North Coast Brother Thelonious

Brewed by North Coast Brewing Company
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Fort Bragg, California USA

pours clear?... the same brown as the bottle with some reddish tints. it’s capped by and off white to tan head which lasts as a film and leaves behind some horizontal lacing as it recedes. smells like... cocoa butter?... mixed with light chocolate notes, brown sugar, toasted nuts and sour fruit/raisins. the flavor almost mirrors the aroma... yeast, sour fruity notes, spice, brown sugar and golden raisins with a lightly bittered almost dry finish. alcohol whacks me in the face right about now! medium body, creamy carbonation and a meh mouth feel.7/3/7/3/15/3.5

aromas of flowers, piloncilla and brioche. tastes like yeasty raisin bread with touches of cinnamon and a dry finish. medium body leans on full with residuals but a tartness keeps it nice. 7/3/7/4/16/3.7

(Bottle). Ripe fruity aroma. Deep reddish brown color with moderate quickly dissipating light brown head. Flavor is sweet and fruity, with caramel and toffee. Lots of soft carbonation. Alcohol shows through a little intrusively in the finish. All in all, lacks some complexity.....but not bad.

I bought the beer not knowing it was dedicated to the great jazz musician. While I was about to open the bottle, it finally struck me that it was THE Thelonious Monk, so that right there automatically made me think, "This better be a good beer." Well, I was not let down. I poured a it into a Chimay glass, and the dark amber color was quite wonderful, and the aroma was excellent. It is a very smooth beer but packs a nice punch of flavor. Overall, it is one of my favorite beers. I really do enjoy the theme, the cause, and everything about it. If you get the chance to try it out, do not pass it up. You will not be disappointed.

pours thick, dark amber colour... notes of fruit, malt, with more hops than the average belgian abbey ale... quite good!

Nice yeasty notes: hints of plum and dried cherries, nutty and creamy mouth feel, little toasty malt and a smooth finish. Like most good craft Belgian style ales, the alcohol is well hidden, very tasty, although missing the deep complexities of some others in this style range.

One of the few belgian styles not from Belgium that I enjoy. Lots of head and a complex spice and fruit aroma. Dark fruits on the taste.

Amber in color with a good sized light brown head with very good lacing. The aroma is dominated by dark fruits with a hint of molasses and a strong hops backbone. The flavor is of dark fruits with a little raisin, molasses, oak, and a hint of apples. The texture is creamy. Overall its a very good abbey ale with a very complex and relaxed flavor; very enjoyable

Pours with a light brown head that is mostly lasting over an amber hue. Aroma is of dark fruits - dates, prunes, some grape, and plums and little of hops. Aroma also has some sweetness to it - a little molasses. Dark fruit flavor with some oak, apples. It is a little bit bitter on the finish, not so much though. Sweet beginning. Creamy to the palate with lively carbonation. a very good beer.