Brooklyn Monster Ale

[Vintage 2001 sampled November 12, 2003] The aroma is sweet malty with notes of alcohol, and apples. A fantastic aroma. The color is dark amber and it has a beutiful though disappearing head. The flavor is slightly fruity and sweet malty in the beginning with good notes of slightly sour apples, bananas, and burnt caramel. In the middle a slight but undistingable alcohol runs over the tongue. It starts out gently but explodes in a cascade of flavor impressions in the end. A beer doesn't get much better than this. Great thanks to Garret Oliver for bringing this one to Denmark.

(Bottle 35,5 cl) Vintage 2004 at 11% ABV. Vaguely hazy, amber golden with a creamy, yellowish head. Fat aroma of overripe fruit and alcohol. Very full body with a smooth mouthfeel, lots and lots of sweetish caramel and overripe fruit. Lightly oxidized because of age making this very mellow and soft on the palate, madeirasized and a bit low in carbonation. Also the hops have mellowed. This has aged gracefully without losing its potent alcohol. 150506

Bottled (2005 vintage, 10.8%). Clear amber, brief head. Aroma of rum, fruit annd lightly citric hops. The bodh is rather slim for a beer this size. Grainy malt combines with alcohol and fruit. Hops dries it the finish and provided a lastign salty bitterness. Less hoppy than most American barley wines, instead more balanced.

355 mL bottle (2006). Pours slight hazy amber with an off-white to light brown head. Sweet and and dried fruity aroma, malty as well. Quite fruity, very sweet and hoppy flavour, very strong hoppy finish with a solid bitterness and warming alcohol. Notes of cane sugarish sweetness. Quite complex sweet malt heavy brew with a very strong floral/fruity hops bouquet. Very nice.

Bottle. Dark golden in colour with a medium sized off-white head. Malty and sweet. The cascade hops dominate the alcohol laden nose. A roasted feel. A slight hoppyness. Notes of dark fruit.

Bottled. Dark amber, big beigish foamy head, lacing. Very citric, fruitish aroma with flowery hints. Bitter citric flavour. The following few sips gives a very winelike alcoholic feeling. Not to drink fast.

Bottle. Shiny clear chestnut colour. Malty and sweet caramelly flavour with peppery caramel aftertaste. Might be a bit cloying if not for the generous carbonation.

Bottled. Orange colour with a small fast disappearing head. Sweet aroma with lots of sherry, plums, alcohol and with notes of hops. Sweet flavour with hops, plums and alcohol. Nice, but I prefer barley wines with less bitterness.