Merry Monks' Ale - Weyerbacher Brewing Co.

57md

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a cloudy straw color with a finger of head that dissipated relatively quickly. The nose possesses the definite essence of Belgian yeast. The flavor is sour but generally flat and uninspiring. I am not terribly impressed with this offering from a respectable local brewery.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 00:20:34 | More by 57md

smooth_aleing

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bomber into a pint glass. Cork was difficult to undo, but eventually got it...with a corkscrew.

A= Murky amber honey, with some yeast strains lingering. Pours a frothy, generous head with decent lace. Fizzles down nicely to a thin layer of lace.

S= Citrus, pepper, banana, pear. Good amount of spiced yeast. The only negative I might add is an after note of alcohol in the nose, which can mask the other flavor components. Might just be a result of the corking problem, though.

T= Citrus, a nice sweetness. Mild to moderate malt notes. Undertones of apple and pear, slight hint of clove and brown sugar. Definitely strong spice, and subtle sweetness that rounds out a bit of the sharpness from the alcohol.

M= Good carbonation, medium-bodied.

0= Very nice for a Tripel style. One of the better ones I've had, particularly from North-Eastern breweries.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2013 03:04:39 | More by smooth_aleing

silverking

Florida

3.09/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A- Hazy amber with a finger of white head. Head retention is good, and the lacing is nice enough to look at.

S- malt, banana, pear, raisin, spicy yeast. There is also a touch of black pepper on the back end.

T- Tart, with notes of apple and banana. The finish fades into a slight hop bitterness accompanied by spicy yeast.

M- Light bodied with overly aggressive carbonation. Sticky. Not a fan.

O- Not my favorite.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2013 23:07:34 | More by silverking

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.89/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Served on-tap at the W Hotel Bar in Hoboken, NJ

A: Pours a very lightly hazy medium straw yellow in color with some moderate amounts of visible carbonation, lots of fine white particles in suspension, and golden yellow + apricot highlights. The beer has a finger tall dense foamy white head that slowly reduces to a thick film covering the majority of the surface of the beer and a thick ring at the edges of the glass. Significant amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate aromas of pale malts with stronger aromas of light fruits (apple, pear, and peach) as well as banana and spicy yeast.

T: Very similar to the smell, the taste of this beer has some light to moderate pale malts upfront with some light fruit sweetness - pear, apple, and peach. There are strong flavors of banana along with just a touch of spicy yeast. Overall this beer is really quite sweet.

M: Medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Smooth and slightly creamy, this beer really coats the inside of your mouth and tongue.

O: Overall this is a pretty nice American example of the Tripel style and the rather significant ABV is pretty well hidden. Much more of a sipping beer but an enjoyable one.

Serving type: on-tap

04-04-2013 20:11:47 | More by dbrauneis

McNealc31

Ohio

4.35/5  rDev +13%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The first thing standing out about Weyerbacher Merry Monks is the unrelenting effervescence. A myriad of micro bubbles race through the sparkling clear Tripel to reach the creamy white head. Yeast, banana, and bread dominate the aroma. After a sip, sweet grapes come to the forefront, buttered toast, followed by just enough hops to balance. Gets sweeter, dryer, and the 9.3% is more evident as it warms.

Really enjoying this. I do get the slightest hint of skunk, but with no date, hard to tell if it’s normal. Still, this is one to enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2013 02:40:37 | More by McNealc31

ThirstyBehr

Maryland

4.06/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

a- cloudy straw yellow body, lots of carbonation, very small white head that almost disappears leaving very little lacing.

s- the Belgian yeast is most prominent, banana and lemon notes, very faint hint of hops, and sweet malt finish.

t- the fruity Belgian yeast dominates followed by a hint of booze, nice and sweet, a hint of possibly wheat, sweet lingering finish.

m- pleasant medium body, alcohol is very well hidden, dry sweetness left on the tongue.

o- a very nice triple, i really like the flavor of the yeast, very fruity and sweet, i could see how this is rated one of the top triples in the world.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2013 17:11:31 | More by ThirstyBehr

JoeyBeerBelly

New York

3.88/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

12oz bottle served in a snifter.

L - hazed golden color with a white head that stayed a thin layer fueled by lots of carbonation bubbles rising.

S - banana, clove, baseball card bubblegum.

T - all the things in the aroma as well as some citrus tartness on the finish.

F - medium bodied with crisp carbonation, easy to drink.

O - nice example of the style.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 22:34:09 | More by JoeyBeerBelly

wspscott

Kentucky

4/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle in Duvel tulip
date: 11/28/12 - 11/28/14

A: Sparkling golden color with a pure white one finger head. The high carbonation is very apparent in the glass.
S: Spicy, pepper, very belgian
T: Lots of belgian spice, some definite fruitiness (banana?), a little bit of alcohol heat, but not unpleasant.
M: Slightly round with a ton of carbonation to keep things from becoming cloying.
O: Well, they got a lot of belgian character in this bottle, very true to style,

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 01:06:04 | More by wspscott

Greywulfken

New York

3.93/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

A: into a tulip... pale, slightly hazy soft gold, finelt bubbled head about 2-fingers thick slipped into a flimsy film with some arms of lace

S: light orchard fruits and citric, floral hops and yeast

T: lemon, pale malt, bright yeastiness, honey-flavored cough drop sweetness

M: dry, slightly citric astringence, lively carbonation

O: initially taken aback and puckered somewhat, but then eased into it more - warmed well, naturally, and proved a more enjoyable drink than I expected. A good tripel.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 01:58:12 | More by Greywulfken

thagr81us

South Carolina

3.94/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle signed by the brewer himself! Bottle served into Green Man snifter. Poured a hazy golden yellow-orange with a three finger white head that subsided to one finger extremely slowly. Maintained phenomenal pacing throughout the glass. The aroma wad comprised of sweet malt, banana, fruit, wheat, spice, banana runts, and subtle sweet alcohol. The flavor was of sweet malt, fruit, banana, wheat, spice, alcohol, and subtle wood. It had a light feel on the palate with high carbonation. Overall this was a fairly good brew. The nose on this one was very inviting and quite complex. It had a big sweetness and spiciness going on in it that I really enjoyed. The flavor however was quite hot with alcohol and honestly took me back. Really wish this had not been the case. I would drink this one again in the future but aged quite a bit to let the booze settle out some.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 01:00:02 | More by thagr81us

MattSweatshirt

Texas

3.98/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Head fizzled down really fast leaving a darker golden body. Tons of bubbles streaming through the glass so it’s easy to swirl up a head.

Smells sweet, fruity, and spicy. Good stuff. Banana, clove, pear, bubblegum. Some alcohol esters. With the alcohol and sweet fruitiness together its kind of perfumey.

Lots of bubblegum sweetness. It’s also spicy at the same time with clove and pepper. Lots of fruit. Alcohol is there but mostly covered up leaving a warming sensation.

The body is light and bubbly. Tingles nicely on the tongue.

My first American made Tripel and it is done very nicely.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 20:40:34 | More by MattSweatshirt

ithacabaron

California

4.08/5  rDev +6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a dingy dishwater blonde, with little head, lazy bubbles, and hazy skies until the horizon. Eh.

Smell is wonderful, with big striding notes of asian pear, clove honey, and brioche. A little whiff of tamarind flies by on the back end.

Taste brings with it notes of ripe bananas, durian (the taste of the flesh, not the smell), and white peppercorns. A firm backstop of hops keeps the sweetness in check, and the gums are left with an inviting dryness. Could be a touch more austere, but this is fun all the same.

Mouthfeel is spongy and active, like a mouth full of marshmallows. Appropriate for the style, although the holistic sensation is a bit more syrupy than I'd like.

Over all, this is an enthusiastic (even exuberant) take on the Tripel style. Not entirely traditional, but not a big American fruit bomb either. Worth the experience, but buy a single, not the six-pack.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 04:24:04 | More by ithacabaron

SolipsismalCat

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a snifter.

A: Clear golden yellow with a two-finger, white, fizzy head that lasted a couple of minutes. Okay lacing.

S: Bananas and apples. Malt and yeast.

T: Moderate sweetness and light bitterness. Bananas and apples and spice. Sweet malt.

M: Medium bodied with lively carbonation. Crisp and warm.

O: Very nice tripel. Has the right aromas and flavors, and the mouthfeel is crisp. Nice in a snifter.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 00:33:19 | More by SolipsismalCat

BWED

Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

My first shot at a Weyerbacher beer:

Poured into imperial pint from 12 oz. bottle.

A- Turbid golden-brown, with a fizzy white head, pretty thick after the pour but coming down to ring around the rim, with a patch floating in the middle. Through the haze, lots of carbonation rises to the top. No lacing left behind.

S- fruity, apple, banana, with some bread yeastiness. Alcohol has a slight sting, but is pretty well hidden by the other aromas.

T- Generic fruity sweetness (i.e. I can't put my finger on a specific fruit) with the yeastiness right behind it. Alcohol is a bit more apparent in the taste as is in the smell, but it still doesn't take away from the major flavors.

M- Light bodied, with a good amount of tingly carbonation. Warmth in the finish reminds me to slow down a little, because this is a 9 percenter.

O- Although alcohol is abundant in this brew, Weyerbacher did a fine job concealing it with some other wonderful flavors and aromas. I enjoy this Tripel, because it isn't too heavy, and it has a good balance of flavors. It's not too sweet, yet hops are barely noticeable. I'd have this tasty beer gain, and look forward to more of Weyerbacher's creations.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 03:23:50 | More by BWED

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.93/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

very good belgian ale here, not totally conventional, but a clever incarnation of the tripel style. this beer pours cloudy and flat in color, somewhere between straw and wheat in terms oc complexion, and there is just an inch of thin white fizz on top. the nose is very fruity, like golden raisins, figs, and candy sugar. the yeast imparts a gentle spice character as well, which is more apparent in the flavor than the smell. it has a sweet flavor, like it should be sugary, but it isnt at all, and is in fact dry as it drinks. the alcohol is well hidden, and the fruity elements blend well with the lighter malt profile. this feels more like a summertime drink to me, but it was plenty sessionable in the middle of december, with its vibrant carbonation and clean finish. i thought the body was a tad too much for the style, it made the beer seem a little heavy, and its delicate essence was trampled on a little bit by its weight, but even with that criticism i thought this was a very enjoyable bottle of beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 19:36:31 | More by StonedTrippin

Jimbrewmore

4.38/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served, pouring bottle into long pint glass

The apprearance is golden with a thin white head and a constant flow of carbonation from bottom to top.

A fruity smell, green apple is what first hits you then a slight apricot after scent.

The taste is delicious and the high alcohol content is hidden very well and makes this an overall very drinkable beer that could catch up with you quick if not careful and blinded by the sweetness and great taste

Overall this a great beer for drinking on an easy night when you wanna feel it but take it easy at the same time, this beer seems to go well for me in the winter months as it almost warms you up

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 23:30:48 | More by Jimbrewmore

tigerbeer90

South Carolina

4.35/5  rDev +13%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I really enjoyed this beer. I got a lot of pear and green apple? Got a finger of white head. Decent carbonation and mouthfeel. I have had a couple so that could effect the review. At 9.3% the alcohol is well hidden. Overall this a good example of the style and a good beer

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 23:09:02 | More by tigerbeer90

Flounder57

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle was poured into a snifter.

Appearance: This beer poured a one finger head that has reduced to a thin layer and left some nice lacing. It is a pale yellow orange with great clarity and bubbles coming up through the glass.

Smell: Apples, pears, vanilla, spices, Belgian candy, bready malts, and yeasty esters. Typical tripel aromas that smell oh so delicious.

Taste: Same as above. Some lingering bitterness and boozy alcohol in the back of the mouth.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, delicious, tasty, medium to full bodied, warming alcohol, and low to medium carbonation.

Overall: Pretty solid tripel and happy to have had the chance to check out thd brewery last week while traveling through PA.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 19:21:21 | More by Flounder57

SeamusDoyle

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a chalice, hazy gold with a small lasting white head. Aromas of straw, pear, pineapple, yeast and light spice. Palate was medium bodied and smooth. Flavors of straw, yeast, pear, pineapple and a hint oif spice with a smooth lingering fruity finish.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2012 00:01:40 | More by SeamusDoyle

tigg924

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a chalice

Appearance: golden-orange in color, cloudy, minimal head, moderate carbonation, sediment

Smell: wheat, light hay, and apricot

Taste: complex--a lot going on..apricot and banana dominate but also has hay, orange, earth, and light pepper

Mouthfeel: light body, sweet and funky, high carbonation.

Overall: Lighter than most I have had in the style and also more complex. Does not have some of the bittering alcohol that I usually find in the style..so that is why I would drink this one sooner than most. I like the banana and apricot fruity mix.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2012 14:12:25 | More by tigg924

Darkmagus82

Montana

4.2/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from bottle into chalice glass

Appearance – Pours a slightly hazed orange color with a one finger white head that fades relatively fast to leave a decent level of lacing.

Smell –A big fruity sweet aroma is heavy of banana, apple, and some light citrus. These aromas are matched by a strong yeasty and bready smell. Mixed with these are some nice spice smells as well as an almost candy like sweet smell. The aroma is nice for the triple style and is overall delicious.

Taste – The taste starts out with a bready and citrus flavor. As the taste advances the fruit sweetness intensifies with the citrus getting stronger and joined by some other lighter fruit flavors of apple and pear. At this point the yeasty and banana flavors also come to the tongue. The banana makes the taste even fruitier while the yeasty complements both the bready and fruit flavors quite well. Toward the end of the flavor profile a sugary sweet candy flavor comes to the tongue and is joined by a moderate alcohol flavor and a light spice flavor. The flavors all meld together nicely in the end and produce a sweet and warming taste to linger on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The body of the beer is on the slightly creamier and thicker side with a carbonation level that is average. The average carbonation and thicker body allow the beer to coat the tongue and bath it in all the nice sweet, spice and alcohol flavors.

Overall - A sweet and tasty triple with quite a nice flavor profile and a great feel. This is a good one to try and a fantastic sipping Belgian Triple.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2012 00:50:33 | More by Darkmagus82

facundoCNB

New Jersey

3.55/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

750ml bottle from 2010:

pours a clean golden yellow/orange, a finger of foamy white head with great retention.
smells of sour apples, lemon, banana, pepper, cider-like.
the taste is a bit more mellow than the smell. hints of funky yeast up front followed by a slight grassy bitterness, a mellow banana/peppery finish. this beer is all over the place, but everything is so subtle that the combined flavors don't become overwhelming for the taste buds!
highly carbonated, medium body with a rich creamy feel.
a very nice strong golden ale, glad i aged this one! it is a slight bit on the tart side though, which for a 750 cork bottle, makes it hard to finish in a single sitting.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2012 17:32:24 | More by facundoCNB

gabedivision

New York

3.78/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle to a Duvel glass

Pours a hazy blood orange, visible sediment with a big 3 finger head that fades to a thin lace. The smell is full of fruitiness, apples, peaches, grapes. Bubblegum, cotton candy and hot alcocol all mixed in. Lots of booze on the tongue, banana, apples, And grapes, finishes dry And slightly metallic. Medium bodied, crisp, tangy with a crisp dry finish. Overall; a solid triple, tons of fruity esters and very well balanced.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2012 03:46:03 | More by gabedivision

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

3.13/5  rDev -18.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle poured into a Duvel tulip.

A: Pours a hazy golden amber color. Yeast clouds up the body in a uniform manner. The head is a three finger white color with a great texture for a Belgian-style - normally they have a light, frothy look to them, but this is downright thick and creamy. As the head recedes, an incredibly thick wall of lacing sticks to the side of the glass vigorously. This would be a 5 aesthetically if the head retention were a little better.

S: Spicy and yeasty like a good tripel, but not nuanced like a exceptional tripel. Candied sugar and alcohol also pervade the aroma as secondary notes, before becoming primary notes after several whiffs.

T: At first, the spices (peppercorn, coriander, and clove) coexist with a fair amount of candied sugar; the latter slowly dissipates, leaving the spice profile to coexist with a neutral malt base and a mildly boozy finish. Hints of bubblegum also make an appearance. It's reminiscent of Golden Monkey - another average tripel that's too low on drinkability.

M: Quite heavy on the tongue, in fact, it's a classic example of a beer where the flavors can't compete with the heft of the body. Carbonation is unfocused, and doesn't scrub clean the palate as well as it could, or perhaps should. The only drying sensation is a bit of yeast astringency on the finish. Not very drinkable.

O: While not my favorite style, I know when I've got a great tripel on my hands. This is not one of them. The flavor profile is too muddled, and it's too hard to drink. Worth a try, I guess, but don't lose sleep looking for this - there are many better examples of the style.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2012 21:28:35 | More by ThisWangsChung

Mora2000

Texas

3.8/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours a yellow color with a white head. The aroma has some nice Belgian yeast notes, as well as some grape and orange notes. The flavor is very similar. I get some nice sweetness from the candy sugar, as well as some yeast and alcohol notes. There is also a big fruit component with some grapes and orange notes, as well as some white pepper. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 05:59:27 | More by Mora2000