Midnight Sun Monks Mistress Dark Strong Ale (Cabernet)

A dark brown beer with a yellowish head. The aroma is sweet malty and very roasted, while the flavor is sweet malty and with an acidic note from the hard roasted malt.

Name: Monks Mistress Dark Strong Ale
Date: 07/16/2006
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting

clear dark amber, fine whispy tan head, oaky aroma, big woody flavor, nice bitter finish, the oak dominates the profile, otherwise the malt backbone does not add anything

Aroma: 5/10; Appearance: 6/10; Flavor: 5/10; Palate: 5/10; Overall: 10/20
Rating: 2.6/5.0
Drinkability: 6/10
Score: *4

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.

22oz bottle acquired in trade with DarkElf (thanks a ton for this one!). Poured a dark brown with a very small sized off white head. Aromas of oak, vanilla, almonds, some dark fruits and port. Vinous tasting with oak, almonds, dark fruits, vanilla and caramel. I really like this one. We opened it up the same night as the Great Lakes BA Blackout Stout and this one was overall better.

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!

Bottle shared by goldtwins, courtesy of DarkElf, many thanks!: Pours a very dark mahogany with a frothy, nicely-lacing tan head. Very complex, enticing, sweet dark Belgian malty aroma has good oaky cabernet notes with a hint of dates and bready yeast. Body starts with a nice sweet dark toffee maltiness and some Belgian yeast before the full cabernet oaky and dark fruit finish. Very complex, incredibly balanced, sweet and semi-tart body. An amazing beer. I sure hope Midnight Sun brews this again!

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.

Dark plum and burgundy colored body. Nose is heavy oak, dry, scorching wood and smoke, with some sand and earthy bark scents floating out of the glass, really great nose on this beer. Flavor is rich and sweet caramel, sour amaretto, sugar, plums, lactic notes even... very strange but not bad. Even has some cheese funk in the finish, but also has some more undesireable spoiled fruit flavors.