Monk's Elixir (Monk's Brew) - Mikkeller ApS

ccrida

Oregon

3.55/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

750ml foiled champagne bottle (bottle stamped 07/04/11), Monk's Brew is a murky chestnut with a small off-white head that quickly subsides to a large bubbled collar that leaves very light lace.

Smell is very grape like, even as it warms, I really dont' get more then grape soda, perhaps a bit less sweet malt. It's appealing, but not necessarily as beer, or even a really fruity quad. While I really dig it, it seems way to simple and one dimensional. Or maybe I'm being to much of a beer snob? Fanta grape is one of my all time favorite soda's (2nd to Cherokee Red), but not necessarily what I look for in quad's, or any beer for that matter.

Taste is also very heavy on the grape fruitiness, malt/sugar/esters. Like the nose, it's kool-aide with a bit of spiciness to remind you it's beer, but nevertheless very unusual, if quite tasty. Still, it's a bit too much, and lacking depth, even after at least a few month's in my cellar.

Mouthfeel is very fully carbonated, lush.

Drinkability is ok, I always expect too much from the De Proef brewed Mikkeller's, but they never really measure up, and this one is no exception. While it's pretty tasty, it seems like all caramelized sugar and esters, which is fine, if not that sophisticated. IIRC, the price isn't helping the score either. The bottom line is it took a long while to work through, and I wasn't carving another, ever.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2008 08:07:46 | More by ccrida

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.83/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Jason's bottle from Julio's. Hit the bullseye on the style. Black, lots of lace. A mouthfeel of yeast, a meal of it. A good amount of sourish brown flavour here. Sugar, toffee. Noting a feast of yeast aroma, the drinkability is very good for my favourite style.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2008 20:14:59 | More by northyorksammy

Flyer

Wisconsin

2.75/5  rDev -29.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Deep reddish brown pour with so-so head. The aroma is very malty, which right away had me thinking this wasn't a typical quad. As it turned out, that was more in a bad way than a good way. Lots of malty flavor up front, with some cereal-like qualities. Very little in the way of ale fruitiness. Some tart brown sugary notes come in late. Really seemed more like a barleywine. The other reviews make me think I might be missing something, which is the only reason I would try this again.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2008 23:41:16 | More by Flyer

Kraken

Maryland

4.4/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Reviewed from notes durning the dark time of no internet access (last month).
Poured from a corked and caged 750ml bottle into an oversized wine glass. Pours a dark burnt cloudy cider/icetea color. Firm pour provides for a one finger head with very nice lacing.
Nose-Sour apple, caramel, slightly vineous dark overripe fruit.
Taste-Lite coco, sweeter then expected . Viscous dark fruits. Caramel and toffee. Nice hop bitterness and alcohol in the finish. A little warming. Alcohol is present but complementry.
Mouthfeel-Smooth and creamy, imagine a quad stout. Lots of layers as it warms.
Drinkability-at 10% drinkability is limited but oh so pleasent

A well done interpretation of a quad. Seek out.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2008 13:59:15 | More by Kraken

gford217

Georgia

3.98/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

750mL bottle poured into a snifter.

Pours a dark, murky mahogany with a two-finger cream-colored head that lingers throughout the session leaving lots of lacing. The smell was very sweet with caramelized sugar and dark fruits dominating. The taste has a big sweetness of caramel malts and Belgian yeast forming a backbone on which dark fruits and chocolate. The alcohol makes itself known in the taste as well. The mouthfeel is medium bodied but a little lighter than most quads I've had with tons of carbonation. This is a very good example of a quad but probably a step down from the best. Still, very, very good.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2008 00:37:28 | More by gford217

RixBeer

Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

YUM MIKKELLER

Pours a chocolate ruby with a 1/4" bubbly head. Looks great!

Can you say smokey? Spicy? how about a little of both with a nice raisin undertone intertwined with sugary sweetness.

Nice tangy peach, coriander, spice, and very sweet. I can't place the smoke but it's there but less in the taste than in the smell.

There's a thickness to this beer but not to bad. Leaves a nice creamy coating on the palate.

This beer is a big hit!

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2008 03:54:39 | More by RixBeer

Crosling

Colorado

3.58/5  rDev -8%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Dark ruby/burgundy color with a full head that forms interesting shapes. Aroma is pretty vibrant and shows some juicy dark fruits. Flavor has some hints of banana to accompany the dark fruit notes. It is lacking in body and texture for me. Hmmm, it's pretty good. Young right now. Somewhat disappointing in that it isn't in the same league as some of the better Belgian strongs, but it's still a tasty, well brewed Belgian style ale, certainly better than almost all American versions.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2008 17:05:38 | More by Crosling

weeare138

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Much thanks to hopdog & egajdzis for bringing this...
Appears a hazy orange gold with a fluggy white head and scattered lacing left around the glass.
Smell is of sugary high gravity Tripel with peach, yeast, apricot, vanilla, dough, and spices.
Taste is of the same aromas with coriander, bananas, and citrus.
Mouthfeel...abv is evident with some pils malt and sweetness standing out.
This one gushed upon opening but it turned out to be a pretty decent brew. Possibly could've been better with aging b/c abv is evident but not bad at all.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2006 02:16:54 | More by weeare138

UCLABrewN84

California

3.75/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Congregation Ale House in Pasadena, CA.

Pours a clear dark brown with a foamy dark khaki head that settles to wisps of film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, brown sugar, caramel, dark fruit, alcohol, and some slight spice aromas. Taste is much the same with a medium amount of spice bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer with a great aroma but the flavors just don’t match up very well.

Serving type: on-tap

08-14-2012 00:59:12 | More by UCLABrewN84

smcolw

Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Minor head but typical of the style. Some spots as lace. The color is a cloudy neutral brown.

Awesome smell of roasted malts. Comes across as molasses without being too sweet. Beautiful.

This sweet but not overwhelming. There's a touch of bittering hop that provides balance without deviating from the style. Rich as one would expect.

This is a special brew worth seeking out.

Serving type: on-tap

08-11-2012 12:50:07 | More by smcolw

CrazyDavros

Australia

4.1/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours dark brown with a small, fading head.
Nose shows sultanas, spicy phenols, golden syrup, port notes and caramelised bananas.
Flavours include more sultanas and dried dark fruit, treacle, port, brown sugar and over-ripe banana. Also some soft booze. Pretty sweet.
Carbonation seems just a little full-on, even considering the sweetness.
Very enjoyable stuff.

Serving type: on-tap

07-02-2012 00:29:25 | More by CrazyDavros

zaphodchak

Virginia

4.28/5  rDev +10%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Tiny offwhite head, deep brown body.

Nose contains dates, some plum and dark fruit.

The dates and dark fruit are present in the taste as well, along with a hint of orange on the aftertaste with a trace of booziness. Quite sweet and malty, similar to Gouden Carolus Classic. Very much a Belgian strong dark ale at heart, and i feel like it reminds me of something else, but I can't put my finger on what.

Feel is pretty nice and smooth.

Great quad, dark and full of bold dark fruit. I'd give it 6 months to tame the booziness though.

Serving type: on-tap

05-03-2012 01:33:26 | More by zaphodchak

Zraly

Virginia

4/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A small tasting on-tap at The Birch. Served in a small snifter.

Pours a dark garnet-brown with a touch of head. Really wonderful smell of cherries and dough -- smells like a bakery.

Rich, dark fruits predominate upfront with a touch of funk and phenols to play secondary roles. The alcohol is definitely present, as well as nut note. This reminds me a bit of a black forest cake. It tastes very good but given the weight and fairly heavy body, it is a bit think toward the end of the finish.

Overall, a really nice dessert beer.

Serving type: on-tap

12-11-2011 21:59:47 | More by Zraly

ChugginOil

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served on tap @ St. Charles Tap House. $3 draft Mondays. Yeah buddy.

Pours a very dark brown color with cola colored edging. Light tan creamy head leaves plenty of legs.

The nose is candy like with brown sugar, molasses, bread, and sicy yeast. Its smelling a bit sweet and definitely inviting.

The taste is sweet and dessert-like with candied fruit flavors. Caramel, brown sugar and plum. Tasty.

The mouthfeel is creamy and delicately smooth. My favorite characteristic of this beer.

Overall, this is a decent and surprisingly drinkable quad, given the ABV. Enjoyable and at $3, can't beat it.

Serving type: on-tap

10-24-2011 21:31:56 | More by ChugginOil

falloutsnow

Illinois

3.55/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Had on tap on 2010-10-20 at Max & Joe's in Omaha, NE.
Served in a flute glass.

Arrives with a tall, dense head composed of fairly small bubbles. Head retention is excellent, and lacing alongside the glass is above average, too. Body is dark brown, opaque, with some visible carbonation.

Scent is of syrupy prunes and candy sugar, perhaps hints of dried figs and raisins, too. Hides the ethanol well. This isn't particularly complex, but seems to be above average for the style.

Taste of similarly syrupy prunes, sweet malts, faint chocolate and anise. Ethanol appears as it warms. Not as pleasing or complex as Rochefort or Bernardus, but still tasty.

Body is medium weight. Fairly smooth with good matching carbonation levels. No real warmth from the ethanol. Finish is dry and slightly syrupy. Mouthfeel becomes a bit watery with increasing temperature. A bit disappointing here.

This was an OK quadrupel, something I'm glad to have tried, but don't feel an amazing need to revisit again.

Serving type: on-tap

10-21-2011 05:38:01 | More by falloutsnow

laituegonflable

Australia

2.65/5  rDev -31.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Pours a dark amethysty-red colour with dense beige head that sticks around to a decent crown. Nice cradle of lace. Pretty damn fine.

Huge fruity nose, very candied with a blackcurrant and apple edge. Blackberry, cherry medicine, I could go on but yeah, it's definitely lacking something, needs more than just sweet fruit. Pretty poor and cloying, in fact.

Taste is similarly saccharine. Loads of fruit: apple, blackcurrant and black cherry with a slight weak cider edge and hardly any complexity to it, just sweet and a bit weak. Medicinal edge on the back but it falls short of being nicely phenolic or spicey. Really quite disappointed.

Full body, but not a lot of texture, just very simple.

It's probably hard to produce this particular fruit note from a beer but it just comes out as thinly sweet and under-fermented. Just not very enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

08-31-2011 23:36:55 | More by laituegonflable

lacqueredmouse

Australia

2.15/5  rDev -44.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

On-tap at the Local Taphouse for the Mikkeller Tap Takeover in Sydney. This was number 15 of 20.

Looks deep and pleasantly red, with a very full head of yellow-tinged ochre. Lots of retention. Minimal lace, but the colour and opacity is great.

Nose is... unpleasant. Really sticky and sweet apple cider character with a touch of booze to it and very little else. Sheesh. I dread to drink it.

Sickly and sweet on the palate, with astringent medicinal cherry and then a long, drawn out character of fermented apple. Despite this, the feel is quite thin and unpleasant.

Too much sugar in the wort! This smells like a fermented out sugar-drink. It's heavy, hot and unpleasant. This is not a great beer, and worse, it's a beer that gives the great examples of this style a bad name. Poor effort, Mikkeller.

Serving type: on-tap

08-23-2011 05:45:20 | More by lacqueredmouse

largadeer

Kentucky

3.38/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Draft at Gourmet Haus Staudt. Cloudy, rusty brown. The head pours small but creamy and dense. There's a lot of brown sugar and raisin on the nose, sweet licorice, star anise. Sweet, sugary malt and dark fruit are prevalent on the palate. Alcohol is noticeable and lends a bit of harshness to the finish. There's more spiciness than the nose suggests, peppery with a bit of anise. Medium bodied, a bit roasty in the finish with lingering licorice spiciness. A decent effort, but too boozy to be really enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

04-08-2011 22:10:21 | More by largadeer

vfgccp

New York

4.53/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A - Deep dark chocolate. ½ finger of bone white head that held together with moderate retention and lacing.

S - Sweet raisins, prunes, brown sugar, hint of bready malt.

T - Chocolate covered raisins, brown sugar, caramel, dried pears. A gentle boozy warmth balances the sweetness perfectly. Brioche bread bridges the flavors throughout the profile.

M - Impossibly smooth. Touch of alcohol tingle in the finish, but in an enjoyable way.

D - Does a great job of hiding the 10% abv. It's smoothness and great flavor keep you coming back till it's gone.

Serving type: on-tap

12-31-2010 17:02:29 | More by vfgccp

Gehrig

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Enjoyed on tap at the great Crane Alley in Urbana, IL.

One and one-half fingers of dark tan froth top a deep brown body with ruby trim; ample lacing and good duration start out this experience quite right. Excellent, aromatic beer--lots of cherry, grape, chocolate, and caramel.

The taste is good, but doesn't quite deliver the promise that the nose portends. Plenty of fruit present, no doubt; some chocolate malt in tow, and a good balance between sweet and sour, the latter of which primarily appears in the finish. Some dried fruit emerge with some patience as well, especially fig and raisin. But it's not quite as rich as I had hoped; good stuff, no question, but not quite top-notch Quad territory.

The mouthfeel is revealing on this, for it's a bit flat. Definitely, Monk's Elixir could use more effervescence, which makes some of the Quads as great as they are--3P, The Reverend, St. Bernardus Abt. 12, Rochefort 10 definitely come to mind as exhibiting a better mouthfeel, in good part to better effervescence.

Overall, though, this is a very good Quad, very much in the tradition of Rochefort. A bit more flavor, a bit more effervescence, and this would be top flight. As it is, however, it is no slouch and is well worth enjoying. That the 10% ABV scarcely appears is a testament to its quality.

Quite enjoyable!

Serving type: on-tap

12-10-2010 21:19:54 | More by Gehrig

SPThirtyThree

Colorado

3.85/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A: Monk's Elixir, delivered to me in a chalice at Falling Rock after GABF, is a dark, almost black brown with glimmering amber and ruby highlights. The head glues itself to the walls of the goblet in an extremely persistent lace. Beautiful.

S: Monk's Brew is about as estery as beer can get. The nose is packed with cloves, banana, toffee, grapefruit, candi sugar, bananas, and pineapple. The spicy, tangy profile leans heavily towards candi sugar byproducts.

T: The taste is a medium-bodied, malty and sour. All of the aromas are present in the taste, but the flavor is more sour than the nose led on.

M: Mikkeller went with a mouthfeel that is rather astringent, with carbonation on the low end of the scale.

D: Drinkability is fair. This is more bitter than I would expect from a quad, but the fruity esters are interesting.

Note to self: re-review this beer in a state of lower inebriation, and in a more private setting...

Serving type: on-tap

09-26-2010 03:49:11 | More by SPThirtyThree

drabmuh

Maryland

3.23/5  rDev -17%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A mediocre quad from Mikkeller. Beer is brown and very hazy with a weak thin head of off white tiny bubbles that quickly breaks but rallies to forms a little lacing on the glass.

Aroma is super sweet...lots of caramel, shorted out my circuits. I bet this is going to be a cloying mess.

Not quite...its thinner on teh palate than it should be (especially being that sweet). I suppose its the high alcohol that does that. At least the beer isn't hot, it kind of tastes like melt caramel in beer form. Carbonation is low in the mouth, its way way too sweet for me. Not feeling it. There are quads infinitely better than this.

Serving type: on-tap

09-08-2010 17:58:40 | More by drabmuh

glid02

Georgia

4.08/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at Leon's Full Service in Atlanta.

Pours a hazy golden-brown color with a one-finger cream-colored head. The head recedes into a thin layer on top leaving thick lacing.

Smells of grainy caramel malts with solid amounts of raisins and brown sugar. As the beer warms the aroma sweetens up a bit and alcohol is noticeable.

Tastes similar to how it smells. Smooth caramel malt flavors up front are joined quickly by booze-soaked figs and raisins. Midway through the sip the fruit flavors fade a bit and brown sugar and heavier molasses flavors make an appearance. The molasses and caramel malt flavors carry through to a mildly bitter finish.

Mouthfeel is very good. It's got a nice thickness with grainy carbonation.

Drinkability is good. I finished my glass without a problem and could have another.

Overall I wasn't a huge fan of this beer as it seemed heavy on the malt side and the fruit flavors weren't as well integrated as the better beers of the style. Still, it's a solid beer and it's worth a shot to see for yourself.

Serving type: on-tap

09-07-2010 03:59:17 | More by glid02

daledeee

Iowa

3.93/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Purchased this and was served in an oversized snifter.

The beer has a huge light tan head and black body. Lacing and a small head stayed.

Nose is slight. Earthy and malt.

Taste reminded me of a very bitter imperial stout, but it is classified as a quad. The taste is earthy, musty, bitter, coffee, malts. I think this one would age nicely.

Mouth feel is quite good with alcohol hidden. Drinkability is good.

Serving type: on-tap

08-22-2010 12:03:33 | More by daledeee

bark

Sweden

3.38/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Sold as "Monk's Elexir" in Europe.

The colour is dark brown-red, the liquid clear. The beige compact head is finger thick.

The smell is mild. I noted some marzipan, raisins and beeswax.

The taste is dry and surprisingly light. Raisins, yeast and some sweetness. The body is low. The long aftertaste is light and fresh with notes of Coca Cola, nuts, raw beef and a hint of yeast.

The carbonation is strong; the small bubbles are sharp in the mouth. The liquid is mid-smooth.

A strong Belgian-style beer without any traces of alcohol. But there is not much of anything else init either.

Serving type: on-tap

03-24-2009 19:34:48 | More by bark