Red Poppy Ale - The Lost Abbey

yamar68

Minnesota

4.2/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 12.7oz bottle to tulip glass, 2012 vintage:

Pours a murky, dirty ruby red/brown... a thin fizzy few seconds of off-white head gave way to a slender collar and lively, constant beading.

The nose is stuffed with cranberry funk and spicy wild yeasts. Tart grassy bits, some champagne notes, a bit of blueberry.

Exceedingly tart on the tongue. Various light berry bits, dry fruity finish, tart from start to finish. It's a style that I am far from acquainted with. From the few samples I can recall, though, this one sits right at the top.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2012 01:08:07 | More by yamar68

chanokokoro

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12.7 oz 2012 vintage bottle poured into a tulip glass

Pours amber with a deep ruby red hue and a three finger light brown head which dissipates fairly quickly. The smell of cherry and oak is clearly present. Opens with a sour blast of cherries, vinegar, and funk which transitions to the base brown ale. The finish is tart, oaky, and dry. An extremely balanced Flanders Red, never too sweet, just the right amount of tartness, and the oak barrel flavor blends well and adds some complexity. Definitely among the top tier of American-brewed Flanders Red Ales.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2012 04:16:15 | More by chanokokoro

bfields4

Colorado

4.43/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Dark ruby brown body. Nice frothy light brown head.

Very sour notes. Vinegary funk, oak, tart cherries. Also some sweet Belgian citrus I was surprised to find.

This is one very complex brew. A dry winey tartness accompanied by cherries. Also picking up the oak. Somewhat of a fig/berry flavor in it as well.

Awesome brew. Good variety of flavors. A little light on the body, but not really in a bad way. This might give the duchess a run for its money in my book.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2012 02:45:46 | More by bfields4

phishsihq

Colorado

4.63/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

The brew appears almost garnet in color, and is capped by a big off-white head with great retention and lots of lace. A rich bouquet of cherries, funk, oak, cherries and more cherries, The cherry flavors blends beautifully into a slight oakiness and tartness that finishes somewhat sweet. Medium in body, Red Poppy Ale features a higher level of carbonation. Rare and delicious!

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2012 00:52:04 | More by phishsihq

GPHarris

Alabama

4.48/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2011 vintage

a - poured a one finger thick tan head into a tulip that settled into a thin ring that lasted for almost the whole beer. the body was a dark mahogany with some red tints to it.
s - strong sour cherry aroma with oak behind it. as it warms the oak comes through a little more.
t - puckering tart cherries with some woodiness.
m - medium thickness with lively carbonation bubbles. very dry finish.
o - really excellent beer and probably my favorite lost abbey so far.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2012 13:51:13 | More by GPHarris

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Red Poppy Ale. Stamped vintage date of 2012. Poured into a Duchesse de Bourgogne goblet and enjoyed side-by-side with Cuvée des Jacobins.

Brown with some earthy reddish tones. Mostly dark and cloudy and almost impenetrable by light. A coarse head rose to a finger and more from the pour, but fell without retention of any sort. A ring is left and evacuating slowly. No lacing, leaves the glass clean.

Sour cherry and woody barrel up front here. Lots of oakiness pulling through. Lighter on the cherry than I first whiffed. Very wine-like with a nose like a left-out-too-long Chianti. Touches of vanilla and candied citrus peel bleed through and vanish.

Unabashedly sour for a Flanders Red. A little dry, too. Tannic qualities from the oak barrels, however, are not shy. The fruits are tart and green. Sour cherries, sour grapes, pear skin, and a wild flora herbal profile. Still young, with even a piquant alcohol proving that, but so delectable. Very different from any other Flanders Reds tasted before. Exquisitely unique.

The body is a little thinner than standard. Carbonation is pretty sneaky in this thing. Has a weird feel overall with its lacking fullness and prickly bubbles.

The Lost Abbey has a noticeable barrel flavor in their brews. It represents Red Poppy very nicely, but I look for more sweetness to balance the sour and woody qualities. Still an excellent brew and an upper-class Flanders Red.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2012 02:24:49 | More by thecheapies

warnerry

Michigan

4.23/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2012 bottling

A - Nice pop as the cork comes out. Pours very deep red/brown with almost four fingers of tan head with a slight pink hue. Head has very good retention and leaves some nice lacing. I am surprised how dark this is.

S - Tart cherries, a nice amount of oak, and a good funky base. Small amount of balsamic vinegar.

T - Definitely tart, but not bracingly sour. Also quite a bit of bitterness in the taste, especially on the finish. Earthy and funky with tart cherries. Lots of oak on the finish. Very tasty. Thought it would have more fruit since it is this year's vintage, but I enjoyed it as is.

M - Medium mouthfeel, maybe a bit on the heavy side for the style, but I that isn't a negative.

O - Nice one from Lost Abbey, but not quite up to Rodenbach Grand Cru or Cuvee de Jacobins for the style. Looking forward to seeing what some age does this to this.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2012 21:16:07 | More by warnerry

mj001jk

California

4.4/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A pleasant nose with tart, black cherries and dried figs, with mineral and vanilla oak overtones.

Flavors are rich and coat the palate with tart, yet ripe cherries and green apples providing lots of acidity. After the initial mouth-puckering, it gives way to a long and seductive sweetness, fruits and finishes with dry tannins.

It is hearty yet refreshing, delicious from beginning to end.

I already yearn for next time...

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2012 04:20:56 | More by mj001jk

lnashsig

Texas

4.6/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Muled back from my LA trip! This is #BOTG 43! Poured from bottle into 512 Farmhouse glass. Pours a very hazy brown/reddish color. nice fluffy head fills the glass, an offwhite color. Smell- tart cherries, sour cherry pie, a little bit of a salty aroma as well. Layers of cherries and sugar in the aroma. Taste- hot dr pepper! a nice tart and funky blast of cherries, puckering sour at the end. The tight carbonation makes for a dry finish. Some horse blanket funk coils with the tart sweetness from the cherries. There are layers of flavor with this, its wonderful. One of the better Flanders styles I've ever had.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2012 01:24:02 | More by lnashsig

JimmyTango

California

4.33/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Ruby brown with an off-white head (I'm drinking it in a low-light room, so its hard to get a feel for clarity). The head is bigger and creamier than I'm used to in sours.

S: Dew on brown grass, leather, and oak come together for a nice, almost sweet nose. Complex, tart, and oaky-sweet. Cherries make their way into the sour part of the aroma. The funk is sweet and wet, nice and mellow but very present. I love this nose.

T: Tart at first, followed quickly by some sour cherries. Creamy mid palette with a quick flash of that elusive sweetness form the nose. There is also a touch of cinnamon in the creamy part... It's the oak. The finish is dry with a lingering, clean, lemony tartness. There is a tiny hint of bitterness at the very end, but otherwise there are no hop aromas or flavors.

M: Light bodied, nice fine carbonation.

O: I like this quite a bit. The funk is really integrated, and the sourness is up front but not un-checked by great depth and oaky spice. I like the combo of clean, lemon-like sour flavors and a vinegary sweetness.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2012 16:14:02 | More by JimmyTango

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

3.85/5  rDev -10%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle Vintage 2012.

Poured into a snifter, the beer is a deep, hazed, auburn-brown coloring that pours with a ton of carbonation. Low profile, thin, off-white head that quickly settles out into a filmy ring around the surface. Aromas of juniper and jasmine floral highlights on a dark, rich, black cherry and currant sweet backbone. The increased carbonation keeps the body thin, and gives the sour notes an extra punch. Syrupy sweet flavors transition into an earthy, wine barrel characteristic. The aftertaste is sour and sweet at the same time, with an effervescent feel. The finish is sharp, but light, with a bubbly feel left across your tongue. Tangy and puckering at the end. Good brew.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2012 00:21:13 | More by GarthDanielson

yourefragile

District of Columbia

4.05/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

2010 375 mL bottle.

Pours a murky dark ruby brown with a thin dense cream head that fades to a thick collar and minimal lace. Aroma of oak, light vinegar, apple sauce, tart cherry; pleasant blend of acid and sweet. Flavor is oaky and mildy cherry and vanilla sweet through the body before a strong acidic sourness builds long into the finish. Medium thick body with light carbonation. A little too harsh and acidic in the finish, but a nice oak and fruit presence otherwise.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2012 01:24:21 | More by yourefragile

jonvan04

Pennsylvania

4.23/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a dark brown with a thin tan head. The aroma had the expected Brett notes along with some fig and green apple. The flavor was intense in a good way, some dark fruit flavors mixed with a decent amount of funk along with some fig and plum flavors. The mouthfeel left you with a thick coating of sourness on the tongue that lingered after it goes down. Overall this was a very enjoyable beer, however at over $20 for a 12.7 ounce bottle I don't know if I'd pick one of these up again.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2012 00:41:08 | More by jonvan04

raynmoon

California

4.2/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

It pours a very deep ruby red/ brown with a really off white head that disappeared pretty quickly. Reminds me of champagne.

It smells like a nice Flanders Sour. It's nice a tart smelling. A lot of cherry and balsamic notes. Very dark sweetness.

Right away, the carbonation coats your mouth very nicely. A lot of fizzy bubbles. So far this is right out of the fridge, and the complexity isn't quite there, but is probably being held back because of the cold. There is a decent sourness, but nothing really that tart. Kind of tastes like a light, carbonated red wine.

When it is slightly warmer the sourness starts to creep in.
This beer isn't exactly complex, or make you jump out of your seat, but I find myself wanting to keep going back and sipping.

Good beer though. Better than there Duchesse.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2012 04:21:06 | More by raynmoon

hopfacebrew

Colorado

4.5/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Picked up a bottle and was rather amazed it was still on the shelf. Score. Poured from corked 375mL bottle to Cuvel tulip the beer pours a dark amber brown, opaque and cloudy. The red tones of the amber are highlighted in the edges in the light. 2 finger off-white/tan head with nice retention and lacing. The nose is a blend of sour, oak, vinegar, funk, dark fruits, and tart apple. Blended well together the aroma is appealing. Similarly the flavor begins with an oaky funk at first that develops to a tart, slightly sour, vinegar cherry sweetness. Mildly bitter and well balanced. Medium bodied and well carbonated. Finishes tart and sweet with a lingering full palette sour. Very good. Overall, the price tag has kept me at bay for years but I am glad to have pulled the trigger finally. Very enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2012 15:37:07 | More by hopfacebrew

danedelman

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

okay, so I got ripped off on this bottle. $25 ooofff.

A-murky reddish brown with almost zero head.

S-lots of oak and cherry followed by a pit fruit and raisin/prune smell. Sweet with a nice tartness to it.

T-tart cherries hit first with then a nice dose of oak and pruniness. almost like a bitterness in there too, almost chocolate like. Well done but again, a Rodenbach would do just fine at $7 a 750ml.

M-medium bodied with nice carbonation. very easy drinking.

Overall I really enjoy this one but the pricetag just really sucked. Not the breweries fault.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2012 00:19:39 | More by danedelman

inlimbo77

Delaware

4/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Red Poppy '12
375ml
Lost Abbey tulip

A: Murky reddish brown color on the pour. Better carbonation that I expected and had read about. Nice little pop on the cork. And I did get a nice little head out of it.

S: Balsamic vinegar. Crap apples. Funk. Cherries. Typical

T: A good amount of tartness on the front of the palate. Then you get that apple cider vinegar flavor, but after having the Rodenbach Vintage '09 it wasn't as much. It's a nice dry finish.

M: Light to medium bodied beer. Very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2012 13:39:22 | More by inlimbo77

PeterIngemi

Massachusetts

4.48/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured a cork caged 375 from the 2012 vintage into a duvel glass

A: pours a dark, slightly murky brown. When held to the light it reveals a deep redish fading into amber around the edges. Pours a nice two finger khaki head that dissapates nicley and leavs a little bit of lacing.

S: a very complex, very inviting aroma, oak and sour funk, light hints of red wine vinegar, tart fruit aromas of dark cherry, along with hints of sour green apple, kiwi? And pear. Again a very very. Implied and Inviting nose with all the aromas playing together very nicley.

T: taste does not dissapoint, as complex and intriguing as the nose. The taste actually follows it quite closely. Funk and oak upfront, blending into a very light vinegar touch burried beneath a very nice sour cherry flavor, cherry skins, I also get tart apple and pear, particularly in the finish. The sour/sweetness works perfectly here with the oak. A beatiful display of intermingling flavors.

M: medium mouthfeel with a nice medium tight bubble carbonation, has a very nice lush and almost fluffy mouthfeel, carbonation is spot on for the brew. A bit tart and dry on the finish, with a bit of tannins, I'm guessing from the cherry skins and oak.

O: one of my favorite sours. Displaying a beautiful display of well balanced complexities that become more and more inviting
With each sip and whiff of the glass.... Love it!

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2012 03:40:56 | More by PeterIngemi

shleepy

California

4.5/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served from 375 bottle into snifter glasses at City Beer in San Francisco. Writing based on 3-week-old notes.

A: Chocolate brown. Medium off-white head with decent retention.

S: Oak, Brett funk, cherries, chocolate / mocha. Pretty aromatic.

T: Fresh cherries, dipped in chocolate and gingerbread crumbs. The sourness and oak appear after the initial flavors. Clean finish.

M: Fizzy and decently carbonated. Fairly light-bodied.

O: Very solid, and I'm not usually a huge Lost Abbey fan.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2012 04:09:12 | More by shleepy

Scotchboy

Idaho

4.15/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Review No. 450

12.7oz corked & caged 2012 vintage bottle, poured into a Jackie O's tulip.

A: Hazy, turbid pond-water brown, hints of blood red...initially a good off-white/yellowish head but it fizzles quickly away...not much lacing...carbonation appears good.

S: Tart cherry, red apples, hints of funk and vinegar, dark fruit, and some vinous notes.

T: Plenty of tart cherry notes but it isn't overwhelming...carbonation does a fine job of cleansing the palate...pretty tasty, and almost balanced...cherry, tartness, touch of lactic sour, funk, lemon, hint of oak.

MF: Tart, moderate-to-light mouthfeel, this thing is well carbed and feels light and refreshing.

O: A really nice beer, and pretty drinkable for the style; not too tart or overwhelmingly sour.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2012 19:01:28 | More by Scotchboy

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

And why wouldn't I be drinking a $17 beer???

Appearance. Pours a really deep, but pretty clear amber-red with two+ fingers of thick, plae orange-tan head that lasts a while. Looks nice and expensive.

Smell. Funky and woody wine, some nice cherry and light fruits. The smell has an expensive quality.

Taste. Nice tart cherries, some sour grapes and green apples, woody, especially in the finish. Acidic with just a little sweetness. Tastes super expensive.

Mouthfeel. Below medium body and below medium, but fine and lively carbonation. Felt a bit thin, but quite expensive.

Overall. I liked it. For some reason I had really high expectations for this one. I'd say the best thing about this beer is the value for my hard earned money.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2012 02:41:03 | More by Rutager

tanarm

California

4.68/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Vintage 2012.

Dark Brown, slight haze. Good head retention. Carbonation looks nice and bubbly.

Aroma is pineapple, kiwi... over-ripe fruit. Touch of strawberry. Cherry is very faint, instead there is more complex stuff going on here. Touch of oak.

Cherry comes out a lot more in the taste. Tart cherry, oak comes through in the finish now, and lingers on. Melon... pineapple. Lactic bite cuts through the sweetness. More subtle oak. SO complex. Lots of fruity flavors all melding together.

Medium body, good viscosity, especially for a 5% beer! Carbonation is perfect. nice and bubbly.

An extremely refreshing, complex, delicious, beautiful sour ale. I wish I had a bigger bottle.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2012 00:23:37 | More by tanarm

jmarsh123

Indiana

3.1/5  rDev -27.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

'11 vintage poured into my RR tulip

Pours muddy brown with red hues and a generous 3 finger off-white head with good retention even though it fades slightly.

Smells of slightly tart cherries and a little vinegar. Not nearly as acidic as I expected it to be.

Acidity comes through a lot more on the flavor. Some good cherry notes, but they soon get overpowered by vinegar with a little bit of wet band aid. Not entirely pleasant.

High carbonation levels despite the Flat Abbey joke with medium to light mouthfeel.

I usually like Flanders, but this one was a bit overboard. There may have been some good things there, but all I could really taste was vinegar.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2012 23:46:19 | More by jmarsh123

kojevergas

California

3.83/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12.7 fl oz brown glass bottle with hood and wire cap over a cork served into me Guinness goblet in me gaff in low altitude Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Acquired at Red Carpet Wine in Glendale, California. It cost something like $15.00. Expectations are extremely high given the brewery - which I admire - and the style. 2012 vintage. ABV: 5.00%.

Served refrigerator cold and allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated (in spite of the brewery).

A: Pours a three finger head of really nice cream, great smooth foamy thickness, and great retention (though the ABV is merely average). Colour is a rather dark red-ruby. Nontransparent because of the darkness. Non-opaque; it allows some light in. No yeast particles are visible - likely because of the nontransparency. No bubble show, but the style doesn't usually feature one.

Sm: Luxurious sour cherries accompanied by a subtle oak wood tone. Tart. Yeasty - wild. Bacteria. Sourness. A bit earthy. A moderate strength, nicely subtle aroma. I quite fancy the smell, and I hope the taste fulfills the promise of the aroma.

T: Sourness, bacteria, wild yeast, and dominant sour cherry, with some earthy and even slightly nutty notes (I assert from the brown ale base). A bit too malty for the style methinks. The sourness is wonderful, but I could go for more yeastiness. It's quite delightful, but a bit understated and timid given the style. The tartness is fantastic. Certainly subtle, but it could use more depth and complexity. There's some great layering here. The balance is good but not perfect - largely due to the malt and the brown ale reminiscent notes. Pleasant and enjoyable to drink. No alcohol comes through. I quite like it, but it's not perfect. Not unique, but I'd say it's special. The oak is too backgrounded for me to notice.

Mf: Smooth and wet, with some light subtle creaminess. Perfect thickness and carbonation. Just coarse enough to coax out the flavours.

Dr: Very drinkable for a sour. I could down this all night. I've had better sours, but this one is lovely. I could definitely see it getting better with age. A bit pricey, but worth it all things considered. I'd definitely have this again, preferably aged. Quite delightful. Well executed for the style.

Drank well out of a goblet. This is likely the ideal serving vessel.

A great candidate for aging.

Would pair well with grapes or salad.

B+

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2012 05:56:14 | More by kojevergas

Giovacchini

California

4.5/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A- dark reddish brown with a half finger khaki head.

S- vinegar, cherries, funk, oak, and vanilla.

T- sour cherries, vinegar, oak, a little funk, mild vanilla.

M- velvety mouthfeel, strong carbonation and a nice puckering effect.

O- I thoroughly enjoyed this beer. With so much flavor it's hard to believe its only 5% ABV. This brew really reminded me of RR's Concecration which is a good thing. At 15 bucks for a 375 ml bottle it will be hard not to get a couple RR sours instead.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2012 06:06:15 | More by Giovacchini