Today’s hearty brew hales from the barrels of North Coast Brewing Company, located in Fort Bragg, California. Brother Thelonious is an abbey-style dark ale, brewed in the same yeasty tradition as practiced by centuries of our blue-balled Belgian brethren.

The Bottle:

This rich, mahogany colored ale comes in a 750ml vessel stamped with the visage of Thelonious Monk himself, the brilliant and inventive mid-century jazz pianist. A cowl-clad Thelonious appears on the label holding a chalice of his namesake brew, and a Shakespeare-esque skull lies perched on his lap. No ham-fisted Hamlet, Monk was responsible for pushing the boundaries of improv piano from the 40′s through the early 70′s, with such alcohol-fueled ditties as “Straight, No Chaser”

I’m not sure how his estate came to be associated with the folks at North Coast, but doubtless Thelonious himself would give this fine namesake brew an 88 key salute.

The Pour:

I really should purchase a goblet or two suitable for Belgian-style brews, but I was forced to use a generic pint glass for this review. The pour is a rich and fragrant, a yeasty dunklebraun, with a firm, tan head. The fragrance is pure Belgian ale, with ample hints of added spice.

The Beer:

As stated on the bottle, Brother Thelonius clocks in at an ample 9.4% ABV, and 32 IBU’s of bitterness. The first sip is pure heaven; this is by far the best belgian style ale I’ve tasted from beyond the hallowed horizons of the old continent. Like a gingered toffee, you can almost chew on this beer, althought the finish lacks some of the complex hints that the famous Trappiste appellations offer. It goes down smooth and hearty, and anyone living in northen climes should pack away several bottles for the cool fall months.

The Verdict:

A definite buy, and the finest Belgian-style U.S. craft brew I’ve ever tasted.

-Major Microbrew