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Monk's Blood
21st Amendment Brewery
- From:
- 21st Amendment Brewery
- California, United States
- Style:
- Belgian Dark Strong Ale
Ranked #117 - ABV:
- 8.3%
- Score:
- 86
Ranked #18,758 - Avg:
- 3.83 | pDev: 12.79%
- Reviews:
- 534
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Sunday at 04:33 AM
- Added:
- Sep 10, 2009
- Wants:
- 95
- Gots:
- 226
Belgian Strong Dark ale brewed with cinnamon, on oak chips with figs.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by mobyviacheslov:
Reviewed by mobyviacheslov from Washington
3.43/5 rDev -10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 4.5
3.43/5 rDev -10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 4.5
A--I poured this one into a glass, even though with most other 21st Ammendment Canned craft brews, I've tried them out of the can just for "fun". Couldn't bring myself to do it with a Belgian style ale though. There was virtually no head, though the outer rim of the beer maintained a tiny coagulation of bubbles that did leave level marks after each sip for around a minute before running back into the beer. The beer itself is a very dark, nearly opaque brown...in the low light of my kitchen it looked black. Light reveals a few ruby colors.
S--the nose was very mild, with hints of caramel and dried fruit. Not a lot of character to the nose...perhaps the canning process or the can itself reduces the smells that the lees and sediment in a bottled belgian usually benefits from.
T--First of all, I waited about an hour after taking the can out of the fridge, but it still felt about 40 degrees (problem I've had with all canned micros). My first sip, all I could taste was CAN, though this didn't happen with others from this brewery...perhaps it was mental, since a belgian in a can is still weird to me...considering that "flavor" went away on subsequent sips. There are some intriguingly tart caramel flavors, which are very contradicting but it works quite well. There are underlying tobacco flavors as well. The initial flavor burst is malty and very true to the style, and the finish brings out the tart and tobacco flavors. Its not the most sophisticated, strong, or complex ale in the world, but certainly better than I was expecting. I will let the last half of this sit out for a little while and see if the temperature can help bring out more pungent flavors.
M--This is my only real problem with the beer. Waaaay to much carbonation going on here. Its not bud-light carbonation, but its more than I expected. I have had many belgian ales with higher than average carbonation, and it generally is a plus, adding a pop to your tongue that amplifies the subtle flavors...in this case, it seems to overpower them, perhaps causing the mild flavors.
D--Well, due to the fact that I drank this waaay to cold, and its carbonation level, this beer actually comes off as very drinkable. Like, "have 10 or so at a barbeque" drinkable. Probably dangerous due to the ABV. As I've said about other 21st canned beers, this would actually be a great barbeque beer if you want to slum it out of a can, but still feel snob-superior to the MGD drinkers.
Serving Type: 12 oz can, poured in
to a snifter, probably around 40 degrees.
Feb 21, 2010S--the nose was very mild, with hints of caramel and dried fruit. Not a lot of character to the nose...perhaps the canning process or the can itself reduces the smells that the lees and sediment in a bottled belgian usually benefits from.
T--First of all, I waited about an hour after taking the can out of the fridge, but it still felt about 40 degrees (problem I've had with all canned micros). My first sip, all I could taste was CAN, though this didn't happen with others from this brewery...perhaps it was mental, since a belgian in a can is still weird to me...considering that "flavor" went away on subsequent sips. There are some intriguingly tart caramel flavors, which are very contradicting but it works quite well. There are underlying tobacco flavors as well. The initial flavor burst is malty and very true to the style, and the finish brings out the tart and tobacco flavors. Its not the most sophisticated, strong, or complex ale in the world, but certainly better than I was expecting. I will let the last half of this sit out for a little while and see if the temperature can help bring out more pungent flavors.
M--This is my only real problem with the beer. Waaaay to much carbonation going on here. Its not bud-light carbonation, but its more than I expected. I have had many belgian ales with higher than average carbonation, and it generally is a plus, adding a pop to your tongue that amplifies the subtle flavors...in this case, it seems to overpower them, perhaps causing the mild flavors.
D--Well, due to the fact that I drank this waaay to cold, and its carbonation level, this beer actually comes off as very drinkable. Like, "have 10 or so at a barbeque" drinkable. Probably dangerous due to the ABV. As I've said about other 21st canned beers, this would actually be a great barbeque beer if you want to slum it out of a can, but still feel snob-superior to the MGD drinkers.
Serving Type: 12 oz can, poured in
to a snifter, probably around 40 degrees.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by Lexluthor33 from New York
3.75/5 rDev -2.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev -2.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Reddish brown with a sizzling head and lace.
Aroma of fruits, malt and a hint of cherry.
Taste was sweet, fruity, cherries with a medium body and carbonation.
very good balance and a good beer.
Mar 08, 2024Aroma of fruits, malt and a hint of cherry.
Taste was sweet, fruity, cherries with a medium body and carbonation.
very good balance and a good beer.
Reviewed by jzeilinger from Pennsylvania
3.84/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.84/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A - Garnet red color with nice clarity and a cream colored head.
S - Dark fruit, plums, and sweet caramel malt.
T - Sweet caramel malt, plumb, and dark fruit with light and delicate cinnamon.
M - Thick and full bodied with silky softness.
O - The cinnamon has definitely faded, but overall, a solid beer.
Sep 09, 2020S - Dark fruit, plums, and sweet caramel malt.
T - Sweet caramel malt, plumb, and dark fruit with light and delicate cinnamon.
M - Thick and full bodied with silky softness.
O - The cinnamon has definitely faded, but overall, a solid beer.
Reviewed by GarrettB from Colorado
3.32/5 rDev -13.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
3.32/5 rDev -13.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
April 5th, 2016 - This dark and fruity beer is a fun and interesting experience, and not easily replicated in other brews or breweries. In a shaker pint it looks just like a Coca Cola, and smells of craisins, chocolate covered cherries and cinnamon crusted almonds. With all these strong aromas I thought the flavor might be quite strong, but it's actually mild up front, and blossoms on the aftertastes, with gentle and light notes of cherry, and candy coated almonds, and somewhere in the back, a slight oakiness.
Jun 17, 2020Reviewed by HoppingMadMonk from New Jersey
4/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Medium carbonation with about a medium body. Has slight slick oily feel that coats the tongue and carbonation is a little prickly
Aroma is yeast, yeasty doughy bread,dried fruit, fruit cake - I mean that in a good way. Slight cherry liqueur and brandy as well
Taste is yeasty malty bread, fruit cake, mildly sweet, some cherry juice as well
This is much better warmer than too cold. Much more flavorful and interesting as opposed to when I first poured it after taking it out of the fridge.
Apr 14, 2020Aroma is yeast, yeasty doughy bread,dried fruit, fruit cake - I mean that in a good way. Slight cherry liqueur and brandy as well
Taste is yeasty malty bread, fruit cake, mildly sweet, some cherry juice as well
This is much better warmer than too cold. Much more flavorful and interesting as opposed to when I first poured it after taking it out of the fridge.
Reviewed by hman43 from North Carolina
4.02/5 rDev +5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.02/5 rDev +5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Look: It pours brown with reddish hues. The head is light brown and head retention is good.
Smell: It has bread aromas with dark cherries and raisins. There are low levels of spice in the background.
Taste: It has raisin and dark cherry flavors balance with some bread. There is a moderate warming presence. There are some low spice elements in the background.
Feel: It has a medium full body with smooth alcohol warming.
Overall, plenty of bread, dark cherry, and raisin elements.
Mar 13, 2020Smell: It has bread aromas with dark cherries and raisins. There are low levels of spice in the background.
Taste: It has raisin and dark cherry flavors balance with some bread. There is a moderate warming presence. There are some low spice elements in the background.
Feel: It has a medium full body with smooth alcohol warming.
Overall, plenty of bread, dark cherry, and raisin elements.
Reviewed by BucannonXC5 from California
4/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Type: 12-oz. can
Glass: Monks House of Ale 12-oz. tulip
From: Trader Joe’s in La Mesa, Calif.
Price: $2.25
Purchased: Oct. 27, 2019
Consumed: Nov. 1, 2019
Reviewed as: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
Misc.: Unable to decipher the canned on date
Picked this up on a whim. Not a big fan of 21st Amendment Brewery, but this one sounded good on the can as a Belgian-Style Dark Ale brewed with Cinnamon, Vanilla, Oak Chips and Dried Figs.” Online description was a bunch of nonsense, so leaving that out.
Poured a reddish brown color with three fingers of frothy khaki head. Lots of bubbles coming up along the sides of the glass at different speeds. World-class foamy lacing. Excellent retention. (Sight - 4.50)
Smelled figs, raisins, dates, oak, hints of cinnamon, plum and purple grape. Not much else, not like that is a bad thing. Even earthier from the can. (Smell - 3.75)
Tasted better than the smell. Got figs, raisins, dates, oak, peppery spice, cinnamon, plum, purple grape, sugary caramel and red apple. (Taste - 4.00)
Medium body. Oily texture. Average carbonation. Long, slightly warming finish. (Feel - 4.25)
Thought this one was going to be good. It was actually probably better than it should have been, but not quite as good as I hoped after seeing the ingredients. Which I get does not make sense. (Overall - 4.00)
4.00 | 90 | A-
Dec 23, 2019Glass: Monks House of Ale 12-oz. tulip
From: Trader Joe’s in La Mesa, Calif.
Price: $2.25
Purchased: Oct. 27, 2019
Consumed: Nov. 1, 2019
Reviewed as: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
Misc.: Unable to decipher the canned on date
Picked this up on a whim. Not a big fan of 21st Amendment Brewery, but this one sounded good on the can as a Belgian-Style Dark Ale brewed with Cinnamon, Vanilla, Oak Chips and Dried Figs.” Online description was a bunch of nonsense, so leaving that out.
Poured a reddish brown color with three fingers of frothy khaki head. Lots of bubbles coming up along the sides of the glass at different speeds. World-class foamy lacing. Excellent retention. (Sight - 4.50)
Smelled figs, raisins, dates, oak, hints of cinnamon, plum and purple grape. Not much else, not like that is a bad thing. Even earthier from the can. (Smell - 3.75)
Tasted better than the smell. Got figs, raisins, dates, oak, peppery spice, cinnamon, plum, purple grape, sugary caramel and red apple. (Taste - 4.00)
Medium body. Oily texture. Average carbonation. Long, slightly warming finish. (Feel - 4.25)
Thought this one was going to be good. It was actually probably better than it should have been, but not quite as good as I hoped after seeing the ingredients. Which I get does not make sense. (Overall - 4.00)
4.00 | 90 | A-
Monk's Blood from 21st Amendment Brewery
Beer rating:
86 out of
100 with
1454 ratings
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