Victory Brewing Company fans hold the year 1997 near and dear to their hearts, as does co-founder and co-brewmaster Ron Barchet. That’s the year his third child was born, and he needed a great beer to cheer the occasion. That resulted in a second birth: the smooth Belgian-style tripel known as the Golden Monkey.
“My wife and I had run out of our celebratory Brugge Tripel,” Ron explained. “Since we own a brewery, it was an easy sell to make our own; we saw it as a fun project and a one-time seasonal offering. As it turns out, the Golden Monkey is our best selling beer—by far.”
This video shows what makes The Monkey a party in a glass—for all occasions (no new baby necessary!):
Tell Your Monkey Tales and Win!
To cheer this noteworthy beer, Victory is daring you to tell your Golden Monkey Tales. That’s right: you’ve got a chance to pay homage to The Monkey with your silly, fun, inspiring or perhaps cautionary Golden Monkey-infused story. Submit your tale by October 10 to be in the running for prizes like must-have Victory swag. Upload to impress—Monkey Tales-themed photos and videos will be scrutinized by our judges to determine the top five finalists in each category. Then the people will speak—fan voting will choose the Grand Prize photo and video winners. Think big, and on October 29 you might snag the Grand Prize package packed with rare and exclusive Golden Monkey memorabilia (worth $300!).
“My Golden Monkey tale will be different from what others have experienced because I see the monkey through a slightly different lens,” said co-founder and co-brewmaster Bill Covaleski. “However, we all have fallen in love with the spirit and the soul of this delicious and powerful ale because it resonates with so many craft beer fans. I can’t wait to see what this contest will bring.”
Think you’ve got an award-winning story? These folks think they do—watch and learn:
You can also keep an eye on the entries as they come in. In the meantime, check out things you may not know about our magical, mysterious and most delicious Golden Monkey. #RespectTheMonkey
1. They Named It Before It Was Born
In what’s a rare occurrence at Victory, Bill conjured up the Golden Monkey’s name before it was brewed. It’s usually the other way around: marry the name with the beer. “But Bill really cracks up when he sees monkeys, and somehow he came up with this clever and strange name—and it just fit,” Ron added.
2. They Pursued Perfection
Victory—more specifically, Ron—changed the recipe continuously for about 10 years to become The Monkey you know and love. Turns out the original yeast from Belgium was good, it but wasn’t reliable, resulting in too much sweetness. In 2004, Ron was in Belgium and got his hands on one of his favorite brews, and that yeast became the inspiration for Golden Monkey. “That yeast worked so well to maintain flavor and make it a dryer, less sweet beer, just as I’d suspected,” Ron said. “We continued to work on it and since around 2008 the formula’s been the same.”
3. They Woo Wine Drinkers
Don’t like beer? Love wine? Ron says wine enthusiasts who claim they don’t like beer tend to like The Monkey. He gives credit to one of their philosophies as brewers: drinkability. “We’re attenuating the beers (which is the percentage that measures the conversion of sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide by the fermentation process), so there’s not a lot of sweetness and carbs left,” Ron explained. “Most have a final gravity on the low side because most of the sugars have been fermented out. That makes easy drinking beer.”
4. They Got a Really Big Tank. Really Big.
The Monkey is a bold beer coming in at 9.5% ABV. Thanks to the way it ferments the yeast—very vigorously—Victory had to purchase tanks to accommodate the 25–30 feet of foam. “That’s about 20 percent bigger than we need for other beers,” Ron laughed. “And that nets the same amount of beer. Completely worth it.”
5. They Increased the Population
Or so Ron suspects—he had some fun with math to see if he could ballpark Monkey-related births. “Even if just 1 out of 100,000 bottles results in a bundle of joy, that’s more than 100 births a year!” Consume The Monkey responsibly.
6. They Made It Available—Everywhere
Thirsty beer lovers can grab the Golden Monkey year-round in 12 oz. bottles, 12 oz. cans and 750 ml caged and corked bottles. It’s on draft at Victory’s three brewpubs—Downingtown, Parkersburg and Kennett Square—and at fine establishments near you. “We decided to can Golden Monkey because it’s really popular down south. It’s sold in convenience stores, and they prefer cans to stock their shelves. It’s turned out to be a really popular way to drink The Monkey—perfect for camping and other outdoor activities.”
7. They Turned It on Its Head
Victory has experimented with The Monkey, offering up White Monkey in 2013 by allowing the golden elixir to age for three months in white wine barrels. While that version is retired, look for Sour Monkey, a sour Brett tripel, available seasonally on tap and in 750 ml caged and corked bottles. It’s a tasteful, tart twist with a citrus-laden tang. “We love sours, and this was a natural match,” Ron noted. “It brings a tart acidity and is an interesting combo.”
Raise a glass, enter the Monkey Tales contest and #RespectTheMonkey!
Find the Golden Monkey and other fine Victory Brewing Company beers at one of its brewpubs or at a local vendor near you!
- Photos, videos: Victory Brewing Company
