Monk's Brew (Red Wine Barrel Aged With Raspberries) - Mikkeller ApS

Brenden

Ohio

4.45/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This beer is dark brown and thick, with red-brown highlights at the edges. The brown head grows to an impressive height and thickness, has good retention, and leaves sticky patches and spots of lacing in good quantity.
The smell is potent out of the bottle. The first hit is tart and tangy raspberry but very much like red wine, vinous and ripe with tannins as expected. The initial smell (though not the look) tells me something like Flanders red, then it immediately gives more of an impression of brown ale character more like an Oud Bruin, but there's more to it. The heavy malts base, seeming addition of candi sugars, and light notes of a Belgian yeast strain make it earthier with a subtle sweetness playing well and allowing the tartness to set the stage. It gets mellower as well as more flavorful and complex as it sits and the sweetness mingles even more. The entire way there's a prominent barley-like, possibly roasted dark malts overtone. Alcohol is masked like I've ever smelled or tasted any beer with an ABV this high to manage; this is one of few beers with which it is simply impossible from the aroma or flavor to know it's got a 10% ABV. It does warm, though, and the drinker should be careful with this one.
The feel isn't bad, moderate carbonation setting the tone in a medium body with a consistent crispness.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2012 18:24:28 | More by Brenden

DovaliHops

California

4.13/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a dark brown with a dark, ruby hue to it. Large reddish tan head that takes some time to go down. Very good-looking beer. Scent is quite vinous. Tart red wine aroma with some strong, fresh tart raspberries in the nose. Dark fruits from the base beer, but the raspberries take over. A ton of oak and wine aromas. Very interesting aroma. Taste has some rich, dark fruits at first. Sweet chocolate with some oak and dark fruits, then it becomes tart raspberries. Smooth chocolatey rich beginning, with a tart raspberry, wine-like finish. Some warming booze in the finish as well. The quad is there, but there is also a huge, tart raspberry flavor. I was worried about this one having a slight medicinal flavor, but none whatsoever. Mouthfeel has some nice carbonation, possibly just a tad bit too much. Full bodied with a tart, lip smacking finish. Drinkability is fairly high. Overall, this is one unique beer. This is better than the wine versions of the other dark mikkeller beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2012 06:25:15 | More by DovaliHops

jlenik

New Jersey

4.58/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

a: pours an incredibly dark amber brown, hints of dark ruby can be made out in light. brownish red head comes and goes

s: oh! I get a lot of fruit notes at first along with some acidity from the wine barrels. this is definitely a dessert beer (or not in my case!)

t: Lot's of raspberries upfront, acidity, dark malt sweetness, dark chocolate flavors, and a bit of oak finishes the taste.

m: This is one smooth beer. Alcohol is very well hidden and the raspberries and wine barrel aging really put this beer over the top!

o: I'm always hesitant about Mikkeller but this one blew me away! Price is high but I would totally pay it again.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2012 21:37:46 | More by jlenik

kevanb

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12.7 oz bottle poured into a snifter

Pours a murky burgundy color, hues of red and brown when held to the light. Fairly opaque, decent finger of brown/red head rises quickly but recedes just as fast. A nice layer of film rest on top, and the head is easily resummoned with a swirl of the glass, no lacing to speak of. The aroma is interesting, lots of yeast, dark fruit, alcohol, spot on for a quad, a bit of the berries, hard to pick out the barrel and wine characteristics though, a bit disappointing, the alcohol is really strong and masks some of the other qualities. The flavors are a different story, lots of dark fruit, the raspberries really pop here, yeast is definitely big, some oakiness, very chewy, finishes with a nice dark grape finish, really peculiar and this beer definitely gets better as it warms. There is certainly a lot of sweetness, not uncommon to a quad, but its not overly sugary and the alcohol, while present, is very subtle and balanced, well integrated compared to the nose where it just dominates. The body is great, one of the better bodied quads I've had in a while, thick and big, while remaining very palatable, quaffable and smooth. Ample carbonation, lively to the tongue without being prickly and abrasive, nice finish.

Verdict: Certainly an interesting experiment, not convinced it really came together, maybe with age this will turn into a better, more integrated beer. Right now it's a bit disjointed and lacking something cohesive, but was definitely enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2012 04:04:35 | More by kevanb

brewcrew76

Wisconsin

4.1/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Murky brownish, ruby red with a thin tan head that quickly settles to a ring of foam.

S - Raspberries, almost like raspberry preserves, oak tannins, hint of chocolate and caramel along with some red wine notes.

T - Tart raspberry with some red wine acidity followed by caramel and chocolate. Almost reminds me a raspberry, caramel fudge brownie. Oak and wine tannins linger in the finish.

M - Medium to full body, well carbonated. Finishes dry reminding me of a red wine.

D - Nice balance of sweet and tart. Would pair nicely with dessert. Reminds me of a stout raspberry brownie pairing from Matt Van Wyk and Flossmoor at an early Brewpub Shootout

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2012 00:51:18 | More by brewcrew76

brown2cu

Ohio

3.9/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: pours a dark red and is topped by an off white head. There is some spotty lacing around the glass as well.

S: the smell is heavy raspberries as well as some woody notes. I can't detect a lot of specialty malt as well as alcohol. Therefore, it's fairly one dimensional to me.

T: a lot of tart raspberries; almost wine-esque. There is also a lot of malty sweetness that brings the tartness down.

M: Full bodied, dry, and silky.

O: a wonderful beer; my first from mikkeller.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2012 05:00:17 | More by brown2cu

TheBeerCarl

Idaho

3.88/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: The beer pours a disturbing cloudy brown like liquid chocolate or Mississippi River water. It has a thin light brown head. Could use more head.

S: Prunes is the first thing I smell but then it kind of morphs into a marinara tomato sauce like smell with some heat. The lingering notes are of dough, yeast and some floral notes. Weird but intriguing.

T: Über intense tart raspberry with some earthiness to back it up which fades to citrus and bitterness.

M: A good medium bodied mouthfeel with sharp carbonation that supports the tart raspberry flavor.

Overall this was an intense quad, very flavorful but tasty nonetheless!

Serving type: on-tap

11-24-2012 09:13:49 | More by TheBeerCarl