Monks' Dark Ale
Abbey Brewing Co. (Monastery Of Christ In The Desert)
- From:
- Abbey Brewing Co. (Monastery Of Christ In The Desert)
- New Mexico, United States
- Style:
- Belgian Dark Ale
- ABV:
- 6.5%
- Score:
- 85
- Avg:
- 3.71 | pDev: 7.28%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 8
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Mar 14, 2021
- Added:
- May 21, 2015
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 9
SCORE
85
Very Good
85
Very Good
Monks’ Dark Ale is Abbey Brewing’s signature take on the traditional British Browns and Summer Porters. Monks’ Dark Ale is an all-season medium-bodied ale, perfect for drinking in the heat of summer and the dead of winter.
Monks’ Dark Ale pours with nice lacing and a lasting tan head that translates into a smooth, creamy mouthfeel, good carbonation but no alcohol warmth or astringency. The predominant aromas are hazelnut and chocolate with hints of raisins and stone fruits but lacking the buttery smell or flavor of other dark ales. Flavors include toasted hazelnuts, raisins, caramel malt and mild green apples. No phenols (compounds responsible for a medicinal or smoky aroma and/or after-taste) are evident. The subdued, yet present hops create a light, crisp, refreshing taste. The finish is dry with mild caramel and green apples and a slight roastiness.
Monks’ Dark Ale pours with nice lacing and a lasting tan head that translates into a smooth, creamy mouthfeel, good carbonation but no alcohol warmth or astringency. The predominant aromas are hazelnut and chocolate with hints of raisins and stone fruits but lacking the buttery smell or flavor of other dark ales. Flavors include toasted hazelnuts, raisins, caramel malt and mild green apples. No phenols (compounds responsible for a medicinal or smoky aroma and/or after-taste) are evident. The subdued, yet present hops create a light, crisp, refreshing taste. The finish is dry with mild caramel and green apples and a slight roastiness.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by puck1225 from Texas
3.74/5 rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.74/5 rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Overall a pretty good beer. Bought in Los Alamos during a recent visit.
Poured from a bottle into a tulip glass. Dark brown color with nice beige head and good lacing. Smell of dark berries. Prunes, licorice and blackberries. Taste get weaker as the beer warms. This is off putting.
Tastes better just out of the bottle.
Nov 16, 2018Poured from a bottle into a tulip glass. Dark brown color with nice beige head and good lacing. Smell of dark berries. Prunes, licorice and blackberries. Taste get weaker as the beer warms. This is off putting.
Tastes better just out of the bottle.
Reviewed by beergoot from Colorado
3.74/5 rDev +0.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.74/5 rDev +0.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Dark brown body topped with a one-finger thick head; dense and creamy. Deep roasted grain aroma infused with cocoa and suggestions of coffee. Mild sweet chocolate flavor accompanied with a nice bitterness; cocoa. Medium-heavy in body; soft and velvety; a little bit of alcohol heat.
Overall, a very decent rich, bitter and sweet dark ale.
Oct 13, 2018Overall, a very decent rich, bitter and sweet dark ale.
Reviewed by Radome from Florida
3.72/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.72/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Tasted from a 12 oz bottle into a globe glass.
L - Extremely dark brown color but it appears clear and reddish where the light shines through at the edges. Thin wispy foam of a tan color, but no real head even on initial pour. Thick, creamy lacing on the glass.
S - Nice malty aromas of chocolate, plums, raisins. Maybe a whiff of smoke in the background, along with a fruity yeast note.
T - Bready malt with some chocolate, coffee and dried fruit, but also a low phenolic bite and a bit of smoke. Flavors are not overly deep or complex.
F - Low carbonation. Medium body with a silky mouthfeel. Medium hops bitterness holds the malt sweetness at bay. No obvious alcohol heat.
O - This is an enjoyable dark beer but it is somewhat lacking in Belgian character for the style.
Dec 24, 2017L - Extremely dark brown color but it appears clear and reddish where the light shines through at the edges. Thin wispy foam of a tan color, but no real head even on initial pour. Thick, creamy lacing on the glass.
S - Nice malty aromas of chocolate, plums, raisins. Maybe a whiff of smoke in the background, along with a fruity yeast note.
T - Bready malt with some chocolate, coffee and dried fruit, but also a low phenolic bite and a bit of smoke. Flavors are not overly deep or complex.
F - Low carbonation. Medium body with a silky mouthfeel. Medium hops bitterness holds the malt sweetness at bay. No obvious alcohol heat.
O - This is an enjoyable dark beer but it is somewhat lacking in Belgian character for the style.
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho
2.98/5 rDev -19.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
2.98/5 rDev -19.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
Bottle from Whole Foods. Not a Belgian, in any way shape or form. My palate puts it very near a schwarzbier. Dark and roasty, stout characteristics with the body of a lager. Roasts grains, with some mild sweetness, but finishes very quick. Consider reclassifying this as other than a Belgian....
Jan 27, 2016
Reviewed by Suds from Missouri
3.67/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.67/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Deep brown with a tan head....lace is okay. The aroma had chocolate, mildly fruity smells (plum), and some Belgian yeast scents. Not quite as aromatic as I had hoped. The taste has some malt and a moderate bitterness with some spicy notes. Approachable but full in body and very drinkable.
Jan 16, 2016
Reviewed by zeff80 from Missouri
3.69/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.69/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
12oz bottle. Poured a dark burgundy color with a small, light brown head. It smelled malty and somewhat fruity. It had sweet biscuity malt with some candy sugar sweetness coming through. Good spiciness and yeasty kick.
Nov 22, 2015
Reviewed by Tone from Missouri
3.97/5 rDev +7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 3.75
3.97/5 rDev +7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 3.75
Pours a clear, dark brown color. 1/3 inch head of an off-tan color. Decent retention and decent lacing. Smells of sweet malt, hint of roasted malt, hint of chocolate, slight yeast, hint of alcohol, and a hint of hop. Fits the style of a Belgian Dark Ale. Mouth feel is smooth and clean, with a low carbonation level. Tastes of sweet malt, hint of roasted malt, yeast, slight chocolate, hint of hop, and a hint of alcohol. Overall, good aroma, feel, body, and complexity, but it is too similar to a Porter.
Sep 01, 2015
Reviewed by UCLABrewN84 from California
3.75/5 rDev +1.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev +1.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours a clear dark crimson-brown with a foamy dark khaki head that settles to a partial film on top of the beer. Thick swaths of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of roasted malt, caramel, toffee, and brown sugar aromas. Taste is much the same with sweet caramel, toffee, toast, cocoa powder, and slight char flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of toast and roast bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer that has a lot of nice sticky sugar aspects all around.
Serving type: bottle.
Jun 12, 2015Serving type: bottle.
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