Founders Blushing Monk - Founders Brewing Company

Dogbrick

Ohio

4/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Shared growler from the brewpub. Pours a pinkish ruby color with a medium and fluffy white head with decent retention. Strong tart raspberry aroma with touches of citrus. Medium-bodied and fizzy with a very strong raspberry flavor that mellows pretty quickly. Unlike most tart raspberry beers, this one becomes easier to drink with time, which is probably due to the maltyness. The higher than usual ABV is well-hidden too. The finish is tart raspberry at first but finishes like sweet toffee. One of the best Fruit Beers I have tried.

Serving type: growler

08-05-2007 20:50:32 | More by Dogbrick

hoppymeal

Michigan

4.3/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a murky ruby to blood in color with a bubble gum pink head that builds to a finger and then recedes to nothing quickly. Aroma is a mix of sweet raspberry puree along with a lemony tartness. Taste is much the same, like a not quite ripe, tart raspberry, there is some raspberry sweetness underneath that slides across the back of the tongue, but the tartness is dominant. Carbonation at first is a bit sparkling with a crisp effervescence, this dies down as it warms but there is still a bite at the back of the throat. Reminds me very much of another tart raspberry beer except for the alcohol content. The alcohol on the chalkboard at the pub stated 10.3 and it is almost non-evident, very well hidden/balanced. This is definitely not one I can do many of both because of its strength and its strong fruit flavors, but it captures the essence of raspberries very well and was a nice festive one to have after belgian waffles this holiday morning.

Serving type: growler

12-25-2006 19:51:50 | More by hoppymeal

dcloeren

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a raspberry jam color with no head whatsoever.

The aroma is exactly how it would smell if I had a hand full of fresh raspberries.

Raspberries out the ass! Sweet, slightly tart and very delicious!

Medium bodied with a moderate amount of carbonation. Very tart with a tongue stinging acidity.

Founders never disappoints! Absolutely delicious. I'm glad I got to have this at a tasting because it is a very bold beer but my glass was amazing from start to finish.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 21:31:48 | More by dcloeren

stakem

Pennsylvania

4.04/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Big thanks to Jwiss22 for sharing this brew with me. Bomber into a snifter, the brew appears a dark thick ruby mahogany color with a pinkish colored tan frothy topping. Some spots of lace stick to the glass and a swirl revives the cap.

The smell of this brew is straight up rasperry jam. It is seedy and a little herbal but packed full of as much fresh fruity raspberry as you could ever imagine a brew to have.

The taste is sweet with raspberry jam that turns a little tart in a fresh raspberry way, not bacterial. A bit of a contrasting herbal note is present and it gets medicinal as it warms up.

This is a full bodied brew with a modest amount of carbonation. This amount of fruit craziness is what some might expect all fruit beers to be like but dare I say this reaches a bit beyond the spectrum of even feeling like a beer. Those who enjoy the likes of dessert beer or new glarus or selinsgrove fruit beers will probably go bonkers for this. A real panty dropper per se.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 20:40:27 | More by stakem

chinchill

South Carolina

4.15/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

750ml 2011 bottle (thanks PVA!) poured into a St. Bernardus snifter.

Appearance: Pour is a deep cranberry/garnet color. It starts with a small, mixed-density pink head that fades relatively quickly to a thin partial coat Very dark but clear.

Smell: Tons of ripe raspberries, with some vague sweet fruitiness, rather noticeable alcohol (after warming), and a bit of funky Belgian yeast.

Taste: Like the aroma there's a strong flavor of ripe raspberries with some vague sweet fruitiness. Unlike the aroma, the yeastiness is quie subtle and there's a nice. light tartness. Only a touch of alcohol that is well masked by the berries.

Mouthfeel: Body is medium-full and slightly sticky and syrupy; Light carbonation provides light tingle; enough tartness to feel; pleasant warmth from the acidity and ABV.

Overall: World class for style. Great raspberry flavor with enough tartness and complexity to keep it inviting ... even at 750 ml.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2013 23:32:28 | More by chinchill

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

4.06/5  rDev -4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2011 bottle. Thanks for this and the rest of the great beers, Msquared2!!

Appearance. Pours a really deep purple-red with little light getting through and 1.5 fingers of pink (and very slightly tan) head.

Smell. Just a ton of juicey sweet raspberries. Maybe not perfectly fresh, but like a bowl of thawed frozen ones. There's a slight bit of a sort of dusty smell, but no malt or yeast notes really get through. Smells pretty damn good despite my terrible description here...

Taste. Juicy red raspberries and a little bit of floral yeast ...or is it hops? Maybe both, but something is adding a slight floral, bitter flavour. Mainly those juicy tart and tangy raspberries though. About the same sweetness of the ripe berries as well.

Mouthfeel. Medium-full bodied and slightly sticky which could be expected with the amount of berry juice in this.

Overall. A very enjoyable beer. This almost seems like it should be healthy with all the berry juice, but I doubt that's really the case. Great stuff nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 02:46:45 | More by Rutager

Optifron

Illinois

4.78/5  rDev +13%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Enjoyed 11/18/2012 during Founders night as Crane Alley in Urbana, IL

Appearance: Dark, dark crystal clear red. Very nice looking.

Aroma: Tart raspberries. Really nice tart raspberries.

Taste: And of course, delicious tart raspberry! I’m a fan of tartness, so this does it for me. Normally not big on fruit beers, but this is fantastic.

Mouthfeel: Nice, smooth and balanced.

Overall: Fantastic raspberry beer. Good drinkability. Could have a lot of this.

Serving type: on-tap

11-28-2012 21:30:28 | More by Optifron

ngeunit1

California

4.43/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours a ruby-purple color with a finger of frothy pinkish head. The head fades down at a normal pace leaving behind some lacing.

S - Aroma is a full of fresh raspberries with a bit of Belgian yeast, tartness, and the faintest hint of citrus.

T - Starts off with some big sweet fresh raspberries and other berry flavors. Through the middle, some sourness and tartness come through with some Belgian yeast flavors with a touch of citrus and farmhouse flavor. The finish is a mix of sweet and tart raspberries and other fruity sweetness with some sourness and other Belgian yeast flavors and a hint of booze.

M - Medium-full bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth with a sweet, tart, and lightly sour finish.

D - Very drinkable. Big raspberry and fruity flavor, but there is also many other subtle flavors to add some complexity and balance.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2012 03:34:09 | More by ngeunit1

dvmin98

North Carolina

4.75/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I was lucky to get a free 1/3 bottle with Matty, the owner of the Liberty in Charlotte, NC about 18 months ago. That set me on a quest for this stuff. Let me say, first off, Im not a big fruit beer fan.

The appearance on this stuff is like carbonated blood. Deep hue of purple/pink deliciousness.

The smell is nothing short of amazing. Big raspberry nose.

My first sip and I was hooked. I could not believe you could get that much raspberry flavor in a beer. It hit me right in the salivary gland and stayed there for a good 30 seconds.

The mouthfeel was silky and wonderful.

Overall, this is by far my favorite fruit beer. I got lucky enough to score 4 bottles on my own (still have 3 cellared) and also, when Founders had their event at the Liberty, I drank 4 nice big glasses of this stuff. Spoke with the brewmaster from Founders at the event, and told me to crack it open this fall. Think I will listen!

I bet this is a big panty dropper. Women would definitely love this too. Think I may crack open a bottle with some italian ice and share with my wife. Look out sheets!

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2012 21:51:03 | More by dvmin98

ColForbinBC

New Jersey

4.3/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

2011 vintage, poured into a tulip

A ruby red raspberry color body with a thin, foamy pink cap. Some delicate lacing lines the inside of the glass.

The nose reminds me of a raspberry tart. Fresh raspberries, oak, sugary sweetness, clean biscuit malt. Fairly straightforward, tons of raspberries with a moderate sugary sweetness.

On the palate, fresh raspberry explodes onto the palate with sugary sweetness and clean malts in tow. The malts/sugar mix together to create a sugary dough base for all these raspberries.

Medium feel, creamy, and smooth. Mild carbonation and sweet finish. I have had this fresh and now with over a year on it; what a transformation. The body has much more heft and an overwheliming creaminess. Unreal what happens in a year.

Delicious beer that seems to hit a great stride around the year mark. Loads of fresh raspberries mixing with the malt to create a raspberry tart in a glass. Mildly acidic, bringing a pleasant tartness to help balance all the sweetness.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2012 13:27:49 | More by ColForbinBC

QuentinCall

Georgia

4.23/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Blushing Monk - A Synesthetic Review

At this somewhat late juncture, the pour is a vibrant pink with a substantial, foamy ochre head and a significant amount of effusive carbonation. In its gently churning chaos and vivid coloring, it is immediately reminiscent of Jürgen Paape's seminal 2001 track So Weit Wie Noch Nie. Resting on the table, undisturbed and resolutely cascading, the glass seems very much a glimmering embodiment of the shiny/stuttering moments of the song; a sinuous, almost vernal, tableaux casting its iridescent aura into the low light of The Porter Beer Bar.

Fittingly, the nose is demonstrably sweet. It is more than content to approach the realm of cloying but it does this, somehow, naturally and impressively so: the aroma of what must be a truly staggering number of raspberries. Honestly, it's otherworldly (transcontinental, at the very least), far removed from any appropriate comparison. The open bottle and three full glasses have ably perfumed our table and the immediately surrounding space. It is such that in the act of inhaling I cannot help but allow the marimba countermelody and staccato accordion beats of Taken By Trees' My Boys to shudder through my ears. It is a precious and affecting aroma, knitting itself firmly into my heart.

Taste-wise, its raspberries again, all aspects of them: compellingly sweet, dryly tart, subtly bitter. The belgian yeasts have done their work as well - a faint bready quality and a fully realized sourness pervade this beer rather wonderfully. These two aspects combine as beautifully as the disparate qualities of Bootsy Collins' crucial I'd Rather Be With You, forming (in a Voltron like synthesis) a greater total whole that is pleasantly approachable but emboldened enough to be sensually challenging and, perhaps, engender a deserved mythos.

The feel is simple and balanced, hefty, almost pointed in its still very much present carbonation, and nuanced in its admirable resilience. Its a lot of the same very wonderful thing, stretching out in minute ways while prolonging and deepening its singular focus. Much like the infinite and incontrovertible Tortoise track TNT - it lasts a lot longer than you can possibly imagine and thankfully so.

Ultimately, drinking this beer is a bittersweet experience (literally and figuratively). Simply ... it's a wonder. Resplendent , multi-faceted, sweet, dense, slightly sour and impeccably executed. The problem is the looming/crushing doubt that I will ever get the chance to drink it again. I feel as though Sharon Van Etten's crushing ode Heart In The Ground would not be out of place, playing over the stereo as I joyfully and ruefully finish this glass. "Can I live without you?" seems like a nearly applicable sentiment.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2012 00:45:30 | More by QuentinCall

papat444

Quebec (Canada)

3.68/5  rDev -13%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

***2011 Vintage***

Thanks to Phyl21ca for this one.

Poured from a 750ml. bottle.

Appearance: Pours literally the color of raspberry jam with a 2-3 finger head the color of strawberry Quik milk. Nice stream of lacing.

Smell: Sourish tart, raspberries on the lactic and milky side, raspberry mousse.

Taste: Raspberry mousse with a tart twist, light at 1st but gets sweet & tart with cherries and overripe raspberries. Oak, flavor is long. Has a very milky feel.

Mouthfeel: A strong lactic feel different from other beers in the same vein. It balances the tartness and fills the mouth.

Overall: Compared to other raspberry hybrids, this is vastly different. Like a milky, lactic smoothie more than the refreshing, dry tartness. Maybe the Belgian influence though i didn't get it much in the flavor. Demarcates itself from the pack and very unique.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2012 11:31:47 | More by papat444

andrewinski1

Maine

3.9/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks a bunch to Bendurgin for sharing this wonderful tick! Poured into a tulip. There is a nice deeb ruby color with a light pink head.

The aroma smells like raspberry and cream.

The taste starts out with sweet raspberry that just hints at raspberry tartness that never fully develops. The finish is sweet with a touch of malt flavor.

This is full bodied, with a creamy mouthfeel.

This has a great raspberry flavor. It's a little too sweet for my preference, but it's hard to deny the quality that is put into this beverage.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2012 00:07:12 | More by andrewinski1

Bendurgin

Maine

4.5/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Huge thanks to Stupac for throwing this in as an extra. Poured into a tulip. This pours a dark cranberry color with a thick cap of pink head.

This simply smells like raspberry jam. Nice an sweet with a little bit of a tart edge. The pallet mirrors the aroma nicely with lots of rich raspberry flavors. Sweet on the middle with a nice tart edge.

The body is medium with good carbonation. Overall this one is pretty fantastic. Real enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2012 00:02:14 | More by Bendurgin

Gobzilla

California

4.28/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: poured a very bright crimson red in color with a half finger of pinkish head that left a little lacing sticking to the glass.

S: tons of raspberry sweetness jumps out on the aroma with hints of citrusy lambic character and some acidic notes as well.

T: like the nose, the raspberry were the main attraction and pretty lead the whole with the exception of slight sweetness, mild acidic, but with a touch of citrus.

M: the brew was medium in body with a fair amount of carbonation which had a sweet. Reallly fruity, acidic, slight citrusy and tart finish.

O: very well done fruit beer that was solid all around and was glad to try. Good job founders.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2012 14:44:56 | More by Gobzilla

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Founders Blushing Monk, shared with the girlfriend in two Duchesse de Bourgogne goblets. 750ml bottle, obviously over a year old.

Pours a deep red color with great clarity. Looks like a young wine. Frothy pink head looked nice for a bit, then fell to a solid ring.

Very vinous aroma with pounds and pounds of fresh raspberries, merlot grapes, woody tannins, blackberry, and tobacco leaf. Not as sweet in the nose as past reviews have implicated.

Delicious red wine complexity and flavor with a tart appeal to the raspberry heap. Ripe tannic quality adds to the pucker with some woody bitterness. More tobacco, blackberry, and a faint licorice note. Absolutely delectable in that it is rich and fruity, yet only half-sweet. And, the big question, where oh where is the 9.2% alcoholic content?!?

Medium-thick body with very light carbonation. Alcohol all but completely absent.

It's shocking how much I ended up loving this beer. One of the best fruit beers I've ever had. Thought it would be too sweet or too thick. Blushing Monk exceeds all expectations except mouthfeel, but even then, the lack of booze is all the more inviting.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2012 00:43:31 | More by thecheapies

libbey

Washington

4.35/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A very generous extra from Rempo. I love raspberries and thiis guy delivered. 750ml poured split with my brother.

A: The beer pours a deep dark ruby red with a nice cap of off red/white head that dissipates fairly quickly. A decent trail of spotty lacing is left throughout the session.

S: The nose is dominated by the smell of fresh raspberry purée. Yum.

T: Again the taste is an onslaught of fresh raspberries in the beginning. Sweet and tart with a finish that begins to show a touch of the Belgian yeast. ABV becomes a bit more pronounced as it warms.

M: Carbonation is spot on and the flavors of the berry coat thaw pallet on every sip and linger. Very good.

O: Overall this is not a beer for someone who does not love raspberries. It is the dominant component. I for one love raspberries and there for really enjoyed this beer. Great beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2012 21:55:46 | More by libbey

JohnnyHopps

Indiana

4.43/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Raspberries. If one word reviews were allowed, that might be all I would say. I never give a 5 for appearance, but I have to give love to a beer that is movie scene blood-red. While pouring from the bottle, one gets a big nose of raspberries. The initial taste is raspberries. One really get the tart of the raspberries and can almost sense the skin of the fruit on your tongue. If I did not know it was a beer, I might have trouble recognizing it. There really are not many of the elements of beer present. There is not much carbonation or maltiness. One might get a hint of wheat. In this respect, It reminds me of the New Glarus Belgians. However, I still detect beer in the New Glarus line. The tart raspberry continues into the aftertaste. The beer is one-dimensional, but I still enjoyed it.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2012 19:31:53 | More by JohnnyHopps

ThickNStout

Georgia

4.23/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Founders Fest. Served in a very fancy plastic cup...

Pours a crazy deep pink/ light purple w/ 1 finger light pink head. Almost no lacing. 

Straight forward but inviting nose of berries and sugar. 

Huge fruity, tart, raspberry flavor. Belgiumy apple, slight yeast & funk. Only a minir trace of the 9+% abv. 

Medium heavy feel with a good but not overpowering carbonated zest. Long sweet raspberry finish. 

I thought I'd never get to try this again after blowing through the bottle I had. Glad this showed up at the festival. I'm not a particular fan of either Belgians ir fruity beer but this stuff is in a class all it's own. Well done, Founders!

Serving type: on-tap

06-23-2012 23:56:23 | More by ThickNStout

tewaris

Minnesota

3.9/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Shared by Yulles, thanks!

Very deep and viscous pink with a dark pink head. Lots of sweetness and intense raspberries in the aroma. The raspberries, however, are getting tame with time as evidenced in the taste, but the sweetness is going strong. This beer is also very thick and rather low in carbonation which is why it is rather tough to drink at the moment.

It is my opinion that with time the malts will shine more making it a delightful brew, especially because I am fan of malty beers and raspberries, both. And although I remarked that it is rather syrupy and tough to drink at the moment, it still drinks very easy for its body and ABV.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2012 02:15:35 | More by tewaris

rudzud

Massachusetts

4.88/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Received numerous bottles of this in trades and from stores. This one was poured into a Duvel tulip and shared with bpk59. Reviewed from notes.

A - Poured a deep crimson raspberry hue with a light pink one finger head that leaves a nice thin cloud with light side lacing. Gorgeous.

S - Smells just like a lambic!! TONS of raspberry jam and juice. Fresh tart sour raspberries and yet there are sweet tart cooked qualities. Outstanding.

T - Equally as exceptional as the nose. This is like a lambic framboise that they added raspberry jam to. This stuff is insanely good. Incredibly raspberry rich. Its like drinking raspberry juice.

M - Mouthfeel is really solid. Tart and sour with the finish super inviting and enjoyable. Its a bit thin/syrupy but still wonderful.

O - Overall this is incredibly outstanding. So, so so much raspberry. Its incredible just how much raspberry qualities they've crammed into this one.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2012 17:54:48 | More by rudzud

BruceBruce

Texas

3.93/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Ok, this may not seem like a normal review, but here it is...

Raspberries

Raspberries

Raspberries

raspberries

O. It isn't bad, I didn't think I would like it, but got it for my gf. the smell and taste are tart then sweet raspberries the whole time. I tried to find another scent or flavor but couldn't. for what it is, its great, but it would be hard to drink more then one bottle of this in a row. I will say it is better then some raspberry stouts and other flavored beer I have tried.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2012 03:26:45 | More by BruceBruce

Ryan011235

Ohio

2.65/5  rDev -37.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Poured into an Eau Benite flute on 11/18/11; shared with PDXHops

2011 vintage

"Whoa. Whoa. Holy mackerel. Whoa."
-PDXHops

Deep ruby hue while poured. in the glass it's darker, but still has a glow about it. Nearly grape juice hued. One finger head - the color is that of strawberry ice cream. Soapy layer of retention.

Even raspberries don't smell this much like raspberries. If the aroma wasn't sweet enough, well, just take a sip old bean. Painfully sugary - the raspberry is simply out of control. The only redeeming quality is that it finishes sort of toasty and dry. I don't know how it manages that. Full, sticky, sugary feel. Moderate carbonation situated underneath the sugar tones.

Blushing Monk is amusing for three sips - anything beyond that is overkill.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2012 00:16:34 | More by Ryan011235

warnerry

Michigan

4.05/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - Pours deep red/purple with one finger of pink head. Head doesn't last too long and leaves only spotty lacing.

S - Smell is mostly raspberries, but in a few different forms. some Some fresh puree, a bit of raspberry jam and faint raspberry liqueur. Also a very faint earthy yeast aroma.

T - Tart raspberry up from, with sweet raspberry coming in quickly behind. Does maintain a nice tartness throughout to help cut the sweetness. Certainly not an intense sourness, but a nice acidity.

M - Nice creamy mouthfeel. Sweet, but not syrupy. Again, the tartness helps to cut the sweetness a bit and slightly dry out the finish.

O - While it is a touch too sweet, it is nowhere near Lindeman's Framboise sweet, and is a very nice raspberry beer. Good on a hot day.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 19:12:01 | More by warnerry

julian89

Georgia

4.15/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

So yeah, I went to Brick Store Pub's annual breakfast before work and had KBS 2010, CBS 2010, and Blushing monk to make an awesome 8-10 oz per cup beer flight, all on draft. Yes It was a great start to my work day. I had the CBS from bottle last year, from what I remember it's just as fantastic.

Appearance: Pours a dark purple, opaque, and syrupy body with a foamy off-white head.

Smell: Raspberries, raspberries, and a little more raspberries. Not much else, and I love it.

Taste: Once again, the ABV is masked so well. It's like a spicy boozy raspberry smoothie in consistency. It's fruity mix is very good. It's been the best fruit beer I've had and better than some fruit lambics for sure.

Mouthfeel: Full body. Medium carbonation. Creamy and smooth.

Drinkability: Quite good, never thought I would rank a fruit beer so high.

Serving type: on-tap

05-19-2012 17:21:07 | More by julian89