Midnight Sun Monks Mistress Dark Strong Ale (Cabernet)

Bottle compliments of DarkElf: Pours a ruby chocolate color with a sizable thick tan head. Nose of dark sticky fruit along with some oaky resinous notes and a smooth belgian character up front. The flavor is very unique, tannic sweet grapes are fighting the oaky earthy belgian maltiness. The finish is tart but it bring it all together. Complex and tasty. Very unique use of cabernet oak barrels, I’d like to see them employed in more belgian style ales.

[ Bottled ; chilled ; 2005 vintage ]
A fully lasting small fizzy off-white head that tops up a clear very dark mahogany /brown body. No lacing. No particles. Few small bubbles. Aroma presents malt being moderate chocolate while hops are very faint leafy ... Yeast character is light Also, there are evocations tawny . oak and vanilla.. Little oxydation from the wood. Initial flavor is lighty salty /nutty while development is medium spices/herbs.. Finish is medium . Light to medium body... oily texture... too Soft carbonation...

22 oz bottle, Montreal Sourheads gathering on February 26 2006. Small lasting off-white head tops the very dark, near-opaque purplish-brown body....the aroma is very much like that of an old bottle of English barleywine, lots of port, dark milky chocolate, caramel and a bit of pipe tobacco, really entrancing if somewhat lacking in "Belgian" character....the body offers a touch of salted nuts, wine and a bit more yeastiness, but it’s a bit on the thin side, and the bitter chocolate and dry herbs that dominate the latter part of the sherried, lightly oxidized palate aren’t supported by a firm enough malt background....frustrating; the nose is wonderful and there’s lots of quality throughout....near-great I guess.

Any first impressions?
-A halo of head hovers atop the rubyish dark brown.
-Red meat, port wine in chocolate, and nutty delicacies infuse plenitude through their sweet luxury.
-Wine grapes and chocolate toffee devilishly seduce with their intricate decadence.
-The low carbonation could be activated a little more to make this even more entrancing, and more drinkable.

What if you dig deeper?
-Salted meats, as in prosciutto, skillfully protrude in the aroma soon enough.
-An alcoholic utterance warms up the caramel maltiness and fat grapes.
-These guys’ extraction could hardly be improved upon.
-A buxom, complex sipper for the sweet tooth whose quality and tooth-licking goodness a chocolate artisan would struggle to replicate.

Bottle; 2005 vintage.

Filtered dark mahogany appearance where the head quickly becomes a memory despite the enormous carbonation we’d expect from a beer inspired by Maîtresse du Moine. The nose bursts out really complex with invigorating alcohol roundness that covers gently sherry/port oxidation that braises nuts and pear accents. The huge malt base shines its 1000 fires in the shape of cocoa, hazelnut, anise, maple, all easily picked out as singleton if you set your mind on it. Mostly balanced altogether despite its richness, but you’ve got to be able to tolerate some level of wooden oxidation to enjoy this overwhelming richness. Obviously very sweet in mouth, though once you swallow, you realise this was not nearly as overbearing as the nose would leave your anticipations, never cloying and with barely noticeable balancing leafy hops. Well fruited dark black berries, dates and nuts meet raisin bread in a malt showdown, no clear winner there, mostly just the everlasting apparitions of new contenders. Where it loses its points got to be in the mouthfeel department, which is a bit tired, almost lame in its lack of carbonation and rather dull, loose thin texture that fails to bring the flavours together on a proper vessel. Otherwise a remarkable malt art piece if you’re in the mood. Thank you Darkelf.

Bottle: The pour is a dark brown with plenty of carbonation. I’ve come to expect plenty of carbonation from these folks. The head is non-existant except for little lillypads of cream colored bubbles hear and there. The aroma is huge and very complex. Dark fruit, sweet candy, oak, chocolate and a touch of light and attractive alcohol. I haven’t tasted it yet, but I am very excited. The serving temp might be a bit on the cold side, but I have a big bottle so here goes. The flavor is much like the aroma would suggest, but there is no sticky feel. The beer washes cleanly over the tongue while it imparts mass stimulation to the nose. The finish is a little tangy with a a little alcoholy. This is a beautiful beer that really should be made on a regular basis. The oak keeps the finish bone dry. I like it.

Bottle... This beer rocks!... Clear, very dark, ruby ale with a small, frothy, khaki head. The aroma is vineous, fruity and earthy. Notes of molasses, chocolate, seasoned oak, dried plum, soy and red wine. The flavor is a nicely balanced medley of dark chocolate and dark, dried fruits, deeply roasted malts, red wine, dry oak and light smoke. Full-bodied and silky with lively carbonation. Finishes smokey, rich and malty. World class effort. Thanks go out to DarkElf for the bottle!

From trade with timmcd64 & juzy. Shared with ClarkVV. Good nose, sweet. Big carbernet initially which mellowed as it warmed. Dried fruits, raisin/prune/date. I get a uncooked beef thing. Like I do from some wines. Bitter flavor, Fruitiness takes on a grape/cherry thing. Molasses/caramel maltiness. Medium body, lite creamy, syrupy mouthfeel. Dry finish, though it’s a ABV kind of dryness. A wonderful beer! Thanks for this rare treat timmcd64 & juzy.