Abbey Monks Ale

Brewed by Sierra Blanca Brewing Co
Style: Belgian Ale
Moriarty, New Mexico USA

From the Benedictine monastery in Pecos, made with care and prayer! A nicely hopped pale ale or light IPA. Pours orange, with a pleasant flavor of peppers and apricots. Nice, decent, but not great. I would bring some back next trip to NM though.

On Tap at Two Fools in Nob Hill Albuquerque. A deep dark belgian ale with a minimal head. It was heavily malty and quite belgian in look, feel and taste. Wasn’t overly impressed by it however.

Bottle as an extra in a trade. Pours an orange body with foamy white top. Aroma flavor is yeasty and pepper, some light fruit and appricots, some toasted malt. Drinkable but not abv really.

This is brewed by Abbey Beverage in Pecos, NM-a monestary. On tap in Albuquerque. Served in their glass=nice. Light brown and filtered and a bit too cold. Nose is malts and sweetness-this has all the makings of a dubbel. Taste of malts, candi sugar, lightly spiced, alcohol is present but not overwhelming. Body is light and fluffy, very drinkable. Goes down very smooth and the flavors really come out after the beer warms up. Will search out this in bottle.

Monk’s Ale, made with care and prayer. Aw.... Abbey Beverage Company, Pecos, NM Hazy, rosy orange-ish color, tangerine and peach...small head. Sweet nose, plenty of fruit, and a hit of spice. Lively yeast. Apricot and orange, and a little straw. In the mouth, it’s ...it’s.. ah, ...eh...oh. Bleh, to be succinct. Thin bodied, small in flavor, lacking a lot. Drinkable, inoffensive, but lacking in charm, to say the least. Passable, at best, with hardly anything Monk-ish or abbey-like at all. Hardly even interesting as a pale ale. Can’t really hate it. Can’t like it, either. Sorry.

Sampled 10/06 when I lived in NM. From notes. Pours a clear, slightly darker amber. Minimal head. Has a slightly sweeter edge with a nutty tone and deep body. Full and frothy on the mouth. Might be a bit too heavy for some for a session beer. Overall I can’t say I was entirely impressed by this production. In no way did it remind me of a Belgian brew at any level. (though before I departed the NM area for good, someone told me they changed the recipe...so maybe it will be better) It will be the first brew to be produced by an American monastery in 100 years when they get their facility set up on the grounds, but I can’t say I felt there was anything special about it. I am wondering if the tap I had it from was not the best at the time. I plan to try it again and keep an eye out for other productions from the company/monastery.

Thanks to Terminus for picking this up for me. Pours clear copper with a sudsy tan head. The aroma has toffee, caramel, bread and some Belgium yeast. Medium body that’s sturdy with some semi-sharp carbonation. The flavor is a bit oxidized along with the flavors from the aroma ~ the flavors are a bit more thin that the aroma suggested. The finish has a bit of grapes and other light fruits. An okay Belgium ale.

12-ounce brown bottle, pours a deep amber color with slight white head. Medium-bodied, big malty flavor balance. Slightly dry, toasted character. Clean, nice.