North Coast Brother Thelonious

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

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

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First I must say that even if this was no more then whizz in a bottle it would have received overall rating of at least 5 for the name. Any company hip enough to name its beer after Thelonius Monk must have something going for it. Fortunately it does . This is an eminently drinkable beer Pours a nice dark brown. Nice full tan head that dissipated=s a little too quickly. Exhibits a nice chocolate spicy flavor and leave a quite enjoyable aftertaste. Malty but not at all overpowering. While it might not rate the highest when compared with others of its category generally speaking it is a very satisfying and enjoyable beer.

Poured from 750 into a tulip. Pours a real nice dark brown color with a good head. There is a good complexity to the aromas of brown sugar and malts, but there are a lot of candied aromas as well that are a bit off putting. More medium bodied with good flavors of brown sugar, caramel and malts. There isn’t the more candy flavors as much, but they are certainly here as well. It is also lacking a bit on the mid too. There are better belgian dark ales out there, but this is still a pretty solid beer. The candy flavor for both the smell and taste doesn’t fully work with me, but it isn’t too dominating.

Gingerbread cake, banana/prune, some milk chocolate. Some sourness, a touch of bitterness mostly in the aftertaste, pleasant low sweetness, low carbonation. Wonderful warmth in the aftertaste.

Väldigt fin, balanserad. Kraftig belgisk karaktär. Skulle nog tjäna på att lagras något år.

Tap @ Slater’s 50/50 HB. Strong nose of banana bread, cloves & spices. It’s a clearing brown with minimal head. Taste follows the nose, very sweet and full of bananas & Fall spices. Decently long finish.

Bottle at bar. Brown color, white head. Sweet taste with fruits, raisins and nuts. Very good abbey beer.

I was first drawn in by the name, then the description. This is a great beer with smooth tast that I love to have in dark beers. Be carful though, the 9% alcohol level can creep up on you fast.

12 ounce bottle into tulip glass, bottled 12/13/2010. Pours slightly hazy dark reddish copper color with a fairly dense 1-2 finger dark khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Some nice soapy lacing clings to the glass, with a fair amount of carbonation streaming up. Aromas of big raisin, plum, banana, molasses, pepper, clove, caramel, toasted biscuit, dark candi sugar, yeast spices, and a bit of alcohol. Some pretty nice aromas, with good complexity and balance. Taste of big caramel, raisin, toffee, prune, molasses, banana, chocolate, dark candi sugar, light pepper, toasted biscuit, and yeast spices. Lingering notes of caramel, molasses, raisin, prune, banana, candi sugar, biscuit, chocolate, and light pepper on the finish for a good bit. Very nice flavor balance with no cloying sweetness at all. Medium carbonation and medium-full bodied; with fairly creamy and slightly slick mouthfeel. Very smooth to sip on; with only an alcohol warming present after the finish. Overall this is a really nice Belgian dark ale. Really nice flavor balance and complexity; and very enjoyable to sip on.

Pours a darker amber with a tan head. Aroma is on the sour side. Grapes, raisin, apple, some caramel, and a bit bready. While the aroma is more of lighter fruits, the taste does not resemble this, and is darker. It has more of an earthy impression, and I get the flavors or cherry and orange. This is mixed with a sweeter flavor of some caramel and maple. A bit peppery as well. Sweet aftertaste with some sour undertones. Drinking is smooth, and the alcohol content is a bit surprising I must say. Very complicated beer overall. I really enjoy this, but for some reason I can’t explain, I can’t place this among my favorites.

Pours a clear, deep-rust brown with a medium head and smells delicious. And it tastes even better than it smells. Hearty, rich, slightly sweet, hints of bread and caramel. Slight citrus in the finish. I’d buy this again in a heartbeat.

From a 355ml bottle on 23/4/2012. Pours a cloudy dark brown with a smallish head. Has a nice caramel and fruity aroma, with a touch of chocolate. This is a malty beast with lots of caramel and sticky toffee up front. There’s also quite a bit of sweet dark fruit, some brown sugar, and a powerful spicy, yeasty alcohol kick. An enjoyable, big Belgian style ale.