Left Hand's 400 Pound Monkey - A Review

This weekend I had a beer that I've had many times before. I thought it would be perfect for my first beer review here, because I have more than just one bottle to base this on. I was turned on to 400 Pound Monkey by my friends back in Michigan at Siciliano's Market. Over a year later, I'm still buying 400 Pound Monkey from the guys at Siciliano's when I make it back to the mitten state.

I served myself up this delicious treat yesterday as the perfect footnote to a fun day in Cleveland. It poured well, not leaving too much of a head. It was a deep gold in color, with a relatively floral aroma. The thing I really enjoy about this beer is that it's a nice counterpart to the typical American style IPAs we have seen flourishing in the past few years. Instead of that punch of bitterness that most IPAs on the market offer, this beer has a more balanced, albeit delightful hop build. The malt flavor comes closer to the finish, and is a bit more present than other IPAs. However, it isn't off putting.

This beer is much more session-able that its more bitter kin. I would recommend it as a refreshing option for warm summer days, because it isn't too heavy and doesn't coat your mouth with a boozy finish.

My Favorite Thing (About Beer)

It is hard to pinpoint the single greatest thing, in my humble opinion of course, about beer. To take four simple ingredients which apart aren't exactly earth shattering and create beer is reminiscent of alchemy for me.And to break each beer style or even each batch of beer our individually would be a completely different undertaking. Beer, which can be praised for its aroma, flavor, or the sheer ability to get you smashed, has been a favorite among humankind for centuries. So what is my favorite thing about it? The answer was easier to come by than someone might expect.

My favorite thing about beer is the ability it has to bring people together. Whether it is friends gathering to share a few cold ones, or true artisans working together on their craft of creating beer, that doesn't matter. Sometimes beer brings people together as a topic of conversation. I have been blessed just this week to make two great new friends, all because we shared a love of Bell's Two Hearted Ale. The reason that beer brings people together so effectively and amicably is two-fold. First, it's delicious. (If you don't agree with that, you're probably not drinking the right beer for your palate. It's out there, I promise.) And secondly, beer brings people together so well because the love its drinkers have for it is universal. While a Master Ciceron certainly has more to say about beer than someone who's just tried their first sips, the admiration can be shared. And it is an art form that not only grows through the study of its scientific foundations, but through the interpretation of the senses - no matter how fresh they are to the subject of beer.

In short - I love beer because it's the oldest great equalizer. I love beer because everyone can love beer.