Brooklyn Monster Ale - Brooklyn Brewery

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.78/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A good dark brown colour, hoppy aroma. Taste is fine,orange, citrus, and dark fruit,herbal, carmel barleywine, surprising disguise of high alcohol, fresh bottle first beer at Modiale 2005. Perhaps too sweet.Nuttiness and bit of burnt notes and medium mouthfeel. 2003 is nicely aged. much mellowr taste. Has becom a sipper.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2005 21:01:04 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

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

Born in 2003. Brilliant, glowing candy apple red when even tangentially backlit. This is one of the brightest, reddest barleywines that I've ever laid eyes on. Given the ABV, I'm amazed that the head was as expansive as it was after the pour and that it's lasting as long as it is. Creamy, light caramel-colored foam crested the top of the snifter and is even now, many minutes later, a fat one finger in height. I don't even care that there's almost no lace because Monster is a great looking beer.

I really thought that three years in the bottle would have been long enough to tame the alcohol (and it might have on the palate). Unfortunately, ethanol is still the main component of the less than multi-faceted nose. A whiff of Islay whisky is buried way down deep and might have come to the rescue if it was stronger. The usual boozy berry notes are present, but they're long on boozy and short on berry.

The flavor is a definite step up, largely because rampant alcohol is no longer an issue. It still infuses each and every mouthful, but has been so rounded and softened by the years that it's a welcome visiter on the tongue. In fact, the flavor itself is a bit too rounded and softened for my tastes. It's so hard to know how long to age a barleywine, especially when one has just a single bottle and can't see how each vintage is progressing.

Due to its age--I'm guessing--each sip starts out with a measured burst of dark caramel, cherry tobacco, anise and black raspberries and then starts to lose flavor concentration (slowly but steadily) rather than hanging tough as a younger beer might do. It's still an enjoyable little sipper though and is one of the more tasty English-style barleywines that I've had in a while.

The body/mouthfeel isn't as large as I like, but taken within the context of the gentle, 'rounded edges' flavor profile, it fits like hand in glove. Tactilely as well, the beer loses momentum as soon as it registers, but sticks around long enough not to disappoint. In spite of a surprisingly loud 'pffft' on crown cracking, there's very little noticeable carbonation. Just like I like it.

I've had this bottle of Brooklyn Monster Ale for several years at least and have hung onto it hoping that it was improving with each passing month. I may have waited a bit too long, but I feared the alcoholic heat that I experienced in a newly minted bottle of Black Chocolate Stout. I'd love to get my hands on a fresher bottle some day, if only to see how it compares to this now mellow fellow.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2006 23:27:34 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

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

I mean c'mon I have had this soo many times I cannot even remember. So anyway, I cracked open one of last years last night and decided to go for the review. This one poured a very nice and thick looking ruby tinted brown with a small say about a finger and a half of white lace and foam on the top. Quick recession led to a decent but not impressive side glass presentation and virtually no carbonation was immediately visible. Smell was very sweet with candy like sugar and a rich malty smell, some light hops in the foreground, but they have been mostly mellowed out. A thick syrup like feel, with not a lot of carbonation was what was waiting for me. There was a nice sweet flavor to this, and a touch of alcohol was most definitely present. A good piney hop finish was there drawing out the flavors of fresh grass and a light bread like malt. Overall this was a standard, if not a little sweet Barley Wine. Not the biggest I have ever had, but still decent. This was a more drinkable Barley Wine, in akin to the Bigfoot. You could enjoy the sweeter nectar like tones of this. Overall very nice and an old staple. Always good in a pinch, and never really bad.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2011 21:49:57 | More by mikesgroove

Thorpe429

Illinois

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

Reviewed from notes.

Pours a somewhat dark red amber wig an off white head. Head quickly recedes without any real lacing. Nose is quite sweet wig a hit of booze. Flavors aren't all that present, with generic sweetness, a bit of fruit, and some booze. Medium body and some alcohol. Drinks okay, but not a terribly good example of the style.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2010 22:17:56 | More by Thorpe429

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

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

"Born in 2004" Good to hear, Brooklyn! Thanks for the 411.

Appearance: Pours a robust brown, with a touch of red. Like an English Breakfast tea, except its beer, and with a crowning off-white head which faded (there it goes!) into a tight, neat bubble ring around the glass.

Smell: Cherries soaked in alcohol. Possibly a bit of freshly cut pears, but its rather difficult to smell around the alcohol.

Taste: Hoo-boy! Very sherry-like in flavor, with bit of wood in there. Hmm. I'm not really getting any clear cut malt or hop signals beyond the alcohol fumes. Long, spicy finish that eventually begins to erode the back of the throat.

Mouthfeel: The body is a bit thinner than most barleywines (reminds me of Young's Old Nick, except way more alcohol). Its all rather coarse on the palate, but it's only a young barleywine and one that I feel is much need of a good, long nap in the cellar.

Drinkability: 11.80%?! Well, that explains alot. Hmm. For some reason I thought it was less, but I certainly *feel* the ABV. I was wondering why my typing skills were degrading throughout this review.

Not one of my favorite barleywines. Yet. AOL Keyword: YET. Let's see what a little bit of aging can do...

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2005 01:47:34 | More by ChainGangGuy

brentk56

North Carolina

3.05/5  rDev -17.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

2006 vintage; tasted in 2008

Appearance: Pours a very murky tea color with a modest head that quickly becomes a ringlet and leaves a curtain of lacing droplets on the chalice

Smell: Plenty of fusel alcohol on the nose, some caramel underneath

Taste: Opens with a fusel alcohol flavor that fails to develop in anything other than a solvent direction; some hops and sweetness after the swallow, but those flavors are secondary

Mouthfeel: Full bodied with moderate carbonation; plenty of warmth after the swallow

Drinkability: This really has not benefited from the aging and is not particularly enjoyable

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2008 03:04:45 | More by brentk56

UCLABrewN84

California

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

Thanks to Jnorton00 for sending me this one!

2011 vintage.

Pours a hazy copper/amber with a 1/2 inch puffy orange-tan head that settles to an oily film on top of the beer. Foamy streaks form randomly around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, caramel, and some herbal and citrus zest hops. Taste is of malt, brown sugar/caramel, and citrus zest. There is a mild bitterness and alcohol kick on the palate with each sip. This beer has a somewhat crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good barleywine but nothing all that exciting.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2012 03:12:19 | More by UCLABrewN84

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

2.63/5  rDev -28.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

2004 Bottle drank in 2005: Poured a clear amber looking ale with a small off-white foamy head with not much retention. Aroma of light roasted malt with sweet floral notes is noticeable. The malt dominates taste with some sweetness and some very subtle bitterness at the end. Body is way too thin for a Barleywine and watery feeling in the aftertaste disappoint me greatly. Alcohol is well hidden and carbonation is low. The thin body and the watery makes this a greatly disappointing experience.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2005 19:11:56 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

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

After hearing about this brew for some time, it's good to finally have tried it. It certainly lived up to the hype, but did not come across as strong or over-bearing as I had expected. Very heavy with the malts- to nearly syrupy proportions. The complex blend of malts gives off deep fruit flavors of dates, figs, and nuts. The textures are well blended and aged for easy drinking and well hidden alcohols. Hopped for balance in bitterness and flavor only. A mild cogngac and sherry flavor shines from midway through sip to the finish. Very nice stuff!

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2006 20:39:23 | More by BEERchitect

oberon

North Carolina

3.23/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a deep amber with not much of a noticable head but that was to be expected somewhat,aromas of orange rind and peach the alcohol is quite noticable as well pretty high octane.Whoo this stuff is quite potent but young (2005) some caramel malt and somewhat fruity but the alcohol kicks in early and takes charge until the lingering finish.A somewhat prickly mouthfeel,not sure if its because its young but wow this beer needs some serious refinement I'll hold one and reserve harsh judgement for later.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2005 22:18:22 | More by oberon

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

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

2002 vintage. I've really come to enjoy this beer as of late. I've often passed it by for more malty/hoppy versions, but this is very drinkable & still full of character. It's an excellent beer for when you want something big, but not necessarily engrossing. Perhaps after dinner while watching a movie. I believe it's best enjoyed fresh, at its peak within 6-8 months of release. Much more than that & it starts to lose character & show some aging. Keep in mind, however, that this is a contract brew that's rarely done, and there are inconsistencies from year to year. I find the 2002 excellent, the 2001 a bit oxidized, but the 2000 still in OK shape. That said... Deep copper-brown with a light reddish tint. Creamy head that dies quickly but holds a good thin collar. The aroma is balanced between a light fruitiness, a solid caramel malt, & a fresh hop character. The hops are grassy, earthy & slightly mineral in nature. I'm assuming English Goldings & Fuggles. Very English in style, except for the alcohol! The body is medium/light with a nicely creamy mouthfeel. Hops are present in the flavor from the start to the finish, and well supported by a fruity, caramel & toffee maltiness. Even a light toasty note! The finish is long, presenting more hop flavor than bitterness, and may show a light metallic character from Fuggles hops. Still, there's alot of maltiness in there as well. As suggested on the label, this beer is brilliant with some of the hard & crumbly English cheeses.

2001 vintage. As compared to a 2002 - side by side - please see my 2002 review. There is a slight haze not present in the '02. The aroma, though reduced overall, remains roughly the same - although the hop has diminished and there are some sherry-like notes of oxidation (maybe even a light touch of carboard). It also has a slightly sharper mo

08-12-2002 11:28:46 | More by NeroFiddled

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.3/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served in a Dogfish Head snifter.

Sleep deprivation's startin' to get to me, so it's gonna be very straight forward tonight. Pours a mostly clear ruby garnet; a bright ring sits around the surface's rim. The nose is heavy with caramel and toffee, along with some more minor notes of pine and rye bread. The taste incorporates all of these, adding a strong 1-2 punch of molasses and sharp bitterness and a stiff jab of alcohol. It may just be me, but the balance seems way off here. A strange tinny aftertaste malingers in the back. The body is heavy, but not too, the carbonation is fairly light, and, though somewhat thick, it slides fairly smoothly down the throat. Were the balance better, I think this could be a pretty solid brew, but something's definitely off here.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2010 06:02:56 | More by TMoney2591

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.45/5  rDev +20.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I loves me a nice barleywine, and Brooklyn calls theirs a "monster", do they? Well, let's have at it, already!
Appearance: coppery color, with a short-lived head...so far, "eh"...
Aroma: now, we're cookin'! Sweetness incarnate, redolent of a full orchard of fruits, burnished and converted to a proper cognac-y character. Alcohol is huge here, with cherries, brandy, leather, fire, tobacco, smoke, all pitching suggestions into this bonfire...this is the type of beer that makes me pity wine drinkers...is there an aroma as rich and full and fine as this to be found in a bottle of vino? A very bewitching aroma!
Thick texture, syrupy mouthfeel, lip-smackin', delicious, and packin' heat! Lush, full malt, low hops, but thoroughly intoxicating...screw your Manhattans, your Hennessys, your Flavor-of-the-Month-Martinis, put your lips to a barleywine such as this for a full, boozy sensation!
A benign Monster, this, powerful, but not vicious, stinging, but without malice, prodigious, but never punishing, with a long, near-lethal finsh....
A damned fine barleywine.
Thank you, McCall, very much!

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2003 05:39:51 | More by feloniousmonk

WesWes

New York

3.78/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a dark amber color with a thin white head that fades to lacing. The aroma is good. It smells of hops and lots of malts. The taste is good, but the abv is noticably high. It is rich malts and hops. The mouthfeel is good. It is a full bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a good drinking barleywine.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2004 02:40:38 | More by WesWes

drabmuh

Maryland

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

Served in a snifter. Beer I've overlooked for years, glad I finally picked one up. Nothing special, just a well crafted barleywine that tastes good.

Beer is brown, darker than expected, tight white head of small bubbles, mildly tan, decent retention, some lacing, nice carbonation.

Aroma is malt, simple, mild yeastiness, mostly malt.

Beer is medium in body, sweet up front and in the middle, mildly bitter on the finish, a decent beer with a nice connectivity and good palate. I'd have it again.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2012 19:01:38 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

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

Pours a clear amber with a very small white head. Not much apparent carbonation. The smell is standard English-style malts with some earthy hop character. The flavor has some caramel and toffee notes along with some hop bitterness, but is not too complicated. A nice English-style barleywine but nothing that stands out.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2009 19:45:23 | More by Mora2000

zeff80

Missouri

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

A - Poured out a cloudy, rust/copper color with a small, off-white head that had many tiny bubbles. It left some soapy trails of lace.

S - It smelled of candy sugar, biscuity malts and sweet fruitiness.

T - It tasted of syrupy, sweet sugars. It had a good dose of caramel flavors with a fairly strong hop bitterness.

M - It was crisp, sharp and still quite smooth. A medium to full-bodied barleywine.

D - This is a pretty good barleywine. They did a nice job of making it like an english one.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2009 01:48:52 | More by zeff80

metter98

New York

3.78/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

(2007 vintage)
A: The beer is amber in color and not that much carbonation is visible.
S: The smell of alcohol is very much evident in the nose, along with some subtle notes of malt and hops.
T: The flavor is slightly boozy, which really intensifies as the beer warms up. Some hints of caramel malts, dark fruits, and flowery hops are discernible in the taste.
M: It feels medium- to full-bodied on the palate and comes across as being strong, as it should be. There is definitely some warmth from the alcohol.
D: It's drinkable but you have to sip it. I would definitely have this again, but only at the right time and place (like the last beer to close out a drinking session during the winter).

Serving type: on-tap

04-16-2010 14:50:16 | More by metter98

MasterSki

Illinois

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

I think optimator13 sent me this 2009 vintage bottle. Served in a Struise cervoise.

A - A finger of white foam tops a hazed orange-brown body. Excellent retention, but minimal lacing.

S - Still pretty boozy, even after two years. There's a slightly grapey fusel note, which seems excessive for a beer that's only 10.1%. There's some toffee malt character, but otherwise this is very bready and grainy - surprisingly low sweetness.

T - Taste is a bit better. It's a generic raisin-heavy barleywine, with plenty of bread malts as well. Finishes clean, with less overt alcohol presence. The definition of average here.

M - Surprising medium-high carbonation, medium-full body, dry finish, and some serious alcohol heat.

D - Even after two years this is horrendously boozy, and what's behind the booze seems pretty uninteresting. Remarkably average offering from Brooklyn.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2011 05:17:10 | More by MasterSki

Gueuzedude

Arizona

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

2003 Vintage, Sampled September 2004.
This beer pours a brilliantly clear deep copper-red color. It is fairly well carbonated and forms thin amber colored head when roused. The aromas are heady and sweet with malts, when I go in for a deeper smell I get notes of caramel, alcohol, sherry, candied fruit, and a hop aroma that is definitely there, but not quite distinguishable from the fruit notes. The beer is full bodied richly, though not overly, sweet and finishes with a twang of hoppiness. There is a nice lingering bitterness from the hops in the finish as well, it really helps to balance out the rich sweet malt and fruit notes that are up front. From the taste of this beer I get notes of Maraschino Cherries, sherry, biscuits, a hint of orange, brandy soaked fruit-cake, and a hint of hot alcohol in the finish.

This beer is actually growing on me with time, at first I though it was obviously well crafted but lacking, but the more I sit and contemplate this beer the more I come to enjoy it. It is not too heavy to finish the 12oz bottle, and the balance between the sweet malt up front and the interesting twangy hop flavor and bitterness in the finish really goes a long way to make this beer quite enjoyable. The hop flavor in the finish really helps to accentuate the fruit and sherry notes of this beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2004 17:37:45 | More by Gueuzedude

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

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

Poured from a 12oz. bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a deep amber color, with a thin white head that fades quickly and leaves a thin lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is of caramel, hops, malt and fruit (citrus & raisin), with a hint of alcohol.

T: The tastes of caramelized malt and hops come at you first. The fruitiness is quite faint compared to the smell. You taste the alcohol, but I didn't find it as strong as I expected given the high ABV. The bitter after-taste isn't too strong, but it didn't seem like a hops bitterness which would have made it more pleasant, it's more of an alcohol bitterness as should be expected with an 11.80% ABV.

M: Very crisp, medium carbonation, medium body, dry finish, a little thinner than I expected but not necessarily bad.

D: The beer has a well-balanced flavor and although the alcohol presence is notable, it certainly doesn't seem like 11.80% ABV. I could see myself drinking more of this beer than one might normally consume in this style.

While this beer is by no means the best that I've had, it's good enough to restore my faith in a style that I hadn't been too thrilled with to this point.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2006 03:10:14 | More by TheManiacalOne

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.7/5  rDev 0%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

2007 bottle, got this from JasonA, cheers jason!

Pours an effervescent orange with 1 finger of sand colored head. A trace of lacing & head retention

S: Dates, raisins, steel & port soaked raisins

T: Rich dark fruits, herbal & leafy hop bitterness up front. Dryness, tangerine, some lemon hops, white pepper ?? & some caramel & vanilla. Finishes dry, oaky & with some citrus hops. Started strong, but the dryness & oakyness detracted as this warmed

MF: Slightlty overgassed, medium bodied & with fair balance

Drinks easy, but this one could use at least 12-18 more months of aging, not a bad take on the style

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2008 05:25:27 | More by russpowell

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

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

This beer poured out as a deep amber color with a big white head on top. The head settles down and leaves some scattered lacing The taste of the beer is big a bold. There is a good amount of hops in there too. It's surely a strong brew. The mouthfeel of this is on the heavier side and coats the mouth pretty well. Overall it's a pretty good Barley Wine.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2011 18:19:44 | More by Knapp85

emerge077

Illinois

3.85/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

2007 bottle, Served cool in a 12oz. snifter. Compact head, about a finger of ecru foam. Body has a nice jeweled amber-ruby clarity. A swirl rejuvenates the foam, but it always ends up dissipating in the center. Light fruit candy aroma, slight presence of alcohol.

Flavors of caramel and indistinct dried fruits. Sweet upfront with that usual sweet/rich Barleywine steamroller combo. Alcohol is in the back, but tamed a bit. The body seems thin and dry after washing over the palate. Some earthy hop complexity in the aftertaste. Can't say i'd drink more than one, but it's a good Barleywine.

Single from Olivia's Market, $2.49.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2009 23:04:13 | More by emerge077

Gavage

New Jersey

3.43/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Part of the variety 12 pack.

Appearance: clear dark amber in color with a paper-thin head which can really be described as surface foam. No lacing develops.

Smell: only some caramel and a hint of alcohol.

Taste: sweet maltiness, bread, caramel, raisins, alcohol, and a decent bitterness level helps alleviate some of the sweet candy qualities.

Mouthfeel: smooth at the start, with a smooth and syrupy finish. The sweetness and alcohol tones linger long in the aftertaste. Medium-heavy in body.

Drinkability: not bad, but this barley wine didn't overly excite me. The second bottle of this in the variety pack has been moved to the back of the beer fridge for a re-visit next year.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2006 13:29:38 | More by Gavage