Nuance
Barrel of Monks Brewing

Appearance: The 750 threatened to be a gusher when the cap was popped but the beer held back; I did need to adjust the pour to minimize the head at three fingers; the liquid is cloudy and the color of pear nectar; good head retention with a few shards left behind

Smell: Fruity esters with some Belgian yeast character; banana and clove with just a hint of candi sugar

Taste: Over-ripe stone fruit forward with the banana and clove emerging; a bit sweet with hints of candi sugar

Mouthfeel: Medium body with high carbonation (a bit too high)

Overall: The flavor profile here reminds me more of a Tripel, though the ABV doesn't fit the range for that style

Thanks, StevefromSPYR, for the opportunity

Poured from a 750 ml bottle into a goblet.

L - When I popped the cap I got a huge gusher of foam out of the bottle, splattering under high pressure across the countertop and the cabinet above the counter. I lost 1/3 to 1/2 of the bottle by the time the foam stopped forcing its way out. As a homebrewer, I am well familiarized with "gushers" when a bottle is over-carbonated due to a bacterial infection or miscalculation of the priming sugar needed to carbonate. I have never seen such a significant gusher from a commercial beer. It was very disappointing from a beer I was looking forward to.

S - No obvious infection based on the smells. Aromas are sweet malt with bread and brown sugar, but also some yeasty notes and low "wet cardboard" that could indicate oxidation. The aromatic impression is that the beer is overly sweet and old.

T - Flavors do not reveal an obvious infection. I'd characterize the flavors as Belgian-like, but with a bit too much malt sweetness and not enough yeast character for a saison. Sweet bread, green apple, graham cracker. Nice flavors, but not the best ones for the style.

F - Medium to thick body seems a bit too full for the style. Once beer has settled in the glass and breathed for a bit, the carbonation seems high but not excessively high, and creamy. Medium hops bitterness can't balance the malt sweetness. Moderate alcohol presence, but not overly boozy.

O - This is not a bad beer, but it is not a good saison, if that makes sense. After the shock and disappointment of the huge over-carbonation in the bottle, the rest of the experience was not bad. The beer hits many good notes for a generic "Belgian-style" beer, but it was off the mark of a saison in many ways. I hope that my bottle had a one-off problem and was not a good representation of the beer.

 

 

 

Pour light golden color with nice white head not much lacing
aroma - Belgian yeast, sweet bread, banana, clove and light malts.
taste - Same as the nose, banana, clove, yeast some caramel and light malt.
feel - medium bodied higher than normal carbonation
overall I really like this one a great Belgian Saison.

 

An Xmas gift from the son-in-law who made sure to get me something I've never tried. Let's give it a whirl. Popping the 750mm to I get a waft of yeasty malts. Pours to a deep yellow with a multi-sized bubble head that recedes and laces nicely. On the taste this brew is super fresh and refreshing. Grape-like fruity and carbonated just right. Slightly peppery. Mouthfeel is spot on. No real bitterness but not sweet either, hearty fresh beer lovers beer that is easy drinking and robust. This reminds me of drinking beer pulled from fermenters on brewery tours, or fresh squeaky cheese curds at the cheese factory. Very nice selection.

 

Ordered as part of a flight at the brewery's tasting room.

Look: Golden, clear, healthy head.

Smell: Pale malt.

Taste: A bit tart, very dry.

Feel: Highly carbonated, dry finish.

Overall: Decent, but missing that classic saison flavor that I always love.

not bad beer here, in fact a very well made belgian golden ale, but as a saison, i liked it a lot less. its too clean, too sweet in the middle, not yeasty or rustic enough, and really not as wheaty as i like these to be, although again, the beer in the bottle is quite good in another context. a little bronze shine to this one, no haze or sediment at all, and a huge tall belgian head on it, pure white and lasting. it smells sweet like a tripel almost, and oddly alcoholic for something this low. notes of preserved lemons, high ester belgian yeast, pear, and some darker sugar, agave syrup maybe, all there in both aroma and flavor. some bitterness in the end, lemongrass and chlorophyll to balance the sweet, vanilla and honey at the end. well carbonated but still kind of heavy feeling for what it is, not as summery and certainly not as interesting as i think we all expected it to be. still, well made beer, but i have been real hit or miss on these guys. some of them are on point, others really make you wonder. not my favorite as a saison, but as a belgian blonde its quite good. still very sweet. i would not seek this one out again, although to dark version sounds really promising...

Received in a trade, shared with JLindros.

A - Poured into a Kate the Great tulip a nice hazy copper honey hue with a big three finger head that fades to leave nice lacing.

S - Aromas of excellent fruity Belgian esters, banana, cloves, nice malts. The fruity esters really shine in this beer!

T - Taste has loads of fruity esters, really good Belgian notes. Excellent malts, really good sweetness. Almost like a cross between a Belgian saison and an Abbey beer. Very impressive.

M - Mouthfeel is nicely carbonated, bright, fluffy, clean.

O - Overall this was a very very well done Belgian beer. Excellent esters, stunned this came from an American brewery! I gotta get more from this brewery.

Serving Type: bottle

Thanks to rudzud

Huge fizzy foamy fizzy 2+ finger head fades at a med pace, soapy lacing, hazy almost murky dark reddish orange color.

Nose big Belgian fruity esters, bubblegum, little phenol note, touch orange, bright sangria like citrus juice thing, little wheat gristy malt, like raw unsalted barley, spelt, little herbal hop, nice floral spices, orange wit like aroma.

Taste brings nice Belgian yeast, big wit beer like wheat and orange, big fruity esters are nice, mild floral spice phenols, juicy wheat malt, touch gristy, apple pear, some Belgian fruity yeasty and Belgian single Abbey style yeast flavors as well, touch bitterness, creamy wheat, little dough.

Mouth is med bod, little creamy, bright effervescent carb.

Overall really nice, great Belgian yeast characters and wheat, great esters and phenols, great wheat malts, very well done.

 

 

From 750ml bottle into 3 Philosophers goblet. silky smooth head that lingers around leaving solid lacing. cloudy honey color. looks just about perfect. Smell of wheat, musty barn and lemon. the taste is very delicate. Not to spicy as many Saisons seem to be, just very smooth and delicate. Overall an outstanding example. I will be getting more from this brewery for sure.

 

 

 

Overall a beautiful drink. Pale in color, and very high carbonation. I enjoy what the brewery put forth with this beer. It is not over spiced, but yet has some subtle spice notes. Not a huge fan of Saison as a style but I will drink this again, happily.