Day 655: Victory White Monkey

Victory Brewing Company's Golden Monkey has a reputation as a phenomenal beer that will kick your ass if you're not careful. It's delicious and smooth and you really have no idea that you're drinking a 9.5% beer.

White Monkey is what you get when Golden Monkey takes a three month sabbatical in white wine barrels. Knowing all that, I had high hopes for the White Monkey.

It poured a rich gold color ale with a thin white head. It has a very rich smell--lots of spices and wine. The taste is resinous and the booze is quite evident. It actually surprised me when I read that the ABV was 9.5%. I would have bet it was a lot higher. There was also a good amount of banana and clove in the flavor. You also really notice the effect of the barrel aging. You get some oak and white wine with each sip.

Beer stats

Style: Tripel
ABV: 9.5%
IBUs: Unknown
Rating: Good

Previously reviewed from Victory
Headwaters Pale Ale, Summer Love, Golding Glow, Uncle Teddy's Bitter, Otto, more Otto, Swing, more Swing Saison, 100 Horse Ale, more 100 Horse Ale, NATO IPA, my sampler, and last but not least...the V-12

Merry Christmas!

Day #381 Barrel Aged Brrrbon '11 / Widmer Brothers Brewing Company, 
Previously from this brewery: Citra Blonde, Brrr Seasonal

After an excellent day yesterday spent visiting family, today we celebrate the holiday by watching movies, drinking beer, and eating Chinese food at home.  It's not that I don't love my family or friends - I just need one day over the holiday to spend doing nothing but sitting and relaxing.  It's been a good day so far, with more movies on deck for the evening.  Whatever your family tradition might be, I do hope the peace and joy of the season found their way to your house - along with a big bag of fun new toys from Santa.  Jolly old St. Nick hooked me up with a new book by David Byrne, which I can't wait to read.  Score!

I'm celebrating the evening with a bottle of Barrel Aged Brrrbon '11 from Widmer Brothers.  A close friend had tried this one and liked it, so it sounded like something I should buy as well.  In the glass, this beer has a bright amber color and no head.  Your nose finds the aroma of sweet malt and stone fruit, and when you take a sip you get a great mix of candi sugar, malt, dark fruit, leather, and some spice, with a good alcohol warmth.  Not quite as complex as a barley wine, yet all of the bourbon barrel aged deliciousness.  A very well done beer which goes great on a cold winter day better spent snuggling than working.  With a potent 9.5% ABV, drinking this may lead you to want a nap.  If so, then go for it - you've earned it.

Bourbon = delicious

As always, if the word "bourbon" is involved, I'm quite sure I'm going to like whatever is happening.  I look forward to future deliveries from Widmer's Alchemy Project, particularly if they involve barrel aging.

Thing to Think About Today:
To celebrate the season, let's all stop and think about the best Christmas movie ever made, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.  This clip really needs no introduction, so.... Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGeb2MHpp00

"Can I refill your eggnog for you?  Drive you out the middle of nowhere and leave you for dead?"

Christmas Eve Eve

Beer #12 Original/Innis & Gunn, Edinburgh, Scotland
Been chatting with a friend about bourbon today, which led me to think about something I wrote yesterday - no time to dream about gin.  I've come to realize that this beer adventure is going to put a serious dent in my consumption of gin, wine, bourbon, etc.  Not a bad thing, I suppose, as I'm committed to hitting 365* breweries this year.  However, I'm a well rounded imbiber, so I'm sure I'll add in some other drinks beyond beer to keep things fresh.  Besides, Total Wine is like Disneyland for adults, so I can't go too long without shopping there.

In the spirit of keeping things fresh, we'll change up from the Belgians for today's beer.  Had some time off this afternoon, so I opted for an Innis & Gunn Original, an oak aged ale. Nice copper color, strong whiff of vanilla as soon as you raise the glass, and that vanilla tastes carry through.  Maybe some toffee?  Maybe an iota too much vanilla?  Perhaps you'd prefer the spider graph's opinion for some science.  Anyway, the beer gives off hints of bourbon courtesy of the oak aging.  In fact, Innis & Gunn originally started brewing ale to use in flavoring barrels for a whiskey they were making.  As it turns out, the beer was pretty decent, so they decided to sell that too, and here we are.  Good solid pick for a cold winter's day.

Thing to Think About Today:
Started my morning off right by donating blood at a Red Cross drive.  Giving blood is a simple, painless, easy process that truly saves someone else's life.  I sincerely hope anyone who reads this blog will never need a transfusion, but if you or a loved one are in that position, keep in mind that the blood you will receive came from a donor somewhere.  At this time of year, people think about gifts.  Well, do everyone a favor and think about giving someone a gift that truly matters: the gift of life.  You'll be glad you did.


* - shout out to the comment giver that reminded us that we're in a leap year, and we can gun for 366.  Love it!