I *think* this is the former Abbaye D'aulne, Christmas Triple Ale rebranded, but I'm not 100% sure. The pour is fine, but the initially nice head fades to not much. No significant lace, although the color is pretty. A clear, garnet hue with a real eye-catching red in the right light. Tripel? I dunno, more like a WW or BDSA. The beer is a little thin in terms of body, but there's a decent winter spice about it, and some bitter, drying fruitiness in the back end. A few contradictions in there!...
Notes on beers in the style
Tripel
Abbaye D’aulne
Ommegang
Belgian Essence
This must be a collaboration, right? But no mention of New Belgium being involved other than the obvious text across the front of the bottle. Best before 26 JAN 2024. Honey orange pour with a great head, nice retention and some lace. A little darker than I was expecting TBH. Nose is very Triple-like with plenty of spicy white-pepper on warming. Tastes are a little more bitter than I was expecting. Don't get me wrong, the triple character lives on, but it isn't as sweet as many in the style....
Oud Beersel
Bersalis Tripel
Apparently I've had this before today but I have no notes, and I was somewhat surprised to find out that Brouwerij Oud Beersel made a Tripel given their sour-laden portfolio. The pour is an astonishing color - deep, deep golden, great hues Head is great too (for the ABV), bone-white and has decent retention and some lovely lace. Absolutely perfectly presented beer. Nose has lovely, sharp, clean alcohol with a white pepper blast. Tastes are truly Tripel with the mild spice, the solvent alcohol,...
Straffe Hendrik
Triple WILD 2015
11.2 oz bottle, Best before end of 2019. Greens, Buford location, Atlanta, GA in late 2022. Pour is well-carbonated (considering the age) initially, that fades quickly to give no lace but a semi-decent film across the beer. A surprisingly rich copper color with good clarity. To be honest, in terms of appearance the beer exceeds expectations. After a few minutes of warming it goes relatively still. There’s a gentle syrupy note to this beer at this age. Obviously (or at least I guess) a ‘Wild...
Cuvée Prestige Tripel De
Garre Barrel Aged
Lot: n°1 - 2022. Dot-matrixed on top of cage 24/11/24 GBO, 24KU13:36 I got really lucky in acquiring this beer, so rather than dwelling upon that too much I'm determined to enjoy it and savor it. One thing that a lifetime of buying, sampling, drinking and being immersed in great beer has taught me, is that no matter how great any one beer might be, you owe it to the brewer and to yourself to open it, drink it and enjoy it. Head is smaller, and much less pillow-like than regular De Garre....
Tripel
De Garre
Tripel De Garre is an astonishing beer in many respects. That amazement goes way beyond the contents of the bottle and extends to reasons that aren't necessarily obvious. As anyone who has been drinking for any length of time knows, there are several external factors that can influence how one views any given beer. One of the the strongest influencers is nostalgia. Remembering a great visit to a bar or brewery, or a wonderful vacation, or even a particularly fabulous time in one's life, each...
Tre Fontane
Tripel
I'm a bit curious about the age of this bottle. Difficult to know, and other than "L17 40" printed on the label there's nothing else to go by. I'm hoping this is not a reference to 2017, but TBH with no other information to hand, who knows? Various shades of gold out of the bottle, dependent upon the addition of the bottle conditions yeast or not. Smell and tastes give up quite a lot of the herbal fruit that ultimately turns out to be the eucalyptus. Not sure that I could identify it...
Three Blocks
Tripel
11oz pour, attractive tulip glass. It has taken me a little while to warm to The Landing Beer Co. in downtown Fort Wayne. If I’m honest that’s not really a big knock on them, it’s just the typical situation for a legacy drinker these days. Fake sours, pastry stouts and too many hazies/IPAs. Of course, these are universal, not local problems these days. However, on this visit we see 7/11 beers that I would happily try, so that’s a huge improvement on so many situations that I run into lately....
Tripel Golden Ale
Purchased in Columbus, OH at Perfect Pour. 750 mL, corked and caged affair. Reserved pop on opening, no drama. Pour is a yellowish-golden rather than a distinctly golden-golden. A little chill-haze. Head is bone-white and above average. Decent lace, quite "coating" on the glass, and somewhat in the mouth. I'll start by saying that I like this - I like it a lot - but, this is a VERY dry Tripel, if a (typical) Tripel at all. The requisite sweetness is largely absent. The website describes the...
Trappistes Rochefort Triple Extra
I first got this shipped to me in June 2021 directly from Belgium and before it was available in the US, but have had probably about 6-10 bottles of it since. Let’s get this out of the way immediately. This doesn’t drink like a typical Triple; at least not for me. A mid-golden, slightly hazed pour with an above average creaminess on the head. There’s a lot of depth to the mouthfeel, and it drinks more like a wheat beer in terms of its body. It drinks like a cloud. Yes it is orangey (likely as...
Straffe Hendrik Tripel 9°
Arguments abound over which beers constitute the quintessential examples of many styles, but perhaps Tripels attract the largest amount of such attention. Westmalle is of course the first beer out of people’s mouths when Tripels are the subject of that particular conversation, but Straffe Hendrik Tripel seems to be a beer that I’ve heard in these exchanges more and more. Those comparisons seem fair as soon as the beer is opened. Highly carbonated, with a huge, light head that fades to give...
Spits Tripel
Orange clouded pour. Nice head with some sticky lace. Color is a little too orange for the style IMO. This is odd, and well outside any Tripel parameters even with generous interpretations of style (something I seldom have much truck with). Surprisingly, quite a lot of hop character on the nose - see what I mean? Not so much happiness in the initial taste, but still. Lacks the big alcohol kick of a Tripel, and has next to nothing in the candy, sugary, Belgian yeast/ester department either....
Leffe Tripel
Another beer that I enjoy, but also one that many purists frown upon. Is it a classic Tripel? Some would say no, and perhaps prefer to categorize this a Belgian Strong Pale Ale, but for me it has enough Tripel character to carry the beer through, and to keep it relatively stylistically true. Hazed, golden color pour. Nice, lively head. Sweet, candy esters meet the nose, and intensify in the early sips. Paradoxically light, but still with a gentle element of cloying. I know that sounds...
Tripel Burner
750 mL corked & caged. Expensive at around $21+. I’ve become much more discerning in terms of the beer I buy these days. Brooklyn is a brewery that I generally trust, but at these prices some bottles might be purchased, others might not (Kriek). Even Brooklyn has to pull me in with the beer description and contents. I bought this because this beer does that. Love a Tripel, and white wine barrels are a ‘thing’ for me too. All in all, plenty of things to pull me in right here. Big pop on...
Beer To Drink Music To
Bright copper body with a wispy, white head. Looks great. Nose has good levels of clean orange that reflects the color. Light viscosity and alcohol are certainly present and forceful. The beer seems a little clean and bitter for a real Tripel. Yeast is not a big presence and it feels a little imperial pils like. A little noble bitterness. Increasing spice pushes through the bitterness. Some white pepper notes that are more authentic for actripel keep on keeping on. I like it, even if the yeast...
Samuel Adams New World Tripel
(Barrel Room Collection)
Never thought I would see this on shelves in GA. Love the presentation in the corked and caged, unique bottle. Pour is pretty impressive. After the huge pop when the cork leaves the bottle, the beer pours with a massive, and impressive fluffy head into the Duvel tulip. Lace is great, and the retention is excellent. A nice rich golden body too. The etched Duvel tulip provides the perfect stream of carbonation to showcase the beer. It looks really, really good. Some quite significant,...
Trade Winds Tripel
The usual Bruery presentation in the 750 mL bottle from Hop City, Atlanta, GA, USA. The latest Bruery offering to arrive in GA. Beautiful pour with plenty of fluffy white head that comes with good lace and retention. The color is interesting because it changes with the light more than most beers. In strong light there is a lovely, bright orange hue and in lower light it takes on a deeper, darker honey color. I like to see it in full light, but either way it looks great. It also exhibits a wide...
Brewer’s Art Green Peppercorn Tripel
750 mL corked and caged bottle. Thanks to lackenhauser as part of Veterans BIF. Clouded orange body with plenty of thick, yeast sediment coming from the depths of the bottle. Head is initially a high, white affair but it fades quickly to leave a thin film and a white ring at the edges of the beer. There is a lot of fruit (pineapple especially) and alcohol up front as one would expect, and then there's a traditional white pepper note as well, but the finish brings that much greener, fuller,...
Tripel Perfection
The usual, 750 mL presentation with cork & cage from Ommegang. Purchased from Green's on Buford, Atlanta, GA, USA. Decent pop on opening with some gunsmoke. Body is quite a dark orange considering the style. Head is decent, but fades to a collar and some spotty surface note with no lace on standing. A high level of Belgian yest in the nose. More yeast are the initial tastes. Plenty of alcohol and it warms slightly. Also the requisite white pepper but the alcohol comes back (along with the...
Gouyasse Triple
Fantastic ice-cream-like head over the clouded yellow body with some haze. Lace, retention and general appearance of the head are second to none. Light tangerine color. Nose has some light floral notes with a touch of white pepper and a little yeast character. The tastes reflect some of the nose but refuse to deliver the sweetness or indeed the alcohol blast, that one would expect from a beer in this style. Spices are generally missing. Finish is dry and the bitterness builds to a degree. More...
Heavy Seas – Yule Tide
22 oz bottle from Hop City, Atlanta, GA, USA. So far I've been pretty unimpressed with the recent Heavy Seas/Clipper City bomber offerings, with the DIPA being especially poor and the Pumpkin and Marzen not really setting the house on fire either, so I approach this with a bit of trepidation. I feel a little more optimistic about Yule Tide, since I love a good Tripel and this is the kind of beer that should sit well at the elevated 10% ABV level - we'll see. Pour is a golden orange which is a...
Witches’ Brew
750 mL corked & caged from Arbor Place Beverage, Douglasville, GA, USA $11.99. I've passed on this a few times at the store, finally took the plunge when the stock seemed to go down to the last bottle. Van Steenberge is solid, so thought I should go ahead. Pour is very impressive. Firstly the beer pops with a healthy blast and the gunsmoke is good. The color is a deep orange with just the right amount of cloudiness. Even more impressive is the head. Bone white and fantastically sticky and...
Sierra Nevada Belgian Trippel
Delighted and surprised to find this on tap at Taco Mac in Douglasville, GA, USA. 16 oz pour. Pours with a bright, bright golden body, a decent head and amazingly clarity. Normally I'm a huge fan of such clarity but to be honest I expect my Tripel's to lack some that and have a least a degree of chill-haze about them. Surprised at the clear nature of the beer. Nose reveals some typical bubblegum notes. The tastes are essentially ALL, massive, sweet, sugar! There isn't really the slightly...
Tripel
11oz pour at Taco Mac on the East West Connector, Austell, GA, USA. Pour gives a classic, hazed yellow body but a rather disappointing lack of head (at least in terms of size). Lace is good. Very strong, even "artificially" so; plenty of bubblegum aromas and a lot of sticky sweetness. BIG estery fruits and plenty of alcohol too. Now, of course, all of this is completely in order for the style, including (to an extent) the slick mouthfeel, but to be honest it seems a little floral and...
Tiger Tripel
500 mL bottle, Hop City, Atlanta, GA, USA. Pour yields a really quite yellow, slightly chill-hazed body with some nice white head. Wispy, light lace. Color changes to a darker he when the final yeast sediment is added from the last pour of the bottle. The nose gives some fairly typical but rather restrained notes. Yes there is some subtle, peppery, alcohol infused character. Some yeastiness with light esters. Tastes are pretty authentic for the style too. Alcohol prominent BUT at the same time...
Tripel Abdijbier Dendermonde
11.2 oz bottle from Tower on Piedmont, Atlanta, GA, USA. Probably an older bottle but it should hold up OK. We'll see. The pour is an attractive golden body with some decent lace and retention. The carbonation is rather good. Somewhat sweet nose, but obviously in keeping with the style. The beer does have some musty notes (possibly age), but the alcohol and white pepper come through nicely. Just about what I would expect for the style. The brew flirts with some cloying sweetness, and the...
Southampton Triple Abbey Style Ale
22oz bottle. One of my favorite styles from a brewer that usually does a great job, this looks promising. Pour is odd. Lots of large bubbles in the carbonation, but this leads to virtually no head, no retention and obviously no lace. It looks a bit dead in the glass. Disappointing from the carbonation angle. Color is a beautiful, deep orange color but even considering the ABV it seems lifeless. The mouth feel confirms the lack of carbonation, and while I wouldn't call the beer "flat" I feel it...
St. Vrain Tripel
22oz bottle from Hop City, Atlanta, GA, USA. Pour is a wheat, colored, light yellow hazed body. Head is disappointingly thin and lacks presence. Unfortunately this is a feature of the beer - a lack of depth and presence. Lots of banana notes more than anything else. In fact, this almost seems like a banana, alcoholic cocktail! It certainly skates around the Tripel style, but to me it really feels quite thin. Alcohol is resent, but that's OK becuase the style demands it, and to be honest given...
River Horse Tripel Horse
12 oz bottle from a recent trade. OK, essentially this is a Quad. Right from the appearance, the ABV, through to the nose, the taste and the way it drinks. Much darker that a standard tripel, the beer pours out a really dark orange. There is a very large amount of yeasty sediment in the viscous body. Head is small, but very sticky - both functions of the ABV. Nose releases a slight sherry note which is reproduced to a greater extent in the taste. The body looks quite viscous. That's not a...
Tripel
22oz bottle from Jim - cheers. ST is a bit hit and miss to say the least with me, so it's always an interesting experience to open up a beer of theirs that I've no had before. Pour yields a clear golden body with a frothy head. The whole thing seems a touch over-carbonated to me and the mouthfeel (prickly) confirms this. The nose reveals some sweet hops, and to be honest it seems like the hops a re manifesting themselves a little too much. The hop presence (too great IMO) is carried through to...
Prophecy
Interesting to say the least. OK, here's my take; 22 oz bottle that on opening creates a small spew of foamy discharge. Poured into the Gouden Carolus chalice, the beer has a very deep, rich butterscotch hue, thin film of head that is produced after the aggressive pour that produces the head recedes somewhat. Nose is soaked in oak but still managaes to remain subtle. A very good sign. This is what I really want to say about Prophecy; I am REALLY dissapointed in this as a TRIPEL. The oak...
Exit 4
Red plastic covers the capped, 750 mL bottle. On opening there is a touch of gunsmoke but not much other signs of life. The words "American Trippel" on the label. I'm not keen on the spelling, nor on the word American coupled with the word Trippel - it has me worried, and as it turns out with very good reason. Pour is a promising, orange hazed affair with better head and lace than I initially thought I was going to see. Nose gives gentle citrus in the form of grapefruit and not much else....
Belgian Style Tripel Ale/Collaboration
Thanks go out to my BA secret bunny 2009, mday. 12 oz bottle. The usual screen-printed, Stone style. One of my favorite styles from a combination of three (generally) superb breweries looks like a winning combo! Pour is a slightly hazy, golden body with a touch of carbonation. A few floaties. Nose offers a light, chardonnay grape note with a mild, alcoholic fruit. The fruit has some dry character. The tastes reflect the alcohol and the mild fruit. It's grape based, but is also quite dry like...
Solstice
$11.75 for the corked and caged affair via mail from Bruisin' Ales, Asheville, NC, USA. Bottle says 9.5% ABV and has the text, "January 2009 +". Possibly the most tightly wound cage that I have ever come across, a bit of a pain to get off. Follow this by perhaps the most tightly inserted cork ever, and you get the picture. BIG effort yields a very small pop and a tiny whiff of gunmoke. Pour is a light orange/golden color with some good head and lace. The head lacks density somewhat but it is...
Tripel De Ripple
On tap at Brugge Brasserie and on tap downtown at Buffalo Wild Wings. This review reflects my experience at the source. Served in a goblet/chalice, the beer pour a typical bright golden hue with a significant amount of clouding. Head was a little disappointing and offered very little in the way of retention or lace. Alcohol is certainly a large factor as it the sweetness. Mild white pepper overtones (good), but a little on the slick side (bad). All in all a solid rendition with the emphasis on...
Triple Seven (7^3)
Advertised on their beer board as 7^3 (i.e. seven raised to the power of 3), the waitress called this beer "Triple Seven" (obviously the niceties of mathematics are not a strong point at The Ram) and told me it was 8.00% ABV. It drank pretty well at that point to me. Anyway, she described it as a "Belgian Wheat" that was brewed as batch 777 by the brewery. Apparently they mark these numbers with special beers. Nice Tripel color and it sit well in the glass with good head and lace. The beer is...
Sweetwater Creeper
On-tap at The Brick Store, Decatur, GA, USA. #1 in the Dank Tank series. Golden pour with an impressive head and some nice lace. Nice carbonation. Would definitely categorize this as a hoppy tripel rather than a Belgian IPA. The sweetness is certainly a big factor with some distinct Belgian type candy notes. It also has the Tripel alcohol, but it lacks much (if any) of the white pepper notes that we might expect. The hop bitterness is very much in the back for me. A tasty beer and perhaps a...
Hansje Drinker
A Dutch Tripel? I have my doubts, let's see... $3.95 for the 11.2 oz bottle form Green's on Ponce, Atlanta, GA, USA. Nasty looking pour - dirty brown Dubbel appearance. Looks like dirty, ditch/dish water. Head is short lived and no lace in the Duvel tulip. Looks drab. Big sweet Belgian candy notes and a touch of yeast complete the nose. The aroma is the best part of this beer. Tastes are mild caramel with a little residual sweetness alongside some chewy malts. A little alcohol in the finish,...
Damnation Batch 23 (Oak Aged)
From notes: Thanks go out to Robet for a chance to try this at a recent Brick Store gathering. A lighter than expected golden pour with a nose that reflects the oak. Robert said that chips were used rather than the barrel but to me it's difficult to detect such a nuance. A light smokiness in the nose and taste which is probably a combination of the oak and my inability to pik it up correctly. Some of us at the tasting also got some estery pear notes. i got a touch of pineapple too. However, to...
Kerberos Tripel
12oz bottle for a $7.99 four pack from Tower on Piedmont. I've been putting off trying this for a while, not sure why. Dark orange almost amber pour into the Duvel tulip. Head is scant and short lived, to leave a few bubbles and some spotty head on the surface of the beer. No lace on the glass. Definitely a "triple-like" beer but ends up coming up a little short, and you can tell this is not an authentic, Belgian Tripel. Body lacks something, and although the nose and taste both have some...
We’re Only In It For The Money
Purchased from Green's on Ponce, Atlanta, GA, USA. 22oz bomber. 4th in the Zappa series from Lagunitas. Poured into the Ommegang chalice the beer has a classic dark orange/golden Tripel hue, and initially a good head. This fades quickly though and leaves not much lace at all. Not ALL that surprising given the ABV. A little white pepper and lemon grass in the nose. A little spice here and in the taste. Mouthfeel is a little slick at first, but gets creamier as you drink more. Good fruity notes,...
Ondineke
Oilsjtersen Tripel
Additional notes 02/08/23 (Pictured) Bottled 18 Jun 2022. A small gusher. Lace is good again. Again, fifteen years later and this time out of the bottle and not on draft, plenty of alcohol is present. Nice, light burn. Not as fruity as some, muted esters and a lack of white pepper that is typical for the style, I would put this as a bit of an outlier in terms of the style, it seems a LOT drier. That said, I like it. Original notes 06/21/08 On tap at The Brick Store, Decatur, GA, USA. Small...
Slaapmutske Triple Nightcap
750 mL corked & caged bottle with that nasty synthetic cork. $8.99 from Arbor Place Beverage, Douglasville, GA, USA. Opens with a healthy 'pop' and poured into the Duvel tulip. Mid orange body sits underneath a towering head with wonderful lace. Darker than many Tripels but with the lacing this looks VERY good. Lacing is some of the best I have seen in some time. Nose has a big, musty Belgian candy note. VERY malty in the aroma too with lots of Brown sugar. The beer drinks much less sweet than...
Chimay Cinq Cents Tripel (White)
Additional Notes 07/28/22 I enjoy this beer a lot more than the notes below indicate, and 18 and 14 years on from those I have a true, and much deeper appreciation for the beer. However, I STILL maintain that the White is not necessarily a quintessential Triple. There's a hop note in the back end (the soapy element that I note below), and a distinct lack of driving alcohol sweetness that one gets with typical examples of the style. In that regard come with an open mind. It's a beautiful beer...
Urthel Hibernus Quentum
11.2oz bottle, with a new, updated label and a different shape from the picture in the BA database. Purchased at Arbor Place Beverage, Douglasville, GA, USA. Typical golden, hazed orange body, light head with some lace in the Val Dieu Goblet. Fine bubbles, vibrant colors. Looks nice. Light Belgian candy in the nose with some yeast. Silky in the mouth with light, fine bubbles. Plenty of sweetness in a typical triple fashion, but also with a really distinct hoppy finish. Reminiscent of a...
Green Flash Trippel
22oz bottle, purchased at State Line Liquor, DE, USA. $5.79. Poured into the Val-Dieu chalice. Pour is a very nice, slightly cloudy classic orange body. Head is not very well retained, but is attractive, and very fluffy. Lace was impressive. It loks attractive and inviting. Some mild pepper in the taste, but also some edgy, solvent like alcohol. Warming on the way down too. The slightly watery texture adds to the solvent nature. Definitely some lemony, acidic and sour notes, and these take...
Merry Monks’ Ale
12oz bottle. Golden hazy pour with a thin film of "head" on the surface. Basically no lace. Strong bubblegum aroma. Sweet in the nose with some artifical (estery) pineapple and some alcohol. Prickly carbonation in the mouth that I don't much care for, and some drying, medicinal alcohol. Fruity notes are missing. Dry alcohol finish. OK, but not a very good Tripel IMO.
Allagash Curieux
(Bourbon Barrel-Aged Tripel)
Pictured 03/25/23 Original notes 12/01/07 Purchased on recent trip to Greensboro, NC, USA. A mistake because it arrived in GA while I was out of state! Corked & Caged 750 mL bottle. Poured into the Duvel tulip, this is basically a slightly darker Belgian Pale. Honey colored. Creamy, small head with some lace. Aroma has some yeast, but is dominated by an alcohol solvent smell. Quite strong, not exactly sinus clearing but nevertheless very noticeable. Belgian yeast character, but two things...
De Dolle Dulle Teve (Mad Bitch)
Additional notes 05/13/23 (Pictured) Bottle - Belgian Style Ales. Golden body, perfect head. Classic sweet Tripel with an excellent alcohol edge and clean lines. Perfect example of the style with white pepper and spice at an appropriate level. Some fruit but the cleanliness of the beer is its signature. Original notes 11/03/07 On tap at the Brick Store, Decatur, GA, USA. Small serving in a goblet/wine glass. Appearance is a lemon/mustard yellow, clouded with a small ring of head and lace that...
De Ranke Guldenberg
11.2 oz bottle, notched best before Jan '09. Green's, Buford, Atlanta, GA, USA. Very cloudy orange pour into the Brasserie des Rocs chalice. Not much head, little lace. Quite a lot of debris in the bottom of the glass once the beer has settled. Sweet, but light bodied Tripel. Frankly lacks depth. Some yeast character but not much. Residual sweetness again, but rather light. A bit disappointed, I expect more from this stable.
La Rullés Triple (Bière De Gaume)
On-tap, the Brick Store, Decatur, GA, USA. Small pour in the correct glassware (as ever). Has the appearance of a high quality Wit, but with a better head (rocky, dense and bone-white). The second beer that I have had in the last couple of weeks that I would describe as a "light" tripel. The standard charactersitcs ARE there, but the tell-tale alcohol and Belgian candied and yeast characteristics are somewhat muted and depressed. The upside of this is that the beer becomes drinkable and...
Marin Tripel Dipsea Belgian Style Ale
22 oz bomber, thanks to Solomon420 for the trade. 2007 version with a label rather than a screen printed bottle. Aggresive pour gives a nice head, but it is scant and short lived and there is a distinct lace of lace. Body has a true golden, tripel coloration. Some bubble gum in the nose. This drinks like watered down tripel! There are hints of the Belgian yeasts, candied sugar, banana, other fruits and alcohol, but frankly the whole pacjage seems very muted. The side-effect of this is that the...
Eau Benite
In English, Holy Water. Corked & Caged 750 mL bottle as a part of the Unibroue tasting at The Brick Store, Decatur, GA, USA. Not currently available in the USA. Well, I'm running out of new things to say about the Unibroue range. So many of the beers are similar, solid examples of Belgian styles with much to please. Beautiful light orange, slightly hazed color with a large, billowing white head. Decent lacing. Characteristic mild, light fruits with the unmistakable prominent yeast...
Mephistopheles’ Metamorphosis
Thanks to BEERchitect for the trade. Annoying carbonation on the opening of the impressive looking bottle. Wave afer wave of light bubbles waste a substantial amount of beer on the kitchen counter. Cloudy apple juice colored liquid (a lot of yeast sediment), not really what I am looking for in my Tripel's. Decent Belgian yeasty and mildly spiced aroma. A little bit of a honey cheerio grain/cereal smell too. Tastes are incredibly sweet even for my sugar loving palate. It ends with a huge...
Bison Organic Belgian Ale
22 oz bomber. Pale golden pour into the Duvel glass. Clear, golden pour with a somewhat thin and disappointing head. Watery lacing - not much of it. Very mild yeast and spice in the nose. Tastes are extremely mild too. This drinks like a Tripel lite, which of course defeats the whole purpose of a really alcoholic, heay, sweet tripel. Having said that, the more to the bottle that I drink, the more it grows on me. Definitely "different" tastes which I suppose is the Organic nature of the...
Ultra Blonde
11.2 oz Stubbie, different label to the one in the BA database - the new one has a more modern black and yellow look. Best Before 01/02/11 printed on the cap - plenty of time left to enjoy this! Into the Duvel tulip this has a huge head that settles down a little in time. Some lace. Body is darker than many Tripel's and has a rich dark gold feel about it. Lots of sweet alcoholic yeast in the nose. A tart bitterness holds this up nicely and the sweetness that is typical of the style is...
Tripel Crown
$6.99, Michael's Beer and Wine, Marietta, GA, USA. Not sure about the age of this 4 pack, but at the same time this should be OK for some time. Quite what this is, or indeed is supposed to be, I'm not at all sure. The label says "British Style Ale", and it is classified here as a Tripel. I'm not at all sure where those two boundaries meet, in fact, I don't think that they do at all! Golden viscous pour with a poorly retained head and no lace. Fair enough, at >10% ABV I was not expecting...
Allagash Tripel Ale
Notes Added 07/21/2022 Sixteen years later (pictured) and I'm still enjoying this. Definite honey notes, BUT the beauty of this Triple is that it's not sweet. Classically crafted, white pepper and lots of dry alcohol. The 9% is not punishing at all, but it's present and leaves a mark. Great American version, and I think this is at least as quintessential as the White which attracts so much love. Original Notes 07/25/2006 750 mL, corked & caged, batch #80. Thanks to sulldaddy for the trade,...
Trappist Achel 8° Blond
Poured into the Val-Dieu chalice it presents itself as a very pale golden color. The head is big and lacks a real rocky appearance (rather ultra-fine bubbles predominate), but the slightly thinner nature means the best lacing I have seen for a very long time forms on the glass - I'm giving it a 5.0 for appearance PURELY based on the lace. Aroma is mild yeast with some lemony/citrus hops. Mild sweetness in the taste, typically Belgian Tripel notes, but not nearly as sweet as many of the style....
Het Kapittel Abt
Pictured 10/16/22 Original notes 03/21/06 Part of the Kapittel mixed 4-pack. Authentic, with all the classic Tripel characteristics. High alcohol, golden color, slightly viscous, sweet and Belgian yeast characteristics. Good frothy head with good retention and nice body. Fruits in the nose, simply a classic Tripel.
Rose
Simple pour into the goblet, with a peach colored hue, spotty head and a little bit of lacing. Rather odd taste, it has the the tripel sweetness but coming with it is some kind of milk chocolate taste. Some peppery alcohol in the taste. A dry finish with some floral lightness. Not a bad interpretation, but a bit different too. Worth a quick visit but I doubt that I would come back to this - I prefer the more traditional interpretation.
Gouden Carolus Tripel
Additional notes 01/28/23 (pictured) 18 years later the head on this beer is now magnificent, with huge ice-cream foam, great retention and lace (contrast with the notes below). The head is frankly, perfection in 2023. The color still disappoints though (as noted in the original review). As much as I love The Christmas, Easter and Blue Van Keizer Dark - they are all -time favorites of mine - the Tripel doesn't quite do it for me. I'm always surprised at how I walk away from this beer, but it's...
Kasteel Blond
=== Updated Review 01/08 === New presentation with a black foiled neck and a new, updated label. Still in the corked & caged, dimple-bottomed, champagne style, heavy green glass bottle. Cork says bottled 06/2007. Beer seems a tad less aggressive. Still listed as 11.0%, but much less obvious. Also not so sweet, and not so alcoholic. A more subtle experience than before, not sure I like it quite as much. === Original Review 09/05 === Nice presentation in the large 750 mL green bottle with the...
Golden Monkey
Notes: 02/20/22 12 oz can (pictured). The alcohol is less apparent than it once was for me. Spice notes still present. I like this beer, and getting toward twenty years of drinking it proves that. Additional notes: 12/16/06 This is a bottle that is at least 18 months old - bottle says drink before Feb 07 2009, so plenty of time left. I like the way this has mellowed out over time. Seems more in line with a typical Tripel with the sweetness straightened out to reveal more alcohol. It's aging...
Stoudt’s Triple (Belgian Abbey-Style Ale)
Orange/amber body with an ample head that fades quickly (high ABV causes this?) to leave some spotty, creamy film and a little lacing. Aroma is mainly spiced alcohol and some ripe bananas. Tastes reflect that mix, and this comes across as being pretty sweet. Alcohol is definitely there and upfront and the banana is very evident. Full and smooth in the mouth, the spice adding a little prickle. Some pepper notes too. Quite a long finish with the main attribute being the warming alcohol. Nice US...
Watou Tripel
Additional notes and pictured from 06/04/23 Wow, my notes below are pretty scathing from almost exactly 18 years ago! I still don't think this beer is a great example of the style, and I still don't really love it, but it's better than that first 'review' would have me believe. Pour is slightly on the darker orange side of things, and it pours better than previously. Also its not as thin as I first recorded, nor is it as sickly sweet. Now feels a lot maltier than before. Original notes...
Pater Lieven Tripel
Quite impressed. 750 mL bottle, corked and capped. Good value Tripel with all the classic attributes in place and solid. Lovely pour into my Chimay chalice with a generous head, excellent lacing and some super orange/gold color. Lots of spice and pepper in the taste, with a good alcoholic content and definite dry finish too. Alcohol is well disguised and not overpowering. Mouthfeel is satisfying, with some tart, citrus notes amongst the spices. Very rounded and more complex that I was...
Petrus Gouden Tripel
Striking color, absolutely golden with a decent head and some lacing. Quite dry, with a little prickly carbonation in the mouthfeel. Definite spicy character with some fruit, but it was difficult to pin down the exact fruits and spices that were in play. Dry in the finish and somewhat uninspiring for a Tripel. Worth a try if you like a more subdued Belgian but a little disappointing if you're looking for a bigger beer.
Tripel Karmeliet
Additional notes 11/21/23 Putting aside historical arguments regarding Westmalle, I generally think of Karmeliet as the quintessential Tripel. This is still true even after the InBev purchase of 2016. Still sweet, and still a little lighter than some, all of the white pepper, fruity, sugary notes are present. Each drinking against the pillowy soft mouthfeel, this is a beer to be savored and adorded. Original notes 04/23/05 Typical champagne style pale Belgian with the classic white, rocky...
Trippel Belgian
Style Ale
Pictured 05/05/23 Incredible clarity and still difficult to get a handle on the ABV which is 2023 is flagged at an even higher 8.5%! Still the same dry spices as ever, this beer really has stood the test of time. I've fallen out of love with New Belgium over the years, for several different reasons, but it's hard to knock this beer. Original notes 04/08/05 I was absolutely amazed at the height of the % ABV for this beer, it drinks miles below that mark, and for that reason alone this gives the...
La Trappe Tripel (Koningshoeven / Dominus)
Updated notes 03/11/23 $14 for the corked and caged 750 from Blue Ridge Beer Hub, Waynesville, NC. I very much stand by my original notes from April of 2005. This 'tripel' is a dry one, but without being truly dry. It has some fruit and alcohol but those elements are unusually muted. There are bubblegum notes but the beer is really 'soft'. For me it lacks presence, and there is little to no white pepper or spice, and everything is limited. In short, it feels watery; diluted. Perhaps my least...
Augustijn Ale
Pale orange pour with loads of soft, ripe fruits in the nose. Not a huge head, but decent with some lacing in my very versatile and much beloved New Belgium glass. Sweet alcoholic pineapple is where this one sets out it's stall. Quite an acidic and dry finish, with some unexpected astringency. Quite sharp in the mouth, not through prickly carbonation, but rather through a peppery alcohol and some alcoholic sharpness. A little sting with some bitterness too. Nice Belgian Tripel but definitely...
Bornem Triple
Light golden pour with a small, frothy head that largely disappears fairly quickly. There is some persistent light film on the body, and some minor lacing as it sits in the New Belgium goblet. Tons of alcohol in the nose, with a sinus clearing effect! There are lots of fruits present too. The fruit is reflected in the taste, with a sherry like alcohol ripeness being the predominant taste. Some darker fruit and some pineapple present as well. There is no doubt about the alcohol content here,...
Maredsous 10 – Triple
Excellent presentation with a wonderfully, light, golden color and a massive, rocky, sticky respledent head. A lot of small bubbles make up the impressive head. Very reminiscent of Duvel to look at. Lots of alcohol in the nose and upfront in the taste. The dominant experience here for me was a apple like, clean dryness. Like a really crunchy Granny Smith. Don't get me wrong, there were no apples in the taste, but a distinctive clean, sharp bite to the beer that I found delicious. Finish is...
Westmalle Trappist Tripel
I was extremely surprised by this beer, not by the quality or the general excellence- that reputation had gone before it - but by the drinkability and the creaminess. I wasn't expecting such a drinkable beer considering the style and the ABV. Some spice in the aroma and initial tastes that fades quickly to give way to a class ale. Lots of creaminess and retention in the head with significant lacing in the Westmalle chalice (thanks to meathookjones for the glass AND the beer). There's a...
Corsendonk Agnus / Abbey Pale Ale
Updated notes 06/12/2022 Been a long time since I’ve had this (not 18 years since my last notes, but still a while). A great, yeasty, bitterly sweet bite that delivers an alcohol punch. It’s all there for a Tripel with white pepper and sweet/bitter competition. Light hops linger on the back-end and the beer feels bigger than 7.5% to be honest. I love this beer, always have. Original notes 11/13/2004 $6.99, 750 mL bottle. Yeh! Smashing example of the Belgian Pale/Tripel, a real quality product....
Affligem Tripel
750 mL, Chapel Hill Package, Douglasville, GA, USA, $6.99. Quite disappointed. A watery experience was the overwhelming memory of this beer. All in all way too lightweight for the style. Light "lager" colored appearance, decent head but disappeared too quickly with no lacing. Prickly carbonation in the mouth didn't help either. One redeeming factor - as it warmed up in the glass it improved.
La Fin Du Monde
Notes added 10/02/2021 This is the beer pictured. Still that fat, billowing, impressive head. The nose has those apple, estery Belgian yeast notes that are so, so tempting on the nose. A perfectly smooth body leads to the simplicity of a beautiful built Belgian, sweet malt bomb. It’s close to perfect, and 17 years later after that first review I would be hard pressed not to increase the appearance, smell, taste and mouthfeel scores. The finish is wonderfully balanced as the alcoholic fruit are...
Val-Dieu Triple
Additional notes 11/27/22 (pictured): From the date of the original notes, this must have been one of the very first beers that I purchased in Atlanta after the cap was popped. Interestingly, the exact same beer, from the exactly the same store, 18 years later, $5.14. Beautiful high head, same classic, drying, peppery alcohol laden sweet notes. Undeniably 'Tripel'. All of what you read below applies 18 years one. Original notes 07/03/04: $2.75, Greens Beverage, Atlanta, GA, USA. I was...
St. Bernardus
Tripel
Pictured 04/15/23 Notes added 06/29/2021 Looking back on the initial review, it's odd that the color was described that way in 2014. The latest bottle (and I've had this countless times), gives a lovely, typically golden body underneath that amazingly rocky head. Dry hop element still pushes back on the classic Tripel notes for me. Alcohol solvent remains present. Original notes 07/01/2014 Most recently $8.50 at Taco Mac in Douglasville, GA (for the 33cL bottle) $2.95 (Small bottle) Green's...