Golden Monkey
Victory Brewing Company - Downingtown

Golden MonkeyGolden Monkey
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From:
Victory Brewing Company - Downingtown
 
Pennsylvania, United States
Style:
Tripel
Ranked #211
ABV:
9.5%
Score:
84
Ranked #22,532
Avg:
3.73 | pDev: 15.01%
Reviews:
1,952
Ratings:
6,222
Status:
Active
Rated:
Feb 15, 2024
Added:
Sep 17, 2001
Wants:
  209
Gots:
  1,882
A magical, mystical Monkey whose golden sole glows with the wisdom of the ages. This radiant ale is rich in the spirited tradition of Belgian-inspired brewing. Our Golden Monkey is both playfully delightful and profoundly satisfying. Exotic spice from the East rounds out this global journey to joy. Get on board. This Monkey's bound for glory!
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by TheAlamoWrocker:
Photo of TheAlamoWrocker
Reviewed by TheAlamoWrocker from Texas

4.1/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Snifter.

Appearance

This pours a nice amber shade with a Fulvous look as well. The head is barely there even on the pour. This head didn't even fill up the head of the glass. The carbonation is rising nicely. It seems as if that rising carbonation will never leave.

Smell

An alcohol smell is what I smell straight off, but it doesn't smell too strong or prominent. It does have a nice spice smell, but I honestly have no clue what it is. Some floral smells are here, but the spices easily dominant over it.

Taste

Does this actually taste like bananas? I think it does, but damn that might just be some spices that are blended just that well. The alcohol taste is quite present before the swallow and especially after the swallow. The taste is obviously of a Belgian style and damn are they right on.

Mouthfeel

The mouthfeel is crisp and damn is it memorable. I could only assume it's the alcohol content that makes this crispness possible. The carbonation is heavily there and damn who care about having a soda after a Tripel with this taste and actual cost.

Overall

Why would I want to get there with mixed drinks when I can get there with Tripels. This is easy to drink and damn does the taste hit throughout the drink. If you want to get drunk this is the drink to get there. If you don't want to get drunk then I suggest you stay clear of this drink because if you buy a pack of this it will get you there and beyond.
Sep 22, 2011
More User Ratings:
Photo of Rwoodroffe
Rated by Rwoodroffe

4.37/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Fruity Aroma and flavors, especially of banana.
Feb 15, 2024
 
Rated: 4.25 by gongfu from Connecticut

Jan 31, 2024
Photo of datstankadank
Reviewed by datstankadank from New Jersey

2.18/5  rDev -41.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.75 | overall: 2.25
Pours darker than I remember. Truly don't get why this beer is so successful. Dreadful taste, nothing about this seems like a triple. Overloaded spice. And alcohol. Very unpleasant.
Jan 29, 2024
Photo of SheepWBY
Rated by SheepWBY

3/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
noticable strong
Jan 18, 2024
Photo of KenjiN
Reviewed by KenjiN from Massachusetts

3.2/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Pale golden brew with a fast-receding white head. Coriander is evident in the nose. Medium-heavy in body. This beer is exceedingly sweet on the palate -- more so than any Belgian tripel I've had. Coriander can be delicious in beer when used carefully; here it is excessive. I don't find this beer very pleasant (hey, Victory, bring back your Helios saison and Moonglow dunkelweizenbock!).

For a far better US-brewed tripel, try Great Divide's Orabelle.
Dec 17, 2023
Photo of Saluki
Reviewed by Saluki from Florida

4/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
When in the mood for a high abv beer with some good flavors, this fits the bill. Has to be very cold for my taste. Publix has BOGO regularly and most times pass on it, but compared to the Sour, this Golden is preferred.
Nov 30, 2023
Photo of milkshakebeersucks
Reviewed by milkshakebeersucks from Maryland

4.14/5  rDev +11%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Pale gold pour matched with a small off white head and light lacing. Spicy aroma that pulls in notes of clove, banana and citrus. Sweet and spicy flavor yields to a more citrussy profile as the tastebuds adjust. Warming finish. Well carbonated, medium bodied mouthfeel. May not be Trappist quality but a darn good local product
Nov 20, 2023
Photo of Roxchambeau
Reviewed by Roxchambeau from New Jersey

3.72/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.25
It's not a Rochefort 8, but at 1/3 the price, a great beer. little to no head & lacing. Sweet, smooth banana and spice, with well hidden ABV. Possibly the best go-to, inexpensive, but still craft beer when in the mood for the style.
Nov 20, 2023
 
Rated: 4.41 by Iggy88 from Ohio

Nov 17, 2023
 
Rated: 3.36 by Jcreason569 from Washington

Nov 11, 2023
 
Rated: 3.99 by sbradley41 from Pennsylvania

Oct 28, 2023
Photo of hillkill
Rated by hillkill from New York

4.82/5  rDev +29.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75
Tastes like mostly bananas with orange and nutmeg and feels like half its ABV, one of the GOATs
Oct 11, 2023
 
Rated: 3.39 by jmdavisson from West Virginia

Sep 25, 2023
Photo of nasal
Reviewed by nasal from Illinois

4.55/5  rDev +22%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
A solid, affordable tripel. Not quite as complex as La Fin du Monde. Funky, with sweetness and banana-spice-bread-y nutmeg/allspice to balance. Flavors linger on the palate in a pleasant way. It's well worth its price.
Aug 24, 2023
 
Rated: 4.53 by Jburdette420 from Florida

Aug 06, 2023
Photo of highdesertdrinker
Reviewed by highdesertdrinker from Arizona

4.19/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
I notice the rating as a little lower than I would have thought and my question is where are you gonna find a widely available American Tripel for this price and quality?! Pours a bright orange cold with nice head as per the style but doesn’t explode out of the glass. Smells funky, yeasty, moldy as expected. Taste is of the heralded spice, light clove and banana, some other fruit and a crisp hop bite at the end. It’s similar to Belgian ales but it’s also it’s own thing. A solid version of one of my favorite styles, kudos to Victory for this beer and I’ve said it before but it bears repeating; I like this brewery!
Jul 22, 2023
 
Rated: 4 by rangerred from Tennessee

Jul 13, 2023
 
Rated: 3.75 by dd53grif from Michigan

Jul 12, 2023
Photo of ShadyTraveler
Reviewed by ShadyTraveler from Florida

3.19/5  rDev -14.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 1 | overall: 3.75
Sugar, spice, and something mystiqal.
Complex flavor profile, combines banana, citrus, spicy phenols, and a well-balanced malt and hop.
Smells spicy, tastes fruity & spicy, medium body and soda-like, overall an easy tripel.
Jun 30, 2023
Golden Monkey from Victory Brewing Company - Downingtown
Beer rating: 84 out of 100 with 6222 ratings