Flander Red – Sugar Creek Brewing Company – Charlotte, NC

Now I’ve tried sour ales in the past but it wasn’t until recently that I really started to get into them thanks to some great local breweries. So, I was quite excited recently when I visited Sugar Creek Brewing Company for the first time and they had this delicious Flemish red ale. Right off the bat with this one you get some great aromas of fruit, oak and of course that pleasing sour smell (reminds me of the warhead candies I had as a kid). Then once you take a sip you get that nice fruitiness again, but this time coming in clearly as apple, as well as a hint of vanilla. That taste immediately leads to the sour, not too much but just enough to give you that feel which stays with you in the finish. As for the food pairings I had an interesting lunchtime goat cheese omelette and that sour ale and creamy cheese flavour went wonderfully together. Though I think this would go just as well with salty cured meats or maybe even some barbecue. Which means this beer was certainly a win in my book, it’s a bit expensive as you can only buy it by the growler at the brewery but that growler lasts nicely and tastes great all the way through. So if you're ever in the area I’d say to most definitely give this great beer a go.

TLDR Notes:

Smell - Fruit, Oak, Sour Candy

Taste - Apple, Vanilla

Finish - Sour, Medium length

Cost - $27.71 for a growler at the brewery

If you’d like to know more you can check out their site here: Sugar Creek Brewing Company