About the beer:

Victory Brewing Company’s Golden Monkey is an American adaptation of the traditional Belgian-style strong ale now commonly found around the world. We’ve talked a lot about Belgian-style ales here at Beeriety and there are several themes that make this beer uniquely different than that of its predecessors from across the seas.

The Victory Brewing Company was founded in 1996 by Ron Barchet and Bill Covaleski in Downingtown, PA. Victory Brewing is know for their innovative approach to new-age brewing methods including their commitment to clean, renewable energy  such as the use of solar panels that were recently installed at their brewing headquarters. With over 12 varieties of beer available year-round and a host of seasonal offerings Victory has become an award winning brewery and has established themselves as a staple of east coast brewing.

But back to the beer! This Belgian-style tripel ale boasts a high-octane punch, clocking in at 9.5% ABV.  As the name suggests this style packs triple the amount of malts than a regular ale, which gives this beer its big and complex flavor.  As we’ve previously mentioned Belgian-style ales are also a fantastic alternative to the traditional champagne toast because of their sometimes sweet flavor and high carbonation levels.

In A Nutshell:

The Golden Monkey is a great American take on the Belgian-style but doesn’t come close to the classics. Beeriety 3 out of 5: Worth A Try!

Beeriety Review:

Golden Monkey was one of the first Belgian-style ales I discovered when I first got into craft beer. This Belgian set the stage for future strong ale tastings and at the time it was an eye-opening experience to try such a complex beer that offered so much flavor and spice. At a time in my life it certainly ranked among my favorite Belgians, so you can understand the conflicted nature of my review and my frustration with my own palate.

I really want to love this beer, but looking at it now it really doesn’t hold up against the traditional Belgian greats like Duvel, Chimay Blanche and other Trappist ales. I have a huge affinity for Victory brewing and love their American take on a Belgian strong, but ultimately it is the lingering liquor taste of the Golden Monkey that detracts from the overall offering. There are a lot of strong ale options in the beer world and it’s a shame that the high alcohol content has such a substantial impact on the flavor of this beer. There is still a lot to love about this beer, from the aroma to the spicy notes that weave in an out as the beer warms up. I certainly would never shy away from trying one on tap, I guess I’ve just moved on and discovered better Belgian beers.

Beeriety Rating:

3 out of 5: Worth A Try

What are you drinking? Try a Golden Monkey this week and tell us what else you’re drinking. Tag your Twitter updates, Tumblr posts and Flickr photos of your Beer of the Week with the #mybeer hashtag to tell us what you’re drinking!

About the beer:

Brewed for the first time just after the World War I, Duvel was known at first as ‘Victory Ale’. Following its devilish nature as a Belgian strong ale (8.5% ABV), it soon became ‘Duvel’ (Dutch for devil) and has been known under that name ever since.

Brewed by the Duvel Moortgat Brewery and exported all over the world, Duvel has become a reference point for Belgian beer. It’s best served from its unique stemware, and there are good reasons behind this. The traditional tulip glass designed to release flavor, and as it narrows towards the top, it helps preserve the carbon-dioxide and the fluffy white head. To improve the glass even further, the manufacturers  engraved a ‘D’ into the inner circle of the bottom of the glass which enables further carbonation. We’ve talked about proper glassware for your beer before and it’s evident as you enjoy this beer that proper stemware plays a big part in the experience.

In 140 Characters:

Duvel is a classic Belgian style golden ale that doesn’t have too much going on, just classic flavor. Beeriety 5 out of 5: Drinker’s Choice!

Beeriety Review:

Visually, Duvel is one of the most stunning beers I’ve ever seen. The beer is pure gold with tons of carbonation and heady with clouds of foam on top. The taste is warm and definitely gets stronger as the beer goes down. It’s not overly complex, and behind the fruitiness you get in most classic Belgian styles beers is a sour taste that encourages you to drink sensibly. It’s a sipper for sure and made a great choice on a cold November night.

The look, the smell and the great mouth feel (mostly attributed to the high levels of the carbonation) all make this beer fantastic without being overcomplicated in flavor. What’s not to love about this classic Belgian? I’ve tasted more than a few Belgian beers and Duvel is indeed in a class of its own.

Beeriety Rating:

5 out of 5: Drinker’s Choice

What are you drinking? Toast a Duvel this week and tell us what else you’re drinking. Tag your Twitter updates, Tumblr posts and Flickr photos of your Beer of the Week with the #mybeer hashtag to tell us what you’re drinking!

The history of spices in beer is as old and varied as beer itself. Despite the fact that hops have become the predominant spicing agent used in most contemporary styles, that was not always the case.  In areas where hops are not native or easily grown the role of hops was frequently played by another bitter and/or mildly anti-septic plant, such as marigold, burdock, juniper, or heather. In fact, during the Middle Ages, a substance known as gruit (a mash-up of various herbs and spices) was used to provide the same preservative and flavoring benefits that hops can provide. As recently as the Renaissance, spicing beer was still fairly common all across Europe. Grains of Paradise (a peppery member of the ginger family) was particularly popular and was most likely used to cover over the stale or sour flavors of beer that had been improperly made or stored.

However, as regulatory practices worked towards more standardized beer production, spiced beer remained traditional in some regions and was legislated, regulated, and even shamed out of popular use in others. For this reason, spices are a much more common element of styles produced in regions like Belgium than they are in Germany (where the Reinheitsgebot limited beer ingredients to the big four) or England (where for a while even the use of hops was forbidden in certain ales.)

Though spices are uncommon to many beer styles, if you’re both a beer-lover and a spice-enthusiast (like me) there are still lots of styles you can explore. For the purposes of keeping it simple, I want to talk about three of the spiciest beer categories:

Fall & Winter Seasonals (Pumpkin beers, Winter “Warmers”, Holiday beers, etc.)
Cooler weather means warmer beers, so these seasonals combine the natural warming effects of alcohol with the natural warming effects of certain spices. Pumpkin beers tend to spice with the same ingredients that we know and love in our pumpkin pies. In fact, the core spices used in most cool-weather brews will be things you could find in any given kitchen: cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, allspice, and vanilla. among others. In addition to these types of warming spices, Winter beers frequently add fruit flavors to mimic the classic Wassail experience.

For a Pumpkin Ale try Dogfish Head’s Punkin Ale, Brooklyn’s Post Road Pumpkin, or Smuttynose’s Pumpkin Ale – all of which feature a subtle (instead of overwhelming) pumpkin-spiciness.

For Holiday or Winter Brews try the Sam Smith Winter Welcome, Anderson Valley Winter Solstice, or the Dubuisson Bush de Noel.

Belgians
As legendary beer writer Michael Jackson noted, “the Belgians are the greatest users of herbs and spices in beer.” And you don’t have to be a serious beer expert to feel the truth of this statement. A wide range of Belgian brews feature spice as a prominent ingredient -most notably, Belgian witbiers and saisons. Traditional spices include coriander, sweet and bitter orange peel, black pepper, grains of paradise, and sweet gale – all of which provide the sweet, spicy, and summer-y flavors that you except from those styles.

For a classic Witbier, just pick up a Hoegaarden (unfortunately now owned by InBev) or an Allagash White.

For a Saison try Saison Dupont, Foret, or Ommegang’s Hennepin.

Experimental

Though the Belgians may be the reigning spice champs, the American craft scene is giving them a run for their money with a collective penchant for spices and other unorthodox ingredients. In addition to all the classics, many American brewers are using herbs, flowers, and even chili powder to play with styles and flavors.

Boston-based Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project makes a Rustic Stout with rosemary. Rogue offers us a a beer spiced with Chipotle peppers (their Chipotle Ale, which tastes exactly like what you’d think,) a few variations on Juniper beers (John John Juniper and the Juniper Pale ale,) and even a Chamomile Ale (of same name). Dogfish Head seems to use every spicing agent under the sun, including basil (Black Thai), lemongrass (Namaste), crystallized ginger (Pangea), chiles (Theobroma), and juniper & black tea (Sah’Tea).

Got a favorite spice-y beer? Let us know by tweeting with hashtag #mybeer!

Riddling the Champagne

Biere de Champagne is a new style in which beer is put through a similar process as the one traditionally used to produce Champagne, known as the méthode Champenoise. The beer making process and Champagne making process are already very similar, but the extra steps taken when producing this style give it unique qualities that any serious beer drinker should try.

Both bottle-condition beer and Champagne go through primary fermentation in large batches and secondary fermentation in the bottle where additional sugars or yeast is added to naturally carbonate the beverage. Unlike most beer, Champagne then goes through a process of collecting (riddling) and removing (disgorging) the sediment from the bottle.

Riddling is performed by placing the bottles at a 45° angle racks known as pupitres. The sediment in the beer or Champagne slowly drifts down to the neck of the bottle. Every few days it is carefully turned and angled further until all of the sediment has been collected, usually taking about 6 to 8 weeks.

The sediment is now removed from the neck by removing the cork and allowing some of the liquid to spill out, a process known as disgorging, which today is automated by machines which freeze the bottleneck but years ago could only be performed by a skilled practitioner.

After all this additional yeast or sugar can be added for what is essentially a third fermentation. Putting beer throughthis process, which can take years if done properly, gives it the subtle complexity, spicy flavor and rich carbonation that Champagne is known for. All of this is balanced by the rich body and balance which only a beer can provide. Actual Champagne yeast is used sometimes to further enhance these flavors.

All of this makes for a wonderfully light and refreshing beer that is akin to Champagne but with the body and hops that are unique to beer. The process is a costly one, as a result there are not many brewers who offer a beer of this style, just a handful of mostly Belgian brewers at the moment. The most well known is probably Deus by Brouwerij Bosteels with Malheur Brut from Brouwerij De Landtsheer coming in at a close second.

Ever tried this new style of beer? If you ever get the chance to try it let us know what you think by tweeting your beer and adding the ‘#mybeer’ hashtag.

Why? Because ice cold beer numbs your taste buds and doesn’t allow the beer to develop its full flavor potential. Ice cold anything numbs your taste buds, just like it will with any part of your body, that’s just what ice does. Drinking your beer at ice cold temperatures may be a great way to cool off but it’s also a great way to keep from fully tasting your beer.

Although the optimal temperature for each style of beer varies, a safe bet is to drink your beer when it’s slightly below room temperature, say around 50 to 60 degrees. This will ensure maximum sensation for your tongue and maximum enjoyment for you.

Don’t have a thermometer handy? Just set your beer on the counter for a few minutes after taking it out from the fridge and if you at a bar, avoid chilled glasses.

If you want to get more precise with the proper temperature from one style to another, there is a handy chart from Real Beer for the details.

• Fruit beers at 40-50° F.
• Wheat beers and pale lagers at 45-50° F.
• Pale ales and amber or dark lagers at 50-55° F.
• Strong ales, such as barley wines and Belgian ales, at 50-55° F.
• Dark ales, including porters and stouts, at 55-60° F.

As they suggest, the stronger the brew the closer to 60° degrees you want your beer to be.

Now, you’re probably thinking, “but I’ve tried warm beer before, it tasted gross.” You’re right, it probably was gross, especially if it was a light lager like Coors Light or Bud Light. Unfortunately here in America many major brewers put a premium on value over quality, which means they count on you never getting a proper taste of their light lagers. Beyond that though, the lower the alcohol in the beer the lower the temperature should and many light beers tend to be relatively light in the alcohol as well compared to many craft brews.