Rogue Monk Madness

Date: 10/15/2006
Mode: Draft
Source: Summits - Sandy Springs

muddy dark brown, frothy tan head, tons of lace, light aroma from a glass not designed to show aroma, big body, rich dry chocolate malt flavor with lots of hop flavor and lingering bitterness, much more about the hops and bitterness, the chocolate is nice but is the whole story on the malt, not a Belgian, more like a Mogul Madness with a bit more chocolate malt character, a hint of sweetness shows up at the bottom of the glass,
-------- /> Date: 01/15/2007
Source: summits
Words: randall w/columbus hops

a bit grassy in the aroma, more of the sweetness showing up, even the hops have a sweet edge - from the randall?
-------- /> Date: 08/05/2007
Mode: bottle
Score: 3.4 to 3.7
Words: cellar stock

same appearance, sweet fruity aroma with a touch of chocolate and light floral hops, very rich chocolate flavor, lots of peppery spices keep it dry, mild bitterness follows the spicyness and builds towards a long bitter finish, a really nice big spicy brown or porter with a Belgian twist from the touch of fruity character

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 8/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 7/10; Overall: 15/20
Rating: 3.7/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: **4

(22oz bottle) Crystal clear copper body with medium beige head. Aroma is moderately sweet, grapefruit, caramel, some cherry. Taste is medium sweet, grapefruit/pine, caramel. Medium body. What’s with the Monk, I don’t notice any Trappist or Kloster characteristics? Regardless, not bad, but nothing worth seeking out -- disappointing considering the brewery (though I appreciate discovering that this is not an alias for another beer).

On tap at Rogue, Portland. Chestnut, thin beige head. Lots of red berry malts, sweet. Hops and bitterness on end. Strawberry sweet and grapefruit hop finish. Reasonably full amber ale. Not very Belgian though which the Monk bit made me believe it might be.

Bottle... Mostly clear mahogany ale with a small, frothy, light tan head. The nose is all citrusy, earthy hops with just a hint of the caramel and Munich malts hacking their way through the rain forest of hops. The flavor displays the degree to which this beer is "hopped to high heaven." Intense bitterness with very little, if any, malt or residual sugar making its way onto my palate. Solid malt backbone, but even at room temperature any sweetness is crushed by all those Chinook, Amarillo, Centennial and Summit hops. Full-bodied and tannic with mild carbonation. Lengthy, bitter finish. I sort of thought this would be Rogue’s attempt at a Belgian style. Guess not!

(Bottle) Pours a burgundy body woth a large beige head and good lacing. Aroma of citrus and caramel. Flavor of layered hops and malts with a bitter finish.

Pours a transparent dark copper amber with a thin, coating of spotty-lacing off-white head. Aroma of sweet doughy caramel malt with a hint of butterscotch and citrus. Body starts fairly full, and lightly sweet, but dries out toward a bittering hoppy, slightly earthy finish with a hint of tartness and warmth. It seems like it wants to be a Belgian strong ale, but isn’t sweet enough, and seems overly bitter.

22 oz bottle-pours a big creamy to rocky tan head with red color. Aroma is sweet malt. Taste is smokey, sweet malt, then medium hops-bitterness, a bit rough. Mild/OK carbonation.

Pours amber with a thin white head. Smells of nuts, dark fruit, residual sugar, molasses. Tastes of roasted malt and spicy with lots of fruitiness on the finish. Not at all what I was expecting.