Don't touch my Monkey!

Brewery: Victory Brewing Co.
Location: Downingtown, PA
Name: Golden Monkey
Type: Tripel
ABV: 9.5%
Purchased from: Grape & Gourmet, Va Beach
Price: $1.99

I can't tell you exactly when I had my first Golden Monkey. I can't even recall if it was the first Victory beer I consumed (might have been Storm King). Either way, I have spent some time naval gazing with Golden Monkey and that's not a statement to be taken lightly. I drank 5 of these in one sitting years ago...It was a long night. Imagine a sunrise collided with a jar of honey and then was baptised with champagne. Got that? Good, because that's what this beer looks like. A glorious golden...monkey colored liquid. There is also a smattering of small carbonation bubbles that linger well after the initial pour. But it's not a font of activity. The cap on this rose to a solid two fingers of snow white foam. As gravity set in, the head laced nicely making for some pretty rest rings. The bouquet is pretty hard to miss. Even several feet away I managed to pick up the first notes of sweet banana and peppery clove. Scents and spices integral to the tripel experience. Scents of lemon grass and tangy yeast bubble up. The biscuit like aroma mingles nicely with the sweet of the malt and the tart of the yeast. It's a very inviting aroma. One might say it's soothing for the soul. The mouthfeel is full bodied and plush. As a flavor delivery mechanism I approve. The initial flavors you might get are the biscuit backbone fleshed out with lightly caramel malt. A pop of citrus, though not at lemony as the nose would have you expect, lighten the flavor profile up some. The spices play up nicely, too. Clove and white pepper are easily identified. There is a faint trace of alcohol towards the back end of the taste and it is more noticeable on the way down. I consider Golden Monkey a solid "go to" beer for me. It smells great, is super easy on the eyes, and will make you feel all warm and fuzzy given a long enough exposure time to it. And besides, saying something like "I have to nurse this Monkey for a while. I'm on my third one and things are starting to get a little fuzzy" while NOT drinking this beer can result in having some awkward looks cast your way.

We named the monkey Jack. Jack the monkey? Tisk tisk.