Sour Monkey, a Belgian-style Tripel by Victory Brewing Company features Brettanomyces that lend sour apple and lemon to a wheat base.

Share This Review

Sour Monkey is a Belgian-style Tripel that’s brewed by Victory Brewing Company. For the purposes of this craft beer review, the ale was served in a snifter from a 12 oz. bottle.

Packaging art for the Sour Monkey by Victory Brewing Company

Packaging art for the Sour Monkey by Victory Brewing Company

What You Need to Know

The Sour Monkey is a variant of the Victory’s popular Tripel, Golden Monkey. The Sour Monkey is brewed with Brettanomyces and then aged in Chardonnay barrels. The result adds flavors of vanilla and oak to complement the beer’s sour lemon flavor and dry finish. So how was it? Let’s get to the review.

Appearance

The ale pours a slightly cloudy marigold color and is topped by a finger-thick cap loose, bubbly white froth that dissipates rapidly. Following the reduction, a thin ring collars the glass but doesn’t leave behind any of the trademark Belgian lace. Only a bit of residue is left behind. A few bubbles trickle upward.

Check Out the Latest News Article

Almanac Beer Co. released its first batch of Strawberry Sournova — a bright, tart, and astronomically fruity, making it perfect for sipping on a summer day. Read More

Aroma

The aroma is slight but offers a scent of lemon and a mild dose of Brettanomyces.

Flavor

The tasting begins with a flavor of white bread that turns sour with a taste of crab apple and lemon that lingers on into the finish. More soft wheat bread ties the palate together.

Label art for the Sour Monkey by Victory Brewing Company

Label art for the Sour Monkey by Victory Brewing Company

Mouthfeel

The feel is smooth and crisp with a body that’s just under medium and moderate carbonation. Its finish is astringent and grainy.

Overall

Because this brew mixes styles it can be expected that certain aspects of a Tripel wouldn’t be retained. But it doesn’t seem as if the Sour Monkey kept any of the Tripel’s characteristics. It certainly would be nice if the appearance showed better head retention and its feel had more carbonation. And then regarding its aroma and palate, the use Brettanomyces dominates both. And with a name like “Sour Monkey” that isn’t too surprising. Again, though, this brew doesn’t smell or taste anything like a Tripel.

So what is it really? The Sour Monkey should be recategorized as an American Wild Ale. Yes, this brew is a variant of Victory’s popular Tripel, the Golden Monkey. But its use of Brett changes the beer entirely. So shift this beer to a Wild Ale, and it’s a pretty good brew. One of the pluses is that in spite of a relatively high ABV, this brew tastes lighter than it is and is easily quaffed.

Have You Tried the Sour Monkey?

What did you think? Give a rating, share your opinion in the comments below, or add a link to your own offsite review.

8 thoughts on “Sour Monkey

  1. The low rating HAS to be because this stuff is hard to find! People love it IMO! I DO! I never even seen the bottles and now I need to know where in the eff i can find them! Please

  2. Today I saw the label has changed and no longer says Brett Tripel. I’m still drinking what I have on hand labeled Brett Tripel, I haven’t tried the new labeled Sour Monkey yet.

    I like it just as it was.

  3. It is magnificent! I tried it at a restaurant and looked for it in stores ever since. My husband finally found it for me at a nearby Publix. Im so excited to have it at home! The flavor is tart and with 9.5% alcohol it packs just the punch I’m looking for at the end of a long day.

  4. I and my bestie think it tastes a little like Toe Jam. If you chug it with your nose plugged though,… not to bad.

  5. This was the worst thing I ever tasted that was purported to be good. I took a sip, thought I had to cleanse my pallet, the tried a second sip. The rest of the can was poured down the drain. Disgusting.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

News

Latest Craft Beer News

Beer Lab HI Releases “Chai Yo” Belgian-style Blond Ale

The latest limited release from Beer Lab HI, the “Chai Yo, Thai Tea & Milk Sugar Ale”, a Belgian-style Blond Ale, is now available from the Honolulu-based brewery. Read More

Bell’s Brewery to Auction Two Hearted Ale Hockey Jerseys to Benefit Local Organizations

Bell’s Brewery, Inc. and Kalamazoo Wings have teamed up to support two local organizations with a special, limited edition Two Hearted hockey jersey auction. Read More

Upper Hand Brewery Expands Distribution to Michigan’s Mitten

Upper Hand Brewery will end its drought of availability below the Mackinac Bridge with the distribution of its beer to Michigan’s Lower Peninsula this Fall. Read More