North Coast Brother Thelonious

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

I split a bottle of this at the Palm Tavern in Milwaukee. I wasn’t extremely impressed with this beer, but it was OK. This beer poured brown with a bit of red, and with lots of carbonation. Aroma was a bit of chocolate with a lot of cherry. Flavor was of abundant sour cherries. The flavor seemed to me a bit over-exuberant, and reminded me of a big pile of rotting fruit (cherries in this case). Not entirely a bad thing, but hardly superlative either. Mouthfeel was good. Recommended, but not great.

750ml - Pours a dark reddish brown in color with a small light tan head that quickly faded to a thin covering over the beer. Minor lacing on the glass. Aroma is fairly strong of Belgian yeasts and sweet malts with dark fruits (prune, dates). Flavor follows pretty closely... a bit sweeter than my taste. A bit of the alcohol in the profile, but not overwhelming. Pretty good...

On tap at TDR Exton... Appears a dark murky toned brown with red hue toned edges when held to the light. A lush, light tan head that starts off as a 3 finger cap slowly fades into a mild, rocky cap. Scattered lace is left around the glass. Smell is of sugary caramel, brown sugar, raisins, and Belgian yeast. Taste is of the aromas with a rich, maple syrup infused, malty, brown sugar, and bready yeast taste. Mouthfeel is of a boozy abv punch up front with a sugary candy presense that is enticing at first, leading to a Belgian, sugary yeast that blankets the palate.

Dark, ruddy brown with a small, quickly fading tan head. In a bright light, becomes almost ruby, my dear. Smells strongly of sweet, dark grapes, with some oakiness, some smokiness, and a touch of alcohol. Sumptuous flavor--very sweet, with dates, grapes, red wine, tobacco, and a light hint of peppery spice. If you’re thinking of passing this up, well, you needn’t.

Moderately spicy malt aroma with strong alcohol in the end on the nose. Clear amber color with a medium tan head. Sweet in the beginning but quickly getting bitter and alcohol burn in the finish. Medium body.

Pours a nice ruby hue with nice thick light brown head. Aroma is belgian spice, dark fruits, candied sugar and caramel malt. Taste of dark fruit, spice, caramel, sugar, yeast and a hint of toasted grain in the finish. This beer is pretty incredible and one of the finer american recreations of a belgian strong ale. Moderately carbonated with a creamy mouthfeel. Alcohol presence is slightly noticeable. Excellent!

Bottle. Light tan head that laces champagne looking bubbles with a light brown-ruby body. Aromas of dried fruit, caramel, bread. Flavor is like the aroma but with some anise. Finish is caramel, alcohol, and anise.

I’m not sure of what to think of this stuff... it comes across very in my face and oversweet immediately. Poured out a nice tan head of noteworthy size but it survives by a ring only. The beer is sort of near to a mahogany and very clear. The aroma is very sweet with a huge fruit presence - cherry, raisins, wood, vodka-like alcohol nose, caramel (tons of malt) - tons of aroma but nothing that really grabs my bag. The taste is quite malty and totally lacks any obvious yeast. The taste is quite similar to the aroma except the aroma seems more on the caramel side. There are more... K, I just let it sit a further 30 minutes and here’s what I can add: the aroma becomes more refined but keeps more of a vermouth smell, the taste has also improved making this a malt bomb with good fruit, mild candy, the spice has mellowed significantly but there is still notable alcohol which isn’t that bad but it does not mix well with this burnt sugar taste. Nears full bodied, thick feeling on the mouth, smooth otherwise, very fine carbonation but I’m still on the fence with the type of bitterness I’m getting. It doesn’t last long though. Odd, this beer is completely chuggable now. I guess I like this more than I thought. I put Rime of the Ancient Mariner on permanent repeat while consuming this. Up the irons!