Victory’s Merry Monkey

Yes, the calendar is still saying it’s still Fall. Mother Nature, however, has other plans and blanketed my yard with a fair amount of the white stuff. Not to mention, Christmas is inching closer by the second. So, I caved and made the switch over to winter beers.

Today’s review is of a new offering from Pennsylvania’s Victory Brewing Company. I’ve never had the pleasure of stopping at one of their four taprooms, three of which being in PA and one in North Carolina, but they are certainly on the list once COVID has its claws clipped.

Their Golden Monkey is, by far, one of my favorite beers. If you happen to hear CJ retching while you read this, that’s because Golden Monkey is a Belgian Tripel. I’ve got a soft spot for this one in particular. It was the beer that made me step into the craft beer world in earnest. That fateful evening, I paired the Tripel with Brookline’s Publick House Mac and Cheese. Delicious.

Over the years, Victory has released several different Monkeys – Tart, Sour, and Twisted. As I am not a sour or tart beer fan, I haven’t braved sampling any of these offerings. Wimpy, wimpy, wimpy. I know, I know. But this newest Monkey- Merry Monkey, has piqued my interest. 

Now, drinker beware. This pinky lifting Monkey weighs in at a whopping 10%. In fairness, its parent Monkey is no slouch either at 9.5%, but yowza. 

Ts crossed, let’s get into the flavors!

As you can see from the photo, Merry Monkey has a rich, ruddy, copper color to it- a departure from Golden Monkey’s…well, gold color. The darker hue is coming from the addition of roasted malted barley to the brew. And I have to say, the modification makes it quite festive in appearance.

MM is a Belgian at heart, though, so the traditional banana and clove pop up as you bring the glass up to your nose. I don’t think it’s as pronounced as the full-on Belgian Tripel. All the same, there’s enough for MM to scream it’s heritage. The comparisons between Golden and Merry Monkey are going to start straying from here. 

As you start sipping on this beverage, you’re going to have to be patient. The flavors don’t start revealing themselves until about three or four sips in. Once they start hitting, it’s a pleasant switch up from the usual Belgian lineup. 

I didn’t get a lot of the cranberry flavors described on the bottle. Cranberry is a fickle flavor, though, so I’m not overly let down, and it has an uphill battle with the other addons. The nutmeg and orange were the heavy hitters here. I got the spiciness from the nutmeg up front, and it finished with the orange zing. 

Bitterness rounds out MM’s flavor crest, probably from the addition of Cascade hops, that you don’t find in GM. This bitterness cuts out a lot of the sweetness drinkers should be getting from the malts. In this brew, the sweetness would probably have been sickly otherwise. Honestly, that would have ruined all of the holiday flavors pulled into this brew.

Would I trade in Golden Monkey for Merry Monkey? How dare you ask such a question! GM was there first, and I would never betray GM like that. I mean, really, I don’t give up GM for the Florida humidity. That said, this is going to be a lovely addition for the holiday season. 

Cheers Nerd Girls!