Ryan's Review
The beer pours a burnt orange color. It has some yellow undertones just below the head, and also where the glass thins out (bottom & sides). The head is small to medium in size and dissipates quickly. The nose is beautifully structured. Initially sweet moving into robust maltines with just a slight hopiness. Outstanding balance. The beer is big and sweet up front with some notes of tobacco and wood. Nicely balanced through the mid palate, a nutty malt balanced well with a hop backbone. The finish is long and sweet with a bit of stickiness. This is a very good vintage. The definition is off, the structure is a little sloppy in the transitions. I would be shocked if this doesn't drastically improve with some aging. Overall this is a most enjoyable brew and a great candidate for cellaring. It shows you the Monster deserves its quality reputation .
The Numbers:
Appearance 8
Smell 9
Taste 7
Mouth feel 7
Enjoyment 8
Score 76.5
Sessionability 2
How easy is it to drink a lot of them (1-5)
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Tim's Review
It is barleywine time, the time of year when you can get your hands on many barelywine offerings and save them for a year of delectable strong beer drinking. Brooklyn Monster Ale is a staple in any barleywine collection and a must try for anyone interested in the style. The wonder of barleywine is that it not only ages quite well and changes deliciously with time, but is slightly different each year it is produced. This brew looks auburn and rich, but smells toasty and burnt. The aroma of the heavily roasted malts is not always appealing as it lends itself to the smell of a stale beer. It is, however, to be expected. The taste is strong, roasted and sharp. The liquid warms your throat and stomach and leaves a sweet bitterness behind. This brew is amazingly smooth. The alcohol is well hidden in the taste and appropriately balanced in mouth feel by a velvety richness. I enjoy barleywines in general, and Monster Ale never lets me down. I find this to be as sessionable and as enjoyable as fresh barleywine get
The Numbers:
Appearance 8
Smell 6
Taste 9
Mouth feel 9
Enjoyment 8
Score 81!
Sessionability 3
How easy is it to drink a lot of them (1-5) |