Ding Points: 90.50
Pour: 90.00, Nose: 100.00, Palate: 90.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 90,00
Tasting Notes:
750 mL, corked & caged in the usual Ommegang bottle.
Pop on opening is modest, with a little gun smoke. Pour is a beautiful golden clarity, with a smallish head. Lace is present but not tremendous. Considering the ABV all is in order, and the color is truly pretty to behold. Carbonation seems somewhat restrained but again, quite appropriate.
The nose is an absolute treat. A huge estery, lightly phenolic pineapple barrage that does not let up.
The tastes follow that lead with plenty of sugar coated, pineapple-cube candy and have decent levels of all of the elements one needs in a beer like this – white pepper, Belgian yeast notes, a little more candied sugar, some alcohol and a touch of earthiness in the back end. The alcohol is certainly present and dallied a little with a solvent edge but always manages to step back at the last second. Peppery bitterness cuts in in the finish and back-end of the beer to add to my satisfaction. As it warms the beer seems creamier, and the sweetness builds to give even more Tripel like character.
The kind of beer that Ommegang makes incredibly well, and the inspiration that they take from Belgium is easy to see.
Other: Limited release in conjunction with McChouffe, 9.5% ABV, Belgian Strong Pale.
While its a decent beer, I rather drink the real McChouffe myself, but it was a decent beer, but a bit too pricey to me.