Victory Brewing Company brings us Golden Monkey, their Belgian-style Tripel Ale clocking in at 9.5% ABV. As much as I love IPAs, I’ll always have a spot in my heart for the Belgian-inspired brews. Especially ones like Golden Monkey. Victory did quite a wonderful job in crafting this multi-session beer.

This taste test was reviewed using one of their 12 oz bottles I picked up in a mixed six-pack, and what a great choice it was. I’ve had a quick taste of Golden Monkey before, but nothing like enjoying a full-bottle. I poured this one into an unbranded pint glass. It poured a light, golden color full of wonderfully bubbly carbonation. The head was frothy white and seemed to dissipate quite quickly. The smell was clean and fresh, although a bit muted. I got that wonderful typical Tripel smell of that Belgian-style yeast profile, with a hint of an orangey note. I also picked up some earthy smells, though they weren’t powerful.

The taste was spot-on. It wasn’t bitter and had a great hop-malt balance. The finish was a bit of a spicy-orange flavor but really didn’t hold much of a lingering after taste. I can still taste some of the Golden Monkey in my mouth, but it’s more sweet than anything. Not bad at all! The thickness was perfect for me. It wasn’t too light and watery and not too thick; it was a medium-thickness, more deceiving than its looks. I would have expected a very light mouthful from looking at it but it provided a well-balanced, medium smoothness.

I really enjoyed this. At 9.5% ABV, Victory hid this extremely well. This is why I declared this a multi-session beer. You don’t get any alcohol burn and the flavor is great. Well done, guys. I want another!

Overall: 8.5/10