Brooklyn Monster Ale is Less Scary than it Sounds
Written: Jan 09 '05 (Updated Jan 09 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Very good fruit and malt flavors
Cons: Hard to find; Not as full bodied as other barleywine
The Bottom Line: This is a very good barleywine that offers complexity without the extreme bitterness that other beers of the same style often possess.
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| Bryan_Carey's Full Review: Brooklyn Monster Ale |
Strong ales are the types of beer that make for a nice change of pace every now and then. Most of these alcohol- fortified brews are quite tasty, but they have flavor characteristics that make them a little too overwhelming for casual consumption.
Barleywine products are among the strongest ales available. And one product that fits the bill of a strong ale in spite of its medium- bodied character is Monster Ale, a barleywine- style brew from New York’s Brooklyn Brewery.
Basic Characteristics of This Beer:
Poured from the bottle, this beer is maroon/brown in color with a clear body. The foam level is good, even though it diminishes in due time, and it has a creamy consistency. A good swirl and a few sniffs indicate plums and sweet, dark malt.
This is a complex beer, with tastes such as caramelized malt, brown sugar, plums, prunes, raisins, citrus, molasses, roasted malt, and a touch of chocolate. The overall taste is sweet and the texture is creamy and a little oily, leaving an aftertaste of sweet malt behind.
This barleywine is brewed using two- row English, maris, and otter malts along with cascade, Willamette, and fuggles hops. The alcohol content is 11 percent by volume.
Food Compatibility:
The only foods that would go with a beer like this one are heavy, rich dishes like Italian and strong, flavorful desserts like pecan pie and dark chocolate cake. Other than that, this ale isn’t really designed for food. It is best to drink as an after- dinner beer, all by itself.
Final Thoughts:
Brooklyn Monster Ale is a big beer with big taste. Brooklyn brewing Company makes this product slightly different every year, giving beer lovers an excuse to continue to try it when the new release comes out. It is brewed and then aged for about four months to mature.
My bottles of Brooklyn Monster Ale were brewed in 2003. I have tried this beer in the past so I already knew what to expect. The taste is still just as aggressive as ever and it is still a very complex beer. One thing, however, that is a little different from this beer when compared to other barleywine styles is the body itself. It isn’t quite as full and heavy as others of the same style. This can be both good and bad, depending on how you like your barleywine. Personally, I prefer the heavier barleywine but this medium- bodied style is good in its own way. It makes the beer a little more easy to drink and a little less filling when compared to others in its peer group.
This barleywine is, like expected, strong in alcohol. But the alcoholic punch is a little bit deceptive. I already knew when I opened my bottles that this was strong ale but when I tasted the beer, it wasn’t quite as alcoholic as I expected. I still had no trouble finding the alcohol, and most drinkers will experience the same. But it isn’t quite as noticeable in the aroma or flavor as other beer products with this strength level.
Fruit flavors are among the many highlights of this barleywine, but there isn’t as much citrus taste as I have experienced with other barleywine. Here, the fruit flavors are more along the lines of plums and raisins, making the beer similar in many ways to sherry or brandy. Again, even though this is different from many others in the same category, it is still good- tasting. Barleywine doesn’t have to taste like the west coast version, and this one doesn’t. It has a flavor profile that makes it more like an English barleywine.
Overall, Brooklyn Monster Ale is a very tasty brew with a strong malt presence, a fruity flavor, and an alcohol level that makes it a little on the extreme side without going too far. It makes a very good after dinner drink and it can spice up any situation with its more radical qualities. The medium- body and the sweeter taste make it a barleywine that is a little easier- drinking than many others.
Recommended:
Yes
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