The Brü Revü – Thirsty Planet Jittery Monk

Thirsty Planet has been in Austin for a few years and while it’s not brand spankin new it is still a new brewery in town.  Their Bucket Head IPA is available in most decent bars around town (and is a damn good beer in its own right), but I want to review the Jittery Monk.  It’s a Belgian Coffee Abbey Dubbel which is a unique combination that just seems right.  Coffee brews are generally saved for the stouts and porters as their natural flavor profiles blend well with the richness of a coffee flavor.  Why no one has thought of trying this with a Belgian Abbey is beyond me because this was an outstanding beer.   This beer looked like coffee, smelled like coffee, and even tasted like coffee.  I have read elsewhere that the Jittery Monk is made with cold pressed coffee by Kahona Coffee which is a local roaster.  The coffee excellently balanced and accentuated the Belgian Abbey flavors that blended together to create a smooth creamy brew with no burnt bitterness and no fuss. This is an extremely complex and understated beer sent directly from the Belgian Beer Gods to us. This may be one of the best beers in Austin, and it is definitely one of the best new beers on the scene.  I only hope Thirsty Planet continues to brew it as this could put them on the national brewing map, and I would love to be able to keep drinking it around town!

Thirsty Planet Jittery Monk

The Brü Revü – New Belgium Abbey

I have always enjoyed the New Belgium beers and the Abbey (along with the Trippel) is my favorite of their regular line-up.  It pours a deep transparent amber with a decent creamy head and a generous amount of carbonation.  The aroma hits you instantly with the sweet Belgian yeast that follows through to the taste.  There are also hints of banana, caramel, and fruity malt in the smooth full bodied mouthfeel.  There is definitely a lot going on in this complex and well balanced beer especially for a regular offering from a brewer.  If you haven't tried New Belgium this is a great place to start and a beer I highly recommend.

New Belgium Abbey

The Brü Revü – New Belgium Grand Cru Abbey Ale

This beer will always have a sweet spot with me.  I remember first having this beer years ago on draft at the Gingerman as part of the New Belgium’s Lips of Faith series and thinking it was the best beer on the planet.  It was a perfect afternoon with my wife drinking a few beers at my favorite bar that may have influenced my opinion.  I have not seen it since, so when I saw it is now available in bottles I was ecstatic.  New Belgium’s Abbey Ale is one of their best beers and this one kicks it up a few notches.  It has a very deep and intense flavor that strikes all the right Belgian Abbey notes with hints of raisins, figs, and that distinct Belgian yeast.  While it did not live up to my memory of the greatest beer in the world, it is still a fantastic one that will always stir those memories of that perfect afternoon.

New Belgium Grand Cru Abbey Ale