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Big Muddy Brewing – Monster Brown IPA

Brewery: Big Muddy Brewing
Location Murphysboro, IL
Style Brown IPA
 ABV 6.50%
 IBUs 60

 

Best Quote During Tasting

Did you now that Slap Bracelets are just tape measures with cloth over them?

Justin:

Aroma - Chocolate, toasted almond and very, very, very subtle coffee aromas from the malt come bouncing out with a citrus and pine hop presence right behind it. The malts smell somewhat chalky. The blend of dark malts and bright hops is really nice.
Score: 10/12
Appearance - Pours a deep, clear brown with lovely ruby highlights when the glass is tilted. The thin, khaki head is comprised of mostly small, tight bubbles and floats on top of the beer throughout the drinking experience.
Score: 3/3
Flavor - The flavor is essentially identical to the aroma. Malts are chocolate, toasted nuts, weak coffee, and dark bread crust. The hops are huge citrus and pine with grapefruit leading the way. The balance is phenomenal and the dark malts really help ease the bite of the hop bitterness.
Score: 16/20
Mouthfeel - The body is a little thin but is aided by the medium carbonation to create the illusion of a fuller body.
Score: 3/5
Overall Impression - This beer had a whole lot of great points and just a few not-so-great points. The aroma and balance were awesome while the body was fairly disappointing. Overall, for the price and availability, this is going to satisfy hopheads and also be a good transition beer for dark beer lovers afraid of hops.
Score: 8/10

 

Blake:

Aroma - A lot of the malt characteristics you'd expect from a brown such as chocolate, coffee, and nuttiness. What separates it is the hop notes of pine and citrus. 
Score: 9/12
Appearance - Deep brown with a tan head. Good head retention with a fair amount of lacing.
Score: 3/3
Flavor - Citrus and pine mix well with the dark malts of the brown ale. The dark malts really balance out the bitterness from the hops with sweet chocolate, coffee, and nuttiness. 
Score:16/20
Mouthfeel - A bit thinner than it should be with the flavors present.  Medium carbonation. Semi-dry finish.
Score: 3/5
Overall Impression - I've enjoyed this beer many times in the past, and I'll continue to do so in the future. If you are fan of brown ales or IPAs you'll likely find something you like. It might be a bit odd at first, but the flavors blend together well. Honestly, if this beer had a bit fuller body I think you'd be hearing about it way more often. 
Score: 8/10

 

Monster Brown IPA Final Score
  • Aroma
  • Appearance
  • Flavor
  • Mouthfeel
  • Overall
3.95
User Rating: 0.0 (0 votes)
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Justin Phelps

Justin Phelps

Co-Founder at Saint Brewis
Justin Phelps is a Certified Cicerone® who was born and raised in St. Louis. His passion for beer goes beyond just drinking it as he is also an award-winning home brewer. While he may be a marketing professional by day, he's a blogger, brewery hopper, and beer enthusiast by night.

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