North Coast Brother Thelonious

Geeze. What to say about this beer. Bottle is a ton of hype, but I figured I’d give it a try since this brewery has treated me so well for so long. Pours a hazy brown with red and cherry tones. Head is slightly yellowed and tall. Aroma of cherry, vanilla, sherry, caramel, pipe tobacco and light lemon. Taste is extremely average though for a Belgian. I figured this might be a uniquely hopped or "bigger" West Coast version of a Belgian Strong. Instead, they went for the traditional approach. However, it seems they didn’t aim for the stars of Westy, Rochefort or even Chimay, and instead aimed right into the mid-pack likes of Maredsous or Pirate. For this money (i think I paid over $ 10 at Total Wine) they need to step it up, its not even imported.

The beer pours from the 750ml caged and corked brown bottle a hazy mahogany color with a portly white head that is creamy in texture as it slowly fades away; the lace forms a nice concealing blanket upon the glass. Start has a nice malt sweetness, hints of fruit, I say cherries, and also a bit of alcohol, top is light to medium in feel. Finish is prickly in its acidity, the hops present, and the alcohol provides a bitter bite, dry and long lasting aftertaste.

750 mil bottle. Pours a dark amber color with a medium off white head. Aroma of roasted malt, hops, caramel, yeast and spices. Taste of malt, yeast and a nice light hop presence. Flavors are well balanced and compliment each other well. My favorite Belgian Ale to date.

Pours a very dark brown with a smallish off-white head. The aroma is malty and a bit nutty, with some dried fruit mixed in as well. It tastes malty with some caramel and a few other things in the background. Has a smooth finish that lingers for a while. Very good, but not quite excellent, Belgian strong, definitely recommend.

750ml bought at Whole Foods at Union Square. Dark brown, dence head. Huge lacing. Very yeasty aroma, obvious malts. Taste is a bit overly sweet but when the sediment was added it got a whole lot better. Very caramely, some hop bitterness. Very nice sipper

Bottle. Nice aroma of dried fruits, yeast, leather and a hint of alcohol. Pours a very attractive cherrywood/mahogany. Medium bodied with notes of fruit, spices, dry wood, brown sugar, licorice, nuts. Pleasant but overall unspectacular.

The 22 ounce corked bottle poured a clear, deep, dark ruby red colored beverage with a small creamy off-white head that lasted very well and left great lacing on the glass. The aroma was complex as one might expect with hints of sweet fruits, aged leather and spices. The body was wonderfully full with soft carbonation and a velvet caressing mouthfeel. The flavor started out lightly sweet and stayed that way through the end of the long finish. There was a subtle alcohol warmth in the chest at the end as well.

Poured deep brownish red, with a small head. Nose is dark fruit with hints of chocolate and a touch of caramel. Nice medium body with flavors similar to the nose. A good beer but have had better.