Golden Monkey - Victory Brewing Company

brewdude1982

North Carolina

4.13/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This was 12 oz bottle poured into snifter

It poured a faint opaque orange with a huge frothy head. It smelled kind of sweet with a normal tripel yeasty smell. It has a nice sweet taste that fades to a surpringky nice belgium characteristic. I say this because i am not a huge brlgium fan. Very pleasant mouthfeel. A little weak but on point for a Belgium style beer. Overall I would say this is a great beer and since it rocks in at 10% it is a definite regular in my beers I would order at a bar.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 00:10:50 | More by brewdude1982

BEERMILER12

Maine

3.83/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Enjoy By Aug 28 2015

A: Pours a golden yellow color with 2 fingers worth of bubbly head that recedes to a fingers worth rather quickly but retains well from there

S: Belgian yeast, which imparts some spiciness and light fruitiness along with the typical banana and clove notes. Also get some light herbal hops and alcohol

T: Not nearly as much banana or clove as the nose would suggest, but more of the herbal hoppiness and other spices and some apple and pear. Alcohol provides a dry phenolic note, which isn't bad but it doesn't help the beer either

M: Medium bodied with moderate-high carbonation. Slightly chalky

O: Not as good as its European counterparts, but still a solid take from an American brewery. If the yeast was as present in the taste as it was in the aroma, it would be better. The taste just lacks a little from the nose. Not sure the price can get any better though. Nearly 10% and its under $10 for a 6-pack. What a deal

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 20:46:04 | More by BEERMILER12

AmitC

Indiana

3.88/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Deep yellow in color. A lot of suspended yeast. Hazy and unclear. Very few bubbles are seen rising up. About two finger thick off white colored head that stays as a thin layer. Excellent Belgian lace on the sides as the head fades.

Somewhat complex with moderate spiciness, some fruity esters. Some spicy, pepper and clove like aroma. Fruity smell is typical of banana and a bit of hefe. Some Belgian yeast is felt as well. Slight malt character. No apparent alcohol. May be some noble hops.

A good blend of spices (clove and pepper taste), yeast smoothness and some faint alcohol. Very hitting touch on tongue. Carbonation and very slight bitterness leaves a dry finish with a lowly bitter aftertaste.

Medium-light body, very lighter despite the alcohol strength. Effervescent. No astringency. Alcohol is not felt, but provides some warmth.

Maltiness is a bit lacking. Drinks like an ordinary Belgian strong pale ale.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2013 23:57:22 | More by AmitC

WastingFreetime

Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Reviewed from notes.

Pours out a lightly hazed sunny golden color with a brief burst of fizzy foam that settles back to a floating 2mm raft that is remarkably stable for several minutes, no real lacing of note. Medium body and carbonation levels.

It's got the banana, clove, and coriander combo of a staple tripel in a very nice and balanced ratio... but not much else. Perhaps it's a bit too boozey hot in the nose with a fresh bottle, but a month or two of storage can clear that right up. This one works well as an acceptable substitute for more expensive imported tripels if you don't mind some roughness around the edges and a lack of dark fruits, floral and grassy hopping.

So in summary, it's got all of the core elements of a solid, well-made Tripel, but none of the garnishes or fancy flourishes on top of the core elements that some of the fancier Tripels on the market have.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 22:34:05 | More by WastingFreetime

BierStein711

Illinois

4.14/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Best example of the style I have ever had! I made the mistake of having two. My stomach is paying for it. I am afraid the ABV was little too bold for me when it comes to my nightcaps.

Bottle poured into snifter. Two and a half finger off-white head, and yeast flakes are present!

Straw gold in color

Smells of barley malt, coriander, clove, oats. Smells like a witbier to me!

Tastes: Coriander, clove, spices, herbal hop finish! This is a very medicinal beer!

Overall, this beats Westmalle for me! This is a go-to Tripel for me. I say this because I am not too enthused about Belgian beer. Although I enjoy many beer styles, Belgian ones aren't my typical fancy. However, this is a great American example of how bold and drinkable a Belgian beer can be for those of us who are more about American Craft than Belgian.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 12:00:24 | More by BierStein711

Kelpius

3.53/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Clove overtones with a light mouthfeel. Certainly a good bang for the buck beer and good for folks who like a bright tasting beer. Not a palate wrecker, but inferior to the very similar PranQster from North Coast. I consider this a bargain currently.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2013 05:28:53 | More by Kelpius

Huffs

New York

3.38/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a Sam Adams glass and developed a nice white head which had some good lacing. Lacing and head quickly dissipated. Color was straw and cloudy. Aroma was very strong in the alcohol department with hints of grain and malt. Taste was also strong with the alcohol and hints of citrus and malt, fairly sweet overall. Mouthfeel was full and somewhat creamy.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 23:30:12 | More by Huffs

ummswimmin

New Jersey

3.73/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I poured the Monkey into a tulip glass. There was plentiful foam and a strong golden coloring. The look definitely matches the name.

The smell is a good example of a belgian blonde/golden. I like the belgian yeastiness going on in the nose.

The flavor is good, but just unbalanced. I like the banana in there. This tastes like a decent dubbel (don't know why it is called a trippel).

This is a decent belgian. I would order it on tap as a decent option.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 02:44:10 | More by ummswimmin

BucannonXC5

California

3.4/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Type: 12-oz. bottle
Glass: Stone pint glass
From: Holiday Wine Cellar in Escondido, Calif., on Dec. 27, 2012
Price: $19.99 for a variety 12-pack
Misc.: Box said enjoy by March 10, 2013; Also a long and uninformative spiel about a monkey which really didn’t speak to the beer.

Poured a golden clear color with 1-2 fingers of white head that had good retention from the get-go. Minimal lacing on the sides. Decent retention on the top all the way down.

Smelled banana, cloves, Circus Peanuts candy, nutmeg, pepper and kiwi.

Got a strong taste of alcohol, initially with not much behind it. Still got banana, cloves and Circus Peanuts candy, but all subdued because of the alcohol. Some spices in there as well, but hard to put my finger on what kind. Sweet and sugary as well.

Medium body. Oily texture. Lively (above average) carbonation. Astringent strong finish.

Not a bad beer, but I wouldn’t say it was a great beer. The flavor was lacking in my opinion, but the alcohol strength was there.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 05:10:44 | More by BucannonXC5

TheMultiYeast

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. bottle. Hazy yellow with three fingers of white head..nice lacing.

Nose is pretty spicy, yeasty, chalky, mildly phenolic and sweet.

Taste is much sweeter, less complex than nose. Lots of banana, spice forward, very little alcohol, bready, restrained bitterness.

Light body for a tripel but has a nice dry finish.

Some decent stuff.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 05:53:53 | More by TheMultiYeast

chinchill

South Carolina

3.25/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle served in a Corsendonk chalice.
Golden-peach colored with a white head that has very good retention and leaves the glass well coated.
Aroma: full, spicy and fruity, with some bready malt, but a bit dank and overly floral. [1.75]
The body is medium with good carbonation.
Taste: rich, spicy and complex, but a little too sweet. Also too yeasty for my tastes, The alcohol is noticeable in the aroma, the flavor and the feel.

O: compared unfavorably in about every respect to the Maredsous 10 Tripel that preceded it.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 01:31:52 | More by chinchill

SeamusDoyle

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a light yellow gold, high carbonation leading to a large bubbled off white head that hangs in valiantly for some time. Aroma is bursting with banana, clove, some bubblegum, lemon, apricot, and yeast. Taste is delicious; more spicy herbal notes mixed with bready malt, yeast, clove, banana, a hint of coriander. Mouthfeel is very lively and lush. Finish is bitter-sweet with a strong peppery kick and some alcohol heat in the throat.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 19:14:53 | More by SeamusDoyle

ColdWaffles

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A local favorite. Served in a Sam Adams prefect pint. This will mess you up quick if you session it.

I've had many a Golden Monkey in my day. I recall hating it in my early craft experience (read: I still bought Blue Moon) for being booze-y One of the better ways to get really messed up in North (or really, the Greater area) Philadelphia without going to a local bar while still drinking something good. Golden Monkey is a 9.5% spiced tripel that's pretty frequently available at Philadelphia bars and/or beer-serving food marts.

Appearance: Deceptively looks like any other macro beer. An inexperienced beer drinker may think this looks like a Budweiser. Keeps a nice head that clings to the glass.

Smell: Slightly booze, but if you're a Golden Monkey (or spiced, or tripel veteran) not uninviting.

Taste: A pretty spiced tripel. First taste may be rough, but you'll get used to it if you stick it. A good beer. ABV per dollar outside of Philly bars, you can't go wrong... Whether you want a delicious drunk or a slight buzz with good taste. Heavily spiced, much better than "normal" tripels in my own opinion.

Mouthfeel: A moderate mouthfeel.

Overall: it's the regional go-to for tripels. Weyerbacher has a decent winter seasonal, but Golden Monkey is what's up in the Greater Philly. Get to know it, you won't regret it.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 00:33:42 | More by ColdWaffles

Immortale25

Florida

4.38/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured into a Magic Hat #9 pint glass. No readable freshness date.

A- Pours a medium gold color with a 3/4 inch white head that retains well before slowly descending to an 1/8 inch head. Thick, sudsy lacing.

S- Lovely bouquet of wheat and Belgian yeast springs from the glass. Rich and crisp with very little alcohol detected.

T- Clean but yeasty flavor with some clove-like spice. Alcohol is very well-hidden. Some fruity esters and a slight tinge of malt. Hops are subtle but there.

M- Medium-high carbonation results in a semi-spritzy drink. Light body.

O- This was one of the beers that led to my fascination with Belgians around the time I turned 21. I remember revisiting it a couple years ago after having had some more refined and revered tripels and saying "Why did I like this so much? It's nothing compared to other better tripels." However, now that I sit down and examine the details, I realize that the reason this beer is so good and so popular is because it really hides the alcohol in a way that many other Belgians (American or Belgian-made) don't while still containing all the great characteristics of the style. It's not on my top ten list, but it deserves all the credit it gets IMO.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 03:46:23 | More by Immortale25

Cavanaghty

Maine

2.75/5  rDev -25.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance: Hazy yellow with one finger of white head that lingered for a long time.

Smell: Some citrus and cloves.

Mouthfeel/Taste: Smooth medium bodied. Tasted like orange juice mixed with alcohol, real sour taste. Little bit of wheat and cloves.

Overall: I have had much better Tripels, I wuill not buy this one again.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2012 22:07:06 | More by Cavanaghty

LeRose

Massachusetts

4.43/5  rDev +19.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Golden Monkey is an Instant favorite. Deep golden pour, lots of frothy, creamy head with significant lacing. Yeasty, malty, sweet/honey, butterscotch/caramel on the nose. Great yeasty flavor, sweetness not overpowering, but just a tad thick on the mouthfeel. Thought the finish strangely dry for the sweetness and viscosity. This was a very flavorful and well-balanced brew in my opinion, can find some bitterness but have to look hard for it. This one’s a keeper! I'm told to age it a year and try it again, but I don't have near enough discipline to pull that off.

Reviewed from notes.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2012 19:10:38 | More by LeRose

M_C_Hampton

Georgia

3.75/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: poured from a 12 oz bottle into a chalice, bright golden color with a 1.5" white foamy head that dissipates slowly leaving good lacing, slightly hazy, steady stream of bubbles

S: lots of esters and complex alcohols, spices, banana, yeast, bread, nutmeg, clove

T: heavy on floral sweetness up front bordering on soapy, clove, fades to a bitter taste with a heavy finish, aftertaste is quite strong and astringent

M: quite oily quality that coates the mouth, heavy carbonation, very noticeable alcohol

O: not a bad beer but some qualities miss the mark a bit on the style, alcohol content plus oily quality and heavy aftertaste make drinking a bit more of a chore than it should be

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2012 00:18:41 | More by M_C_Hampton

kangarooAdam59

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Best by March 9, 2015:

In my snifter:

A: golden colored body that left a one finger white foamy head that gently settled into the body after a minute. The body was too hazy for any carbonation to be seen rising, which is as far as I know, that's the way it should be. Some light speckled lacing here and there lacing dotted the sides of the snifter.

S: spicy and had the Belgian yeast a bit more subdued, light coriander coming out as the beer warmed.

T: spicy with a pretty good combination between the spice and the Belgian yeast.

M: medium with some light sharpness on the tongue, the high ABV didn't make this too un-drinkable, balanced was the path that Victory chose and was shown here.

O: well, I'm glad I tried this even if I'm not much of a fan of the lighter Belgian brews, because at least this one did it for me. I might eventually look for this again especially with the fact if the brewer says it doesn't expire for another three years, I have all the time in the world.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2012 01:03:05 | More by kangarooAdam59

BeerDocT

Georgia

4.13/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Served in a chilled tulip glass.

-Appearance 4.0: Poured out a beautiful, cloudy honey color. Strangely small head for a Tripel, but a striking-looking beer, nonetheless.

-Smell 4.0: First thing that hit me was the unmistakable Belgian spicy yeast. Also picked up hints of citrus and malt.

-Taste 4.0: Front is tangy with a very interesting dry biscuit flavor. Middle is also dry, but with very nice notes of sugars, like what one would find in Golden Syrup. Finish is malty and this is where the Belgian spiciness kicks in. Aftertaste is short, but features more of the malt and a *slight* taste of hops.

-Mouthfeel 3.0: I found the mouthfeel somewhat pedestrian given that this is a Tripel. It needs more of an "oomph" factor; the same factor that is present in so many Belgian examples of the style.

-Overall 4.0: A good Tripel, which is miles better than your average beer. Still, there are many flavor notes and highlights that are completely missing from this brew. There is entirely too much dryness present in this beer and it is missing so much of the depth of flavor that one would find in a Belgian import. Still, this will do in a pinch! Victory should be proud of being the best thing from Downingtown, PA since...ever.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2012 23:10:48 | More by BeerDocT

cyclonece09

Virginia

4/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a snifter. Pours a nice dark yellow straw color with a large white head that leaves really nice lacing. Smells very highly of citrus and grain nice balance. Tastes of sweet grain, sight citrus, and slight yeasty tone, very nice. Beer is surprisingly light bodied and perfectly carbonated. Overall, a very good beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 02:00:37 | More by cyclonece09

rodney45

New York

3.48/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A: Extremely clear amber, with a small, quickly fading head.

S: Notes of sour apple, munich malt, and cherry.

T: First taste profile is a tad sour, with the main flavors being apple, corriander and clove in small measure. Secondary notes of semi astringent bavarian hop, with a touch of candied belgian sugar. Dry finish.

M: Light and moderately carbonated. No hint of alcohol ethers.

O: Its a good triple, but very americanized. This beer has a one dimensional flavor quality that is its only downfall. Aroma could be improved, but is quite exemplary of the style. I would def have again, but im glad i only bought one in a mix 6. A lot of better beers out there.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 09:59:24 | More by rodney45

mooseo

Pennsylvania

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

12oz bottle into tulip.

A - Hazy golden yellow with a big white head.

S - Tart apple, banana, honey, Belgian yeast, herbal spices.

T - Sweet and bready malts with juicy apple, pear, and banana. Belgian yeast, clove, and pepper blend in to make this a very tasty brew. A slight earthy hop bitterness along with a hint of alcohol is evident on the finish.

M - Smooth, creamy, medium bodied. Crisp bright carbonation, warming alcohol.

O - A surprisingly easy drinking Tripel with pleasant flavor. Although this beer didn't blow me away (for the style), I have to give props to Victory for the low price point and sheer enjoyment it provided.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2012 00:19:45 | More by mooseo

gcamparone

Rhode Island

3.28/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a Samuel Adams pint glass. Purchased at Wakefield Liquors in Wakefield, RI.

A- Golden yellow, crystal clear. Small head that disappears within a minute. Minimal lacing.

S- Dark fruits, wheat, white grapes, alcohol

T- Wheaty, grapey, hops in the background. Somewhat harsh and peppery. Bitter aftertaste, but I can't really tell if it was because of the AVB or hops. Tried it twice and got this both times.

M- Light with medium carbonation.

Overall, I was somewhat disappointed with this beer. I will try other, higher quality tripels to get a better feeling about this style.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2012 00:10:45 | More by gcamparone

BurgeoningBrewhead

Pennsylvania

3.76/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Poured into chalice. Cloudy yellow-orange with a thin white head from a careful pour. Smells of banana bread and belgian yeast. Taste is smooth and sweet at first, only decaying into that belgian yeast taste at the end (which is why I find this one drinkable). Mouthfeel is relatively full, a bit fizzy.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2012 07:44:10 | More by BurgeoningBrewhead

russwbeck

Virginia

4.08/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This is a go to beer for me. Finally taking the time to review it. 2012 and 2011 side by side.

2012

A: Semi-clear yellow pour with about a finger of pure white head. Big, frothy white head that sticks around forever and coats the side of the glass with lacing. 4.5

S: The aroma has a spicy character, with big belgian yeasts, candied sugar, and a slight amount of booze. The balance is there, with spice and banana taking the spotlight. Booze is noted, but isn't overwhelming. 4

T: The spice and banana assault the palate, but they really overcome the alcohol I expected. Belgian yeasts and sugar start the taste off, which transition quickly to the bananas, slight booze, and spice. The finish is sweet with fruit being the most noted flavor. 4

MF: Light to medium body with an average amount of carbonation. This beer is as drinkable as it gets for 9.5%. Nice twinge of carbonation, great balance to hide the booze, and a really nice finish. 4.5

O: This is one of my go-tos in PA. It's not overly expensive and it tastes great. It's a beer I wish I could drink more often. 4

2011

A: A little bit more hazy yellow pour with the same, big white head. Retention and lacing are top notch. You can't even see through the glass where the head has been. 4.5

S: The booze and sweetness is much more prominent. The spice character has stepped back, but the overall mellowness is a nice addition. If I had to pick one word to describe it, I'd say sweet. 4

T: The taste is a lot different. WOW, I can't believe these started as the same beers. The freshest version is better, I''ll say right off the bat. This is a little watery at time. But overall is mellow, with the booze, sugar, and banana playing very well together. While the taste is different, and I prefer the 2012...I'm still giving this a four. I think it still tastes great and I like the changes that have occurred over the last year. 4

MF: Light to medium body with a below average carbonation. It's a bit more smooth on the palate, and the mellowness only helps the drinkability. 4

O: I wish I put another bottle down to age. I think this beer has changed over the last year, and is very interesting. I won't, however, say that it's better. I would prefer the freshest version, but I can see it continuously changing over the years. I'd say grab one to drink, grab one to age, and find out for yourself what you think. 4

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2012 22:24:39 | More by russwbeck