The Weekly Pint: Old Monkeyshine Ale
Posted by Roger the Beerist at 2/16/2008 3:30 PM and is filed under Old Ale,Don't Rightly Know/Not Sure,Beer review,Weekly Pint 
This week's pint is Old Monkeyshine Ale from Nimbus Brewing Companyin Tucson, Arizona.
My kids thought the label was funny. There's a monkey wearing a leaf for a loincloth. It is kind of funny, really. And bizarre. Well, anyway, on to the beer itself. I'll be in Tucson this summer. Perhaps I'll have a chance to sample the food and the beer, fresh.
Old Monkeyshine is described by the brewery as 'an exceptional example of a true, traditional-style English Pub beer.' I trolled through the style guidelines, both BJCP and Brewer's Association, and I just couldn't find that category. I probably completely missed it, knowing me. However, this ale did seem to fit the Strong Ale style, an Old Ale in particular. I don't know. Here's what I read and tasted.
It poured a dull, dark brown with a yellow, creamy head which just wouldn't dislodge. It floated on the surface of the beer, consistently thick. That's a little different than what the guidelines say. It did have a strong aroma of banana, it was very fruity. After this rush of esters came the bouquet of hops.
The body was thick and oily with very little carbonation and a minute fruity tang. It finished very dry. It registers a healthy 8.2% abv.
It's an odd beer, like its label. Now, I'm not one to put down oddity (I mean, after all, my future brewing company is gonna be called Bottled Llama, that's downright whacky). I'm just not sure if I really like Old Monkeyshine. It's the thick fruitiness that blankets the malt, I think. If it was a little more vinuous, a little more towards the barleywine side of things, it might be better to my tastes.
Don't take that wrong, it's a well made ale. I'd like to go to England and try some English pub ales and compare. I'll be honest, when I think of English pub ales all that comes to mind are milds and bitters - not this concoction. But, I've never gone to an authentic pub in England so I'd best keep my trap shut, right? Right.
Until the next pint ...
My kids thought the label was funny. There's a monkey wearing a leaf for a loincloth. It is kind of funny, really. And bizarre. Well, anyway, on to the beer itself. I'll be in Tucson this summer. Perhaps I'll have a chance to sample the food and the beer, fresh.
Old Monkeyshine is described by the brewery as 'an exceptional example of a true, traditional-style English Pub beer.' I trolled through the style guidelines, both BJCP and Brewer's Association, and I just couldn't find that category. I probably completely missed it, knowing me. However, this ale did seem to fit the Strong Ale style, an Old Ale in particular. I don't know. Here's what I read and tasted.
It poured a dull, dark brown with a yellow, creamy head which just wouldn't dislodge. It floated on the surface of the beer, consistently thick. That's a little different than what the guidelines say. It did have a strong aroma of banana, it was very fruity. After this rush of esters came the bouquet of hops.
The body was thick and oily with very little carbonation and a minute fruity tang. It finished very dry. It registers a healthy 8.2% abv.
It's an odd beer, like its label. Now, I'm not one to put down oddity (I mean, after all, my future brewing company is gonna be called Bottled Llama, that's downright whacky). I'm just not sure if I really like Old Monkeyshine. It's the thick fruitiness that blankets the malt, I think. If it was a little more vinuous, a little more towards the barleywine side of things, it might be better to my tastes.
Don't take that wrong, it's a well made ale. I'd like to go to England and try some English pub ales and compare. I'll be honest, when I think of English pub ales all that comes to mind are milds and bitters - not this concoction. But, I've never gone to an authentic pub in England so I'd best keep my trap shut, right? Right.
Until the next pint ...
I used to live in AZ, and found Old Monkeyshine to be my favorite Nimbus. It seems to stop short of being an old ale, while maintaining some of those qualities. To me, it's leaving the guidelines to the side and just brewing something tasty. I haven't had it in quite some time, and don't think I realized they were bottling it. Need to have the Tucson grandparents put together a care package.
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