Brooklyn Monster Ale

Brewed by Brooklyn Brewery
Style: Barley Wine
Brooklyn, New York USA

2007 bottle. I just don’t have the patience to let it sit longer. Pours a copper color with some ruby red in there and a thick off white head which settles to a thin layer. Aroma is rather subtle considering the abv with some tangy fruits, caramel malts and alcohol. It’s sort of like a fruity brandy. The beer is definitely a sipper but it didn’t blow me away. At first taste it is rather mild with tangy fruits and some caramel. The hops show a little late with some spices and a cherry alcoholic flavor. Actually it kind of reminds me of cherry cough medicine but not that strong. Warming with a mild alcohol burn. Considering what this is it is really easy to drink. A good, fun beer to try that surely gets better with age as it does lack character.

2004 Bottle - 4 years old. I remember I first tried this in 2004, and it was too alcoholic for my taste - at least that’s how I remember it. The aroma is full of fruit, malt and alcohol. The flavor is full of fruit like prunes but also malt and a burn from the alcohol - great balance. A beer which is worth aging.

2005 bottle. Onya voota! Fantastic aroma on this one - it’s all rich, fruity aged character which is weird considering it’s only three years old. Lots of dried fruit, marzipan and nuts - any hop character is long gone and malt (at least in its young, obvious incarnation) isn’t all that far behind it. The flavour can’t quite live up to the massive aroma. Relatively light-bodied with almonds and toast. Quite clean and plain, even. No hop. Disappointingly plain flavour, but I could’ve sniffed this one for ages. Don’t think it much more left in the tank at three years old either.

Tasty barleywine. Not overpowering with sweetness. Aroma is sweet malt though. Taste is well balanced between the malt and the hops.

2007 Vintage. Pours a nice copper color with about a one inch head. Has a nice fruity and malty odor. Has a very sweet malty flavor with a nice hoppy finish. A very strong beer and a smooth finish. Quite a tasty barleywine.

2005 Vintage
Crikey! Big, big beer. Amazing nose of treacle, honey, cooked fruits; a fait bit going on. More subtle flavours on the palate, although to be fair this beer is now 3 years old. More treacle and cooked / burnt honey in the back palate. Intensity builds well and the beer thickens a touch on the finish.

pours a dark copper with about 1 finger head. smells fruity. tastes fruity followed by big alcohol kick in the pants. tastes fruiter and more sour than i expected

Brooklyn Barleywine style Monster Ale 2007 ABV: 10.1% Calories: estimated at 200 C Volume: 12 fl oz Glass: Snifter Purchased at: Circle Liquors, Pennington Price per fl oz: $3 / 12 fl oz = $0.25 per fl oz Consumed at: home sensory first impression: Aroma is dense - a bit chocolatey, very malty. I’m swooning. An amber pour to a ruby red body with a tan off white head. Aroma of sweet wine is very nice. Wow - knocks you over the head with alcohol. Velvety and rich. A little too rich for me I think, but it’s a wonderfully full experience. Angry red color is foretelling. Aroma/Olfactory: 8 out of 10 Malt flavor is: syrupy, cloying sweet, and burning. chocolate in aroma. Hop flavor is: citrus, raspberry. Yeast flavor is: metallic, dirt, sandy, dry Other flavors include: cherries, alcohol, raspberry, medicine, raisin, sulfur, oak, barley Visuals/Appearance: 4 out of 5 Color is: pale, amber, orange, red, fiery, ruby Liquid is: slightly hazy, actively carbonated Head and lace are: initial off white, tan goes to wispy nothingness. Taste/Flavor: 7 out of 10 Maltiness or Sweetness level is: heavy, too much. Hoppiness or Bitterness level is: medium Sour level is: heavy Palate/Tactile: 5 out of 5 Body or Mouthfeel is: full! Texture is: oily, thick, gravitas Carbonation is: lively Finish is: astringent, bitter, very long Overall experience: 16 out of 20. I liked the utter power of it, the color, and the aroma. I did not like how overwhelmingly sweet and alcoholic it was. It’s not for everyday, but it’s something very special. I’ll have it again when I’m eating something I need to balance the flavor of.