North Coast Brother Thelonious

Ahh, just what I was looking for. A rich, beautifully complex beer that has just about everything I want except for my favorite stout and porter qualities. A good, good one. Aroma: Freshly melted caramel with a hint of dark fruits. Appearance: As if aged on Cherry Wood, warm red hue. Flavor: Taste of dark fruits, notably candied cherries, with a smooth caramel after taste. Yum. Palate: A nice balanced body that leaves the tongue wanting more. Overall: Got this beer for quite a price, but I thought it would be good seeing as how Old Rasputin is beaut from North Coast. Brother Thelonious can join Ole Raspy as another wonder to my mouth.

There must be some commonality to American craft brewers brewing "Abby Ale". If you put a glass of this and a glass of the "Abby Ale" offering from the brewery located just outside my subdivision (Abita’s Abbey Ale), I’d have a very hard time identifying which was which. They’re extremely similar. You’d probably have to blindfold me too, though, the Thelonious is a little darker and more opaque. Pours an opaque brown with a big foamy tan head and lots of lacing. Rich fruity nose, with some hints of pepper. Taste of pear, raisins, banana, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and wood. Fruit with spice finish. Very good!

From bottle. The aroma is bitter, fruity with spices. Great rose wood colour with a thin white lace. Rich flavour of spices, honey and raisins. Tangy finish with wood chippings. Complex ale. Lovely beer.

Bought a single bottle at Abes 6 pack. Poured a nice reddish/amber color. Smelled like your typical double. Raisin, slight hops, and some malt. Tasted amazing. Better than Chimay Red in my opinion, could be my current favorite in the Belgian Dubbel style. Highly recommended.

Pours a deep ruby tinted cola with a cola head. Reduces to a thin halo with no lacing. Rather unimpressive in the glass. Smells of apples, yeast, and dried fruits. Taste is better than expected. I like simple dubbels with a strong sweetness that can battle the yeast and sourness. This one does. The carbonation is there, tons of bubbles attack your tongue, and keep the flavors light, but bold.Sweet with raisin, plum, and brown sugar. I like the mouthfeel, its a tad thin, but carbonation is there, the sweetness doesnt stick around too long. I actually really like this one. I just wish it had a look that made me feel like I was drinking a quality belgian rather than a cola.

dark amber with a thin, carbonated head. Spicy smell and a rich, syrupy flavor.

Bottle pours dark amber, with a tan head. Aroma of sugar, malt, spice, fruit. Taste is also malty, with some fruit, and spice. Mouth is smooth and carbonation is mild. Finish is smooth. Overall, an okay belgian ale.

750 mL at Raleigh World Beer Fest. Pours like an abbey dubbel: dark amber with a generous tan head. Aroma of dark fruits, burnt sugar, rum raisin, brown sugar, molasses. Taste is soy sauce and salty with some plums, caramel, and Belgian yeasty mustiness trying to show through. Fizzy on the palate. Disappointing.