Victory Sour Monkey 6Pk

Victory Sour Monkey 6Pk is a 9.5% ABV Belgian-style sour tripel from Victory Brewing Company, sold as a six-pack of 12 oz bottles. Built on the backbone of the popular Golden Monkey tripel, this sour variant earns a 92 rating on RateBeer and a 3.8 out of 5 on Untappd from over 173,000 ratings — a testament to its appeal among sour beer enthusiasts.

Quick Facts: ABV: 9.5%  |  Origin: Downingtown, Pennsylvania, USA  |  Style: Belgian Sour Tripel  |  Brewery: Victory Brewing Company

Production & Heritage

Victory Brewing Company was founded in 1996 in Downingtown, Pennsylvania, by childhood friends Bill Covaleski and Ron Barchet. Sour Monkey begins its life as Golden Monkey, a Belgian-style tripel brewed with imported Pilsner malt, Tettnang and Hallertau whole flower hops, and coriander seed, fermented initially with the renowned Westmalle yeast — the same strain used by Belgium's Trappist monks. What sets Sour Monkey apart is its subsequent exposure to Brettanomyces and Lactobacillus cultures, creating a controlled wild fermentation that layers tart, funky complexity over the tripel's inherently strong malt backbone. The result is a high-gravity sour that retains the spiced, fruity character of its base beer while delivering pronounced acidity.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Bright lemon zest and green apple hit first, followed by a wave of bready, biscuit-like malt sweetness. Underneath, subtle funk from the Brettanomyces emerges alongside faint banana and honey notes characteristic of Belgian yeast.

Taste: The entry is sharply citric — lemon peel and tart green apple dominate the front palate. At mid-palate, the Pilsner malt asserts itself with a caramelized, wheaty sweetness that balances the acidity, while hints of apricot and light tropical fruit add depth. The Westmalle yeast contributes gentle spice and a ripe banana quality that anchors the sour elements.

Finish: Medium-long, with a puckering, sour-candy tartness that lingers alongside dry coriander spice and a whisper of vanilla. The 9.5% ABV generates subtle warmth, but the acidity keeps the finish clean and refreshing rather than boozy.

How to Drink Sour Monkey

Sour Monkey is best served chilled in a tulip glass or Belgian goblet, which concentrates its aromatic complexity. Pouring at around 45–50°F allows the sour and malty layers to express themselves fully. For cocktail-curious drinkers, Sour Monkey also works in these applications: a Berliner Shandy, where the beer's tartness pairs naturally with fresh lemonade for a summer cooler; a Sour Monkey Michelada, substituting the tripel's citric bite for a traditional lager to add body and funk; and a Snakebite variation, blended half-and-half with dry cider, where the Brett character and apple acidity create a surprisingly harmonious match.

Best For

• Introducing a craft-curious friend to the world of American sour ales
• Summer cookouts and backyard gatherings where a high-ABV sipper replaces multiple lighter beers
• Pairing sessions alongside a charcuterie board or cheese spread
• Gifting to a Belgian beer enthusiast looking for a domestic sour with Old World roots

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Sour Monkey taste like? Sour Monkey delivers a bold, tart citrus profile — primarily lemon peel and green apple — layered over a sweet, bready malt base with hints of banana, apricot, and funky Brett character. Despite its 9.5% ABV, the bright acidity keeps it surprisingly drinkable.

How does Sour Monkey compare to New Belgium La Folie? La Folie is a sour brown ale aged in oak foeders, producing deeper flavors of dark fruit, wood tannin, and vinegar-like tartness, while Sour Monkey starts from a golden Belgian tripel, yielding a lighter body with more citrus-driven acidity and spice. Sour Monkey also carries a notably higher ABV (9.5% versus La Folie's roughly 7%) and is more widely available in six-pack format.

Is Sour Monkey good for sipping on its own? Absolutely — the interplay between the tripel's malty sweetness and the Lactobacillus-driven sourness creates enough complexity to reward slow, contemplative drinking, especially from a tulip glass at cellar temperature.

Where is Sour Monkey made? Sour Monkey is brewed by Victory Brewing Company in Downingtown, Pennsylvania, roughly 35 miles west of Philadelphia. Victory has operated there since its founding in 1996.

What foods pair well with Sour Monkey? Aged goat cheese or chèvre, where the beer's acidity cuts through the creaminess; grilled shrimp with a citrus marinade that mirrors the lemon notes; Thai green papaya salad, whose tart and spicy elements complement the Brett funk; prosciutto or country ham, where the salt offsets the sourness; and lemon tarts or fruit-forward desserts that echo the beer's citric profile.

What sizes does Sour Monkey come in? Sour Monkey is most commonly available in six-packs of 12 oz bottles, and it can also be found on draft at select bars and taprooms.

Is Sour Monkey worth the price? Sour Monkey positions as a premium craft six-pack, and the triple-fermentation process involving three separate yeast and bacteria strains, combined with imported European malt and whole flower hops, justifies its placement above standard sour ales in terms of both complexity and ABV.

Why Sour Monkey?

What separates Sour Monkey from the crowded American sour landscape is its origin story: it begins as an already accomplished Belgian tripel, Golden Monkey, then undergoes a secondary wild fermentation that layers controlled funk and tartness onto a strong, spice-driven base. The use of genuine Westmalle yeast — the same culture behind one of Belgium's most revered Trappist breweries — gives the beer a pedigree that most domestically produced sours lack. At 9.5% ABV, it packs more weight than most sour ales on the shelf, yet the Lactobacillus acidity prevents it from drinking heavy. For anyone seeking a nationally distributed sour with genuine Belgian DNA and enough complexity to revisit across seasons, Sour Monkey consistently delivers.