The Dark Monk
The Monk Brewery & Kitchen

Pours a dark brown colour, quite a fair bit of cloudy in it. Creamy, nitroish head, beige in colour with lovely sheet of sticky lace. Looks gorgeous.

Smells dark and roasty. Chocolate with bitter cocoa, a touch of spicy espresso and coriander. Maybe a little sour; otherwise more spicy than distinctly dark ale-esque.

Taste is a little roasty upfront but doesn't really continue. Touch of chocolate descends into caramel with some oaky notes and a touch of Syrah. Tastes more of barrel, and comes across like a strong ale. Could use a bit more of that roasty character towards the back.

Feels a bit boozey, and a little sharp. Body is nice and full but the alcohol still cuts through.

Tastes strong. Not very hoppy and not very Belgian, sadly.

Somewhere between Belgian IPA, Rye IPA and India Black Ale falls this beer, an IBA brewed with rye and fermented with a Belgian ale yeast. Tried on-tap at GABS 2014 in Melbourne.

Pours a dark brown colour, golden at the corners with some mild hazing through the body. Solid weight behind it, that allows some fine static carbonation when tilted. Head is a creamy beige that settles firm and fine, leaving solid lacing. Looks very nice.

Nose is great. Toasty overtones, with solid, fragrant hops behind it. A little jammy sweetness comes through as well very nicely. The roast and the hop characters work together really well.

Clean on the front palate with a firm, malty basis. This is smooth throughout and lays down a foundation for the other characters. Some organic bitterness comes through on the mid palate, while some tannins come through towards the back. Clear aftertaste with a light linger of high-cocoa chocolate. Feel is very smooth.

It's really very nice all up. Overall, it perhaps doesn't quite match its promise, but it's a really very solid IBA in any case, and there's a lot to enjoy in it.