Golden Monkey - Victory Brewing Company

jsprain1

Minnesota

3.45/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A- Cloudy golden. Head is neither voluminous or as long lasting as I would like. Some lacing.
S- Banana and some spice. Primarily fruity but there is definitely some spice in there. The banana and the spice seem more in competition than complemention here though.
T- The same problem persists here. It starts with a fruity flavor, but it somewhat gets overwhelmed by the spice character in the finish.
M- Compared to the paragons of the style it is too light and not creamy enough in the carbonation.
O- A decent triple but not one of the better ones out there. A bit disappointing for me considering the level this brewery usually performs at.

Serving type: on-tap

04-13-2011 03:20:48 | More by jsprain1

y2jrock60

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Golden in color with a big white bubbly head that dissipates quickly but does slightly lace.

S- Sweet with a hint of fruit, mostly pineapples and melon. I believe I detected noble hop aroma as well.

T- Very unique. Contains a variety of different flavors. The beer is spicy upfront but fades into a fruity mixture of pear, melon, and pineapple. That then fades into noble hop bitterness that lingers mellow on the tongue until the next sip.

M- The high percentage of alcohol can be detected by the warmness. This beer is best sipped.

D- Very drinkable for a big beer, but there's no reason to drink more than three at a time.

This is the first Tripel I've ever had. It reminds me a lot in appearance of a pilsner. It also has hints of noble hops. This beer was very complex and delicious.

Serving type: on-tap

03-08-2011 06:37:46 | More by y2jrock60

PorterLambic

Florida

3.5/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear yellow with a good-sized white head. Little lacing to speak of after it dissipates to a thin film.
Smell is fairly light with notes of banana, malt and bread.
Taste is choppy with citrus and malt lighter.
Fairly effervescent with a dry finish. Medium bodied. Decent, even good though not great.

Serving type: on-tap

03-02-2011 02:13:38 | More by PorterLambic

bskrtz

Illinois

3.18/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Served cool in glass beer goblet, on tap at The Yard House

A) Golden brass with modest white puffy head that disappears quickly. Light travels through -- there is no yeasties or sediment.

S) Sweet and spicey, with clove, banana and citrus.

T) Malty sweet caramel, mild peppery spice, apricots and raisons.

M) "Sticky" and a bit flat. This could be the result of the distance from the keg to the tap -- a long way as the beer appears to travel overhead, across the room and faraway

D) The spice, the texture and lack of effervesence (that one expects from true Belgians), put me off. One was enough for me

Serving type: on-tap

02-27-2011 15:47:12 | More by bskrtz

happy4hoppybeer

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Drink by date is 12/9/15

Pours a rather boring yellow/light-orange with almost no head or lacing. Aromas and taste of malt and spice sweetness come through, but with too much carbonation.

A medium body that relies too much on carbonation. The 9.5% ABV is very well hidden.

This is the first Tripel I have had, so I can't say how well it captures the style,having had no others to compare it to. Just a little too sweet for my liking. But a good brew nonetheless.

Serving type: on-tap

02-07-2011 06:29:04 | More by happy4hoppybeer

mountsnow1010

Vermont

3.25/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A - frothy white head, amber. Slight lacing.
S - Green apple, pear, slight cheesy funkiness
T - Grain, clove, banana, spicy slightly, alcohol. Very sweet, moreso as it warms. Bitter aftertaste
MF - Fairly bubbly, clean.
DB - 1 and done.

Quick review, have to go.
On tap at Market Cross Pub.

Not a great beer, missing a lot of complexity that other strong belgian-style beers tend to have. Too grainy and sweet in my opinion. Good, not great.

Serving type: on-tap

02-02-2011 01:10:50 | More by mountsnow1010

ninaturner

Florida

4.58/5  rDev +23.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Appearance: Very bright gold with a two-finger head.

Aroma: Bitter smell right off the bat. Spices and herbal quality shines through.

Taste: Again, bitter taste but also a good balance with a sweet honey-like quality. Favorite part about the taste is the herbal character and bitterness. Great aftertaste compared to other beers of this style. However, does not seem to fit in well with other tripel styles. I still like the taste, though.

Mouthfeel: Light mouthfeel, moderate carbonation. Very good.

Drinkability: Although it is not as comparable to other tripels, I still enjoy the drinkability of it and the earthy herbal qualities. This is something I would enjoy on a regular basis.

Serving type: on-tap

12-20-2010 19:53:09 | More by ninaturner

SassyBootblack

Colorado

3.93/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the local Old Chicago, bless their hearts. I feel like this stands taller in my memory than when I had this in the bottle ages ago.

Appearance: A crystal clear gold color. Thin white head.

Smell: Phenols and, I'm guessing, some sort of noble hop.

Taste: Big pepper and phenol taste. Sweet pilsner flavor to counteract dryness.

Mouthfeel: Approriately thin for a tripel.

Drinkability: Dangerously drinkable, like all good strong Belgians.

Serving type: on-tap

11-11-2010 17:59:32 | More by SassyBootblack

homebrew311

Illinois

3.6/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: appears a bright gold, slightly hazy- mostly clear, foamy white head, some retention

S: funky yeast, toasted bread, cloves, and honey

T: the clove character hits heavy on the front with a little bit of bitterness to balance it out, the Belgian yeast comes through and gives the beer a spicy finish

MF: high carbonation, medium body

D: this is a nice American Belgian style brew- very authentic tasting, however I have had some that are done better (Allagash comes to mind)

Serving type: on-tap

09-04-2010 23:46:03 | More by homebrew311

ryanonline

Florida

3.73/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Looks nice and clear, a deep golden color with a thick white head. Decent lacing.

Smells yummy. Caramel malt, candied fruit, spice (clove and coriander), faint floral hops.

Taste is a bit too fruity (apricot) and spicy( the clove and coriander become overbearing ) and a little hot, a bit grainy as well. But overall not bad.

A bit thin bodied, borders between creamy and foamy. Dry bite, kind of watery.

Moderate to good drinkability.

I expect a bit more character from a triple, this one holds back a bit too much. Still drinkable though.

Serving type: on-tap

08-15-2010 05:03:53 | More by ryanonline

mostpoetsdo

Rhode Island

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

A: Light, but bright yellow, with a good haziness to it, and a vibrant white head on top, good lacing.

S: Has notes of cloves, spicy-citrus, and some banana, but quite faint overall.

T: Upfront taste of citrus and cloves, with various spices. Tastes almost bready to a degree. Sweet malty taste mixed with a little hop bitterness.

M: Has a good smoothness to it due to a decent carbonation. Little to no alcohol burn.

D: Very good, but the high ABV keeps it down, and I can see the citrusy-spicy flavor getting old. Decent beer though.

Serving type: on-tap

08-12-2010 15:07:14 | More by mostpoetsdo

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

2.95/5  rDev -20.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Pours a clean pale yellow color with a withe head. In the aroma, dry candy sugar and alcohol. In the taste, alcohol stands out and a dryness from candy sugar and yeast. A smooth and medium bodied mouthfeel, with a semi dry alcohol aftertaste. Very clean, but kind of standard.

Serving type: on-tap

08-07-2010 14:21:21 | More by OWSLEY069

adkirkish

Florida

4.05/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Clear, golden yellow, non persistent white head.

A: Sweet bready malt, banana / tropical fruits, and belgian yeast aromatics.

F: Flavor profile matches the aroma w/ a slight tinge of bitterness in the finish. Balance is towards the malt and belgian characteristics.

M: medium across the board (Body, Mouthfeel, Carbonation). No alcohol warmth and at 9.5 is very cloying.

O: IMO this beer had some belgian IPA qualities, especially in finish. Also, the alcohol was very well hidden behind the hops ;) Does not come nearly to terms to "Tripel" as others in category (Appearance/Taste), but tasty nonetheless.

Serving type: on-tap

08-05-2010 02:24:03 | More by adkirkish

pretibrwneyez

Pennsylvania

4.75/5  rDev +28.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Had this beer on tap during Philly beer week 2010.

Exceptional color and taste. The smell was exceptional. I liked it so much, I had two and tuned my friends with me onto it.

I am going to buy a few cases of this and share with only the friends I like who could savor the flavor and respect the beer.

Serving type: on-tap

06-15-2010 02:54:59 | More by pretibrwneyez

Zekezilla

Maryland

3.63/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Had this at the Baltimore Beer Festival, was probably one of my favorites. Had all of the fruit/spice combinations that I would expect. Alcohol content high but the taste is not boozy. Hard to tell exactly what appearance was, as they gave us cups that were hard to see through.

Serving type: on-tap

04-28-2010 23:46:11 | More by Zekezilla

glid02

Georgia

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

On-tap at Twain's in Decatur, GA.

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

Smells of pears and bread-y sweet malts. Also present are mild amounts of clove.

Tastes similar to how it smells. Sweet malt flavors up front have a bread-like heft backing them up. Midway through the sip light fruit flavors come into play - mostly pear but with hints of banana. Very mild spices enter into things right before a crisp ending.

Mouthfeel is good. It's got a nice thickness with moderate carbonation.

Drinkability is also good. I finished my glass without a problem and could have another.

Overall this was a solid tripel but nothing to write home about, good for fans of tripels that are malt-dominant, as opposed to those dominated by fruit flavors and spices. Worth a shot if you see it around.

Serving type: on-tap

03-22-2010 23:30:22 | More by glid02

mdfb79

New York

3.38/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Drank on tap 1/16/10 at the Iron Horse in DC.

a - A nice golden color with a decent amount of while head. Little carbonation.

s - Smells fruity and a little boozy. Also smells of yeast.

t - Kind of taste like it smells. Smooth but kind of hoppy eventually.

m - light to medium body, little carbonation, pretty smooth .

d - It was a decent beer, not the best tripel I've had but I would try it again.

Serving type: on-tap

01-17-2010 07:29:06 | More by mdfb79

BTPete

New York

3.15/5  rDev -14.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Victory Golden Monkey

tripel, tap @ savannah's - albany, ny

A: golden, perfectly see through with little to no head. What little head was there dissipated away as I drank from DFH snifter.

S: a little earthy, citrus, slight banana.

T: this one seems smooth but not as complex or inviting as I'd like. Good, not great.

M: a little thin, wishing for more carbonation on this. Complex style, not mastered here.

D: I drank it and might sample again, interested in tap v bottle. I found it hid the alcohol decently well and gave me a nice smile on lunch break, didn't invite me back for more though. Lunch on the other hand was excellent.

Serving type: on-tap

01-13-2010 18:21:15 | More by BTPete

donniecuffs

New Jersey

3/5  rDev -18.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Poured a hazy golden/orange with a bright white head, but not long-lasting or very lace-worthy. The smell was blood orange, orange peel, pineapple, lime, and a very dominant alcohol factor. The flavor yielded all of these flavors and then some, but it was all upfront, with very little dissolve, and a very strong alcohol finish. Very imbalanced. The texture was nicely carbonated and medium-bodied, but the combination of super-sweet and strong alcohol essence was not pleasant.

Serving type: on-tap

10-13-2009 18:48:16 | More by donniecuffs

Arbitrator

California

3.08/5  rDev -16.8%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

On tap at Buffalo Billiard's in Austin.

A: Poured a cloudy, well, golden color with a substantial orange tint to it. The bartender poured it to the line in the Golden Monkey snifter, which looked pathetic because it had only the slightest ring of foam swirls (leaving the headspace mostly empty). Retention was mostly in the donut, which didn't leave any lacing. Kind of a flaccid look for a tripel.

S: Yeast, substantial yeast. Bananas and a dry, earthy hop note.

T: Yeast and earthy hop soup. I was hoping the banana esters and malt would be stepped up a bit, but it's fairly restrained, letting the body roam toward a semi-dry side. Peppery near the finish. This is pretty weak in flavor for a tripel, to be honest.

M: Light-bodied, moderate carbonation (could use quite a bit more). Semi-dry finish. But very well hidden ABV. I was surprised to find out in retrospect that this was nearly 10%.

D: I wasn't too enthusiastic about finishing this, and moved onto something else afterward. Not something I'll have again.

Serving type: on-tap

09-17-2009 17:29:21 | More by Arbitrator

philipquarles

Louisiana

3.05/5  rDev -17.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

On tap. Pours a very clear gold (who'd have thought?) with a small white head. Smells quite sweet, with notes of citrus and banana, as well as a bit of spicy yeast. Tastes very sugary, with a lot of lemon and other fruit. A bit peppery. Warming finish. Light-medium body. Over the top and too sweet for a tripel.

Serving type: on-tap

08-17-2009 05:15:00 | More by philipquarles

Mebuzzard

Colorado

2.23/5  rDev -39.7%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

I'm gonna say that this one was spoiled from the tap. However, I'll still review it, b/c maybe it's not.

Had this at Falling Rock in Denver. Pours a light golden, clear color. Very small head that didn't stay around long. Not a good start.
The smell of sweet corn calls out DMS spoilage. Some coriander and orange peel, but not much. A flat feel to it, too bad. Nothing else going on with this beer. The DMS is in the nose mostly, some in the taste. I didn't finish this one and left it downstairs.

Serving type: on-tap

07-25-2009 09:26:40 | More by Mebuzzard

cnally

Indiana

3.7/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

decent hazy orange-yellow, maize even coloring...very slight white head falls down quick.

floral, orchard fruit aroma. overripe apricots and apples, fermented plums, scented well.

the flavor borders between sour yeasts and a slight bitter hop. the apple flavor is very evident, with a taste of clove hiding behind there.

frothy feel, not very slick. not overdone on the carbonation. I would have liked a touch more body.

not one I would seek out again, strictly because it is hoppy enough to pass for a poor belgian pale ale, but soulless for a tripel.

Serving type: on-tap

07-22-2009 01:53:20 | More by cnally

IceTrey9785

Virginia

3.28/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

I had this on-tap at the Victory Brewery.

A: Pale straw color, very dense and cloudy. A lot of white lacing around the edges, but it doesn't last long.

S: Cloves, spices, maybe a subtle hint of hops, but nothing overpowering. The yeast really steals the show out of everything, but at 9.5% the alcohol will burn if you inhale too deeply.

T&M: Nice and rich -- very complex. Layers of bread, cloves, allspice, honey and wildflower. This could easily be any hefeweizen with a little bit of mead thrown in. As it warmed, I got hints of candied ginger too. A lot going on as far as complexity, but the alcohol is always the lasting impression.

Overall -- not a bad beer. There are better tripels to be found (most definitely from Belgium), but for an American "try" -- not too bad. The alcohol really shows on the nose and palate and overwhelms what could be a great beer. I definitely couldn't have more than one (God forbid I ever try...). Victory usually does great stuff, but this is a little over-done. A simple decrease in alcohol from 9.5% to maybe 8% or 8.5%, would make a world of difference.

Serving type: on-tap

06-07-2009 21:12:45 | More by IceTrey9785

champ103

Texas

4.4/5  rDev +18.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a golden/orange color. A one finger white head forms. Light lace is left behind.
S: Sweet malt up front. Some funky barnyard aromas with some grass, hay, and yeast. A light citrus hop bite as the aroma lingers.
T: Sweet malt with some fruity flavors. Banana, apple, pear, and spicy clove. Funky barnyard flavors that I love. Some hoppy citrus flavors.
M/D: A medium body with a crisp snap of carbonation. The beer becomes more creamy as it warms up. Very refreshing. Incredibly smooth and easy to drink for the high ABV. I can do more than sip on this if I am not careful.

This is one of the better American Tripels I have had. Something I would highly recommend.

Serving type: on-tap

05-11-2009 00:18:46 | More by champ103