Midnight Monk from Terrapin Beer Company in Athens, Georgia Beer Advocate calls this an American Black Ale. Terrapin calls it a Belgian Style Black IPA. This is from the Monster Beer Tour tier of brews from Terrapin. From the brewery website: Take off your robe and slip into the night to get one step closer to the Holy Grail of all beers. “Midnight Monk” Belgian-Style Black IPA will have your senses juggling all the complex flavor and aroma this beer has to offer. ABV: 9.8% -- IBU: 88 -- O.G.: 19.8 -- HOPS: Magnum, Columbus, Chinook, Centennial, Amarillo, Cascade (Dry Hop: Amarillo, Simcoe, Cascade) -- MALTS: 2-row pale, Pilsner, Munich, Special Aromatic DH Carafa III, Crystal 24 This one is surprising. I expected something entirely different. This pours jet black and totally opaque. It grows a decent head of off-white foam that subsides and leaves a little sticky lacing. Aromas of dark roasted malts dominate the nose. On the palate, this is smooth - as smooth as silk. This is very bright upon first hitting the tongue, then it quickly recedes into a nice parade of rich, roasted dark malts with an underlying sweetness that is excellent. The mouth feel is medium, at best, almost thin. I get some Belgian sugar as it warms. I never get the 88 IBU or any bitterness to speak of, and the 9.8% ABV is well hidden! As this warms, some hints of coffee emerge. This is somewhat complex, and that complexity seems to increase as it warms, and more nuances of flavors evolve. This is a specialty brew. It is not for everyday consumption. It is damn good and it may be too big to work with most foods, but it might be a good beer to pair with decadent chocolate dessert! Mikey likes it!
Posted on: Thu, 20 Nov 2014 03:08:46 +0000