North Coast Brother Thelonious Abbey Dubbel Ale

A word, for a moment, about Thelonious Monk, the musician.

 In short, I dig him.

 In long, well,  I could write a book.

I've been digging him since I first got into jazz in my early twenties, borrowing albums from the library, then checking out cassettes, then CDs.

Now, I'm buying it all back in vinyl, just for kicks.

What is it about his music? What isn't it. There's a rhythmic drive, an intensity of emotion, an unparelelled uniqueness of vision, a singular style of composition that defied convention. And melodies that go beyond beauty, at times, and into poetry.

I honestly feel that Monk is one of those musicians whose absence in the flow of history would have disastrous repurcussions. (much like Louis Armstrong.)

Without the influence he had on Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Horace Silver, and so many others, there wouldn't have been the influence those artists had had on those who came after. If Trane hadn't broken the ground he did, after Monk set him free, would we have had Jimi? Or Carlos? Or Led Zep? I'm serious.

So, I was very excited back in 2006 to learn that one of my favorite breweries, North Coast, was dedicating a beer to him. Makes perfect sense. American version of Belgian styles often have joking references to monks. Why not a reference to OUR Monk, who is revered the world over? And, it's my favorite style, which they'd yet to attempt. Bottles originally came only in 750s, and the distributor did a pre-sell, I ordered 2 cases, and only 10 showed up for the whole state of Minnesota.  My first taste of it, when it arrived, was not exemplary. But, the rest of the bottles lasted a long time, due to the facts that 1. my beer people at the Nile really don't go over the bottle list much, preferring the tap list, and 2., no one really knew what it was, if they did see it on the list. As time went on, I would revisit a bottle now and then, and, with age, it got better. 

Kegs came much later, and I got some on tap as soon as I could. Two years ago, I did 11 kegs of Brother Thelonious in a row, until the distributors supply ran dry. Around that same time, they provided me with a neon sign, rejected by the Dakota jazz club. Some pf it's luminary parts died off, and I returned it, but a new one just arrived, and I celebrated it with the return of Brother Thelonious on tap (although I always kept it in bottles, now the 12 ounce size, as per my agreement with Brad the Beerguy after he got me the neon originally.)

For the purpose of this entry, I'm looking back on my original BeerAdvocate review, which was done with a 750 ml bottle back in November, 2006, at home. I played some Monk music, and referred to both the music (as well as lyrics, when applicable) and the beer, while I wrote. It was one of the more fun reviews I ever wrote, and I'm surprised the Bros. (of BA) let me get away with such indulgence.

Let the notes go forth:

For this evenings liturgy, the sacred text we turn to is from Brother Ellington: It Don't Mean A Thing, If It Ain't Got That Swing. Brother Monk swings it in his angular, avuncular way on the 88's, getting us in the groove in his inimitable fashion, we're deep in the pocket, the rhythm's rockin', we're reeling with the feeling... 

A clear, dusky crimson shade, this, with a slim, cola-toned head...not as impressive as I like a dubbel, but fair, s'okay, s'alright... 
("Sophisticated Lady" is next, and I'm set in a proper frame...) 

Nose starts with sweet things, dark fruits, mingling with spices, plums and cinnamon, apples and pepper, the dark keys get hit, while the sweet notes linger... 
my poor heart is sentimental, not made of wood, ...I got it bad and that ain't good...a sombre timbre is struck, then a thrilling trill is played, a chord set deep in the heart, let loose by a freewheeling arc of high-flung notes... 
cola meets coffee, ...Monday, Monday rolls around... 
and I end up where I start out, just crying my heart out...Oscar strums, and Kenny kicks it... 

We lift glass to lip, ale meets tongue, tastes thrills the buds, it's a sweet, spicy thing. A cola-tinged pepper is the first thought to mind, cocoa and coffee, black and tan finds a fantasy in the senses...deep and dark, pretty and twisted, fine and fancy, sweet and lovely...very evenly played, but you never know what's next...a cadence keeps up, a groove maintains, richness reigns, swing is always king,...big fat chocolate keeps time... 
...you ain't been blue, ...no...no...no...no... 
rolls and rolls around the mouth, a sweet thing, and full of character, plenty of hops to tingle the buds...finish on a beautiful run on the keys, and then start the next one swinging...I let a song go out of my heart, it was the sweetest melody... 

another touch of the ale on the lips and the coffee/cola thrill continues... 

...it's not too late, to make amends/ we were meant to be, more than just friends/just friends... 

sweet, but expertly balanced by the darker tones, and the hops, well played on all parts of the keyboard, darkness and light get a little shine... 

is it Fats Waller, Art Tatum, or Albert Ammons at work here? Or Willie the Lion Smith?...naw, it's another cat purring the keys...and now, Kenny's hitting the trap hard, syncopating like a clockwork kitten... 

another drink and I'm liking more, as the spice and the rich, dark fruit rides over the cola-ish feel. 
We're on a caravan, searching and wandering, looking for further flavors than the norm, stretching out against the desert of what we're used to...prunes bump against cinnamon, nicely rounded off, an equally met challenge of malt and hop. 

Night, night, night, and the stars are shining bright...while the darkness drums away... 

Kenny switches kits with Art who swings like a pendulum, and rocks like Gibraltar...got to be, bringing me, memories of you, as all the clouds roll away... 

I like the quote from Monks' son, who goes by T.S., "finally, after all the years of getting a cut from the door, musicians will get a cut of the bar!" A refererence to the the proceeds that will swing their way to the Thelonious Monk Institute for Jazz, which will receive the profits from this particular ale...I wish it were more than $2 a case, though, but as long as folks keep hearing about the man and the music, I'm cool on it. 

It's a full-bodied, thing, with a long cola-tinged finish, plenty of sweetness, tempered with spice, rich and chocolate-y. But I forgive some technical flaws by how it swings on the palate and pleases the senses...and it don't mean a thing, if it ain't got that swing... 


This review was done to the tune of the classic recording, "Thelonious Monk Plays Duke Ellington", recorded in July, 1955, with Thelonious Monk, piano, Oscar Pettiford, bass, Kenny Clark, drums. Some parts to the almost equally brilliant recording "The Unique Thelonious Monk" which features those same players in March/ April of 1956, but with Art Blakey on drums. To your own peril you go, without hearing these classic recordings. (I even reviewed it on iTunes, check that out!)(Plays Ellington, not The Unique) 
and do I need to comment on that label;? Too cool! Brother Monk holding court!