Mar 13, 2019

North Coast Brother Thelonious

Noth Coast’s Belgian-style Abbey Ale, Brother Thelonious, used to be a frequent visitor in my cellar many moons ago. The beer was great fresh or after a little short-term aging, but it disappeared for a while, leaving a hole in my basement collection for some time.

With the company’s recent announcement that they had brought the beer back (with new label art, as well), I knew I would have to find a little room amongst the boxes for a few bottles. And as luck would have it, the brewery was quite generous in sharing a four pack of 12 ounce bottles with me for review.

Brother Thelonious (9.4% ABV) tastes just like it did those years ago. It drinks lightly robust with a slight charred malt character to accompany rich caramel, bread, distant spices, soft dark fruit notes and a good bit of booziness. The medium bodied ale provides a light sweetness that helps balance everything nicely before it fades slowly through a lasting and gently chest-warming finish. It’s a wonderful sipper for sure.

I’ve always been a fan of North Coast beers and Brother Thelonious is no exception. I particularly enjoy its rustic persona and can’t wait to get a few more bottles into my fridge rotation. And the smaller bottle format means that I will be able to pack more into the basement for future enjoyment.

This is a review of a promotional sample.