Beer Review: Red Poppy Ale

Reviewing the Red Poppy Ale from The Lost Abbey out of California.
Score: 93

Bottle is from the March 2012 release. Served in a Surly Darkness snifter and enjoyed on 01/19/12.

Appearance: Pours a dark rosewood color that fades to a ruby color at the bottle of the glass. Three fingers of soapy, light beige head at pour settles to a thin foggy layer atop the glass with a thick clump of head in the middle. I am shocked a Lost Abbey beer has this much carbonation! Average lacing, below average retention. 4/5

Smell: Slightly tart cherries, oak, plum and a little vinegar. Hint of cinnamon. There is a touch of plastic at the end of the whiff. From the bottle, I can distinctly smell candied raspberries too, but out of the snifter the raspberry aroma is extremely faint. Hint of bakers chocolate too. I was expecting a much more "sour" nose. 4.25/5

Taste: OK, there is the sourness! The taste is much more tart than the nose led on. Sharply tart and acidic cherry flavor with a light plastickiness in the finish. Plum, oak, cocoa, candied sugar and tart vinegar follow through the finish. The cherry flavor really lingers past the swallow on the middle of the tongue. There is a nice, layering pucker. 4.25/5

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, medium-plus bodied. Tart, juicy mouthfeel that is slightly sweet and faintly dry after the swallow. 4.25/5

Overall: I had very low expectations for this beer, but walked away surprisingly satisfied. Drinks like a pucker-inducing cherry gueuze. Still, there are plenty of other beers, most of which are 22+ oz, that I would rather have for the price.

Recommendation: If you like cherries and tart wild ales, then this beer is up your alley. I doubt casual beer drinkers will enjoy this much.

Pairings: Chocolate cake.

Cost: $17.99 for a 375 ml bottl