A Golden Monkey could make a funeral fun – and I mean that in the nicest way possible.

I’m not that big of an asshole anymore – I swear – but I’ve got to be honest: Most people who embark on the journey come back with a Golden Monkey story, one fit for a campfire or extended happy hour. Some people wake up wearing a shirt as pants, others roll over in the morning and ask their significant others if there’s “anything to discuss.”

Now I don’t encourage any of this behavior, but I will say the stories perked my interest, made me curious. Tuesday afternoon a few buddies and I met for lunch at Victory Brewing Company (just outside of Philadelphia), where I got the opportunity to dabble in the much-discussed Belgian-style ale.

One sip and I had the answers to all my questions: The reason the beer serves as kindling for the fire is because it boasts extreme drinkability with a jacked-up alcohol content (9.5%) – a dangerous yet beautiful combination. Before you know it you’ve downed three or four in an hour and the night starts to get interesting.

I only had one to avoid such an incident (I had an hour drive ahead of me) – but I did sample one other beer, the Storm King Stout (9.1%). I’m a big fan of stouts and this one did not disappoint, very malty and perfect for the cold, wet day that it was outside.

Speaking of outside: The brewery is essentially in the middle of nowhere and sort of hidden in an industrial park, so be sure to have good directions before setting out.

It may not appear very glamorous as you pull up, but as per usual the looks are deceiving, and those in the Philly area should make the trip with confidence. They have a really nice bar in the back (unfortunately the photo did not turn out – someone please send me one) and the atmosphere is open and fun – you can joke around and be animated without much of a problem (which will definitely happen if you bark up the Golden Monkey’s tree).

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