March Ale-berta: Troubled Monk

In this monthly feature, we pick a different Alberta brewery that we carry in-store to highlight their incredible brews being made close to home!

Our March Ale-berta feature is Troubled Monk Brewing, based in Red Deer, Alberta. They were one of the first breweries to open after rules around starting craft breweries in Alberta relaxed — they poured their first pint in June 2015 and haven’t looked back! Why “Troubled Monk”? It pays homage to a different kind of monk dedicated to his craft, and searching for the perfect beer recipe. Motivated by the limitless potential of beer, as well as the great monk brewers who came before them, they aim to craft bold beers with character, depth, and balance in their barrel brewhouse.

Photo: Troubled Monk Brewing

The majority of the malt used by Troubled Monk is locally grown in the fields of Alberta, but they also source malt from other parts of the world. They use Canadian hops whenever possible, and also source hops from the US, Europe, and New Zealand. Their water is local, filtered Red Deer water. Their mission is to inspire others through their craft, along with experiences and stories people want to be a part of. Ultimately, they hope to cultivate and invest in a community of trouble seekers through their great beverages.

In addition to beer, Troubled Monk also makes “Troubled Tea”, their hard iced tea, and also has a section of their brewery dedicated to spirits like their Epitaph Gin.

Here are the beers we currently have in stock from Troubled Monk brewing.

Daycation Lager

The nose starts with a hint of that authentic lager bite and a light touch of lemon over a straw and bread biscuit malt base. The first sip is well carbonated and crisply refreshing. Flavours of lemon citrus and hay from the hops roll over a light malt presence including just a little sweet corn. It’s a little getaway, everyday. When the chores are done, the lawn mowed or the sidewalk shoveled. A lager for floating on fresh powder or floating down the river. The one beer you need while you put your feet up or to get up and move. It’s a little getaway, everyday.

Golden Gaetz Golden Ale

This beer is Alberta in a glass by showcasing locally grown barley. About 93% of the barley in GG is sourced within a 50 mile radius of the brewery. It’s all about light malt flavors, only lightly touched by hops.Golden Gaetz Golden Ale showcases the renowned quality of Canadian malts. The malt furnishes the backbone of light bread or biscuit with sweet corn while the hops provide balance with a hint of lemon followed by black pepper and just a whisper of dark berries. Its lower strength and bitterness make it the perfect beer to enjoy on a patio, while camping, or pretty much anywhere.

Juicy Gossip New England IPA

Mostly clear, though it may have a slight haze, with a fine white head. This golden hued beer greets the nose with a mix of tropical fruit and herbaceous hop notes that include candied lemons, juicy fruit gum and a hint of wintergreen.

The first sip reveals that it is hop forward with a fairly soft mouthfeel and a bitterness that only really asserts itself in the finish. Tropical fruits again dominate the flavour with some orange citrus, piney and resinous hop character towards the end.

Pesky Pig Pale Ale

This beer is all about the hops. Different regions of the world produce different tasting hops. American are Citrusy, UK are earthy and piny, German/ European are floral, grassy, herbaceous, and the Southern Hemisphere are fruity and tropical though they are newer and still experimental. An American style pale ale, Pesky Pig is meant to really let the hops sing. The malt presence is quiet but supportive for the rambunctious hop flavours of grapefruit, papaya and other tropical fruits. The usual hop bitterness has been reigned in while the flavours have been allowed to run amok making for a delicious, intense, yet ultimately quaffable beer.

Open Road American Brown Ale

This beer won Silver in the World Beer Cup in 2016 in Philadelphia for American Brown Ales — the 1st Alberta Brewery to win a World Beer Cup award in 20 years! This beer really brings things all together: malt and hops balancing Flavors similar to roasting coffee. Residual sugars that weren’t broken down by the yeast during fermentation give it’s sweeter taste. Open Road Brown Ale is for those looking for something a little darker and malt forward. Pumpernickel bread and raisins dominate the palate but finish with chocolate while the hops lend just a hint of citrus and pine to balance out the sweetness of this easy drinking dark beer.

Visit us in-store to check out these Troubled Monk beers, or watch for them to sample their brews at an upcoming floor pour — Troubled Tea will be sampled in-store on March 24!