There are some beers I just have to try . . . usually a trip to the beer store will satisfy a want and sometimes it's pretty hard to get my hands on a bottle. A west coast beer I've wanted to try for a while is from a small brewery that sells to a limited distribution area . . . luckily Marina Market in Poulsbo, WA is willing to ship beer and other stuff to wherever (for a price).
Monks Indiscretion from Sound Brewery is that beer. It was recommended by a fellow beer lover and was pretty high on my list of beers to try.
I'm glad I made the effort . . . it was well worth it.
Monks Indiscretion pours a lush golden yellow with a light frothy head. The beer smells intense and strong . . . there is much promise to the aroma but can the beer deliver? Oh yes . . . yes, it can! First of all, it is indeed strong with a 10% ABV.
There are a lot of complex flavors mingling together . . . it tastes tart fruity with yeasty undertones and a bitter hop finish. It has a boozy quality that makes it almost brandy-ish.
Monks Indiscretion is a sipping beer, something to be savored and enjoyed. I think it would pair well with simple plate of fruit and cheese or a big honkin' steak.
This is one of those beers I didn't want to have to share, but hubby was sitting right there and it would've been quite rude . . . not to mention detrimental to marital bliss . . . not to pour him a glass.
Monks Indiscretion met and exceeded my expectations. It is truly a remarkable and enjoyable brew . . . really quite amazing.
Cheers.
Visit Sound Brewing's website or check them out on Facebook.
A view of Deception Pass near the Sound from a visit a few years ago . . . a beautiful place to visit. Check out Sound Brewery if you're every in the area.
August 2 is International IPA Day. A day when beer enthusiasts all over the world raise a glass of hoppy goodness in honor of a style of beer the is well known and loved: India Pale Ale!
So in honor of this auspicious occasion I, of course, had to indulge in an IPA. And I didn't want just any everyday, run-of-the-mill, ordinary IPA. I wanted a special one. I acquired a beer that cannot be obtained in Connecticut by ordinary means. In fact, I went to great lengths to get a beer that not only is award winning but is so locally distributed that it's nearly impossible to get outside the brewery's area.
And that beer is? Humulo Nimbus by Sound Brewery. Sound Brewery is located in Puget Sound region of Washington State. Which, I might add, is a beautiful place to visit!
Humulo Nimbus, which gets it's name (in part) from the scientific name for hops humulus lupulin, is a double IPA that comes in at 8.5 ABV and 75 IBUs.
It pours a hazy reddish gold with little to no head. I was immediatly struck by a wonderful hoppy pineapply aroma that made my mouth water. I knew right away that I had chosen a worthy beer to celebrate IPA Day.
The flavor of this beer is impressive . . . nicely bitter and slightly sweet all at the same time . . . tropical fruits, bitter hops, a little caramel, a touch of vanilla that all meld into a mouthful of YUM.
It is full bodied . . . not quite heavy . . . but the citrussness (is that a word?) make the beer refreshing and very drinkable (dangerously drinkable). It finishes fairly clean with a touch of bitterness at the back end.
My overall thoughts on this beer? I would drink it anytime anywhere and why-oh-why can't I get it on the East Coast? Am I a fan of Sound Brewery? Hells ya!
If you are outside the distribution area of the Sound Brewery, Marina Market will ship to most states . . . for a price.
Visit Sound Brewing's website or check them out on Facebook.
Hubby and I during a 2004 visit to Seattle and the Pugent Sound. This photo was take at Ebey Bluffs on Whidbey Island. Beautiful! If only I'd known about Sound Brewing then!
There are some beers I just have to try . . . usually a trip to the beer store will satisfy a want and sometimes it's pretty hard to get my hands on a bottle. A west coast beer I've wanted to try for a while is from a small brewery that sells to a limited distribution area . . . luckily Marina Market in Poulsbo, WA is willing to ship beer and other stuff to wherever (for a price).
