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

UCLABrewN84

California

3.31/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.25

Pours a murky light yellow with a foamy bone colored 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, grain, wheat, and some subdued yeast and spice aromas. Taste is much the same with earthy, spice flavors on the finish. There is a mild 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 an above average beer that is drinkable but seems unrefined in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 04:22:55 | More by UCLABrewN84

mactrail

California

3.4/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

This tastes like a cross between Coors and a Witbier. Pale golden color with a modest head but persistent carbonation. Faint lemony flavor with a warm malty tang. Not much hint of hoppiness, but there is a scratch of bitterness. A negligible amount of spice flavors.

A light but decent quaff. From the 12 oz six-pack bought at a market in Albuquerque.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 05:58:05 | More by mactrail

bennetj17

Arizona

3.05/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pale yellow color, with less cloudiness than expected. The head is somewhat thin, but it does hold nicely around the edges, while the lively streams of carbonation rise from below. The aroma has a sharp coriander note, with a melon-like sweetness. There's a bit of an off note in there, sort of a chemical/cleaning product character, not overpowering, but certainly not good.

The flavor has a citrusy, orange peel sweetness, that starts out a bit tart before mellowing at the finish. The lemony sourness seems a bit intense for the style, though fortunately after a few sips the impact wears off and the drinkablility is do-able. Mouthfeel is thin, which would be alright, but the carbonation is slightly thin as well, and you need that foaminess to give the effect of a richer feel.

The problem with this beer is the lack of effort. Sure it's a halfway drinkable brew that could work on a hot day, but what is going to keep me coming back for more? Anyone can make an average Witbier, how about making a truly great one?

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2012 05:51:44 | More by bennetj17

18tony

Texas

3.83/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

look: yellow with a nice cloud inside.

smell: floral, sweet.

taste: like white tea with honey. when it comes to being unique, this one is way up there. no hop profile. freash. great for my hot tx summer time.

light in body but with it seemingly unfiltered there is some texture there.

this is a good beer for sure. even more it's a good alternative.

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2012 17:14:10 | More by 18tony

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a cloudy yellow with a 1/4 inch of fluffy head.

S - Kind of mild but I can pick up some lemon, orange peel and coriander.

T - Kind of confused with the low rating, does everyone hate widely available Witbier's? It has a mild yet refreshing flavor of fruity yeast, squeezed orange, and a touch of drying spice.

M - Light bodied and easy to drink.

Overall like the Blanche De Bruxelles only a touch more dry. Again it's light, refreshing, cheap, and sessionable.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2012 05:44:12 | More by DrDemento456

BryanCarey

Texas

2.75/5  rDev -18.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Monk’s Wit pours to a yellowish/golden color with a touch of haze. The nose is mild, but if you search, you will find hints of yeast, clove, coriander, fruit, grains, and even a little cardboard.

This beer has a taste that doesn’t surprise. It has flavors one would expect based on the aroma, including light spice, banana, wheat, and some sour lemon. The sourness is only slight and it doesn’t last very long. The taste returns to the other core flavors in a few seconds.

Monk’s Wit isn’t anything great, but it isn’t a bad beer either. It is a tad more watery than I prefer, but I agree that it makes a good session beer that most consumers will at least find to their liking, even though they will be far from impressed.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2012 03:38:10 | More by BryanCarey

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Abbey Beverage
Monks Wit

Pours a hazed straw color, bone white head and little lace. Aroma of Belgian yeast, with some citrus, lemon, floral notes and a touch of banana. In the flavor, more of the same, banana like notes with citrus, mild bitterness and a wheat malt twang amidst a strong breadyness. There is some spice (pepper and dried orange peel) and the Belgian yeast leaves its fingerprints nicely. Sessionable and simple, not a bad choice to drink on a hot summer day or with a hearty pork and cheese platter.

Serving type: on-tap

03-19-2012 18:27:28 | More by Stinkypuss

LXIXME

New Mexico

3.45/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from about an inch above the glass gives this beer a medium sized white head above a clear golden colored light bodied beer.

Aroma is sour lemon, yeast, light spices, and a hint of banana.

Lemony citrus hops with a slight yeast taste that leaves a slight lemon citrus dry aftertaste.

A pretty decent wit beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2011 20:56:17 | More by LXIXME

JerseyKirk

New Jersey

1.93/5  rDev -42.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

A: Semi filtered look. Opaque enough to see objects through the glass. White 1.5 finger head.

S: Earthy, soy like aromas.

T: Slight lemon peel. Oddly misplaced spicing. Really odd pairing beer. Smell doesn't match taste. Taste doesn't match style.

M: Semi sweet.

O: Not a good take on a witbier.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2011 02:41:28 | More by JerseyKirk

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

2.85/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Pours a lightly hazy pale yellow with a white head. In the aroma, orange citrus and a dry wheat smell. In the taste, a mellow spice and a light orange citrus. A spice like bite and a medium to lighter bodied mouthfeel, with a semi dry spice of cinnamon in the aftertaste. It looks watered down, everything else is just about average.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2011 20:48:51 | More by OWSLEY069

thain709

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - Served with a cloudy, hazed pale yellow body...two fingers of white head formed and receded to a small, yet full cap...nice lacing was left behind

S - There is some light spice coming through (coriander, black pepper) along with some yeast and fruit...mainly banana

T - First sip provides a slight twang, not a metallic twang but almost a sour vibe...the yeast shines through in the middle with some wheat malt...the ending is nice as it combines the spices (light again), creamy fruit (mainly banana), and some sweet caramel

M - Medium bodied...little carbonation and very creamy

O - I've passed on this in a bottle, but saw it on draft and it was a pretty hot day and thought a nice Witbier would quench my thirst...that it did...the nose could have used more presence and if that twang was eliminated this would have been a very good beer

Serving type: on-tap

09-15-2011 12:12:58 | More by thain709

Nerudamann

Arizona

3.48/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle into a mug/stein glass.

Look - fairly light straw-like color, clear, with good carbonation and about half a finger's worth of almost grayish colored foam that dissipates quickly.

Smell - a little cereal like, so maybe a little malty and probably heavy on the barley.

Taste and Mouthfeel - more spicy in the taste than what's noticeable in the smell. The spices aren't strong, but they do make a pertinent impression on the taste. Texture is pretty well balanced. A slight feel of bitterness in the finish, but mostly sweet.

Overall - not a bad brew at all. Not terribly interesting in taste, but not boring either.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2011 03:23:58 | More by Nerudamann

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

2.95/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Another interesting beer brought to me courtesy of local trader, tone77.

In my field persona of Brother Woody of the Order of Disorder, I am a Trapped monk who is often described as being quite the wit, so this is right in my wheelhouse. I prefer the subtle humor of Brother Juniper (http://www.comicstripfan.com/newspaper/b/brotherjuniper.htm) and Brother Sebastian (http://mikelynchcartoons.blogspot.com/2008/02/brother-sebastian-carries-on-by-chon.html), but any monk's wit is sure to be good.

From the bottle: "made with care and prayer".

As with the previous wit, two pours, one gentle then one aggressive.

Gentle pour: In this iteration, it looks like Greg Koch beer - fizzy and yellow. I got a finger of fizzy bone-white head that dissipated fairly quickly in the heat and humidity of the day. Color was a pale lemon yellow with NE-quality clarity and an abundance of CO2 bubbles. Nose had an odd sourness that I hope does not translate into taste. I could not really place it, but it caused me to sneeze repeatedly. Mouthfeel was rather thin, especially with all of the carbonation and the taste was kind of weak and muted. I could tell that there were some spices involved, but it was more like a simple wheat beer. Finish was equally lackluster and I will pray that a post-agitation pour will be better.

Post-agitation pour: I still had a finger of bone-white head, but the retention seemed to improve. The color took on a slight haze, but nothing off-putting as in big chunks of lees. Nose, taste and mouthfeel remained unchanged. Finish was perhaps a little spicier, but not enough to make a difference.

Bottom line: Go ahead and swirl this in the bottle before pouring. There were not enough lees to have it make a difference one way or the other.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2011 20:18:17 | More by woodychandler

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle. Has a light golden color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is alive with citrus and spice. Taste is good, coriander and citrus are present but more subdued compared to the smell. Feels full bodied in the mouth and overall is an enjoyable beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2011 14:05:01 | More by tone77

TexIndy

Texas

3.53/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass. "0211" lasered onto bottom of front label so guessing that is a bottling date. It was a hazy, pale yellow color with some carb bubbles. It had a good sized white head that settled into a constant thin foam cap. Good lacing with plenty sticking.

The aroma was good but a bit subdued. The usual citric, wheat and corriander just not as strong as the better ones in the style. The taste followed suit. Standard elements but a little watered down. Not bad by any stretch but I like mine with a little more spice in it. Mouthfeel was medium but needed some more carbonation. Watery after-taste.

Overall, a good middle-of-the road wit that while very drinkable just didn't stand out and make me want to buy more of it or buy it instead of my favs in the style. Newly available here in TX. Rotation - maybe on-tap if visiting NM but probably wouldn't buy more for reasons above. Do recommend if it's this or the usual BMC fare though. [N;O]

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2011 01:53:27 | More by TexIndy

mdaschaf

Washington

2.98/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Thanks to THECPJ for tossing me on of these for the NM tick.

A: Pours a slightly hazy, very light straw/yellow color. Lots of carbonation release. Small white head that sticks around and leaves some pretty good lacing.

S: A bit subdued, but there is defintely some light sweetness, a little wheat, and light fruits, orange peel and lemon.

T: Not as much going on here as I would have hoped. Light wheat and a little bit of fruit, but seemed a bit watered down.

M: Light bodied with moderate carbonation.

O: Nothing special here. A somewhat watered down witbier. After reading some of the other reviews, I am a bit puzzled. Did not get much in the way of spices at all.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2011 00:51:40 | More by mdaschaf

emmasdad

Colorado

3.1/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Picked this one up as part of a mixed six pack at Lukas last week. Poured a crystal clear light straw color with a little white head. Aromas of coriander, yeast and light citrus. On the palate, this one is light bodied with flavors of Belgian yeast, coriander and lemon.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2011 02:30:38 | More by emmasdad

THECPJ

Delaware

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

Reviewed from notes.

appearance: golden yellow with an one finger white head

smell: citrus, coriander, belgian yeast

taste: citrus, coriander,

mouthfeel: mild carbonation, thin to medium body, refreshing

overall: not an outstanding brew but definitely a beer I could drink on a warm summer day. Was shocked that I was able to locate a New Mexico beer in central PA.

Cheers,
The CPJ

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2011 02:51:05 | More by THECPJ

allengarvin

Texas

3.95/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a Val Dieu chalice glass. Monk's Wit is a quite pale yellow-peach color. The small head the initially formed quickly disappeared but for a slight film. The nose is spot-on: light citrus-peel with a dusting of coriander and lots of fruitiness. Quite decent flavor as well, with plenty of coriander giving a pleasant herbal spiciness. Hop bitterness is higher than some wits, cutting the sweetness. Lots of fruity yeast character.

This is a surprisingly good wit. I hope this brewery can take up a traditional abbey style, and put as much care into it as well.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2011 01:44:47 | More by allengarvin

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev +18.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Monk's Wit pours a hazy yellow gold body beneath a short head of bright white foam that drops steadily but manages to leave some nice streaks of crooked lace about the glass.

The aroma suggests a lightly sweet, wheatish malt base along with some fruitiness (apple, soft lemon), a touch of citrus peel, and a bit of spice (mainly coriander). It's clean and bright.

The flavor delivers what the aroma suggests, and it's well balanced with a slight tartness, a moderate bitterness, and a restrained hand in spicing. It finishes fairly short, and dry, with some mild residual spice and chalkiness. Interestingly, the coriander which is normally fairly dominant, is quite tame here despite the fact that you can pick it out in the nose.

In the mouth it's light-medium in body with a slight caress from the moderate, fine-bubbled carbonation.

Delicately spiced and remarkably well-balanced, Monk's Wit is quite drinkable and refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2011 18:04:48 | More by NeroFiddled

crusian

Texas

3.83/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

bottle from local shop, lots of sediment at the bottle, can see it without opening it.
Reviewed by style:
Pours a nice cloudy white with very little head, with this style I expect more head. Belgian yeast on the nose with a bit of coriander and a tiny hint of lemon and some pepper.
Taste is what I would expect, but has more lemon zest on the palate than the nose gives. Something sweet in this, but it doesnt hit you until the finish, oddly enough. Finish is very dry, quite nice. If I was to guess, i wouldnt think this was made by monks in the desert of New Mexico. Pretty decent foray into beer for a start up.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2011 00:31:51 | More by crusian

rfgetz

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev +24%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a pale and slightly hazed, yet bright straw color, nice pook of white bubbles that linger and leave good lacing. Scent is big on spices (fresh ground corriander, touches of white pepper and ginger even) with the yeast and fresh bready grains lagging slightly behind, faint hints of candied fruit trail on the end. Although big in the scent, the spices are wonderfully balanced and fresh tasting, the fresh bready grains and belgian yeast blend perfectly and all components of taste balance qonderfully. Lighter in body and a tad more bubbly than many wit beers, dry on palate. A nice suprise from a brewer that is just starting to gain traction.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2011 14:23:16 | More by rfgetz

mattgreger

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

This brew poured with a wonderful yellow, hazy color. It has a very small white head that didnt have any retention. Little lazing followed, just a bit of a ring as brew was consumed.

There is a nice hit of floral aromas in the front of this brew, almost a bit tart. There is some nice spice aromas as well, especially clove. There is a bit of citris as well, and a finish with a bit of a yeasty/bready ending.

As you take the first sip there is a nice strong clove and a spice flavor bunch that is quite good. There is a bitt of a sweetness in the brew, maybe a touch of honey that compliments the citrus flavors very well. It actually gives the brew a nice balance as the final flavors you get are the nice yeasty/bready flavors that carried over from the aroma.

The carbonation helps actually bring the flavors from the brew alive. Carbonation is very active, making this brw nice a creamy, but bring the tartness and sweetness to the front. Its pretty good brew.

The drink on this brew very easy. A great brew to enjoy on a hot day. This was a very good Wit. This could also be a very good session brew.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2011 02:17:56 | More by mattgreger

tempest

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +21.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Picked up a single at Abe's Cold Beer and poured a tall, fluffy white head. I was immediately struck by the spice in this wit. It's almost a touch biting at first, but it's very pleasant and the beer's finish is balanced. The aroma has a big raw wheat and cracker note with a hint of yeasty bread dough and light, herbal citrus. The flavor is bright at first with creamy lemon (like a pie) and vanilla toast. The beer closes with a mild, soft bitterness, but there's a lovely clove note. After trying the Monks' Ale I wasn't expecting such a fantastic wit, but this was one of the most interesting wheat beers I've had in a while. It reminds me of Sierra Nevada's Kellerweis for the fresh character and level sessionable complexity. Find this beer and enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2010 04:36:59 | More by tempest