Friday, January 1, 2010

Monster Ale: Brooklyn


You can't call your beer Monster anything unless it brings the serious pain. High malt, high hops, high carbo, and/or high alcohol. I have my suspicions about whether The Gentleman Brewer, the Connoisseur's Connoisseur, the classiest man in American brewing Garrett Oliver has it in him for a Monster beer. It's right up my alley, but the man has a recipe for Two Salmons with Creme Fraiche and Caviar on the Brooklyn Brewing website. Most beer drinkers can't even spell cavviaar.


Beer Log: Right now

State: Trying to clean up a little bit, but really just watching the Sugar Bowl


Brooklyn Monster Ale: Barleywine style ale
Well Florida is blowing out Cincinnati like Monica Lewinsky, so I'm watching one of these 30 for 30s I have on DVR. Just pouring this BMA into my Hennessy goblet as is my thing to do with barleywines. Very low white head with a cinnamon sugar cookie nose. Maybe some alcohol-related aromatics as well. Copper color. Very hoppy at first, then malty, raisiney and plum character emerges from the beer. I did say the word "wow". Just lots of raisin and plum, the beer has surprisingly higher carbo than I thought. Aftertaste is a piney hop. The beer is a touch dry, and has something of a bottle conditioned character to the mouthfeel (dry, a touch of chalk, higher carbo). Excellent American barleywine. The carbonation does it's job well to cut the malt down away from cloying to drinkable. I'll say it qualifies as a monster. 4 stars.

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