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Brother Thelonious
Fort Bragg, California
BJCP Category: 18E Belgian Dark Strong Ale
North Coast Brewing Co. <visit site>
41
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[expand]Total Score: 43/50
Moderate spicy, peppery phenols up front. Munich malt-like melanoidins with notes of chocolate and caramel. more >
[close]Total Score: 43/50
Aroma: Moderate spicy, peppery phenols up front. Munich malt-like melanoidins with notes of chocolate and caramel. Dark fruity esters reminiscent of raisins and prunes. Sweet, candy-like aroma. No hop aroma. No DMS. No diacetyl. Alcohol just perceivable and subtle. (10/12)
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Appearance: Dark amber/mahogany color with dense, rocky, tan, long-lasting head. Bright clarity with a touch of chill haze. (3/3)
Flavor: Malt forward with sweet, Munich, caramel, and chocolate notes. Balancing hop bitterness without noticeable hop flavor. Spicy phenols and abundant fruitiness of prunes and raisins. Alcohol is quite evident without being hot; no fusels. No DMS. No diacetyl. Finish is on the sweet side, but not cloying, nearly on-target for an Abbey-style ale. (17/20)
Mouthfeel: Very smooth, creamy. Medium to medium-full body with a bit lighter mouthfeel due to generous carbonation. Alcohol warming. No astringency or lingering bitterness in mouthfeel. (5/5)
Overall Impression: Wonderfully drinkable abbey-style ale that exemplifies the style well. Very nice complexity of malts and Belgian yeast character. Sweetness could have been offset with a bit more bitterness or attenuation. Still, this would be very enjoyable with cheeses, sausages, mussels, fries with aioli, or simply as a digestive or aperitif. I enjoyed mine with a dinner of hummus and spanakopita. (8/10) -
[expand]Total Score: 45/50
Very strong, rich sweet malt with hints of toasted currants, molasses, and ripe prune aromas. Hops not noticed. more >
[close]Total Score: 45/50
Aroma: Very strong, rich sweet malt with hints of toasted currants, molasses, and ripe prune aromas. Hops not noticed. (10/12)
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Appearance: Deep copper brown, burnished with ruby highlights. Very clear. Fine tan foam persists as a small but dense layer on the surface of the beer. It eventually fades to a cloud toward the end of the glass. (3/3)
Flavor: Rich toasty bready malt is pronounced up front, dominates initial impression. A subtle hop bitterness immediately follows, provides clean balance to rich complexity of baked currants, dried prunes, and chocolate. Ripe plum esters present at first fade to the background, and linger at low levels. Malt character also comes forward at the end as fresh crushed caramel malts. Sweetness gives way to low bitterness and clean, dark plum fruitiness. No hop flavor. (18/20)
Mouthfeel: Medium creamy body with sparkling carbonation. Alcohol is evident, almost numbingly warm. The warmth lingers long into the finish. No astringency, but a light acidity is pleasantly present, like ripe stone fruit. (5/5)
Overall Impression: Rich and complex, this beer evolves from start to finish. It starts with pronounced toasty caramel rich maltiness reminiscent of crusty rustic bread. Plum and currant esters carry the role of jam or preserves. Wonderful as a dessert on its own, this beer also serves as an excellent accompaniment to a hearty meat pie. (9/10) -
[expand]Total Score: 37/50
Malt forward, with nutty and toasted bread aromatics. Solvent notes begin to emerge as the head fades, with ethyl acetate the main contributor. more >
[close]Total Score: 37/50
Aroma: Malt forward, with nutty and toasted bread aromatics. Solvent notes begin to emerge as the head fades, with ethyl acetate the main contributor. This compound is a common background element produced by Belgian yeast, but it is a little too prominent in this sample. Toning it down would better bring out the malt complexity. (8/12)
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Appearance: Gorgeous copper-mahogany color, with a white head that lasts well and leaves lace down the inside of the glass. Carbonation is less than classic Belgian examples. Clarity is excellent. (3/3)
Flavor: A solid malt backbone keeps aromatics in check for a while, but the ester and solvent notes ramp up and become dominant throughout the middle and finish. The malt has pleasant toasted and caramel malt components, with raisin and dark fruit notes underneath. Very little roast malt is apparent—nicely done. Hops are absent in the flavor, but balance the malt sweetness in the finish. As in the aroma, ethyl acetate is strong, and although it also contributes almond and nutty components, the solvent notes distract from the malt complexity. (16/20)
Mouthfeel: Moderate to full mouthfeel from residual sugars. The alcohol warmth is medium-high, not quite as subtle as classic examples. A little more CO2 would liven things up. (3/5)
Overall Impression: A really nice beer with good malt complexity that provides a solid backbone along with nutty/toasted notes. The hop character is balanced, and while the alcohol level is appropriate, it seems higher than it really is due to the solvent notes. (7/10) -
[expand]Total Score: 41/50
Malty-rich nose with complementary dark fruit and spicy alcohol. The malt has a layered texture with toasty, bready, and sweet components. more >
[close]Total Score: 41/50
Aroma: Malty-rich nose with complementary dark fruit and spicy alcohol. The malt has a layered texture with toasty, bready, and sweet components. Dark fruit: raisins, prunes, and dried cherries. Nothing roasty. Alcohol is definitely noted but not sharp. Some spicy and peppery phenolics. Complex. (10/12)
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Appearance: Beautiful deep reddish-copper color. Almost brown. Crystal clear. Moderate-sized tan head, retention a bit weak. (3/3)
Flavor: Initial malty richness but not sweet; finish is dry with moderate bitterness. The alcohol adds to the bitterness but the overall impression is still malty. Deep fruit and alcohol flavors, mirroring the aroma, interplays with the malt. Spicy and fruity accents. Aftertaste has all these components—malt, spice, fruit, alcohol. Raisins, dried currants, and plums, with hints of cocoa and vanilla. (16/20)
Mouthfeel: High carbonation. Full body, but not syrupy or sweet. Warming but only slightly hot. Smooth texture. Carbonation adds to the impression of body. (4/5)
Overall Impression: A little young—the alcohol is slightly hot. This would improve with age. Nicely dry. Belgians would certainly appreciate the attenuation and carbonation levels. Dark fruit flavors are great, but they do tend to favor the darkest dried fruits, like raisins. The malt does a good job of balancing the alcohol but I kept thinking that time would give it a more velvety texture. Hint of chocolate is a touch too much, but that should mellow with time. (8/10)
