On tap at Jealous Monk, easygoing golden ale celebrates UConn basketball’s back-to-back championships with salty lemon-dried yellow grapefruit, orange rind bittering and light pine musk up top and soft white breading down below. Mild citric pining reminiscent of lighter bodied West Coast IPA.
On tap at Jealous Monk, proprietary German pilsner plies musty mineral graining and dank herbal hops to musky lemon bittering, picking up slight brininess towards the rustic finish.
MYSTIC, CONNECTICUT
At Olde Mistick Village just off Route 95 in the maritime hamlet of Mystic, JEALOUS MONK SOCIAL HALL & BEER GARDEN re-creates a German beer hall with its multi-purpose beergarden, community dining and general spirit.
The spacious outdoor area includes an overhang-decked section with wooden tables plus a few Adirondack-chaired fire pits. Inside, medieval chandeliers hang from the arched ceiling at the left bar (with 32 draughts, 4 TV’s and electronic beer menu) while the beautiful gray-tiled floor adds class.
During a lovely Thursday afternoon, August ’18, my wife and I plus youngest son visit on the way to Newport. Of the 32 tapped selections, four are basic proprietary brews crafted at Pittsburgh’s Penn Brewing. Griddled cornbread is recommended alongside German schnitzel and bratwurst dishes.
As for the four Penn brews, simple Bavarian-styled Penn Pilsner brought lemony pleasantries to musky Hallertau hop herbage, desolate caramelized malting and lightly perfumed wheat respite. Soapy Hefewiezen let stylish banana-clove-bubblegum conflux become tarter than expected, but lacked resilience. Sharply citrus-pined India Pale Ale retained yellow grapefruit tanginess and musty earthiness. Mossy dried fruiting relegated understated Dunkel.
I also quaffed two tremendous dark ales, Outer Light Libation Propaganda Stout and Revival White Electric Coffee Stout (reviewed fully in Beer Index).