Mikkeller Monk’s Brew
One of the things I love about the Mikkeller gypsy-brewer concept — besides the tasty results the company never seems to run out of — is that it gives the company the opportunity to work with some of the best brewers in the world. Monk’s Brew (aka Monk’s Elixer) was brewed by the talented folks at De Proef Brouwerij, one of my favorite Belgian brewers (reviews of a couple of their beers here and here).
Monk’s Brew was inspired by the Trappist monasteries of Rochefort and Westvleteren. While I’ve had a few Rochefort (can’t wait to crack open the Rochefort 10 that’s been sitting in the basement) in my time, I have yet to sample anything from the elusive Westvleteren monks. Based on that experience, Mikkeller’s quadrupel is a darn tasty brew, but still has a little ways to go to match the rich, full bodied beers coming from Rochefort.
Appearance
Monk’s Brew pours a deep brown with a garnet edge. The dense, light tan head faded slowly to a thin ring.
Aroma
I love the nose on this beer. Components of candy sugar, dark fruits (specifically raisin), roasted malt and spices mingle together to create an exceptional aroma. The 10% ABV is there initially, but doesn’t really make itself apparent until the beer begins to warm in the glass.
Taste
Even though the alcohol didn’t really come out in the nose until it had been sitting for a while, it’s almost immediately present on the first sip. I wouldn’t call this beer hot, but it does leave a nice glowing warm trail into the belly. There’s a good level of malt sweetness that slowly fades to a bit of balancing hop bitterness in the finish. Throughout the drinking experience, I picked up raisin, dark cherry, caramel and hints of chocolate — all of which work well together.
Overall
I still have their Beer Geek Breakfast ranked as my favorite Mikkeller beer, but this big Belgian was a tasty surprise. It’s got a great flavor and at the higher alcohol levels should be taken slowly and enjoyed as a sipper. It’s definitely what I would call a big beer. I’d buy this one again.
Rating: 3.5/5