Category: beer

Beer of the Week 47: Golden Monkey

Victory Brewing Company’s Golden Monkey

From the bottle:

A magical, mystical Monkey hose golden soul glows with the wisdom of ages. This warming, flavored ale is rich in the spirited tradition of Belgian-inspired brewing. Our Golden Monkey is both playfully delightful and profoundly satisfying. Exotic spices form the East round out this global journey to joy. get on board. This Monkey’s bound for glory.

From my notes:

bright white heard with large bubbles, yeast and spices on the nose with maybe some malt. Clear, golden yellow color. no lacing. Spices, bread, and maybe some fruit on the tongue with some toasty maltness and a dry, medium bitter finish.

A lovely Tripel

Tripels have a lot of alcohol in them, Golden Monkey’s ABV is 9.5%, but due to the brewing process the alcohol is well hidden. Consider yourself warned! Tripels are beers for sipping not for chugging or drinking three or four at a time. They’re also known for having more complex flavor profiles than most beers and hoppier than their light body would suggest. Pairs well with turkey and game birds, crab and lobsters, and medium spicy foods.

Rating (out of five):

Beer of the Week 46: Le Merle

North Coast Brewing Company’s Le Merle

From the bottle:

Le Merle is an elegant ale, pale in color, inspired by the rich brewing traditions of the Flanders region. Abundant hops and a Belgian yeast strain contribute the exotic aromas of tropical fruit.

From my notes:

Clear, straw color with a thing, fine, bright, white head. Medium carbonation. Floral, tropical fruit and yeast on the nose, mild hop taste immediately on the tongue that settles into bread, pepper, and lemon. Clean, dry finish.

 Saisons were traditionally brewed by the drinker over the winter and then opened and drank through the spring and summer. When you drink a a good saison you should be able to smell fruit and yeast on the nose and have that reflected in the taste backed up with spice, tart, and some mild to medium bitterness. They are usually dry. Saisons are versatile for pairing with foods. They go well with spicy foods, and do great with BBQ, pair with bold flavorful food that matches the complexity of a Saison has more delicate food’s flavor may be overwhelmed by the beer.

Rating (out of five):


Beer of the Week 45: Twilight Summer Ale

Deschutes Brewing Company’s Twilight Summer Ale

From the bottle:

Down goes another brewing dogma. Select malts and a heady dose of bold Amarillo hops deliver full-in flavor and crafted nuance in a spry summer style. Enjoy chilled as the days linger.

From my notes:

Amber brown color, tan head with medium sized bubbles that last awhile. Smells of pine needles with hints of sweet, floral. Bright, sweet, citrus on the tongue with a nice hop kick in the middle and as it goes down.  Light bodied, very little carbonation, smooth.

Twilight went really well with grilled salmon!

I was expecting something a lot lighter and more mild from a summer beer, but Twilight has a robust flavor profile and more hops than I expected! Surprised in a good way! I don’t think this is going to replace my preferred summer beer, Blue Star, but it’d be nice when you’re sitting around the fire watching the stars come out.

Rating (out of five):

Beer of the Week 44: Summerfest

Sierra Nevada’s Summerfest

From the bottle:

Summerfest is a Pilsner-style lager brewed for enjoyment on warm summer days – featuring a slight malt sweetness, delicate spicy and floral hop flavor, and a crisp, refreshing finish.

From my notes:

Straw colored beer with medium bubbled white head. Smells of grass, lemon, and some malty sweetness. Tastes like it smells with some orange/lemon in there as well.  Crisp dry finish with some hop highlighting. Like a really mild Pilsner.

That’s a fine looking lager!

Like a lot of Sierra Nevada’s beers Summerfest is good without being amazing. If you’re sick of drinking Pacificos or Coronas at your summer/fall BBQs pick up a six pack of this instead!

Rating (out of five):

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