Victory - Golden Monkey Ale

"This Monkey's bound for glory!"

Next stop on our journey is Downingtown, PA, at Victory Brewing Co., drinking their Golden Monkey Ale, purchased at Vintage Estates.

"The magical, mystical Monkey whose golden soul glows with the wisdom of ages. This warming, flavored ale as rich in the spirited tradition of Belgian-inspired brewing. Our Golden Monkey is both playfully delightful and profoundly satisfying. Exotic spices from the East round out this global journey to joy. Get on board." This tripel ale is bottle-conditioned and brewed with spices and should be enjoyed before June 14, 2014. It is 9.5% ABV.

Overall average rating: 5.7/10

The beer is a translucent, cloudy straw color with a moderately diminishing white, frothy head with lacing on the glass. The aroma is crisp and very wheaty with essences of Belgian yeast, giving it a light banana scent. The taste has a front/mid tongue bite with a hoppy and acidic/s;ight metallic bitey finish. We can taste the wheat and Belgian yeast, though the flavors seem muddled.

Shawn- The aroma makes you think you'll taste great flavors, but the taste is all one flavor. It smells crisp, but the muddled flavors almost taste dirty, 5/10.

Angela- This has a clean, crisp aroma, as well as a crisp taste, but it is a little bitey for me, 6/10.

Chris- I like the slight banana taste and the hoppy after taste, but the aroma far outweighs the taste, 6/10.

The Church Brew Works

Our first trip to a brewery as bloggers was to The Church Brew Works in Pittsburgh, PA.

(from churchbrew.com)

This brewery, located in the former St. John The Baptist Church, is the first and only Brew Pub in the country to be located in a historic church. The original hardwood floors, stained glass windows, and hand-painted ceiling were renovated in order to maintain their original beauty. Guests can sit in the the original pews in the dining area or sit in the pub/bar area. There is also a Hop Garden, where guests can drink and dine outdoors.

(from churchbrew.com)

The executive chef has taken traditional American food and added an upscale flair, and the menu also features regional favorites, such as pierogies (yum!). In addition to the beer, they also offer liquors, single malt scotches, and a nice selection of wines. As for the beer, Church Brew Works features four house beers - two ales and two lagers - as well as specialty seasonal beers.

The menu includes a page describing every step of the brewing process - it's really neat. The beer sampler included 8 beers - three house beers, one rotating house beer, and four specialty beers. Check back to read more about our experience!