-
Stop lurking! Stay logged in to search, review beers, post in our forums, see less ads, and more.
— Todd, Founder of BeerAdvocate
Merry Monks
Weyerbacher Brewing Co.


Beer Geek Stats
| Print Shelf Talker
- From:
- Weyerbacher Brewing Co.
- Pennsylvania, United States
- Style:
- Tripel
Ranked #119 - ABV:
- 9.3%
- Score:
- 87
Ranked #17,271 - Avg:
- 3.88 | pDev: 13.4%
- Reviews:
- 843
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Sep 02, 2022
- Added:
- Sep 13, 2001
- Wants:
- 89
- Gots:
- 640
SCORE
87
Very Good
87
Very Good


Notes:
Merry Monks, 9.3% ABV, is a Belgian-style Tripel. Pilsner malt combined with an Abbey yeast strain yields a remarkable and complex flavor packed with notes of spice, banana and pear. Nicely balanced, with a moderate to dry finish.
Merry Monks is bottle conditioned which imparts a special effervescence to the beer and a creamier carbonation. The ongoing fermentation inside the bottle will change the character of the beer as it ages and you’ll find it becomes dryer with age. You may want to lay down a few bottles for future evaluation. We suggest storing at cellar temperatures (around 55°F) and away from light.
This brew is available year-round. Keep your eye out for Merry Monks in 25 oz. cork-and-cage champagne bottles for an exceptional experience!
Merry Monks is bottle conditioned which imparts a special effervescence to the beer and a creamier carbonation. The ongoing fermentation inside the bottle will change the character of the beer as it ages and you’ll find it becomes dryer with age. You may want to lay down a few bottles for future evaluation. We suggest storing at cellar temperatures (around 55°F) and away from light.
This brew is available year-round. Keep your eye out for Merry Monks in 25 oz. cork-and-cage champagne bottles for an exceptional experience!
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by spectru from Florida
3.59/5 rDev -7.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.59/5 rDev -7.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
9/2/22 - crystal clear gold, nice creamy heard fades quickly and leaves not a trace. It looks like a glass of apple juice: Ah, but the mouthfeel is just fine, nicely carbonated, mild but not too mild. I like it; It tastes pretty good, quite mild, but a little interesting. Not bad overall, If I remember, the next time i go there ill see if they have it. I might buy a couple more, just the get more familiar with it. :-D
Sep 02, 2022Reviewed by EMV from Pennsylvania
3.79/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.79/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Poured from a bottle into a Dogfish Head tulip
L: Nearly clear honey golden pour with 2 fingers of fizzy white head. Falls fast... not much lacing.
S: Honey, toasted malts, yeast, and spice.
T.F: Sweet up front... malts, honey, and grains. Some yeast/esters... spice and tea leaf. Pear, banana, and clove. Smooth... well carbonated and boozy.
O: A decent enough tripel. Hits most of the flavors and has some heft to it.
Jul 04, 2022L: Nearly clear honey golden pour with 2 fingers of fizzy white head. Falls fast... not much lacing.
S: Honey, toasted malts, yeast, and spice.
T.F: Sweet up front... malts, honey, and grains. Some yeast/esters... spice and tea leaf. Pear, banana, and clove. Smooth... well carbonated and boozy.
O: A decent enough tripel. Hits most of the flavors and has some heft to it.
Reviewed by StretchZep from Ohio
4.31/5 rDev +11.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.31/5 rDev +11.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Oh my.....just joined my top 10 beer list! This stuff is delicious. It has a fruity/honey smell to it. I did not get much head at all. I poured into a Pint glass and the beer was at about 50 degrees. The taste up front has a really nice carbonation and not much really going on at all. As it rolls back into your mouth all kind of flavors literally explode. Citrus/Fruity flavors with a hint of spice and sweetness. I finishes with a little tartness and a slight bite from the alcohol. Alcohol is hidden and you have to read the label to believe it is 9.3%. My wife who really doesn't care for beer says oh yeah I could drink these.....this is yummy! Unfortunately this will be a one and done Sunday afternoon sipper although I really want about two more....it is that good!
Mar 20, 2022Reviewed by JohnniEMc from Pennsylvania
3.88/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
3.88/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Two brown twelve ounce bottles have been merrily emptied into a clear glass liter mug. There's initially quite a bit of stark white foam that quickly recedes to a reasonable one. The color is a mildly cloudy light copper-amber. It has a bit of a fruity aroma, but it's not overly pronounced and the yeast and esters which often make this style pungent are subtle here. The body is both rich and smooth. The taste is sweet, definitely in a fruity way, but it's not annoying. Other than the high ABV, this is a rather subtle version. Even the presence of the 9.3% alcohol is reasonably tasteful. The banana and pear reminisces are there, but again, not overwhelmingly. People that love this style will probably miss some of the full taste of the malts and yeast that give some Belgian Triples a much more defined taste. This one is more sweet than anything else and it can be understood how that can be judged negatively. Avoiding the love or dislike of this style, let's just say this is a fruity sweet way to get a good dose of beer alcohol into your system, without giving your taste buds a workout. The remaining head dissipated soon and there was no glass lacing, somewhat surprising considering the supple body here.
Feb 22, 2022Rated by LukeGude from Iowa
3.6/5 rDev -7.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.6/5 rDev -7.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Bottle from Rishi’s in Grand Rapids poured into stein at home. Light head. Unidentifiable booze on nose. Love tripels. This was just decent.
Jan 29, 2022Reviewed by Singlefinpin from North Carolina
4/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Drinking this at one of my favorite tap rooms, Tapped Craft and Drafts in Greenville NC.
Poured from a tap into a pint glass.
Looks golden honey yellow with a nice white foamy head that dropped quickly to a thin ring.
Smells lightly bready, floral, spicy sweet, cloves.
Taste follows the nose nicely.
Mouth feel is medium for the style.
Overall a very nice example of the style that I might order again.
Cheers!
Jan 13, 2022Poured from a tap into a pint glass.
Looks golden honey yellow with a nice white foamy head that dropped quickly to a thin ring.
Smells lightly bready, floral, spicy sweet, cloves.
Taste follows the nose nicely.
Mouth feel is medium for the style.
Overall a very nice example of the style that I might order again.
Cheers!
Reviewed by CarolinaCardinals from North Carolina
3.71/5 rDev -4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.71/5 rDev -4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Picked up a single from TW Spartanburg SC on 5-30-21 for $3.29. Bottle code is 18112034B10834 so maybe bottled 11-20-18.
Beer poured golden with a smallish head that dissipated quickly.
Nose is Pilsner malt forward with hints of Belgian yeast phenol, mostly cloves.
Taste is a large Pilsner malt base with a nice apple and pair ester. Finishes sweet with a touch of alcohol heat.
Mouthfeel is medium to heavy bodied and lacking the lightness associated with the best of this style.
Overall the flavor profile is the highlight of this brew. Given i am not sure if this is a older bottle it would be one i would have to try a fresher version..
Jul 17, 2021Beer poured golden with a smallish head that dissipated quickly.
Nose is Pilsner malt forward with hints of Belgian yeast phenol, mostly cloves.
Taste is a large Pilsner malt base with a nice apple and pair ester. Finishes sweet with a touch of alcohol heat.
Mouthfeel is medium to heavy bodied and lacking the lightness associated with the best of this style.
Overall the flavor profile is the highlight of this brew. Given i am not sure if this is a older bottle it would be one i would have to try a fresher version..
Reviewed by DDiFran from Ohio
3.71/5 rDev -4.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.71/5 rDev -4.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Low look points for almost no head or lacing. In spite of this the taste and feel are very good. Sweet pears and candy with a soft dry malt backbone. Very good not great about sums this one up
Apr 04, 2021Reviewed by sevensevens from Ohio
4.15/5 rDev +7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.15/5 rDev +7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poors gold with a slight haze topped by a quarter-inch white head. Smells and tastes like a rye and swiss sandwich served with fresh pear and banana followed by a dessert of dark chocolate-dipped plums. Dry, effervescent, light bodied, complex, and delicious. Everything I'd want in a Belgian Tripel.
Jan 15, 2021Reviewed by jernjawn from Pennsylvania
3.44/5 rDev -11.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.44/5 rDev -11.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
poured into my poor man's goblet, a large wineglass. from a bottle from the cellar.
Honey colored, clear with some suspended sediment. virtually no head quickly dissipates to a whiteish ring.
Nose is very spicy, but I'm not getting the esters much at all.
Taste is subdued much like the nose, pleasant enough spiciness, sweet.
Feel is light to medium. Creamy.
Drinkable and definitely enjoyable. Lacking wow factor.
Will cellar a couple and review in a few years.
Dec 08, 2020Honey colored, clear with some suspended sediment. virtually no head quickly dissipates to a whiteish ring.
Nose is very spicy, but I'm not getting the esters much at all.
Taste is subdued much like the nose, pleasant enough spiciness, sweet.
Feel is light to medium. Creamy.
Drinkable and definitely enjoyable. Lacking wow factor.
Will cellar a couple and review in a few years.
Reviewed by Franziskaner from Missouri
3.85/5 rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
3.85/5 rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
Gold in color with with a fingernail of off white around the rim and covering a third of the top. There’s a bit of floaties within the body. The aroma is of sweet light malt and Belgian candy sugar. I’m tasting lots of sweet light malt and Belgian candy sugar. The mouth is very dry, crisp, and somewhat boozy.
Apr 25, 2020Reviewed by Danzifer from Ohio
4.39/5 rDev +13.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
4.39/5 rDev +13.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Belgian ales are my favorite and I've had this before but I figured I'd write a little review.
Appears to have a new label with 2 monks share-carrying a big ass barrel of booze with another monk trailing behind rolling another barrel down some stairs. Presumably they're going to get shit-faceded.
Clean poured into a snifter. There is A LOT of yeast floating about, enough to obscure the clarity of light. It's dark gold in color. Oh, it smells boozey! Banana and wheat apart from that. Initial thought upon sipping: you can feel the yeast particles kiss past your lips as you drink it. A pretty unique sensation. Tastes very sweet with a hint of spice, aged fruit, a very small hint of hop and malt. Slight alcohol taste with a medium-dry finish and no lacing. Very pleasing overall, would recommend to any Belgian-style connoisseur.
Mar 11, 2020Appears to have a new label with 2 monks share-carrying a big ass barrel of booze with another monk trailing behind rolling another barrel down some stairs. Presumably they're going to get shit-faceded.
Clean poured into a snifter. There is A LOT of yeast floating about, enough to obscure the clarity of light. It's dark gold in color. Oh, it smells boozey! Banana and wheat apart from that. Initial thought upon sipping: you can feel the yeast particles kiss past your lips as you drink it. A pretty unique sensation. Tastes very sweet with a hint of spice, aged fruit, a very small hint of hop and malt. Slight alcohol taste with a medium-dry finish and no lacing. Very pleasing overall, would recommend to any Belgian-style connoisseur.
Reviewed by chuprynka from New Jersey
3.7/5 rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.7/5 rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
A pleasant little something to sip on, although a little monotone when it comes to a trippel. Heavy hops, shallow sweetness, slight smoky caramel aftertaste. Pleasant floral nose that contradicts the feel a little.
May 17, 2019Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois
3.42/5 rDev -11.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.42/5 rDev -11.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Bright yellow color; hints of orange.
HUGE white head; careful pouring!
Minimal lace.
Banana & bread in the nose.
Medium thin mouthfeel.
Strong banana flavor, but a bit one dimensional.
Drinkable; forgettable.
May 14, 2019HUGE white head; careful pouring!
Minimal lace.
Banana & bread in the nose.
Medium thin mouthfeel.
Strong banana flavor, but a bit one dimensional.
Drinkable; forgettable.
Reviewed by chitoryu12 from Florida
3.65/5 rDev -5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.65/5 rDev -5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Look: Slightly dark gold with virtually no head. Resembles apple juice.
Smell: Light malt, slight hop scent, banana esters, spices, orange peel.
Taste: Mild malt with an undertone of bitterness, but no noticeable hop flavor. A little of that citrus note from the nose.
Mouthfeel: Decent body, high carbonation.
Overall: A surprisingly poor tripel that lacks complexity.
May 12, 2019Smell: Light malt, slight hop scent, banana esters, spices, orange peel.
Taste: Mild malt with an undertone of bitterness, but no noticeable hop flavor. A little of that citrus note from the nose.
Mouthfeel: Decent body, high carbonation.
Overall: A surprisingly poor tripel that lacks complexity.
Reviewed by officerbill from New York
3.57/5 rDev -8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
3.57/5 rDev -8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
The color of honey-wheat with a thin light tan head that quickly dissolved into a ring.
The smell of yeast, apple, and citrus.
A clean taste of yeast, pears, bananas, with a hint of some apple, honey, and citrus.
Mild carbonation that doesn't fill up your mouth and a crispness as you swallow.
Overall, a very good American version of a Belgian tripel.
Mar 31, 2019The smell of yeast, apple, and citrus.
A clean taste of yeast, pears, bananas, with a hint of some apple, honey, and citrus.
Mild carbonation that doesn't fill up your mouth and a crispness as you swallow.
Overall, a very good American version of a Belgian tripel.
Merry Monks from Weyerbacher Brewing Co.
Beer rating:
87 out of
100 with
2479 ratings
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!