Brother Thelonious - North Coast Brewing Co.

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz Bottle from Whole Foods Las Vegas for 3.49$

Appearance - Red/brown colour with a large size frothy/fizzy dark beige coloured head. There is a low amount of carbonation and there is some good lacing. The head lasted for around 4-5 minutes.

Smell - Malts, dark fruits, butterscotch, rustiness, balsamic, anise

Taste & Mouth - There is an average amount of carbonation and I can taste malts, raisins, and some caramel/butterscotch. There is also some anise mixed with vinegar and I can pick up on the alcohol. It ends with a malty dark fruit aftertaste with a slight bitterness.

Overall - Another beer that treads around the Barley Wine style taste wise. It didn't really taste all that belgian to me. Lots of bold flavours going on though.. which makes it interesting. I'd buy it again.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2012 17:13:01 | More by spinrsx

avalon07

South Carolina

3.53/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Poured from a bottle to a goblet. Had a ruby color and a somewhat clear consistency. There was a small amount of off white, foamy head that quickly dissipated. Below average lacing.

S: An OK aroma of fruit, malt, and a little yeast. Not overly remarkable.

T: Tasted of malt, fruit (apples and a dark fruit, like plums), and a bit of yeast. This isn't necessarily a bad flavor, but it isn't assertive or powerful enough.

M: A good amount of carbonation with a crisp, clean finish. Medium-bodied.

O: This isn't a bad beer, but it isn't overly memorable either. Doesn't necessarily stack up to its Belgian cousins.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2012 13:16:04 | More by avalon07

MattyG85

Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 12 oz. bottle into a stemmed goblet glass.

Appearance: Pours a deep and clear brownish amber with a moderate amount of bubbles. About two fingers of off white head which quickly fade to a small thin patch. Lacing is fairly light on the glass.

Smell: Some Belgian yeast with a big presence of caramel malts and toffee. A considerable amount of sugars, some of them candy like. Good hints of dark fruits including rum soaked raisins, dark cherries, plums, and fig. Also some hints of banana. Kind of boozy with some sweet molasses.

Taste: A pretty sweet and fruity take on a dark Belgian ale. Belgian yeast is fairly noticeable but the spices are subdued. Big taste of bready caramel malts with hints of toffee. Some molasses and candied sugars. Solid notes of dark fruits with some raisins, plums, dark cherries, and figs. Hints of bananas and a little hint of chocolate from the malts. Pretty good.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a moderate level of carbonation. Slick, fruity, and lightly syrupy. Very smooth and easy to drink.

Overall: An interesting American take on a Dark Belgian ale. On the sweeter side but far from cloying. Pretty solid.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2012 06:42:24 | More by MattyG85

martyl1000

Wisconsin

3.38/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Disappointing. Tastes way more like an IPA than a Belgian strong dark ale. I'm a malt guy. What can I say? The hop dominance was a rude surprise. Was expecting something sweeter like Delirium Nocturnum or Trois Pistoles. But it's much more like Ommegang BPA, which has the look of a Belgian strong ale, but the flavor of an APA. Oh, well.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2012 07:38:43 | More by martyl1000

BarryMFBurton

Indiana

3.8/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

MORE NORTH COAST! These guys rock, and so does this label. Must buy, for sure.

A: Looks just like a Belgian abbey ale should: dark, hazy red body, almost a clay reddish-brown. The head forms slowly and deliberately, all the way to moderately-high, dark tan. It’s creamy, with minimal amounts of lacing and a fat ring of retention on the inside of the glass. A smooth, European appearance.

S: Intensely aromatic! Date and raisin, a rich caramel malt aroma, and vanilla combine to form a buttery, sugary, dark Thanksgiving yam character. It’s been a while since I’ve encountered an abbey nose as sweet and pungent as this; cascading candi syrup and mahogany come through magnificently.

T: Now this is a different kind of Belgian flavor, starting with some dark acidic fruit. It’s not acrid, but it has a definite citrus character to accompany the usual darkness of the rest of the palate – date, sugarplums, toffee, cherry, and artificial honey tastes. Raisin bread comes up as well, but with a strange meaty flavor, like vegetable beef soup. Weird. Finishes with some lightly toasted grain, grassy bitters (slightly dry), and a syrupy taste that’s not unlike Pepsi.

M: Full-bodied and just a touch syrupy, this one has extreme drinkability for a 9%+ ABV beer. Feels a bit thin, actually; how did that happen?

O: North Coast is at it again, though Brother Thelonious is a different breed of tasty beverage. I’m not sure I’d buy it again, but I’m definitely not done with this brewery. Not at all.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2012 18:31:29 | More by BarryMFBurton

Kromes

Georgia

3.58/5  rDev -5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: A hazy dark brown with ruby edge and a thin tan colored head. Lots of carbonation seen up the sides of the glass.

S: A big caramel aroma with some raisin, cherry and plum. Almost too sweet in the nose.

T: Aroma continues into the flavor. A large caramel malt with strong dark cherry and molasses flavor. Very strong molasses flavor in the finish. Sweet and tangy in the finish.

M: Heavy and syrupy. Sweet in the finish, but also a little tang and alcohol warmth to dry it out.

O: Flavors aren't bad, just strong. Nothing that would make it undrinkable, only takes back from the balance of the beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2012 01:09:34 | More by Kromes

superspak

Michigan

3.9/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 ounce bottle into tulip glass, bottled 12/13/2010. Pours slightly hazy dark reddish copper color with a fairly dense 1-2 finger dark khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Some nice soapy lacing clings to the glass, with a fair amount of carbonation streaming up. Aromas of big raisin, plum, banana, molasses, pepper, clove, caramel, toasted biscuit, dark candi sugar, yeast spices, and a bit of alcohol. Some pretty nice aromas, with good complexity and balance. Taste of big caramel, raisin, toffee, prune, molasses, banana, chocolate, dark candi sugar, light pepper, toasted biscuit, and yeast spices. Lingering notes of caramel, molasses, raisin, prune, banana, candi sugar, biscuit, chocolate, and light pepper on the finish for a good bit. Very nice flavor balance with no cloying sweetness at all. Medium carbonation and medium-full bodied; with fairly creamy and slightly slick mouthfeel. Very smooth to sip on; with only an alcohol warming present after the finish. Overall this is a really nice Belgian dark ale. Really nice flavor balance and complexity; and very enjoyable to sip on.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2012 03:35:46 | More by superspak

vette2006c5r

Wisconsin

3.98/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Brother Thelonious pours a very dark amber color , with very little head. The smell is a bit boozy, and there is alot of barrel like aromas. The taste is full of Belgium candies, a bit sweet, and just a bit warm from the alcohol. Nice full body flavor, everything blends nicely. Overall this is a good beer, nothing crazy, but a nice simple high quality strong dark ale.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2012 01:43:53 | More by vette2006c5r

Hopfenpeter

Maryland

3.53/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The beer poured a clear red amber, with a tan one and a half finger high creamy head. It dissopates fast with no lacing.
The smell is of dark fruits and caramel.
Tasting the beer the dark fruit arrangement comes first, followed by yeast. The alcohol is certainly there, malt and caramel give this beer almost a bock feel.
I had better one in this category.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2012 02:32:14 | More by Hopfenpeter

BB1313

Ohio

3.08/5  rDev -18.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12oz bottle poured into a chalice. Pours a very dark ruby red with a dark brown haze, nice fluffy head which eventually fades, not too much lacing and retention. Aromas aren't as bold as I imagined. There's an unusual metallic aroma. I'm also picking up on some cherries and lots of dark fruits. There's alot of plum in the mix as well. Chocolate in there too. There's a decent bitternesss in the flavors. Lots of raisins in the flavors. More cherry. I expected this to be much sweeter, but it's really not. There's a touch of booze and the alcohol is noticeable. Mouthfeel is average, thin mouthfeel, medium-bodied. Finishes dry. Ehh..

This is a run of the mill attempt by a respectable American brewery. It's overpriced and doesn't really come close to delivering. Not horrible, but far from memorable.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2012 20:15:53 | More by BB1313

Arithmeticus

Maryland

4.53/5  rDev +20.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured chilled in tall tulip water glass.

A: caramel color, robust carbonation, 2-finger head that dissipates quickly
S: brooding caramel, yeast, malt, smells toasted
t: dark Belgian--like an imperial dark bock. Heavy ABV comes through; semisweet; bitter bottle conditioning; medium hopped

Super!

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2012 21:37:07 | More by Arithmeticus

KingEdward

North Carolina

2.7/5  rDev -28.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Poured this beer out of a bottle into a chimay glass and the result was a head that disappeared very fast. The smell was of dark fruits and maybe a little olive brine. The taste was sour, of brine, liquor, and bitter hops. The mouth feel is good, silky with good carbonation. This beer had no lacing to be seen. The color is mahogany as stated above in its beer advocate description. I was very disappointed in this brew its not worth the price i paid.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2012 17:10:19 | More by KingEdward

mactrail

California

2.18/5  rDev -42.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

This is a surprise. I remember this as being rich and a little sweet, but this batch seems to be rather thin and definitely on the acidic side. Looks well enough, more red than coppery in the Duvel tulip. Nice head but coarse bubbles. The nose is a little vinegary.

Sharp and hints of some kind of bacteria like a Grand Cru, only much drier. Where did all the sugar go? Tart, rather bitter, quite earthy. Body is thin. Flavor makes me think of shellac. Aftertaste is very bitter and dirty.

From the 12 oz bottle from the cooler at Olive Tree in OB. I'll give this a taste if I see it on tap, but I'm leery of the bottles now. It was quite tasty in the big bottles but it has been three or four years since I've tried it.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2012 06:10:19 | More by mactrail

cfinch2

Virginia

3.83/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I'm a little new at the Belgian stuff, for the longest time I couldn't get it out of my head that the finish for every one I had was strong with what I identified as an antiseptic taste. It's grown on me though.

Apperarance: Beautiful, a deep ruby color that's a bit translucent. It seems to have a bit more carbonation than some dubbels and tripels I've had, though that may just be the style.

Smell: Definitely Belgian. An almost medicinal, honey and springtime sort of smell. Not pungent, but certainly apparent.

Taste: Not bad, but not spectacular. Not as much flavor as I was hoping to get from a 9.4% brew. Very crisp, and a sweet and malty mild taste, but it fades quickly. Taste is all subjective and shit, and I can't really identify what I taste here.

Mouthfeel: Crisp and clean, not very syrupy at all. The carbonation is pleasant but not overly done.

Overall this is an enjoyable beer, i certainly don't hate it, but it's something that I wouldn't exactly recommend and may be out of my mind in a few days

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2012 01:01:36 | More by cfinch2

soulfly1492

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Aroma: Bold dark fruits. Plums, dates and raisins. Some bitter citrus and pine hops. Some mild chocolate. Overall very sweet. Moderate Munich malt in the background. Mild alcohol.

Appearance: Dark brown. Nearly opaque. Pours a light brown head, which is very, very creamy. Awesome retention and great lacing. Some particles floating around, lots of bubbles rising up the side of the glass.

Taste: Dark fruit, like a condensed syrup of plums, prunes and dates. Definitely some black cherry, pine bitterness. Moderately dry. A bit of malt, but the bitterness is pretty strong here, perhaps due to age of the temperature. The bitterness eases up as it warms up. Low spice and yeast.

Mouthfeel: Medum to full body. Moderately dry in the finish. Mild carbonation.

Overall: Nice bold dark fruits, a bit overly bitter. Nice malt flavor. The excess bitterness may be from the over-aging of this bottle.

Notes: Aged 1-3 years in a refrigerator (not my doing).

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2012 04:27:42 | More by soulfly1492

frankiepop

Pennsylvania

3.45/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I love Thelonious Monk's music. He's a major voice iconic voice in Jazz so a Trappist Monk style abbey ale was an appropriate tribute to the maestro so eventually this was a must for me to try. People loved Monk in the Belgian - Paris and northern Europe area of the world, and I own a ton of his recordings.

Nice label that shows the coolness of Monk who was one of the coolest and coolest looking dudes in history. A lil smoke rises from the bottle but not much. Instead a nice head arises from the poor with excellent lacing. A pretty dark beer that has a similar beautiful hue as a beautiful black woman.

The aroma is very fruity. I catch more of an apple or cherry scent. Certainly, this is not heavier darker fruits. This is a good dubble so far.

The flavor is a good Belgian ale, but there is a caveat. The fruit flavors are a bit off the mark for me. I taste an old candy, slight bitter old style cherry candy, and not quite there for me. I like the malty sweetness. It finishes a little too bitter for my tastes.

An easy beer to drink with a milder carbonation. Brown malt to start: toasted and lightly roasted. A nice dubbel. I am much more of a quad fan myself.

A good beer! Goes well with Monk in Paris cd. A great Monk cd to check for newbies or old jaded Monk fans like me. Great Monk quartet and nice long cuts with beautiful improvisations of his quirky compositions. http://tiny.cc/sxe4bw

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2012 04:33:48 | More by frankiepop

TwinButte

South Dakota

3.8/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into a tulip glass. Nice packaging and I really like NC's squatty fat brown bottles. Single bottle cost me $3.09

Nice reddish brown that poured to very little head and it dissipated quickly. Light carbonation. Not a deal breaker. Dark fruity smell. Not too much on the nose really. The first sip is pretty sweet. A slight alcohol taste with medicine quality's but I expect that from a strong dark Belgian ale. Fairly easy to drink and doesn't have any bitterness. I could put back a few of these in succession.

Very good offering from NC and will drink this one again and again.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2012 17:56:37 | More by TwinButte

Rhynes2

Ohio

4.18/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Had a few people from North Coast come to our local craft beer store to demo a few of their beers. This was one of the brews they had available on the flight of North Coast's stuff.

Pours a 2 finger head of creamy. Colour is a very dark red nontransparent. Some cherry notes with a little bit of nuttiness.
I see the problems people have with how this beer is classified but for the most part it is close and just has it's own take on the style. Its not overly sweet which I like and found it very well balanced considering the alcohol percentage. Over all I was impressed with this beer and would probably drink it again if I see it. It wasn't the highlight of my night but very worth while to check out.

Serving type: on-tap

03-19-2012 21:45:09 | More by Rhynes2

rickyleepotts

Arizona

4/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The other night, we came over to Hearthstone Coffee House & Pub for a drink. We brought the list, as we wanted to see if they had any beers that were a part of 1001 Bottles. They did. One. We ended up drinking a Fat Tire. Boring, I know, but it is still on the list and I treated it like every other beer. Well, we liked drinking/writing here so much we came back when they got Brother Thelonious in. They have it on tap, but also landed a few bottles.

We got to talking, and before we left, Hearthstone became the second official sponsor of 1001 Bottles! We are excited to have them on board. They are RIGHT across the street from where we live, so it’s an easy place to get to. So if you live on the north side of Indianapolis, let us know… we will invite you the next time we drink at Hearthstone.

In the Glass: The beer is a dark brown, almost red. It’s also quite cloudy and has a certain thickness to it. When I swirl it around in my glass, I hope for a thick lace. Wrong. The lace is pretty much nonexistent. But that is what you tend to get in a good barleywine. We all know my recent obsession with barleywine.

Nose: It smells sweet, dark, and has a certain boozy smell to it. The beer is 9.3% ABV, so I guess I can expect that. But I keep comparing this to a barleywine. I hope it lives up to the hype!

Flavor: There is NO carbonation, and you would almost think this beer was flat. But when the beer dances across your tongue you are hit with intense flavors on the front and the back of the palate leading to a dry, somewhat sweet finish. It doesn’t taste like a barleywine at all, but has a certain mouthfeel like one. Speaking of the mouthfeel…

Mouthfeel: This beer starts and finishes oh so smooth. There is a lot of booze on the middle of the tongue, but I accept it with this big of an ABV. The beer definitely tastes better than it smells. That’s for sure. Let’s dig a little deeper into the aftertaste.

Aftertaste: The aftertaste sits in quick. There is a hint of sweet at first, then it quickly turns into a warm dryness that is sort of unexpected. As it sits there on the tongue, it doesn’t really dwindle. The boozy notes stick around, and the burp brings back the sweet/bitter flavors that the tongue loves as you drink.

This is a great beer that has a really cool history. A percentage of their profits apparently go to support jazz music. I mean, on the bottle it says they support jazz education. I like the logo too. The monk just looks so cool, calm, and collected. Oh, and the skull. Love the skull. This is a great beer. Bottoms up people!

Beer Name - The bottle says: “SUPPORTING JAZZ EDUCATION”

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2012 01:18:03 | More by rickyleepotts

DrFayhee

3.68/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This beer claims to be a "Belgian style abbey ale." I'll let you determine whether that means anything.
It's got an almost ruby amber hue with a head that is unsatisfyingly thin.
Smell has some alcohol to it with some juniper berry, spice, cardamom...
Taste is definitely malty with a fair deal of toasted sweetness. It gets better as it opens up and settles.
The same goes for mouthfeel. The first few sips are too bubbly but it then quiets down. There's a slight treacly residue but this is definitely a beer that gets better as it goes along.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2012 05:20:20 | More by DrFayhee

Lostcarkeys

2.53/5  rDev -32.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Bought this a few weeks ago and finally got around to trying it,

A- Almost a cherry coke color with minimal head and lots of fizzle

S- Barely noticeable distinctions. A sweetness and nutty notes is overtaken by fruity raisin taste embezzled in there somewhere

T / MF- A bit of a disappointment. I do have to say I was a sucker for the label, but the sourness and sweetness were not a good concoction in my mouth. Be ready for the high carbonation!

O- It was worth a shot, but I don't think I will be buying this one again

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2012 02:18:40 | More by Lostcarkeys

chugalug06

Colorado

2.65/5  rDev -29.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

A - Big tan thick bubbly head. Very carbonated. No lacing to speak of... Brew is the color of figs.

S - Unadventurous scent. Missing a lot of Belgian influences... Very clovey and spiced. There's something hidden in the background too, it's not working.

T/M - To start this brew is WAY over carbonated... There's some funky flavors going on too, causing a rubber taste upon the finish. The spice in not nearly Belgian enough, and the yeast doesn't do anything for the brew. Heat is well hidden, but the body is much too thin for consideration of style. Very dry for an abbey...

O - A well miss on style. This brew is mildly sessionable (except for the ABV) and drinks (somewhat) well. But there is some weird scents and off flavors that draw you away. Not recommended.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2012 04:34:45 | More by chugalug06

bdcravens

Texas

3.93/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

meh. It's okay. In the same category as Chimay blue, my fave beer - bar is set high.

Sweet. Loses carbonation quickly. No head retention. Not bad, but not a Chimay, and any random DFH is better.

Purchased at a beer store when out of town ... store with better selection than when at home, so I went a little crazy since they were using shelf liners from another site. (RB) See that this beer is rated 97 there, 80 on BA - a lesson in taking time and rating beers correctly before I buy. :-|

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2012 09:01:35 | More by bdcravens

Etan

Illinois

3.6/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served from a 25.4oz corked bottle into a Spiegelau tulip.

A: Pours a deep purplish brown with a large, red-tinged beige head. Head calms down quickly but leaves a small tuft of foam on top. Almost no lacing.

S: Strong nose of molasses, brown sugar, raisins, mushy dried prunes, rum-like alcohol, dark bread.

T: Not very complex, but quite pleasing. Fresh green raisins held aloft by smooth, bready yeast. Slight banana, dusting of brown sugar, subtle fruity alcohol. Big yeast flavor in the finish, along with lingering raisin and rum notes. Some roastiness comes out as it warms.

M: Medium bodied with the usual coarse Belgian-style carbonation frothing in the mouth.

O: Not as complex as it should be, but relatively satisfying and smooth. A must have for raisin fans.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2012 05:36:14 | More by Etan

ribby

Michigan

3.68/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This poured a darked brown, without a lot of foam. The aroma is not too strong, which turns out to be not terribly surprising as this is a fairly sweet beer. There is a slight bitterness which tends more towards the charred malt side than the hoppy side, there is no obvious hoppiness, perhaps some to cut the sweetness of the malt. This is actually a very drinkable beer, and goes down very easily, but in my opinion the balance is just a little off.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2012 01:57:08 | More by ribby