Munken - Hantverksbryggeriet AB

flagmantho

Washington

4.03/5  rDev +7.5%
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.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2012 23:38:06 | More by flagmantho

AngusOg

Maryland

3.25/5  rDev -13.3%

05-24-2013 14:15:25 | More by AngusOg

LiquidAmber

Washington

4.38/5  rDev +16.8%
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.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2013 03:35:43 | More by LiquidAmber

Hultkrantz

Sweden

3.25/5  rDev -13.3%

01-21-2013 02:59:33 | More by Hultkrantz

rolltide8425

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +6.7%

07-17-2012 14:45:50 | More by rolltide8425

Harkrank

Sweden

4/5  rDev +6.7%

07-07-2012 06:48:47 | More by Harkrank

aztraz

Sweden

4/5  rDev +6.7%

07-06-2012 20:59:29 | More by aztraz

kylehay2004

Florida

3.53/5  rDev -5.9%
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.

Serving type: on-tap

02-10-2012 05:04:34 | More by kylehay2004

nickfl

Florida

3.58/5  rDev -4.5%
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.

Serving type: on-tap

02-10-2012 04:57:37 | More by nickfl

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

2.63/5  rDev -29.9%
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.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2012 17:32:15 | More by ChainGangGuy

godmare

Florida

4/5  rDev +6.7%

01-08-2012 07:17:41 | More by godmare

Cyberkedi

Georgia

3.85/5  rDev +2.7%
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.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2011 02:04:53 | More by Cyberkedi

patm1986

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +6.7%

11-22-2011 14:12:39 | More by patm1986

Mora2000

Texas

3.9/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to bu11zeye for sharing this bottle.

The beer pours a reddish-amber color with a white head. The aroma is heavy on the toffee with a touch of dark fruit and brown sugar mixed in. The flavor is more of the same. I get quite a bit of dark fruit and cherries, with some toffee mixed in. The alcohol is well hidden. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2011 20:54:37 | More by Mora2000

metter98

New York

3.78/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: The beer is cloudy brown in color and poured with a thin beige head that faded away rather quickly and left a ring of bubbles on the surface around the edge of the glass.
S: The nose has light to moderate aromas of dark fruits and yeast.
T: The taste is somewhat complex and has flavors of brown sugar, caramel, raisins, spices and yeast.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation. The finish has notes of alcohol warming and hints of dryness.
O: The taste is rather interesting but this is a beer that could probably taste better with aging to help round out the flavors.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2011 02:48:22 | More by metter98

BeerNemesis

New York

3.53/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Munken | 330 ml. | 8.5% ABV | 2011

Brewer: Hantverksbryggeriet AB [Sweden]
Style: Quadrupel (Quad)
Glass: Duvel tulip

Appearance:
Hazy burnt umber with a cream-colored crown of foam that quickly dissolves away.

Aroma:
Scotch, brown sugar, roasted malts, hints of plum, fig, and dates.

Taste:
This brew from Vasteras, Sweden opens with gobs of roasted malts and hints of scotch and bourbon. Mid-sip, an oily hop presence slips in, complemented by trace amounts of dark fruit (though it's difficult to pin down what they are). The finish is clean, and leaves behind a wispy alcoholic tinge and just a touch of brown sugar.

Mouthfeel:
Light and peppy for a quad, though it probably ranks as medium-bodied. There's a slight astringency and stickiness to the overall mouthfeel.

Harmony:
Simpler than most quads I like, it nevertheless delivers a pleasing experience. There is some nice balance between the brown sugar/roasted malts, oily hops, and hints of scotch that ties together the experience nicely. However, flavors seem crammed together into one sensory layer, making it difficult to distinguish between flavors. This also has the negative side effect of making the brew less interesting the more it is drunk.

Would I get it again?:
Probably not. It's an average contender in a field with many superstars.

Bottled: unknown
Served: May 5, 2011

Price = $5.99 at Whole Foods (NYC)

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2011 19:09:13 | More by BeerNemesis

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.35/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Munken starts off with a deep orange color with a thin tan head. The aroma is sweet with malts not much hops on the nose or dark fruits. The taste is decent, a little lighter than I expected from a quad. The mouthfeel was also a bit lighter than I thought it'd be too. A little disappointed with this quad not a lot of great thing in my opinion with it.

Serving type: on-tap

04-06-2011 22:03:44 | More by Knapp85

raszputini

North Carolina

3.85/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

In a belgian stem glass. Pours very dark amber with a tannish white head. Very little nose. It's almost non-existent. Taste is overwhelming and surprising. My first thought was this is barrel aged, but its not. There are recurring notes of bourbon barrel aging throughout the experience. Taste is slighty yeasty, distinctive malts, and again the bourbon tones. Finishes bitter with a hit of bourbon.

Serving type: on-tap

03-17-2011 00:09:19 | More by raszputini

avalon07

South Carolina

4/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Poured from a bottle to a goblet. Had a murky brown color and a thick texture. There was an inch of foamy, long-lasting head. Pretty good lacing.

S: A nice smell of hops, malt, and some fruit.

T: Tasted of malt, a certain nutty quality, and dark fruit. Phenols made an appearance as well. A generally well-balanced flavor. A good version of Belgian beer.

M: A well-carbonated beer with a very smooth and dry finish. Medium-bodied.

D: Overall, a solidly made, drinkable beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2011 13:09:07 | More by avalon07

Bananaman

Sweden

4/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

My first really strong beer on-tap, about time I think! Munken from Hantverksbryggeriet is almost like an Swedish interpretation of an American interpretation of a Belgian Strong Ale. Confusing? Sure is.

The beer pours a deep brown color with a large beige head. The head lasts as a nice, smooth, lid of foam even until the beer is finished.

Aroma holds lots of hops (because of the huge amount of hops one almost confuses it with an American barley wine) but also wineous and yeasty notes. Quite nice smell anyway, but not what I expected.

When it comes down to the taste things get better. Still a load of hops, but also really intresting notes of raisins, yeast, caramel but also some plums I think. I really like it actually, but it feels a bit unmature. I think it's probably because it's so fresh! The mouthfeel is stunning anyway, haven't felt anything like this before! The thing that keeps this beer from being a real top-notch beer is the extreme sweetness.

A nice beer, with a crushingly nice mouthfeel. Think Guinness, and double it! Good, but I think the keg could have been kept in a cool cellar for a year or two.

Serving type: on-tap

03-14-2009 09:52:09 | More by Bananaman