Monkeynaut IPA - Straight To Ale

msubulldog25

Oregon

4.03/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. can delivered from Alabama to Portland by none other than unclejedi ~ thanks again, Jim! No dating on the can, but I received it on 11/30 & figure it was pretty fresh.

Label shows a screaming 'monkeynaut', a tribute to our poor primate friend/'space explorer' who's still stuck in an endless orbit, I suppose. NASA meet PETA. PETA, NASA... whatever. That Straight to Ale hails from Huntsville (Rocket City!) is cool nonetheless...

A: Lovely caramel/copper with a superb head of stocky cream (soap suds) and endless lacing, sticking top to bottom. Pour is almost clear, exploiting a lazy carbonation.

S: Grassy aroma of green hops, but not a thrilling/inviting - just a 'pleasant' one. Somewhat flowery and honey-like. Grassy and citrus fruit. Good strength.

T: Citrus orange and a mango/pineapple fruitiness. Cakey and lots of caramel, all covered with piney & spicy hops, pithy bitterness lasts a while. Slightly metallic in the finish.

M:Started a little thin but filled out nicely. Smooth, not overly carbonated - even a little heavy/sticky in the finish.

O: One of those beer that's good on all accounts and somehow garners an even better overall score. Would I drink this frequently if I lived in Alabama, I'd be having this... ALL. THE. TIME.

Serving type: can

12-17-2012 17:19:40 | More by msubulldog25

EgadBananas

Louisiana

4.03/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Canned around late October.

Pours a muddy copper color, tan coloured head. no real lacing to be had. Bright citrus aroma, some tropical fruits and slight bready malts. Bitter front, citrus, pine and resins. Creamy, slick, oily medium feel. Good, easy drinking IPA...Thanks Jamie!

Serving type: can

11-11-2012 22:59:26 | More by EgadBananas

BeerMark

Alabama

4.5/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Monkeynaut IPA is fine addition to the ever growing Alabama brewing scene. It has a beautiful copper color. When you smell it, you know hops were involved in the making. The taste is a strong malt and hop combination that satisfies. This ipa can stand toe to toe with ANY ipa I've ever had. A very nice IPA from my neighbors up in Huntsville.

Serving type: can

10-21-2012 03:51:56 | More by BeerMark

prototypic

Ohio

3.58/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Many thanks to kkipple for the can! You’re the man!

Monkeynaut pours an attractive copper color. It’s very clear. No haze at all. Backlighting gives it a nice orange tint. A really nice off-white head covers it. It’s big, standing over two and a half fingers tall. Retention was very good. I’m not sure it will completely disappear. Lacing was very sticky and thick as it trailed down the glass.

The nose is alright. It could use a little more strength. It kicks off with a little more caramel malt than I’d like. That’s definitely the base. Smells a little sugary and quite sweet. That’s a bit of a cracker-ish scent in there, as well. Hops are easily noted and have primarily a citric scent. Lemon, grapefruit, and light orange are noted. There’s a good dose of pine that follows. Alcohol is blended pretty well and isn’t all that noticeable. Smells pretty good.

The flavor is about on par with the nose. The malt base is caramel. It is sweet and is quite prominent in the flavor. Not my favorite thing. There are some sugar cookie and cracker notes, as well. Hops jump into the mix early. They are mostly citric. Grapefruit, lemon, and orange are all noted. Piney notes follow. It’s a little bitter, but it’s pretty well balanced given the strong malt base. Alcohol isn’t too much of a factor. It’s there, but isn’t too strong. Finishes with a nicely balanced mix of caramel, citric, and piney flavors.

Monkeynaut has a medium body. Carbonation seems active, but the bubbles feel rather light. The feel is pretty nice and smooth. It’s relatively easy drinking. If the flavor were just a little better, drinkability would be excellent.

Monkeynaut is an okay release from Straight to Ale. It’s a little malt heavy for my taste, but it’s not bad. Especially considering…it’s from ALABAMA! That’s a fact you just can’t ignore. Knowing that, I’m thrilled for the entire state of Alabama. Good things appear to be happening there. Worth a try? Most definitely. Thanks, Dan!

Serving type: can

10-21-2012 03:00:04 | More by prototypic

dizzyballer

Virginia

4.05/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Huntsville airport. The Grille at Four Points.

Four points for the beer too.

Great nose. Nice bitterness. Almost coppery. Well balanced.

Not much head, but I don't know who to blame for that. Served in a nice glass.

Not a tremendously handsome waitstaff. But friendly enough.

Serving type: on-tap

10-11-2012 21:13:33 | More by dizzyballer

NegligancE

Alabama

2.85/5  rDev -27.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Initial aroma lacked any great amount of hops. Tasting followed suit, nice malt characteristic however lacking in overall hoppiness. Not a bad ale, although I think this can might have been subject to improper handling. Unsure as to whether I will buy again.

Serving type: can

10-09-2012 22:03:37 | More by NegligancE

nickthegun12

Alabama

4.45/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

pours a light orange color body, with a full white creamy head

smells of aromatic citrus hops, not much of a malty smell, but fits the style

taste is bitter up front with medium alpha acid hops, not much of a lingering aftertaste

the feel is very dry, a little too dry but still fits the style

overall this beer is outstanding, from the best brewery in ALABAMA!

Serving type: can

09-13-2012 00:50:33 | More by nickthegun12

TrappistJohnMD

Mississippi

4.2/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours clear amber in a Raise Your Pints Mississippi snifter.

Smell is perfect, in my opinion. Strong hop character. Lots of citrus. Pleasant musty notes.

Taste is sweet malt up front with some mild hoppy citrus and mild to moderate bitterness in the finish.

Mouthfeel is light to medium bodied. Very smooth and drinkable.

Overall this is a very nice IPA.

Serving type: can

09-09-2012 03:06:16 | More by TrappistJohnMD

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.2/5  rDev -18.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Another in a long line of beers provided by the legendary woodychandler. Poured from a 12 oz. can. Has an orangeish color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is of piney hops. Taste is piney hops, bitter up front, malts kicking in towards the finish. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall is a decent beer, but I was not blown away by it.

Serving type: can

09-06-2012 20:11:25 | More by tone77

sommersb

Tennessee

3.78/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Tasted On: 08-28-2012
Freshness: Not indicated
Packaging: 12 oz. can
Glassware: Signature glass
Purchased: Single from Publix, Huntsville

The pour yields a crazy huge off-white head, filling my glass 90% full with foam. Once I can see the beer it's a clear and bright copper color. Lacing and head retention are excellent.

Smells are big and hoppy, giving off lots of citrus and pine aromas. Other aromas include caramel malts and alcohol. The taste also dominated by the bittering hops and citrus like grapefruit. The malts make a showing, but this one is mainly focused on hops.

Body is full, but the super-high carbonation is annoying. The finish is bitter and strong and leaves tastes of earthy, piney and citrus hops.

Overall a very flavorful IPA, but this can had some quality issues marring it.

Serving type: can

08-29-2012 02:06:52 | More by sommersb

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

4.65/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This was an unexpected gift from longtime friends, UncleJedI and PurpleHatJoan, on our most recent get-together, this time in Madison, WI for the GTMW. Many thanks!

Nothing on the CAN of note other than the graphic of the screeching monkey. If Bitter Ameri[CAN]'s monkey was bitter, this little guy is outraged!

I am getting used to a spray from the Crack as I open a craft CAN, so this was business as usual. I employed an inverted Glug, resulting in two-plus fingers of dense, foamy tan head with great retention. The nose was big with pine hops, reminding me of the upcoming "Repo Man" tribute album on Ameri[CAN] Laundromat Records. I was a pre-order, so mine will come with a pine tree air freshener since you find one in every car. Color was a deep amber with NE-quality clarity. Mouthfeel was dense, viscous with a taste of caramel malt and pine hops on the tongue. Beautiful! Finish was semi-dry with the hops winning the battle with the caramel malt, but just barely. This is a really good AIPA and my thanks again for the present! Lots of nice sticky lacing remained. I would definitely give this some cooler space.

Serving type: can

08-28-2012 00:44:12 | More by woodychandler

ronny

Alabama

3.93/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured into from a 12oz can into a Dolle Witte 33cl squared tulip. Nice medium honey color with about a 1" oatmeal colored head. Foam clings nicely to the glass while collapsing in the center. A nice, mostly floral aroma with a little spicy note and some alcohol. Taste is true to the American IPA style, a bit dry, somewhat crisp and hoppy throughout. I'm not too sure about the mouthfeel, there is something that seems a bit confused on the back end, but I can't quite put my finger on it.

This is nice American-style IPA and I would probably drink more of it if it were not for the price. I'll continue to support the STA folks since this is a local brew, but at premium prices, it is hard to justify every week.

But I can be coaxed into drinking several of these if someone else is buying. I do like IPA's and this is a nice version of the American style, well worth a try, in my opinion. I love the fact it is made locally, but if I had no tie to Huntsville or NASA (monkeynaut,get it?) I don't know I would buy it more than once.

Serving type: can

08-25-2012 04:07:18 | More by ronny

RuckusDu

Colorado

3.48/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A cool extra, nice to get to try some AL beers. 12oz can into Funkwerks tulip.

A - There is maybe a finger or so of light beige head. Body is a little cloudy and straight up amber.

S - Light notes. A little more woody on the pine aroma. Very smooth.

T - It starts off with a great malty backbone before the hops hit your palate. Bitterness lingers for a while on this one. Seems to be so balanced at the start and then goes crazy. So you get that woody/biscuity flavor and then some harsh hops. Grapefruit rind.

M - Pretty average. Nice carbonation and body. The presence is good.

O - A nice little beer. Good to try a new state. I could see this being a good little barleywine if one was to let it sit for a few years.

Serving type: can

08-03-2012 00:33:30 | More by RuckusDu

barleywinefiend

Washington

3.48/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Poured a golden orange color with good carbonation leaving a nice white cap

S: Plenty of citrus and flowers with a big blend of bread and caramel.

T: Caramel malt and breadiness hosts citrus notes with a light pine needle, light booze and hop bite to remind you it is an IPA. The finish is moderatley bitter but sweet, sticky and syrupy like extract

M: Nice, balanced,a little to sweet, what seems to be faded hops, caramel and orange zest sit on the palate

O: Clean it up and balance it out a bit

Serving type: on-tap

08-01-2012 12:22:06 | More by barleywinefiend

elgiacomo

Georgia

3.68/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz can, no date but told it was around 2 weeks old. Served at around 40F.

Pours lightly hazy amber with a huge foamy off-white head that eventually recedes to a small foamy cap and leaves some clumpy lacing behind. Had to pour this in multiple stages due to the excessive carbonation/head.

Aroma is a big citrus blast, mostly orange, sweet pink grapefruit, a bit floral and piney, some yeasty/bready and caramel notes as well. Very good strength.

Flavor is strong citrus hops, orange, tangerine and grapefruit, some pine, a bit of caramel/bready malt in the middle offering just a bit of sweetness, finishes with strong bitterness and a tiny bit of alcohol. Malt picks up a bit as it warms.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied, a bit oily, very sharp, strong carbonation.

Very nice IPA. Extremely citrusy which I love. The yeasty notes in the aroma and extreme carbonation knock it down a peg, but still very enjoyable overall.

Serving type: can

07-15-2012 18:41:00 | More by elgiacomo

brentk56

North Carolina

4.23/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Arrives with a modest head laying on top of the clear amber liquid; streaks of lace are left behind

Smell: Caramel and herbal, pney hops; a little spicy

Taste: The malt lays down a caramel backbone, with the resinous, piney hops building through mid-palate; nicely balanced into the finish with a leafy, spicy character

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation

Overall: A bit more like a hoppy amber than an IPA but still quite good

Serving type: on-tap

07-11-2012 13:42:59 | More by brentk56

GPHarris

Alabama

4.23/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

a - poured a three-fingers thick light tan head into an english pub glass. the body was a bright copper color.
s - big piney hops with some nice caramel sweetness.
t - up front big-time with piney hops but there is a nice balance here too.
m - medium thickness, creamy.
o - loved this beer in a can, so quaffable.

Serving type: can

06-18-2012 14:57:45 | More by GPHarris

emerge077

Illinois

4.03/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks Jim for the generous post-fest freebie. Awesome can graphic of a reluctant and/or awestruck primate astronaut.

Color is a saturated dark orange with bright clarity, with lasting foam and drippy concentric rings of sticky lace. A floating island veil of skim hovers for the remainder of the glass.

Some herbal greens and funky citrus rind notes in the aroma, slightly dank in that wet green way.

Moderately bitter at first with a balanced supporting caramel malt middle, lingering orange peel and citrus notes throughout. Medium bodied with light carbonation, nice hoppy aftertaste that lingers. One for the deep south hopheads...

Serving type: can

05-31-2012 01:28:10 | More by emerge077

MasterSki

Illinois

3.83/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to the d0b for the share. Served in a FoBAB taster pint.

A - A finger-plus of creamy foam slowly settles to a cap, leaving minimal lace - nice retention. Transparent amber body with tiny bubbles visible.

S - Fairly malt-forward, with sugary and crackery notes balanced by herbs and grapefruit rind. A hint of brown sugar flavor in there as well. Definitely an East Coast IPA.

T - Taste has quite a bit of lemony citrus, as well as mild pine and herbal notes. Some sugar cookie malts balance things out before giving way to fairly high bitterness in the finish. Again, quite East Coast in terms of balance and alpha acids.

M - Smooth, creamy, medium body, with some resinous residual hop oils, and a dry, toasty finish. Pleasant moderate carbonation.

D - Solid IPA, and quite impressive for Alabama.

Serving type: can

05-25-2012 18:45:54 | More by MasterSki

AgentMunky

Alabama

4.08/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at the J. Clyde. From notes. Reviewed 9 June 2011. Listed as 7.3%.

A: Clearish, orange, no head. Pretty.

S: Orange peel, citrus juice, resiny hops.

T: Really nice. Well-balanced. Fruity (lots of grapefruit) with perfectly balanced piney hops. The maintaste is sweetish (from both fruit and malt). The aftertaste is bitterly hoppy, but not dry.

M: Robust, lightly carbonated, and good -- there's nothing to criticize.

O: Good American IPA. Strong, drinkable, and pleasurable. Recommended. Would drink again.

EDIT 25 January 2013: Poured from a 12 ounce can into a tulip glass (thanks to xxcarpxx!). Might be a little old.

No real change, except that this iteration is less hoppy and more sweet. Creamy with fruit and a lightly bitter aftertaste. I still really like it.

Serving type: on-tap

08-04-2011 15:11:45 | More by AgentMunky

bushwhacker

Alabama

4.47/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This enjoyable brew 'appeared' to me in the form of draught with a color of slightly orange-hued amber (slightly color blind). White foamy twoF head with good lacing. It had a delicious typical citrusy piney heavy hoppy smell that made my mouth water. I enjoyed the balanced ingredients of this brew with a very good mouthfeel and aftertaste. I liked this brew very much and would recommend it.

Serving type: on-tap

07-26-2011 00:03:08 | More by bushwhacker

dnrobert24

Alabama

4.47/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

On tap at the J Clyde, this was my first full pint of monkeynaut after sampling it at the Magic City Brewfest. All in all, thiis about the perfect ipa. Amber to orange and clear with a fluffy head, the aromas of this baby are five star. Orange, grapefruit, with a bouqet of flowers--there is a lot going on. Body and mouthfeel are spot on. I tasted no alcohol poking through, unlike a lot of ipa's I have had recently. The bitter is balanced by the sweet and it goes down so smooth. The malts seem there mostly there as a supporting cast to the real star: the hops. Definitely worth seeking out if you are a hophead.

Serving type: on-tap

07-09-2011 05:46:51 | More by dnrobert24

woosterbill

Connecticut

3.85/5  rDev -2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at the J. Clyde into a shaker pint.

A: Clear amber body, a shade darker than medium; practically no head, but the whisp of off-white bubbles sticks around throughout. Not a great pour, but not an ugly beer.

S: Pungent piney hops dominate, backed up by some toasty malt. Decent.

T: Pine and grapefruit hops lead things off, followed by some nicely understated caramel malt. Cleanly bitter finish, with a touch of chalky yeast. Enjoyable.

M: Smooth medium body with ample, fairly lively carbonation.

D: Fairly clean and balanced. Not quite juicy enough to make me thirsty for more, but definitely not a struggle to finish.

Notes: This one was recommended to me by the bartender after he informed me that the Good People Pale Ale had kicked. While I don't think that this beer was up to the same standard as the one I wanted, it was a tasty brew nonetheless. It's great to see more quality beers coming out of Alabama.

Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

01-09-2011 19:51:53 | More by woosterbill

SteveLyman

Michigan

4.05/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

To begin,

A small half inch silvery white head, with a decent lacing throughout. When looking at my glass,there is a golden orange sunset color.

The smell is of a typical American IPA, grapefruit and lemon citrus aroma. The kicker at the end is the strong pine notes.

The taste is much the same as the smell. Grapefruit taste at the very beginning, but ends in a fresh evergreen pine.

The is a great beer if you are looking for a refreshing taste on a Friday night.

Serving type: on-tap

11-13-2010 04:20:43 | More by SteveLyman

ncfranklin

Alabama

4.33/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at The Nook in Huntsville, Al

A : A murky brown/hint of red with a solid finger cream head. Reasonable amount of lacing.

S : Piney & cirtrusy hop notes, small level of caramel maltiness underneath.

T : Upfront with the piney hops hitting hard, but quickly balanced by a smooth level of malt. None of the light citrus note from the smell, but not lacking in a robust flavor. A smooth finish with a long hop aftertaste.

M : A nice medium-body with a creamy feel. Leaves a very nice cleanness to the mouth afterward, with a small tingly touch. Not hugely carbonated, just enough to give texture.

D : Very well balanced makes it extremely drinkable. This is a standout IPA from a new brewery. Coming back from a west coast IPA binge to find this reputable brew is a real treat.

Serving type: on-tap

08-01-2010 20:35:16 | More by ncfranklin