Apprentice Series Deviant Monk
White Birch Brewing

Apprentice Series Deviant MonkApprentice Series Deviant Monk
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From:
White Birch Brewing
 
New Hampshire, United States
Style:
Belgian Dark Strong Ale
ABV:
10%
Score:
83
Avg:
3.56 | pDev: 17.98%
Reviews:
10
Ratings:
18
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Aug 21, 2013
Added:
Aug 12, 2011
Wants:
  3
Gots:
  7
With this release by David Sakolsky, our fifth brewer apprentice, we bring you an inspired ale. Complex, malty, dark, nuanced by oak, and fermented using his favorite Belgian yeast strain. This is a beer you can enjoy today as well as age for years to come.

As David moves on, we raise a toast and hope you enjoy this beer as much as we do.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 3.5 by LambicKing from Germany

Aug 21, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by beertardis from Rhode Island

Apr 01, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by hoppymcgee from Maine

Jun 25, 2012
Photo of xnicknj
Reviewed by xnicknj from Pennsylvania

3.2/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
22oz bottle poured into tulip

Pours a deep blackened caramel color with a toasted beige head. Fades into a cloud of film with some spotty film left on the glass.

Hints of dark fruit in the nose with raisin, dates and figs. A little sweet with a hint of smoky char. Some oak tones and caramel with bread crust. Slight smack of heat.

Rich, full dark fruit flavor right up front. Touches of raisin and date with some candied notes. Oaky smoothness delivers a faint char on the tongue with a soft current of smoke. Bready malts with lingering sweetness and a touch of molasses. Finishes with another touch of dark fruit and some alcohol warmth.

Fuller medium body, decent carbonation, sticky and a bit oily on the tongue. This was pretty decent - although I think the oaking gave a slightly unpleasant oaky char that seems to linger on the back end.
May 25, 2012
Photo of DCon
Reviewed by DCon from Missouri

3.42/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Shared a 1 PINT 6 FL OZ bottle of this w/ STLWIll & Friends @ The Royale. Poured from the White Labeled bottle w/ Black/White Birch Trees Above the "Facts of the Beer" in a Chart into a 12oz Shaker Glass. Has BOTTLED July 2011, BATCH One, & BOTTLE COUNT 1100 listed in the Chart on the front of the bottle.

Aroma- The aroma is very roasty and has chocolate that hits the nose also... Can't say these both should be in here... Very strong and clear also. Can't mistake these two attributes for anything else.

Appearance- Pours a 1 finger head that has weak head retention. Has a dark brown body that this deep. Leaves light suds behind.

Flavor- Completely different from the aroma... Is very dark with spices, malt, and sweetness. Well blended and smooth with all of these characters. Finishes with a medium-high bitterness level.

Mouthfeel- Light-Medium Bodied, Medium Carbonation, Smooth, and can tell this is a Belgian Strong ale with its strength and light alcohol warming.

Overall Impression- A nicely brewed beer by White Birch. I'm not sure what was going on with the aroma but the beer seemed fine. I would definitely recommend enjoying this one and see if you agree with my notes on the aroma... Strange.
Mar 04, 2012
 
Rated: 3.5 by mdaschaf from Indiana

Feb 19, 2012
Photo of rudzud
Reviewed by rudzud from Massachusetts

3.41/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Review taken from notes.

A - Pours a clear mahogany with a nice one finger head that fades to leave a thin cloud. Not too much left for side lacing though.

S - Eh, average at best here. Lots of ABV on the nose with some light belgian spices and oak. Some soft carmel malts too.

T - Taste is similar to the nose. More pronounced oak barrel earth tones as well as sweet carmel malts. Some dark fruits (raisins and such) along with that potent ABV.

M - Mouthfeel is pretty good, nice crisp carbonation. Even with a nice feel the strong ABC is still far too noticeable.

O - This isnt a bad beer, but just another mediocre offering from White Birch. Really, their stuff is so hit or miss. A shame.
Feb 11, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by Mess from Massachusetts

Jan 14, 2012
Photo of jlindros
Reviewed by jlindros from Massachusetts

3.35/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Pours a fizzy 1 finger head that fades semi quickly at first before slowing, bit of lacing, over super dark molasses brown colored beer, with hints of ruby light sneaking through.

Nose is interesting, some darker malts, caramel malts, molasses, and light toasty. Then herbal, vegetative like earthy aroma that also explodes with phenols and a light boozy estery aroma. The phenolic aroma just seems to overpower everything. I do get hints of cocoa and oak as well, bit of cola like syrupy sweet additive as well.

Taste starts with dark fruity flavors, light fig and raisin. Then the phenols take over again, booze warming and tingly bringing some phenols and almost fusel alcohols. Sweet flavors kick in, with cola syrup, molasses, and syrupy sweetness, as well as some toasty darker malts. It's fairly rich, with light cocoa, and hints of reddish malts and caramel. A bit of esters make their way in from the yeast I believe, as well as hint of oak and a light almost hazelnut like flavor. it finishes still semi sweet but drier,some spicy earthy hops kick in as well, with a long syrupy sticky feel, light oxidation even, and more of the fusel alcohol flavor.

Mouth is a bit heavier bodied, lighter but decent enough carb, plenty of warming and tingly booze.

Overall not impressed. This is one of the not so great White Birch beers. Too boozy, fusel alcohols, phenols, esters, syrupy sweet, not a ton of malt or fruits, mostly a mess. Sorry Bill, this just wasn't my style.
Dec 25, 2011
Photo of MasterSki
Reviewed by MasterSki from Canada (ON)

3.04/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
Bottle courtesy of AshleyMiller. Served in a Surly Darkness glass. Batch #1, with 1100 total bottles produced in July 2011.

A - A half-finger of light tan foam settles to some wisps and a thick collar, leaving behind a few splotches of lace. Dark brown body that is pretty much opaque.

S - Sweet baby Jesus! Alcohol, phenolic yeast, black malt, more alcohol, light oak, bready malts, and dark chocolate. The booze is harsh, and develops a solvent character as the beer warms up, with perhaps a touch of glue and tar.

T - Taste is an improvement, with dark candi sugar, dark chocolate, cherry cordials, anise, and some obvious alcohol in the finish. Oak character is pretty minimal in this beer - I was surprised when I took a look at the label.

M - Other than the unpleasant and obvious alcohol there feel is actually quite nice. Smooth texture, medium-low carbonation, medium-full body, and just the right balance between sticky and dry for the style.

D - This is one of the better White Birch offerings I've had - it's mostly devoid of off flavors and doesn't suffer from the over-oaked and watery feel that plagues some of their other oaked offerings. Approaching the six month mark the alcohol is still pretty potent, so I wouldn't expect drastic improvement. The only beer of the night that Nate and I couldn't finish.
Dec 15, 2011
 
Rated: 2 by zgunder from Vermont

Dec 09, 2011
 
Rated: 5 by gdkersey from Massachusetts

Dec 08, 2011
 
Rated: 3 by Rochefort10nh from New Hampshire

Nov 25, 2011
Photo of johnnnniee
Reviewed by johnnnniee from New Hampshire

4.15/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Pours a solid dark brown with beautiful ruby highlights when held to light and a thinnish beige head that slowly dissipates to a cap on top. Smells of caramel and brown sugar predominantly, hints of raisin, dark cherries, and chalk. Taste is sweet with a Belgian yeasty edge. Caramel and brown sugar mix with dark pitted fruit quite nicely. Hints of vanilla molasses and tannic oak with just a hint of warming alcohol round out a dry finish quite nicely. Medium body with a light carbonation level and a sweet almost sticky mouthfeel. Wow, this is not half bad, in fact this is pretty damn good! The chalk went away shorty after opening and opened up to a great brew, good job apprentice David!
Oct 08, 2011
Photo of gestyr
Reviewed by gestyr from Pennsylvania

4.32/5  rDev +21.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from a 22Oz bomber into a tulip glass

A: Pours a deep red rich color with a thin off-white head that lasts

S: Molasses, malt, sweet caramel, oak

T: Very rich. Nice mixture of tastes. The malt, molasses and caramel are present along with the oak which is subtle. It is followed by an alcohol warmth.

M: Medium bodied with a feel of carbonation but no sting.

O: A very good beer. Too bad this is a limited run as it is a winner.
Oct 08, 2011
Photo of jneiswender
Reviewed by jneiswender from Massachusetts

3.06/5  rDev -14%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Had this beer at the Belgian Beer Festival in Boston. Served from the bottle into a two ounce tasting glass.

A.murky dark brown body and an off white head.

S. Chocolate front and not much else

t.chocolate ...some floral hop but subtle.

M. Medium to full

D. Dark ale or stout? ??? Seems stout-like more than a belgian strong ale-like. I'm good with this.
Sep 11, 2011
Photo of Patrickbrusil
Reviewed by Patrickbrusil from Massachusetts

3.85/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
I like this beer.

The taste is solid but major carbonation issues. With more bubbles this beer would stack up against a Rochefort 10. I truly believe it has the backbone.

However, it came out more like flat coca cola. I think the recepie should be attempted again and hopefully with a better outcome.
Sep 08, 2011
Photo of rab53
Reviewed by rab53 from Washington

3.21/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
Pours a dark and inviting shade of brown. Minimal head which fades quickly to nothing.

Smells of burnt sugar and perhaps dark fruit.

Overly sweet with no hop presence.

Carbonation rapidly fades, leaving a sweet flat base.

Tasty for the first few sips, then transitions to a heavy flat malty soup with no Belgian characteristics.
Sep 04, 2011
Apprentice Series Deviant Monk from White Birch Brewing
Beer rating: 83 out of 100 with 18 ratings