Leftovers. And this stuff was appreciably better fresh. Sigh.
The beer:
Could be sourer.
Monk’s Cafe is a relatively recent entry in the Birmingham market, brought in by the local Budweiser distributor. Which is a good sign. Unfortunately, it’s a bit hard to find. I was talking to the beer buyer at Whole Foods and he informed me he had some “in the back.” He couldn’t keep it out on the shelf because some scoundrels were slyly putting them in the mixed six packs (which sell for a flat price no matter what beer you put in them). Which wouldn’t be such a big deal if the Monk’s Cafe didn’t sell for 3.50 per bottle, well more than twice what any of the brands sell for that are made available for the mixed six packs.
It’s a nice little beer, but not what I’m looking for in a “sour” ale. This one’s more sweet than sour. Just a hint of tartness. Which probably appeals to a lot of people who don’t really want to drink anything particularly sour. But I find myself longing for something more intense.
That said, it has a fair amount in common with a sweet red wine, and as such it pairs nicely with Italian food. Defintely a bit of a grape vibe going on in there. Tonight wasn’t a particularly good judge of the pairing because these leftovers weren’t so hot. It was as if a lot of flavor drained out into the ether. But it was enough to get a sense that this would be worth trying again, with some really good, fresh Italian pasta.
I’ll get around to that eventually.
Tags: Monk's Cafe, sour ale
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