Munken
Hantverksbryggeriet AB

MunkenMunken
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From:
Hantverksbryggeriet AB
 
Sweden
Style:
Quadrupel (Quad)
ABV:
8.5%
Score:
86
Avg:
3.79 | pDev: 9.5%
Reviews:
16
Ratings:
28
Status:
Active
Rated:
Aug 13, 2020
Added:
Nov 23, 2006
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  0
The monk is a rich and complex abbey beer with a cascade of aromas and flavors. Well malt in combination with a special kind of raw gives the beer its distinctive characteristics. We have even heard Belgians exclaim, "This is the best tasting beer I ever drank!"
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Photo of JonnoWillsteed
Reviewed by JonnoWillsteed from England

3.74/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
L-
S-
T-
F-
O-
£4.99/330ml bottle.
I set the page lines up above to review it, opened the bottle, then thought to abandon that when I realised this recently bought beer was BB: Sep-2019, about a year ago. But then hey, at this ABV% that matters less eh? I don't think the flavour is clearly negatively impacted. It's very drinkable, has notes of cherry-pudding to it, baked raisons and Xmas/festive spice.
Aug 13, 2020
Photo of Ozzylizard
Reviewed by Ozzylizard from Pennsylvania

4.41/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
$ 6.47(Including tax)/11.2 oz bottle ($ 0.578/oz) at State Line Liquors, Elkton, MD
Undated bottle at 42 degrees into a hand washed and dried JK snifter
Aroma – dates, figs, brown sugar; lasts
Head large (Maximum 5.4 cm, aggressive pour), light brown, frothy, diminishing to a three mm ring and layer
Lacing - none
Body dark brown with reddish tints, muddy (some chill haze)
Flavor – follows the nose – very fruity (dates & figs), sweet; neither malt nor hops are evident per se, alcohol is absent from both flavor and nose but quickly warms the stomach; no diacetyl
Palate – full body, almost syrupy, soft carbonation

A very good quad, better than some Belgians. The price point is high.

Appearance 4, Aroma 4.25, Flavor 4.5, Palate 4.5, Overall 4.5
Aug 15, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by WillieThreebiers from Connecticut

Dec 09, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by UlfAndreas from District of Columbia

Dec 01, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by olradetbalder from Sweden

Dec 01, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by DrBier from Pennsylvania

Jul 27, 2014
Photo of jdhilt
Reviewed by jdhilt from New Hampshire

4.41/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Pours a two finger khaki head that fades quickly leaving traces of lace. Opaque brown color, ton of yeast left in bottle. Prickly carbonation and medium bodied. Sugar and dark fruit nose and flavor is malt, dark fruit and yeast. 8.5% ABV is hidden. 330ml bottle $7.99 Julio's Liquors Marlboro, MA.
Nov 14, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by xungmound98 from New York

Nov 10, 2013
 
Rated: 3.25 by AngusOg from North Carolina

May 24, 2013
Photo of LiquidAmber
Reviewed by LiquidAmber from Washington

4.35/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Poured into a Unibroue tulip glass. Pours a very dark chestnut brown with a massive, fine, half glass light tan head with great retention and pillowy lacing. Aroma of dark dried fruit, molasses, dark malt with hints of wood; lightly earthy. Flavor is a very pleasantly integrated caramel with hints of toasted malt, dark dried fruit, plums, brown sugar and hints of lighter stone fruit. Flavors are melded nicely. Excellent creamy medium bodied; excellent mouth feel. If I were tasting this blind, I would guess barrel aged and bottle aged although there is no sign of oxidation. It has the mellowness and balance that aged beers tend to get. A very nice, understated, but complex, well made quad that I will buy again despite its tough price point.
Apr 08, 2013
 
Rated: 3.25 by Hultkrantz from Sweden

Jan 21, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by rolltide8425 from Pennsylvania

Jul 17, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by Harkrank from Sweden

Jul 07, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by aztraz from Sweden

Jul 06, 2012
Photo of flagmantho
Reviewed by flagmantho from Washington

4.03/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from 330mL bottle into a tulip. My bottle notes 8.5% ABV rather than the above-noted 9.5%.

Appearance: this brew started to foam up the moment I uncapped it. Nice murky brown bod with a good effervescence and three thick (if inconvenient) fingers of frothy tan foam. Quite good indeed.

Smell: somewhat light aroma but with a good complexity. I'm getting dark fruits; raisin, cherries, tobacco, plus an alcohol bite. I like it.

Taste: rich malty flavor with a surprising component of roasted malt character and a very light hint of smokiness. Dark fruits remain with a very light mustiness which works well. Good stuff.

Mouthfeel: medium body with a big carbonation which yields a nice creaminess. Not quite as much body as I usually like from the style, so it is not as creamy as it *could* be, but still quite nice.

Overall: I actually rather like this quad. I'd be glad to drink it again.
May 04, 2012
Photo of kylehay2004
Reviewed by kylehay2004 from Illinois

3.53/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A: two fInger frothy head with some lacing and excellent retention on a hazy, amber with garnet hues body.

S: Caramel, toffee, corriander and touch of fig.

T: very interesting. This one was actually very smokey, almost rauchbeir-like with a mild tart fruity and semisweet finish. Lots of caramel throughout.

M: fuller bodied than I was expecting with light to moderate carbonation.

Overall the aroma for this one does not forebode the flavor. Very interestIng beer but too discontinuous and random in the flavor for my liking.
Feb 10, 2012
Photo of nickfl
Reviewed by nickfl from Florida

3.58/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
A - poured with two fingers of white foam on a hazy, amber brown body. The head dissipates slowly and leaves light lace.

S - dark sugar and spicy notes of cinnamon and clove.

T - dry caramel and clove up front. Some cinnamon and coriander in the middle. Finishes with spicy yeast and bready caramel malt.

M - medium thick body, moderately high carbonation, and a dry finish.

D - a bit dull in my opinion. The yeast character is overly spicy without any dark fruit to balance the malt. drinkable, but not up to the level of the better examples of the style.
Feb 10, 2012
Photo of ChainGangGuy
Reviewed by ChainGangGuy from Georgia

2.63/5  rDev -30.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5
Appearance: Pours out a clear, mahogany-hued body with a thin ring of tired-looking bubbles (despite being a gusher upon opening).

Smell: A sniff of unwrapped mentholated cough drops, tart berry skins, toasted bread, sweetish caramel, and a jigger of spirits. Not exactly an aroma that bades you to proceed further.

Taste: Mentho-lyptus and alcohol soothed only by a hint of sweet caramel candy and nutty, toasted malt. Sliver of berryesque fruitiness. Then, it's back to the menthol and booze, growing in intensity midway and downright spoiling everything until the spicy, yeasty, unclean finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-plus body. Medium-light carbonation.

Overall: I sat down to a few Hantverksbryggeriet beers, generally not liking any of them, and finding this one to be the most unpleasant.
Feb 04, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by godmare from Florida

Jan 08, 2012
Photo of Cyberkedi
Reviewed by Cyberkedi from Georgia

3.83/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Aroma is malty with an apple overtone rather like a cider. It pours a clear amber-brown with a very thick, fine-bubbled, persistent ivory head that leaves some good lacing. Flavor has earthy, apple, malty and woody tones and just a whisper of sweetness - as well as an occasional nip from the alcohol. Smooth texture is a bit syrupy and has a fair amount of tingle. Overall, not too (sh)abby.
Dec 13, 2011
Munken from Hantverksbryggeriet AB
Beer rating: 86 out of 100 with 28 ratings