Brooklyn Monster Ale

Brewed by Brooklyn Brewery
Style: Barley Wine
Brooklyn, New York USA

Serve in Snifter

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UPDATED: JUN 14, 2006 The beer came in a brown 12 oz. bottle with a shiny silver label and neck wrapping. The label proudly proclaimed a born on date in 2004. The beer poured clear reddish amber (the color of tea) with a small thin head. The smell was also evocative of strong tea, with a toasty caramel malt backed by herbal hops.

The taste was creamy and honey sweet with a clingy minty and buttery aftertaste that was a bit cloying. Restrained and mellow, this beer felt a bit too subdued. Alcohol was very well hidden, and I would never have guessed the strength to be as high as it was. Quite thin bodied for the style, and even thirst quenching on some levels. A sessionable barleywine, who would have thunk?

Update
The 2004 vintage of this beer was the first one I picked up after the law change in Georgia, and at the time I though this was a beer worth cellaring. In the past year and a half I was able to avoid the calls of the lone remaining bottle of Monster. I suppose now is as good a time as any to take the plunge.

Poured into a tulip, the beer looked as clear as ever, with reddish brown body, and a small head that formed for a short while before settling down to a thin ring of bubbles. Not much carbonation to speak of either. The aroma was sweet, and floral. There were lots of fruity esters reminding me of figs, cherries, bananas, oranges, and apples. The alcohol was like rose oil. There was no hint of any oxidation, despite the warmish cellaring conditions in my basement.

The taste was smooth and mellow, with the flavors melded together to form a taste similar to fruit punch mixed with caramel sauce. The warm and spicy alcohol came shortly after, until giving way to vanilla. The texture was silky smooth and delicate. The hops which I remember being somewhat noticeable when fresh, had all faded into a slight peppery tingle.

This Monster was definitely a better beer with some age on it. The warmth of the alcohol has me wondering if this beer can go on improving a little more with age. Sadly the 2004 is now history, and 2005 bottles have some ways to go. Good things come to those who wait I suppose.

From 0.33l bottle @ Ølfestival København 2012. This one has a blurry honey-copper colored body with a small sidesticking off-white head. The aroma is watery, yeasty and fruity. Does not sound so nice but it actually is! It’s average carbonated and it has a sticky texture in the mouth. Flavors are quite sweet with lot’s of caramel, dates and a bit raw alcohol. Light warming finish and aftertaste. Good tasting barley. 10.05.2012

12oz bottle - pours amber with off-white head. Nose is caramel and just all around malty with whiffs of (rubbing) alcohol. Flavor adds bread and citrus hops. Very dry finish. Taste is balanced between the sweetness and the hoppiness. The alcohol is not very well masked.

På DØE festivalen: en nydelig barley wine på 10,1%, bitterhet og sødme fint balansert. Antydning av sherry og honning. Et koseøl.

Burnt orange and slightly cloudy, a little hoppy for a barley wine, but pleasant resinous and carmel flavours.

Found 3 loose bottles of 2011 for $2 each… I know, a 4-pack is just $8.99, but it’s cool that I paid as much for this as for a tallboy of PBR in the same cooler. I can put the other two next to my 2003 bottle for later comparison. Pours a deep amber with a lot of bubbles on the side. Bubbly ecru head that settles quickly. Deep malt with alcohol in the nose. Slight sprinkle of hops in the nose. Taste is mostly strong malts matched to warm alcohol. Basic hop bitterness keeps the malts settled, probably until they smooth further. A nice little barley wine, though I hope some more aging gives it more personality.

Clear tan hue in my snifter capped by a very small head, little retention. Nose is big and malty, light flower. Thick full body malt base with solid bitterness, hint of caramel and fruit.

12 oz bottle, pint glass. Pours with a copper color with little to no head with a toffee scent. A sharp sweet flavor upon initial tasting which soon transfers itself into a boozy warmth which can be offensive to novice tasters, but can be appreciated with experience. Overall a very middle of the road barleywine, but well worth the low price (that I paid for it at least). Go Beer!

From a 355ml bottle on 15/5/2012. ABV listed as 10.3% rather than 10.8%. Pours a dark copper with almost no head. Has a strong aroma of sherry, cough mixture, caramel, toffee and ripe fruit. In the mouth, it’s very fruity, with a real fortified wine character. There’s some sweet caramel and heaps of warming alcohol, which merges with a strong, slightly sour bitterness. The texture is quite syrupy. All up, a quite enjoyable, big vinous brew.

33 cl bottle @ Ølfestival København 2012
Aroma is sweet and perfume‐like with ripe fruits and some toffee. Flavour has candi sugar, some ripe fruits and toffee. Feels like an aged belgian strong ale. I am very surprised if this doesn’t have any belgian ingredients. Too sweet for me.

Draught @ Ølfestival Kobenhavn.
Pours clear copper color with small head. Aroma of ripe fruits, caramel, mild grassy hops, toffee. Flavor of caramel, ripe fruits, plums, resin, mild toffee and vanilla notes. The fruityness is quite nice.
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