Sound Brewery Monk’s Indiscretion Belgian Strong Pale Ale at 10% ABV (C$17.55 at Andrew Hilton Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, reviewed 21-Jan-2016)
Appearance: clear pale amber with a thin ivory head, good retention and no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: complex, candi sugar, dry-ish tripel-like tropical fruit and Belgian yeast, floral, earthy. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, light tart, light bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate-high carbonation, lightly boozy and tart finish. (4/5)
Oh my… if this is indiscretion, I’m not sure why you’d want to be discreet. “I’d rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints,” indeed. Sweet, but not too much so, balanced with a lovely mild tartness and bitter, accented with floral juniper (gin) and yeast. Layers of complexity continue to reveal as it warms, and make it difficult to accurately describe the bouquet. I was expecting (and bracing myself for) a barleywine-ish approach, but this is is a far more interesting prospect. (I can handle a good barleywine, but it’s not my favourite style, especially when it’s not done well.) The ABV is definitely present, but well integrated so that the overall experience is much milder than one might expect from double digits. Well worth looking for. (16/20)
8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
