Welcome back to the channel! Today, we're taking a look at a beer from Blue Monkey Brewery, a local favourite of mine. This six percent Black Forest sour is not your average beer, and as a reviewer, I like to try all kinds of beers, even if I'm not sure I'll like them. Sour beers can be a bit of a mixed bag, with some being impeccable, while others are just plain bad. To be honest, I was a bit uneasy about trying this beer, as I've had a few sours in the past that just didn't hit the mark.
The can of Blue Monkey Black Forest Sour has a nice, new craft look to it, with a purple colorway that is eye-catching. On the back of the can, there is plenty of information about the beer, which we'll get to in a bit. But for now, let's crack it open.
The beer poured a bit lively into the glass, almost looking like cola, with a head that had a slightly pink hue. It's a jet black beer with very low opacity, allowing only a slight hint of purple to show through at the bottom of the glass. The aroma of the beer was a dead giveaway that this was a sour beer, with a potent acidity that was present but not overwhelming. It had a nice fruit character to it, with notes of blackberry and raspberry, and there was a fusion of flavors that was almost like the sweet and creamy flavor of a vanilla-strawberry Italian candy from the late 90s or early 2000s.
Taking a sip, the sour flavor was intense and tickled the tongue, but it had a good fruit balance and the malt was also noticeable, which is something I've never said about a sour beer before. The taste started out sour and sweet, like Haribo tangfastics, and then became tart and berry-like, with unsweetened blackberries and black currants. The sourness was prominent at the front of the tongue and then sharp at the back, with the sour-sweet balance being maintained throughout the middle of the tongue. The finish was dry, with a lingering sourness that left the mouth feeling refreshed.
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by Blue Monkey Black Forest Sour. The sour flavor was intense, but the fruit balance and the malt made it a well-rounded beer. If you're a fan of sour beers, this one is definitely worth trying.
Click here for more of my craft beer reviews; https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXU_zeHuB0dR35CbdlRHkiA
