STRAIGHT, NO CHASER: NORTH COAST'S "BROTHER THELONIUS"

I really never read any super-excited references to this beer in the 2+ years since it's been available, but my recent experience with NORTH COAST BREWING's "La Merle" made me want to give it a go. I figgered, if LA MERLE is so goddamn good, and no one's writing about it, then what about BROTHER THELONIUS?

Suffice to say, this is a slightly-above average Belgian-style ale. Nothing you're going to raise a hootenanny about, but seriously drinkable and almost dead-on for a definitive American take on a Belgian abbey ale. Deep, dark amber/brown color, with almost no head retention nor lacing present. Medium bodied, and instantly tastes of Belgian candi sugar, almost like a sweet dubbel-style ale. 9% alcohol, and it masks that very well. Where it falls down for me is the medium, almost watery body. I like my Belgian-style beers to be complex and deep, and this strikes me as a fairly pedestrian, if tasty, take on the form. I think Monk himself had a little more depth than this beer does, but I might drink it again down the line. 6.5/10.