This was one good beer getting weekend. I received an awesome limited edition German beer-stein from Stan, got two bottles of 2008 Gouden Carolus Cuvee van de Keizer (one blue, one red), both of which need to be put away for one more year; so February 2011 is when I am popping the cork. I got one bottle of 2007 Avery The Kaiser Imperial Oktoberfest, which I can’t wait to drink; Avec Les Bons Voeux Saison Dupont and Lagunitas Imperial Stout.

On Friday, I did have a chance to have some Brooklyn Monster Ale at Bonnie’s. I had a 12 oz bottle poured in to a Brooklyn snifter. It had a nice Brown color with about an inch and a half of tan foamy head. It had a sweet malty smell, but there was also a presence of hops; just like a brooklyn. The flavor follows the smell, it had the malt sweetness and a hoppy finish. There was a some presence of the alcohol in the taste, but it was covered well by the hoppy finish. It had a medium body and decent carbonation. It had all the qualities that you’d expect of a barley wine ale, but being a Brooklyn, there was more hops present. It got better after I let it stand in the glass through dinner. It is a decent beer, and when you don’t have a big selection of this style of beers to chose from, this one would be good.