North Coast Brother Thelonious

Bottle, 12oz. It pours a lovely, ruby brown body, looking clear, and topped by a creamy, finger-thick beige head that lasts. Dried fruits, salty licorice, brown sugar, some alcohol and a spicy hop note. Full-bodied, slighlty warming and quite fizzy in the mouth. There’s dried fruits, some fresh fruits, blue plums mostly, sugars, a little spicy touch, a fine bitterness and alcohol in the flavor. The finish is lasting, with a slight alcohol burn, dried fruits, sugars and a herbal bitterness. Some caramel and a little bready touch blends in all the way. A nice one, but not in the league of the best Belgians. Will certainly have more of this one though. (090419)

355 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 9.4%. Pours very fizzy. Deep copper to mahogany coloured beer, moderate off-white head. Aroma of Belgian ale yeast and brown sugar, some vinous notes. Fizzy mouthfeel. The flavour is malty sweet with strong notes of brown sugar, also some spicy notes, moderate but distinct hops in the finish. The high ABV is noticeable.

Pouring a dark reddish brown beer with a slight off white head, this beer has a solid appearance. The aroma is slightly sweet malty fruit. The beer is smooth on the palate. alcohol is slightly noticeable. the finish is smooth but leaves an unidentifiable after taste.

Bottle at Lee’s. Deep Brownish body, with tan head. Aroma was very dark fruitish with sweet caramel malts, and some woodeness to it. Taste was very sweet, with caramel and the dark cherries, and some other malty flavors. Really like it. Easy to drink.

Poured a deep amber color with a little off white head and little carbonation. To the nose it was sweet with malt and oak. First taste was very sweet and not at all hoppy. As you continued the bottle it didn’t get bittter at all and you almost forgot you were drinking 9% abv, it can and will sneek up on you. I would recommend and try this beer again.

Poured a very dark red/brown with a large stable off-white head. Aroma is very sweet. Notes of malts with some citrus and yeast. Slight alcohol hint. Taste has some caramel malts, and starts off smooth. There are some earthy hops and grassy tastes. Fruity alcohol also present. Finish is a bit metallic.

750 ml bottle. Pours a medium-dark brown with ruby hues. Soft, yellowish head. Treacle, alcohol, caramel, floral, and fig notes in the nose. Medium carbonation with an odd sticky then dry mouthfeel. Sweet, boozy fruit, dates, figs, some earth notes, and lots of vanilla on the palate. The alcohol warms the whole way. The finish is lasting, mainly with the vanilla. A pretty good Belgian strong.

Nice semi-clear brown color and large tan head that recedes slowly. Nice mixture of many different malt aromas, the same follows in the flavor. A myriad of different malt flavors, some deep sweetness and great complex dark fruits. I’ve never had a Belgian strong quite like this.