
at 13:11
7.2/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 8
Vintage 2013 on draught at Publick House, 3/20/14 and bottle, drunk 3/29/14
In both, the appearance is a dark, ruby/black cherry tinted brown beer with a smattering of beige head that shows poor retention. Good clarity.
Definite sharp acetic tones produce some near acetone-like notes and certainly lend an aggressive feel to the nose. Oak character contributes tannins and plenty of vanilla and dry black pepper-like phenols. Cherries just seem to be left as an essence here, much like the Framboise, being completely attenuated. With warming and breathing, more lactic notes emerge, softening things somewhat. Traces of toffee and caramel add some pleasant sweet notes to all of this heavily dry, tart nose. Love the relatively low alcohol content though, and none of it shows through.
Intensely sour and dry in the mouth. Phew, this is a lot of barrel tannin, acetic acid and very sharp malic acids from the cherries. The draught version hadnt been as far attenuated as the bottle, still having more soft malt notes to smooth out some of this intense acidity. I like the flavors going on, for the most part, but there isnt enough malt body or sweetness to balance this intensely sharp acetone-like character that lingers on the finish. I do like that the sourness/tartness is not really cherry-driven, however. Not just a glass of cherry juice. Very phenolic, dry and just a bit too unbalanced on the sour side, even for a sour addict such as myself.
Interestingly enough, the draught version was not as bright and the sediment still in solution helped balance some of the sharpness/heavy tannin, and sure enough, pouring a little bit of sediment from the bottom of the bottle actually helped dull the sharpness without really comprimising the flavor. Good and still very drinkable on account of the dryness and low alcohol but I’ve got to imagine this hasnt been their best vintage.
In both, the appearance is a dark, ruby/black cherry tinted brown beer with a smattering of beige head that shows poor retention. Good clarity.
Definite sharp acetic tones produce some near acetone-like notes and certainly lend an aggressive feel to the nose. Oak character contributes tannins and plenty of vanilla and dry black pepper-like phenols. Cherries just seem to be left as an essence here, much like the Framboise, being completely attenuated. With warming and breathing, more lactic notes emerge, softening things somewhat. Traces of toffee and caramel add some pleasant sweet notes to all of this heavily dry, tart nose. Love the relatively low alcohol content though, and none of it shows through.
Intensely sour and dry in the mouth. Phew, this is a lot of barrel tannin, acetic acid and very sharp malic acids from the cherries. The draught version hadnt been as far attenuated as the bottle, still having more soft malt notes to smooth out some of this intense acidity. I like the flavors going on, for the most part, but there isnt enough malt body or sweetness to balance this intensely sharp acetone-like character that lingers on the finish. I do like that the sourness/tartness is not really cherry-driven, however. Not just a glass of cherry juice. Very phenolic, dry and just a bit too unbalanced on the sour side, even for a sour addict such as myself.
Interestingly enough, the draught version was not as bright and the sediment still in solution helped balance some of the sharpness/heavy tannin, and sure enough, pouring a little bit of sediment from the bottom of the bottle actually helped dull the sharpness without really comprimising the flavor. Good and still very drinkable on account of the dryness and low alcohol but I’ve got to imagine this hasnt been their best vintage.
Tried
from Bottle
on 29 Mar 2014
at 13:26
8.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Bottle pour at home. Sour cherry aroma. A lot of strawberry, cherry, and cranberry. Very long, sour finish. Medium body. Not the first time I?ve had this one, but never got the chance to rate it. This is one of the beers that originally got me in to sours. Really good beer. One of my favorites. Update 1/26/15, poured at the lost abbey event at beer junction. 2013. Still solid, not nearly as sour as I remember, though still as good. I love sours.
Tried
from Bottle
on 22 Mar 2014
at 18:12
7/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
12 fl oz bottle thanks to Nisse666! Sampled on December 21, 2013.Clear dark red color, light brown head. Sweet, cherry, acidic, vinegar scent. Acidic, vinegar, green currants taste. Light metallic aftertaste, also vinegar and Salubrin. Medium mouthfeel, very low bitterness.
Tried
from Bottle
on 22 Dec 2013
at 10:26
8.1/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Wee bottle from Ölbutikken bb (Danish label) 010414 probably vintage 2009-2010 cons 2013-12-21 Göteborg AR: mmm lovely kriek, kriek seeds AP: dark ruby, wee fizzy pinkish white head F: fizzy, sour kriek yoghurt, horse pee, tart, kriek seeds... perfect cellered ;)
Tried
from Bottle
on 22 Dec 2013
at 08:06
8.4/10
—
Appearance 10
Aroma 7
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Bottle. I really enjoyed this one. Pours clear ruby with some floaties and a large fizzy tan head that dissipates with nice lacing. Aroma is sour cherry, funk, oak, grapes. Flavor is the same, quite oaky actually, but without much woody tannic astringence. Vinous with medium tartness and just a tough of funk. Finish is quite dry. Medium body, high carbonation, but not distracting from the overall experience.
Tried
from Bottle
on 19 Oct 2013
at 10:32
8.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 6
Overall 9
2011 Vintage. Aroma is fairly fruity with a balanced malt backbone. Lots of cherry, cassis and raspberry notes. Background malt has hints of caramel and faint chocolate. Faint toasted bread character. Light acidity.Pours a slightly cloudy brown with ruby highlights and a moderately thick tan head that slowly buy steadily recedes. Moderate lacing and no legs. Flavor is instantly tart with balanced fruit and malt. Lots of berries and tart cherries. Malt balances the acidity and fruit well and adds some light caramel and toasted bread notes. Hints of chocolate as well. Faint barrel notes but they play third string to the fruit and malt.Mouthfeel is medium bodied with medium high carbonation. Low acidic astringency and low alcohol warmth. A bit sticky. Overall a very nice beer; I would go so far as to say the best American Flemish sour I have had. The price point is steep but the quality is high. Such nice fruit notes with well balanced malt. I think perhaps there could be more barrel character but that is my one knock on this beer. As it warms the barrel notes become more noticeable bit still very light.
Tried
from Can
on 07 Aug 2013
at 22:51