Monks' Ale - Abbey Beverage Company (Monastery of Christ in the Desert)

beergoot

Colorado

3.33/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Had this on tap at Eske's Brew pub in Taos, NM...

Crystal clear amber; very thin head. Slight fruity esters and light bread notes in the smell. Taste was very mild. Some banana and clove with a faint biscuit flavor. Off-kilter, light bitterness. Light, water consistency.

I couldn't get too fired-up about this beer. Seemed bland and non-distinct overall. Not a bad beer, just blase...

Serving type: on-tap

07-15-2012 22:41:12 | More by beergoot

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.3/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Monk's Ale

Pours a medium amber/brown color, short livid off white foam and little lace. In the aroma, expressive Belgian yeast strain, caramel, and suggestions of wort. In the taste, mellow abbey yeast strain with a soft fruityness upfront. Caramel and raw grain flavors. Most flavors are complimentary but mild. Highlights the yeast pretty well, with a very light noble hopping and light grain bill. Mouthfeel is medium bodied, a touch thin and carbonated well. Overall, an OK sessionable, no frills Belgian style brew.

Serving type: on-tap

03-19-2012 18:25:16 | More by Stinkypuss

ZenAgnostic

Texas

4.43/5  rDev +26.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Tapped into a tulip. The bartender told me it was a Flemish Sour Ale, and so I graded the beer under that (apparently false) assumption.

Appearance - Dark ruby clear body. Tight one finger off-whtie head with great retention and low-decent stick.

Smell - Sour. Tart. Vinegar. Raspberries.

Taste - VERY sweet. Bitter. Metallic finish. Tastes like cranberry and grape juice.

Mouthfeel - Starts out with a clean, very refreshing body. However, the finish is thick and kind of syrupy. It does the opposite of thinning out. Very strange dynamic, but I'm not saying it's a bad thing.

Overall Drinkability - Very good. Very flavorful. Delicious. Can get a little too thick over time, but fortunately the next sip promises to start of refreshing. It's a... viscous cycle. Get it? Haha, I make the best puns.

Serving type: on-tap

10-28-2011 22:23:44 | More by ZenAgnostic

brentk56

North Carolina

4.38/5  rDev +25.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Monk's Cafe, which seems an appropriate place to try this beer.

Appearance: Arrives at the bar with a hazy amber color capped by a finger's worth of foam; a few sheets and a number of shards of lace are left behind

Smell: Light fruits and herbal elements combine along with a hint of toffee

Taste: Toffee malt, up front, with a developing light fruit flavor; hoppy bitterness adds balance, by mid-palate and although the hop bill is Germanic, they taste more English in style; there is a peppery yeast character that arrives, after the swallow, but the finish tilts toward the sweeter malt flavors

Mouthfeel: Very Belgian, with a light to medium body and a soft carbonation

Overall: A really nice hybrid beer, with elements from all of the major brewing traditions combined in a sessionable ale

Serving type: on-tap

06-15-2011 13:50:55 | More by brentk56

Deuane

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A-Slightly hazed copper kissed golden yellow with a medium bright white head reduced to a thin cap and left attractive decorative lace.

S-Lightly sweet biscuit malt with pleasant notes of apple/pear and a rather sharp zing of dank, earthy hops.

T-Pleasant fruity notes up front with apple and pear being dominate with lightly hints of citrus rind in the background. Biscuit malt sweetness adds a pronounced bready profile and adds balance. This one is very unassertive and unassuming yet very enjoyable and interesting at the same time.

M-Medium-light bodied and rather sharp with lingering fruit notes and hop bitterness.

D-A simple, yet enjoyable and highly drinkable brew. I can see why the monks that make beers such as this keep it for themselves to power through their day! Possessing a low ABV with enough flavour to keep things interesting this is a brew that is easy to enjoy.

Serving type: on-tap

11-14-2010 13:28:10 | More by Deuane

glid02

Georgia

4/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From beernews.org: It's along the lines of the beers Trappist breweries produce for the monks themselves to drink but don't sell commercially (such as Westmalle Extra and Chimay Doree). A 1.052 (13 degrees Plato) beer, it's 4.7% abv and 16 IBUs. The grain bill included two-row pale, honey malt and aromatic malt, and Monk's Ale was hopped with Hallertauer, Styrian Goldings and Czech Saaz.(Brew Like a Monk Sept. 25, 2005)

The Monastery of Christ in the Desert, Abiquiu, New Mexico, U.S.A., was founded in 1964 by Fr. Aelred Wall, OSB, with monks of Mount Saviour Monastery in New York state. In 1983 the Monastery of Christ in the Desert was received into the English Province of the Subiaco Congregation as a Conventual Priory and in 1996 became an autonomous abbey.


On-tap at Monk's Café.

Pours a hazy yellow-golden color with a one-finger bright white head. The head recedes into a thin layer on top leaving solid lacing.

Smells of light malts with crisp medium fruits - pears mostly - and moderate amounts of earthy hops.

Tastes similar to how it smells. Neutral light malt flavors kick things off and are joined quickly by smooth and light medium fruit flavors. Slight amounts of breadiness work their way into things midway through the sip, as do earthy and light citrus hop flavors. The hops carry through to a crisp and mildly bitter ending.

Mouthfeel is good. It's got a smooth thickness with active carbonation.

Drinkability is also good. I had no problems finishing my glass and could have another.

Overall this was a solid beer for the style, it didn't try and do too much. A simple and fairly drinkable beer that's worth a shot.

Serving type: on-tap

10-31-2010 18:55:26 | More by glid02

tempest

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Had a glass at Monk's Cafe for $3.50. This is an interesting Belgian ale, it sort of came off like a Belgian-style bitter or extra pale ale. My only complaint is that there's a slight vinegar taste, a sort of dry astringency that takes away from the mouthfeel. Still, there's a lovely candied fruit aroma with toasty malt below that carries over into the flavor. It's a light and drinkable beer, but needs a touch more sugar.

Serving type: on-tap

10-20-2010 02:27:46 | More by tempest

bleeng

Texas

3.73/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at the restaurant in Albuquerque. Served in their glass=nice. Light brown and filtered and a bit too cold. Nose is malts and sweetness-this has all the makings of a dubbel. Taste of malts, candi sugar, lightly spiced, alcohol is present but not overwhelming. Body is light and fluffy, very drinkable. Goes down very smooth and the flavors really come out after the beer warms up. Will search out this in bottle.

Serving type: on-tap

06-05-2008 03:21:10 | More by bleeng

edisonst

Virginia

3.88/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I had this beer out in Santa Fe recently. It is only available on tap now and I wanted to say that I have read the previous reviews for this beer and they do not do it justice. I have had hundreds of belgians and american micros. I feel this was the best balanced, most drinkable and finest crafted beers I have had on tap in the U.S.. Maybe I just had a good keg or the fact that there are few places in Santa Fe that have great beer. But all things considered I was very jazzed to have an american Monk Ale and I was not disappointed. I am proud to have enjoyed their holy brew!

Serving type: on-tap

05-29-2008 02:28:21 | More by edisonst

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.4/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear, slightly darker amber. Minimal head. Has a slightly sweeter edge with a nutty tone and deep body. Full and frothy on the mouth. Might be a bit too heavy for some for a session beer.

Overall I can't say I was entirely impressed by this production. In no way did it remind me of a Belgian brew at any level. (though before I departed the NM area for good, someone told me they changed the recipe...so maybe it will be better) It will be the first brew to be produced by an American monastery in 100 years when they get their facility set up on the grounds, but I can't say I felt there was anything special about it. I am wondering if the tap I had it from was not the best at the time. I plan to try it again and keep an eye out for other productions from the company/monastery.

Serving type: on-tap

12-30-2007 05:38:09 | More by RblWthACoz

UCLABrewN84

California

3.48/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear orange with a foamy 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, candied fruit, yeast, and spices. Taste is much the same with spice flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of spice bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer that tastes better than it smells.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 04:50:43 | More by UCLABrewN84

nach0king

Texas

3.48/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Quite light for a Belgian pale ale but one that, if you like spice, will grow on you:

A: The head went a bit too quickly but it was lovely before that, and even after there was some creamy lacing. A deep, metallic copper.

S: A little bit of spice and grains - nothing bitter on the nose at all.

T: You can tell it's quite heavily hopped but at the same time there's some clove-y funk and a great deal of spice. Really this rounds all the bases. Gets better as you drink it.

M: Tiniest bit of effervescence gives way to chewiness.

This would be readily sessionable. As it stands I want to try their other stuff.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2012 01:56:37 | More by nach0king

soulfly1492

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Aroma: Nice aroma, starts out with mild fruity esters, some spicy phenols. Some banana and clove. Big bold flavor overall. Moderate pine and citrus hop bitterness.

Appearance: Deep gold with orange highlights. Hazy. Small yellw and light orange head dissolves after 60 seconds or so. Some lacing.

Taste: Fruity esters, apricots, spicy black pepper, moderate clove. Hops are mostly citrus. White sugar. Malty sweetness, nutty malt flavor.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light body. Creamy, slick and oily. Finishes mildly dry, expecting dryer from the moderate hop bitterness and spicy phenols. Low carbonation.

Overall: Savory brew that's easy enough to drink. The hops and spice are a bit high, but the esters help to balance.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2012 23:24:03 | More by soulfly1492

DavidST

Texas

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

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a tulip glass, couldn't find a freshness date. This pours a dark amber color with an okay off white head. The smells are of light hops and belgian yeast esters, but mostly of malts. The feel is okay medium. The taste is okay also a slight hop bite and some yeast esters, mostly malts though.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2012 04:49:51 | More by DavidST

rinhaak

Massachusetts

3.55/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I was extremely excited to find this beer at the Belgium Cafe in Philadelphia. I've been tremendously curious about the beers from the Monastery of Christ in the Desert for a long time, and anxiously poured the beer into the goblet.

Unfortunately, the beer didn't quite live up to my expectations.

I was initially struck by how little it resembled a Belgian Pale Ale. The Belgian yeast flavor was tucked in the background behind a huge upfront caramel and grainy malt flavor. I was similarly surprised to discover the beer has only 18 IBU, as, at least to my palate, it seemed surprisingly bitter, with a long grassy hop finish. Mixed in was the flavor of a cardboard cereal box.

This wasn't a great beer, though it was certainly drinkable. I would be tremendously curious to learn their recipe, as it was so markedly different than what I expected from the style. However, it wasn't so unusual that I don't want to try the other offerings from the monks.

In short, if you see it, go ahead and try it. But don't go to far out of your way to track it down.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2012 14:43:00 | More by rinhaak

OneDropSoup

Pennsylvania

3.1/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Poured into a stemmed tulip: Transparent reddish-amber body with gold highlights under a finger of loose, frothy head that drops to a thin coating & leaves some webbed lacing around the crown.

Smell is of a thin, Juicy Fruit kind of fruity bubble gum, with a little bit of pepper & a flinty, metallic sort of ring. A little pineapple, slightly musty.

Taste starts off with the fruit gum character again, then cuts it off halfway & turns to a kind of weak graininess, corn-like, even, with more flintiness. Finishes with a dull kind of orange, maybe a little tea. Nothing offensive but pretty flat & hollow.

Medium-light-bodied, some sweet body but coupled with that flinty flatness that's not so great.

Taste qualification pretty much sums it up: Nothing real offensive here, but in a lot of ways resembles macro taste & feel. Reminds me of a faux-craft brand attempt by the big boys.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2012 21:33:32 | More by OneDropSoup

enbotellabuey

New Mexico

4.2/5  rDev +20%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I think that this beer is a bit underrated. It is listed as a Belgian Pale Ale, putting it in the same style category as Orval, Rare Vos, and other heavier more complex Belgians. I think that it is supposed to be a simple Trappist Enkel, which isn't listed as a style in advocate. The characteristics of this 'Enkel' are similar to a Dubbel or Tripel--only lighter. It is lower in alcohol than either of these, likely due to an absence of candi sugar.

I drank this beer on Super Bowl Sunday in a New Belgium globe with the laser etchings on the bottom. The head retention was good, keeping a solid 1/4" or so the entire time. This helped bring out the aroma a bit, which is somewhat subdued compared to the bigger Belgians.

The flavor of the beer, while not overwhelming, was very pleasant and Belgian-like. It has the clove/fruit taste that is common in many Belgians, along with the peppery bite from the Saaz hops. It apparently uses the Orval yeast, but without the Brett. So, no barnyard or medicine.

The mouthfeel was very good--again similar to a Dubbel or Tripel.

It pairs pretty well with food, although the Belgian quality is subtle enough that it is somewhat lost with heavy or spicy foods.

I will definitely buy this beer again. I would even like to try to brew a clone if I can get the recipe.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2012 06:20:59 | More by enbotellabuey

Pegasus

Texas

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

Appearance: Hazy reddish-golden in color, with a large, persistent white head, slght carbonation, and fine Belgian lacing.

Aroma: Sweet malt, spicy hops and coriander are notable in the aroma, as well as apricot rinds, and citrus.

Taste: Opens with a mildly sweet note, and prominent fruit notes of apricots, and oranges. A bread malt backdrop is present throughout. Later in the taste, earthy and spicy hop notes appear. Finishes with a mild, lingering herbal hop bitterness.

Mouth feel: Smooth, soft, quite pleasant.

Drinkability/notes: I rather liked this, perhaps its not strictly to style, but it is is till very pleasant and drinkable.

Presentation: Packaged in a twelve-ounce brown glass long neck bottle with a pry-off crown, served in a standard Pilsener glass.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2012 16:58:31 | More by Pegasus

hopfacebrew

Colorado

3.13/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Picked up a bottle at the build your own six pack section at Lukas in Lonetree. Bottle appears to be dated 0211. Poured to snifter glass.

A - The beer pours a perfectly clear slightly light amber color. No sediment. A very small 1/4 finger white head with little retention though decent lacing.

S - The belgian yeast is most dominant though also a slight fruity ester. Not a lot of aroma though not terrible.

T - The beer starts with a sweet malt character. The belgian yeast comes through with a strong clove flavor, a bit of banana, apple, and spice. The middle of the beer brings an odd off-flavor. The beer started quite pleasant but finishes anything but. The beer finishes with what can best be described as skunky. It's odd and out of place. The beer seemed fresh.

M - Decently carbonated and light mouthfeel.

O - Pretty average brew. I wish I knew what caused the off-flavor on the tail end of the beer. If not for the skunk it would have been pretty solid.

Note: This review was a re-post from my former account, jmkratt, which was hacked and I lost all my reviews...sorry for the redundancy.

Serving type: bottle

Reviewed on: 03-26-2011 18:19:23

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2012 22:27:22 | More by hopfacebrew

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

2.68/5  rDev -23.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Pours a clean orange-ish color with an off white head. In the aroma, light fruitiness and small notes of caramel and nuttiness. In the taste, light caramel, nutty, and a small fruity sweetness. A small bite and medium bodied mouthfeel, with a dry fruity caramel in the aftertaste. Too nutty and caramel for a Belgian pale, eh!

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2011 20:51:33 | More by OWSLEY069

SWMeyer4141

Texas

3.48/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Left at the house...Poured into a tumbler...

Appearance-A hazy dark yellow body with a 2 finger nice frothy off white head. Pretty nice retention and lacing on the glass.

Smell-Sweet malts, lemon, and some spice.

Taste-Very earthy beer. Grassy, Grainy, taste's like the outdoors kind of if that makes any sense. Sweet malts and some subtle lemon flavors.

Mouthfeel-Light bodied, Pretty highly carbonated, but very easy to suck down.

Overall-With whats on the market not sure if I'd purchase this again, but I would prefer this over alot of gas station/grocery store beers.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2011 22:37:24 | More by SWMeyer4141

cowace2

Oklahoma

4/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Looks like a hazy pale ale, very nice and hearty. Smell isn't anything special.

Maybe the most flavorful low ABV beer I've found. Great balance and a great malt mix. A bit lighter than I like from the style. The low ABV is kind of nice too if you're looking for something to drink all night.

A better than average beer; I have to give it some extra love for how and where it is made. It comes from a real functioning abbey, it is so genuine and humble. It is the polar opposite of AB/Coors/Miller/et al and I love it for that.

Quality is great for the price also, $7 for a sixer at the store and $3.50 for a bottle at the local bar.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2011 02:47:34 | More by cowace2

Rayek

Colorado

3.58/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured carefully into one of my favorite glasses, Monks' emerges a slightly hazy orange tinged amber. A small eggshell head falls fairly quickly to a ring a the beer's edge and leaves just a bit of lace.

Monks' is mostly fruity, with pear and green grape. A light clove and pepper spice offsets the sweeter aspects of the beer. A hint of bittersweet toffee, plus a light sourdough note rounds things out. Warming the beer improves things considerably. The light body could stand a bit more carbonation.

According to the brewery's website, the yeast strain comes from Orval, which explains some of the beer's characteristics. Overall, this beer slowly grew on me as it warmed over time. It was a nice pickup.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2011 00:35:16 | More by Rayek

Mebuzzard

Colorado

3.43/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A bright brassy color pour. Clean and clear. White foam seemed to be confused as to settle down or stay. Splotchy, and I like that.

Spice up front on the nose. It's quick and tingly. Biscuit is next, rounded down with some citrus and zest.

Biscuity is the first thought on the taste. Wet dough. Spices break this up and allow the hops to attack the palate. Perhaps attack is too strong of a word, but they are there. Lemon and orange zest. It seems the monks should receive an 'A' for effort, but I think they have some tweaking to do. The flavors are there, just chaotic, imho.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2011 20:02:19 | More by Mebuzzard

allforbetterbeer

Colorado

3.93/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a snifter. Possible freshness date on label, but it is not clearly marked.

Pours with a slightly cloudy amber/orange body under a finger of white head that rather quickly fades to a thin layer on the surface. This looks rather lackluster compared to an actual Belgian Pale ale from Belgium, but it looks fine for an American version.

Smells of light juicy-sweet hops, light sweet pineapple, and with some swirling, a touch of golden toasted malt.

The taste gives center stage to some bready, yeasty, (and rather rich) malts. These are paired closely with some Belgian yeast notes (slightly phenolic). The hops that were so prevalent in the nose (maybe that was partly yeast?) are subtle here, and they add a small measure of bitterness.

The mouthfeel is smooth and forgiving, with lighter medium body and soft carbonation.

Conclusion: First of all, let me say I really like this beer. It isn't the usual take on a Belgian Pale Ale, and since the Belgians themselves care so little about the mundane idea of "style guidelines" I will choose not to as well when I review a Belgian style beer. This isn't like other Belgian pale ales I have tasted, but it is good and interesting, and thus I like it.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2011 21:54:58 | More by allforbetterbeer