Golden Monkey - Victory Brewing Company

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

3.8/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Bill and Ron encourage me to enjoy this sometime before January 2009 and I figured I'd be happy to one tired evening, November 2006.
Opening of the cap would make a great sizzle, poured into a tulip glass and a storm of bubbles would stir up. Head forms and thins out into a white crown. Plenty of yeast particles suspended, crowding the body, leaving it clouded. A golden apple colour. A light, bready malt aroma. I get some over ripened fruit - pear, apple - some lightly floral hops. Lightly spicy! A nice, soft touch of malt on the aftertaste. I taste both standard German malts and the Belgian yeast. Some sweetness. Body is well rounded, seems a little compromised though. I could use more spice in the taste. Some faint alcohol as it goes down. A little too neutral/dull for my taste. This was good, but it wasn't exactly like other tripels.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2006 02:33:45 | More by biegaman

kojevergas

California

3.58/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into a generic pilsner glass in me gaff in low altitude Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Acquired at Hi-time Liquor in Costa Mesa, California. Expectations are high; I really like this style. My limited experience with Victory Brewing has been positive. I'm hoping to keep the track record going.

Served refrigerator cold and allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor.

A: Pours a three finger fluffy head of white colour, slight cream, decent thickness, and very impressive retention considering the high ABV. Colour is yellow-gold. The head is quite nice, but the colour is lackluster given the style.

Sm: Very fresh aroma of pleasant spices, complex orange citrus, hints of cream, biscuity yeast, clean unobtrusive malts, and fresh fruit peel. Very luscious and inviting. Quite appealing indeed. I'm excited to try this. A moderate strength aroma.

T: Fresh orange peel, lovely clean malts, well balanced spices, lovely floral notes, no real sign of hops (if present, they're seamlessly balanced), hints of biscuity yeast, lemon, and hints of cream. All around an extremely pleasant and refreshing beer that hides any trace of alcohol from its profile. I'd prefer more yeast, but that's nitpicky. Subtle. A lovely tripel. Its lack of complexity prevents it from attaining greatness, but all around it's really nice.

Mf: Smooth and wet, with just enough cream for the style. Thick enough and adequately carbonated.

Dr: Incredibly drinkable for the ABV. Hides its ABV quite well. An impressive brew from Victory. Well priced as part of a build-your-own six pack. Matched my expectations. I'm looking forward to trying more beers from Victory as a result. Give this one a spin if you're a fan of the style.

It could use less of a malt presence.

Pairs decently with pizza. Drank fine out of me pilsner glass, but a tulip or flute might be ideal.

Low B

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2012 06:33:42 | More by kojevergas

Brad007

Vermont

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

Pours a cloudy blonde color with a one-finger head into my glass. Seems about normal for the style.

Aroma is full of spice, light citrus and candi sugar. Pretty tame for the style.

Taste is full of spice and citrus with a good hint of alcohol warmth. Not bad. A bit sweet as well.

Mouthfeel is full of lingering citrus and spice. Simple and elegant at the same time.

Not bad. Certainly more drinkable than a few other domestic triples I've had. Not the best though.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2010 02:51:25 | More by Brad007

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz brown bottle poured into a goblet. The initial pour reveals a clear golden yellow colored brew that is quite clear. I must not have stopped the pour soon enough because the initial clarity of the brew has given way to quite a mess of particulate floating in suspension. Nearly 2 fingers of fluffy white head appears composed mostly of large sized bubbles that fizz away to a thin film across the top of the brew. A constant stream of carbonation rises to the surface. A webbing of lace is seen as the cap fades and before a sip is even taken.

The aroma is a peculiar mixture of familiar scents all thrown together. Belgian yeast characteristics are abundant smelling of clove and banana with some fruity and spicy aspect that is somewhat peppery before turning mildly sweet and pear-like with notes of grass and sulfur filling out the back. Alcohol makes itself known in the nose with an increased peppery and pear aspect. Once warm there is a mild lemony scent that appears, interesting and unexpected.

The taste is a typical representation of the style and right in line with what the aroma leads you to think you are getting yourself into. Initial flavors of belgian yeast taste of clove and banana with a peppery spiced aspect that warms the throat with an increased awareness of the 9+% abv. It finishes dry with a mild fruit skin flavor somewhat like pear but not as pronounced as the aroma led on. The sulfur aspect that was evident in the nose is quite hidden inside the flavor of this brew and the lemony aspect that only revealed itself when warm in the nose is evident through each sip. This brew lingers inside the mouth with a yeastiness that urges you to continue taking sips encouraged by the flavor of pepper.

This is a medium bodied brew with an effervescent level of carbonation that eventually calms down to an acceptable moderate level. A fair representation of the style with a bold alcohol presence. Overall there was an enjoyable depth to this brew to enjoy but the sulfur aspect I could do without. Overall not bad, I would drink this again. The cryptic dating that victory offers perplexes me, sure the label says best by Dec. 1 2013 but that doesnt tell me anything regarding how old/young this offering is. I would love to have it again with a side by side comparison of a young brew verse one with 3 years or so on it. Give it a try, overall it's not bad. My only gripe is that this brew seems to heavily rely on the spiced aspect/additions of the brew instead of the natural flavors and aromas that the yeast alone can provide.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2011 00:53:07 | More by stakem

Georgiabeer

Georgia

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

Pours a clear golden with a short head for the style and no lacing. The smell is a little sharp from alcohol, and with a trace of the typical Belgian yeast aromas. The taste is a little better, especially as it warms. Definite alcohol, but also some banana and clove- very restrained, though. Mouthfeel is a little sticky, but the body is appropriate. Not bad in its own right, except that its a little hot. The problem is that there are plenty of better tripels out there.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2007 03:17:09 | More by Georgiabeer

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

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

Poured into Brasserie de l'Abbaye des Rocs goblet.

Best by Jan 9, 2012

Pours of half finger of dirty white head. Fades down very quick. No lace. Color is a clear golden straw color. No carbonation bubbles in the glass.

Aroma: Mainly a lot of spices here. There are also so fruits, such as orange peel and bananas mixed in as well. I also get some cloves near the end.

Taste: Very spices. Reminds me a lot of the spices in a saison. Orange peep, some pepper, some yeast. Cloves bananas. At the very end I get a touch of alcohol, but other than that, the abv is hidden pretty well.

Mouthfeel: Fairly crisp with a good amount of carbonation, which I hadn't expected because of the appearance. Light to medium bodied. Ends with a spiced, dry aftertaste.

Overall, I really think this beer is drinkable, despite the high abv, which is hidden fairly well. Not something I would drink too many bottles of, however.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2009 14:16:39 | More by mothman

Dogbrick

Ohio

4.35/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On draught at Winking Lizard in Columbus and served in a snifter. This beer pours a lightly hazy orange/gold color with a very thin white head. Thin and quick lacing. Aroma of spices, fruit, wheat and a little alcohol. Crisp body with a nice blend of fruit (apple and banana), spices, warming alcohol and sweet candy. The finish is long and sweet with a pinch of peppery hops. This is a very good Tripel that is immensely enjoyable on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

10-07-2004 16:42:14 | More by Dogbrick

tavernjef

Minnesota

4.45/5  rDev +20.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Revisit June 28, 2003 - Pours a nice golden orangey color with a heavy white loose frothy head about two fingers high, leaves minimal lace in strings. Smell is super nice floral aroma with good amounts of crispy citrus with a bit of spice. Taste is very smooth with complex layers of hard candy, bright citrus of lemon, orange, and grapefruit, with a sweet caramel malt backbone and a note of spiceyness. Feel is full bodied and solid. One hell of great offering of the style, impressive.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2003 09:27:15 | More by tavernjef

mactrail

California

3.08/5  rDev -16.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Clear golden in the tall tulip. Nice foam and plenty of rich carbonation in the mouth. Prickly and a little acidic on the tongue. Interesting aroma of overripe banana and spice cake.

Intense perfume odor and flavor is rather disturbing. So sweet and sugary. Bran muffins. Big spice, like clove and allspice. Not much yeast flavor. Quite sharp, like a hard candy. Very hot with alcohol. All subtlety seems to have been lost here. I think it's a love or hate choice on this one.

From the 12 oz bottle. "Enjoy by Feb 15 2015" according to the label. Sounds optimistic, but maybe it would mellow out a little.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2012 05:49:13 | More by mactrail

Cyberkedi

Georgia

4.3/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap, it pours a beautiful cloudy golden yellow. Aroma is not strong, but crisp and wheaty with a strong citrus component. Flavor is richly wheaty with a strong lemon overtone and some surprisingly strong hoppy taste. It goes down smoothly but with some pizzazz and leaves a satisfying hoppy aftertaste.

Serving type: on-tap

04-09-2008 00:05:22 | More by Cyberkedi

ccrida

Oregon

4.15/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

750ml bottle (bottled on 10/4/07) poured into my large St. Feuillien goblet, Golden Monkey is a clear, spritzy gold with a small white head that leaves light, foamy lace. The second pour was yeasty and more orange/burnt gold.

Smell is very nice, floral and tropical fruits, orange and some vanilla. Alluring and not to strong.

Taste is very good, but not quite as luscious as the nose. I've had this beer a lot, but this is the first time I've aged a bottle, and it has definitely rounded out very nice. Still plenty of spiciness to keep it only semi-sweet, light phenols and a hint of booze, but the heat has dropped out quite a bit compared to a fresh bottle.

Mouthfeel is very lushly carbonated, with a light bottle, highly digestible.

Drinkability is good, this is a pretty tripel, and time has served it well. To bad I didn't have the patience to age it another year, it would only be that much better I'm sure!

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2008 04:29:35 | More by ccrida

RoyalT

Ohio

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

Appearance – Amazing bright orange color with a good-sized head.

Smell – Big, serious yeast aromas immediately fill the nose. There’s some wonderful tropical fruit in there to include orange, peaches, melons, and even a dash of coconut juice.

Taste – This one delivers big time. The bready yeast is strong but balanced. The fruity flavors keep things even and the mild alcohol notes remind the drinker of the 9.5 ABV.

Mouthfeel – Lightly carbonated and medium to full in the body. This one is thick and chewy. It’s dinner in a glass.

Drinkability – This was ideal. It went down like a true Abbey Tripel. It was exceptionally smooth, energetic, and right on style. Awesome!

Update – I revisited this in 2004 and was even more impressed with the way Victory put this one together. After attending the 2004 Belgian Beer Fest and sampling many American efforts at the style I’ve come to reallly appreciate this offering from the V. I was particularly impressed with the Mouthfeel and am raising that score by 0.5.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2003 03:26:41 | More by RoyalT

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A. Cloudy with some residue. Poured from a large 750ml bottle.

S. Apple and dark fruits with some spiciness. I pick up a bit of orangey citrus. Belgian yeast is also prominant.

T. Sharp granny smith apple zing, faint clove and some clean alcohol taste found throughout. Sweet yet balanced enough, herbal hop on the back end rounds everything out.

M. Light and very much a belgian. Dry finish.

D. Dangerously drinkable. I once drank a six pack of this in my early beer drinking days, I was rendered useless on my couch.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2008 23:43:37 | More by Stinkypuss

avalon07

South Carolina

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

Poured from a bottle to a chalice. Had a nice amber color, with a typically thick texture. Not a lot of head when poured, though the lacing does stick around.

Had a good citrus smell, with some yeast mixed in.

The taste was solid, with some light fruits, yeast and a little malt coming out. That being said, there was a somewhat unpleasant, sour aftertaste about this. Too much of an edge.

Had a decently high rate of carbonation for a good mouthfeel.

Overall, this is a pretty decent beer, but it's not as gripping as its Belgian cousins. With those beers, there's a nice mellowness about it. With the Victory, the bite that's added is somewhat off-putting. Still, not a bad beer at all.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2008 16:46:10 | More by avalon07

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

scruffwhor

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured from a corked and capped 750ml bottle, and dated
11-30-04.

Appearance- A nice seltzer head forms but leaves a good ffoamy film on the surface throughout the entire beer drinking experience. Color was a well suited hazy, cloudy and slightly burnt orange color with no visible lacing.

Smell- Lots of sugary sweet oranges,grapefruits, tamarinds, and even a hint of mango and wheat.

Taste- Starts out with a sugary citrus flavor. This leas to a malty mix of Belgian bitterness and summer fruit sweets and candi sugar. The end is a wheaty zest of citrus and damp earth.

Mouthfeel- Overall a very earthy sweet palate with some damn good carnoation that helps to open up the taste buds to the jovial monkey like flavors of this tripel.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2006 18:49:27 | More by scruffwhor

TheLongBeachBum

California

4.28/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Holy Shit!!! Strap me to a tree and call me Brenda!!!!

“Is this Gueuze?” that’s all I can say and think out aloud, as I reel from my first taste of this beer. The organized, conservative Beer Review has just flown out of the window, over my Balcony and fallen down 11 floors onto the Beach.

A “freebie” from fellow BA StoutLove77 (major respect!). It has me wishing I got a 6-Pack also from our recent trip to Vendomes. This monster Monkey pours out a hazy golden liquid which reminded me of home-made Marmalade. It has a well developed white head that settles down to a playful 1/8” throughout. The lace patterns left behind resemble the spattered remains of those damned difficult vacuum sealed small individual ketchup sachets that splatter your best shirt when you try to open them in Public. Damn this is good!
The nose is simply “tripel-tastic”, archetypal Belgium odors evacuate and literally destroy the lingering Californian atmosphere in my Apartment and replace it with beer traveled nasal memories. Suddenly I’m transported back to Brussels, drinking the excellent spicy Ranke Guldenberg Tripel in the Bier Circus. Fresh, fruity citric spicy aromas play with my testosterone levels and tease me as it flirts with my ‘love-lorn’ beer-genes, so close to Valentines Day as well – the Bastard. I want to marry this beer, and we haven’t even finished our first date yet, kissed or even slept together yet. This truly is, love at first taste.

The introduction is incredibly fruity, with an inviting black peppery, spicy lemony hoppiness. Then I am stumped, the middle has a tart acidic trait which is intriguing me. Is it supposed to be like this – or is this “turning”?? Maybe – but it’s dated “Bottled on Sept. 9, 02”. So I reckon it is inherent and purposely resident. A quite pungent acidity and dry sourness both hit the tongue amidst the dissolution of high inherent carbonation in the middle of this beer; like two baddies Thatcher and Reagan dancing away – you want to hate them, yet have restrained admiration for their achievements. Mouthfeel is high and this contributes to a distinct spritzy young lambic-gueuze tendency, an angle which endears me to this beer. Oh I like that !!!!
Finish is quite dry and tart. All this and its 9.5% ABV – Oh dear.

Is this the worlds first “Lambic-Tripel” ????
F**k me, what a great idea if it is.
Works for me!

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2003 22:17:25 | More by TheLongBeachBum

ZAP

Minnesota

3.98/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Re-rate...

Starting to enjoy belgians more and this falls a little short overall..the alcohol is noticable in this one...it is young though (bottled 9/8/03)...today is 10/25/03...the banana is still there in the aroma and taste....A lot of banana...Not as charged up as I remember but the alcohol seems more evident and spicy....a very good beer I'd enjoy again but I wouldn't seek out...
---
1-28-02
I don't have a lot of experience with the Belgians but this is about what I expected..banana/cloves on the aroma and the initial taste..pretty charged up carbonation wise...tastes like a Belgian...has a high alcohol content but it is not overwhelming on the taste...It has a hint of alcohol/warming effect but doesn't taste real heavy of alcohol...actually pretty smooth and easy drinking....overall a very interesting beer definitely worth trying...not one I would drink a lot of, but a nice change of pace...

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2003 03:39:56 | More by ZAP

jrallen34

Illinois

4/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I drank this from a 12oz bottle into a golden monkey tulip.

The beer pours a cloudy gold with a decent sized white head. Good lacing and retention.

The aroma is pretty light which is a good thing, but its not to great. It starts off showing some nice floral notes you welcome in a tripel but then finishes with a definite note of skunk.

The taste is also floral but skunky in the middle and finishes floral again.

For me victory is really up and down, and this one is definetely down. Not a tripel I will be having again.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2010 21:21:20 | More by jrallen34

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

poured cold into a Chimay chalice from a container bottled on March 29th of 2007
A - A deep golden/light amber with full bone white head that quickly recedes and generates plenty of lace that remains on the sides of the glass.

S - Spicy + malty- a coriander hint as well as a bready, boozy alcoholic character that has an abbey yeast quality.

M - Warming, vinous feel, spiced with a full body and plenty of effervescent sweetness.

T - Strong candy-like belgian yeast flavors saddle up with an immediately apparent alcohol presence. Tantalizing spicy honey-like smooth character gives a clean fruity ale flavor tha is easy to enjoy mouthful after mouthful.

D - A real easy one to return to with all the spice and depth that a tripel has to offer. The golden sweetness w/ strong abv makes it hard to deny, but at the same time only a good rating for drinkability since it's high abv makes it difficult to have more than a few.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2007 00:38:30 | More by Slatetank

dirtylou

Washington

4.1/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

bottle split with blackie, though not first tasting

appearance: hazy golden, fluffy white head, white lacing around rim

smell: green apple, sweet sugar, typical belgian aromas, yeasty, mild alcohol

taste: Not as powerful as some of the other tripel's...sugar covered apples, heavy on the citrus, alcohol masked nicely, nice belgian spice touch as well

mouthfeel: active carbonation on the tongue, somewhat light in body

drinkability: this one goes down nicely

Not the greatest tripel specimen, nor the greatest victory beer, but enjoyable nonetheless

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2005 04:32:43 | More by dirtylou

Bitterbill

Wyoming

3.69/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

I got 2 free bottles from a friend of a friend. No best by or bottled date.

It pours a hazy light gold with a 2 finger head of foam and leaves some nice lacing.

It smells spicy and bitter. I get some clove and pepper and the bitterness is of the citrus kind to my nose.

Spicy flavours start off..clove, pepper, followed by some citrus bitterness, some candi sugar sweetness, it finishes decidedly on the dry side. I'm not getting any fruitiness that I like in the style.

On the upper end of medium bodied with good carbonation.

This is a strong fella at 9.5% abv but it's hidden pretty well. Overall, I like but it's a bit to bitter for me to be a big fan of it.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 14:27:53 | More by Bitterbill

cokes

Wisconsin

4.15/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Whoa, baby.
Greeted me by tossing out a hazy golden body with a creamy head. Big yeast chunks were swimming around the glass. Looked like someone was dunking cookies in this behind my back.
Smell is of tropical fruits and alcohol.
Taste is big on both honey and alcohol. But not obtrusively alcoholic...just a nice, swift kick. Fruitness (tropical, pear-like) and yeast are also major players in the taste dept. Lingering tartness as well. Hops decend towards the finish to sweep up and dry things out.
Heavy carbonation makes it very crisp...also adds alot to the overall drinkability. It's still a bit heavy and clunky, but I enjoy it
Overall winner, a very fiesty tripel.
Thanks to VENOM for providing me with another knock-out!

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2002 21:45:12 | More by cokes

kylehay2004

Florida

3.68/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: single finger head with nice retention on a pale golden body.

S: very full and sweet lemon notes dominate the aroma.

T: flavor is both sweet and tart mostly from the lemon flavors. some breads, peppery and grain notes.

M: light body and moderate to high carbonation.

Overall: I am thinking the genre of this one is either way off or miss labeled. Fairly drinkable but not a tripel I want to try again.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2012 22:22:50 | More by kylehay2004

TurdFurgison

Ohio

4.22/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Presentation: Poured from 12oz bottle.

Appearance: Golden orange, with small but decent head

Smell: Very fruity, completely wonderful.

Taste: Spicy, fruity, bready.

Notes: This is it for me as far as American Tripels go. My favorites are still from overseas (Westmalle, LaTrappe, St. Bernardus), but this one is very acceptable to me.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2005 02:11:00 | More by TurdFurgison