Monk’s Cellar in downtown Roseville smells vaguely of an oatmeal breakfast. It’s actually a new batch of beer brewing, called Friar Funk, a Flemish red ale with wine-like characteristics. Brewmaster Andy Klein (pictured) stirs a mash of barley and hot water for about 15 minutes to activate enzymes that convert starches into sugars.
After one hour’s rest, the liquid runs off into a kettle and is brought to a boil; hops are added. Then the liquid goes into fermentation tanks, along with yeast. Eventually, the batch is placed into French oak barrels — that once held red wine — to age for 12 months
There’s a lot of quick action and then sitting,” says Klein, who opened Monk’s in October 2014. The Roseville native says business has been fantastic, exceeding his careful projections. “You can make the best beer in the world,” he says, “but if you’re not watching your numbers you’re not going to be around to pour it.”
Named for Trappist monks who brewed in their monasteries, the Monk’s Cellar in Roseville harkens to the past with its beer-making techniques. Batches of beer ferment in the Belgian way — in open vats, allowing the yeast to breathe and the taste to soften.
Customers can see this process through the windowed fermentation room. “The idea behind it is to do something in a very traditional way, but introduce what we’re doing to our guests,” says founder Andy Klein (pictured).
Their menu features handcrafted beers, rare beers imported from Europe, wine and cocktails, along with sausages, salads, hamburgers, sandwiches, and fish and chips. Trips to Europe in Klein’s youth inspired his interest in the interplay among beer, food and culture. He mimics that interaction at Monk’s. Customers come here to drink, eat and converse — there are no TVs by design.
Hurry Up and Wait
Waiting on the perfect batch with Andy Klein of Monk's Cellar
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Love monks cellar!!!