Humble Monk Brewing Company
Humble Monk Brewing Company is located in the community of Northside in Cincinnati, OH. If you are from the area then when I say that Humble Monk has a very “Northside vibe” you will most likely know exactly what I mean. For those who are not familiar with this as a descriptor, it implies a very laid back vibe with lots of Northside locals hanging out. https://welcometonorthside.com/ describes Northside as “fun, eclectic, diverse.” You definitely get a very “local” feeling at Humble Monk. That does not mean that unless you are a local you will not enjoy yourself; on the contrary, the owner (Alicia) was there to work hard at making us feel welcome.
The brewery itself is situated in an old warehouse building and is fairly non-descript and unassuming from the outside. The inside is rather dark and a bit cavernous feeling. Old church pews and wooden tables are scattered about for seating and there are several different areas to choose to sit in. One area looks into the actual brewing facility (which was unlit and dark when we were there). Two things I would have changed right away was the lighting (too dark) and the music (good music but to loud). Humble Monk does not serve any food so eat in advance or bring a bag of chips like we did.
The main event of course is the beer. I sampled five different brews. The first was the Peaceful Pear Farmhouse Saison (ABV 5.8%). This was a nice clear color with very bright pear aromas. The beer was light and crisp with nice pear flavors. This was my favorite of the tastings. Next up was the Hydra Squatch-Missing Linck 2022 NEIPA (ABV 4.5%). This was an interesting one as it was utilizing a yeast that was found in very old underground beer cellars in downtown Cincinnati that were once owned by F.J. Linck brewing in 1855. The beer was hazy with a kinda “muddy” appearance. Not the prettiest girl-on-the-block. The flavors had a herby, mildly grassy-ness with a citrus overtone. Not a bad beer at all, but not what I would have expected from a NEIPA. Saint Squeeze NEIPA (ABV 5.5%) was next. It was similar in appearance to the Hydra. It had a nice creamy mouthfeel and the flavors were lightly piney with fruit flavors that were kinda non-descript and hard to place. Next was P38 West Coast IPA (ABV 7.6%) which had a clear light brownish color and flavors of light grapefruit and a floral nose. Not a bad West Coast IPA. The last beer I sampled was the Block Partei Festbier (5.3%). Reddish in color with a malty, bready nose, it was mildly sweet and a bit reminiscent of banana bread.
Overall I was not incredibly impressed with the beers. Except for the Peaceful Pear, they all suffered from a lack of distinctness. The flavors, though not bad, were all kind of non-descript. Although I would not be drawn back based strictly on the beers, I would probably come back to hang with the locals, listen to some music or play a game and drink another of the Peaceful Pears. Humble Monk is a nice local brewery with beers that taste of quality but are simply missing that WOW that attracts me to craft beers and breweries. Time will tell if this changes and brings me back.
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