His Dark Materials
Monnik Beer Co.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

32 ounce crowler, filled at Monnik on 5/3/17. Served in a Monnik chalice (looks like a tulip/snifter mix), the beer pours dark brown/black with about an inch and a half frothy tan head that stuck around a while. There's also a good amount of lacing. I like the aroma, the brew smells like roasted malt, bittersweet chocolate, dark fruit, cream, and caramel. It's a sweeter tasting stout, with dark fruit, chocolate (milk and bittersweet), caramel, roasted malt, cream, burnt/charred malt and a bit of tobacco flavor. Mouthfeel/body is light/medium, it's a bit slick and creamy with a good amount of carbonation. Also smooth and easy to drink. I thought it was a good, enjoyable sweet stout. I need to try more of their brews, and will definitely stop at Monnik again on my next trip to Louisville!

 

 

Taking a ride on the roast side allows the Monnik team to also submerse themselves in the world of classic British-style stout. With an understated core of malt and milk sugar, the earthy nuances of English beer offer a background of charm and complexity.

Dark brow, easily mistaken for black, the beer's edges are tawny gold while swirling dainty froth captures the scent of coffee, dark chocolate, campfire, dark fruit and cream. Caramelized malts seep on to the tongue with a creamy pulled-candy confectioner's delight.

As the stout's sweetness latches onto the tastebuds, its sweetness reveals a host of caramel, powdered sugar, whipping cream and chocolate- all of the seared-in variety. Nearly smokey, robust and earthy, the beer's rootish English character is redolent of black tea, grilled currant and red grape with a mild licorice-like spice to close.

Full and satisfying but careful not to be a heavy or viscous beer, the mouthfeel is soft, creamy and carries an overall lightened char with the finish. Flirting dangerously close to the thin and watery side of textures, the beer's strive for dryness is met with a wet late palate of cola and coffee.

 

 

I had a full pint of this stout and it was a very good example of the style. Monnik is one of the newer Louisville brewpubs and I wish it was within easy walking distance of my home.