I first tried Corsendonk Monk Brown at the Pipers Pub in Pittsburgh, PA several
years ago. This was one of the very first Belgian ales that I sampled, and I
can honestly say that it was the first brewed beverage that pointed the way for
me to explore the wonderful world of beer from other parts of the world,
especially Belgium. I had never heard of Belgian abbey ales before trying
Corsondonk Monk Brown, so you can imagine that after tasting this wonderful beverage
that my interest was definitely peaked. You can say that my abbey ale
adventure started with Corsendonk Monk Brown.
The story of Consendonk Monk Brown Abbey Ale goes something like this. At the
end of 14th century, Belgium’s Duke of Brabant had a daughter who
donated her estate in the Belgian village of Turnhout to the Monastic Augustine
Order. The Augustines turned the estate into a priory, which is another name
for a monastic house. The Corsendonk priory had it’s own brewery up until it
closed in the late 18th century. In the late 1960s and early 1970’s
the priory was restored and is now used as a meeting hall for VIPs. Corsendonk
Ales were created in 1982 and were named for the priory. Along with the Monk
Brown there is a pale tripel ale as well. Both beers are the brainchild of the
well-known brewing family Jozef Keersmaekers, with the brown ale currently
brewed by the Bios Brewery of Eastern Flanders.
One word for me describes Corsendonk Monk's Brown. Complex. And sure enough
there are many complexities to this brew. Off of the tap, a solid head forms in
the tulip shaped Corsendonk glass with good staying power for about 3 minutes.
The dark amber to burgundy brown hue is very inviting. A clean fresh flowery
aroma emits from the glass like a porter, with hints of vanilla. There is a
sweet medicinal flavor to this abbey ale that gives off notes of raisins,
prunes, chocolate, and anis. And the alcohol taste is very strong, with an
aftertaste that has a hop bitterness with a considerable bite that is not
objectionable.
Full bodied and hearty, Corsendonk Monk Brown is bottle conditioned (when it’s
in a bottle of course) and has and alcohol content of 7% abv. It is yeasty,
and citrusy, and it is truly a world classic that goes well with any chicken,
beef, or pork dish. Monk Brown is very much gaining a cult following in the
spirit of the Belgian Trappist Ales. This abbey ale is a strong powerful drink
that is not for the faint of heart. I really love this beer, but I recommend
sipping it slowly and savoring! Enjoy!
