“Tripel Karmeliet is still brewed to an authentic beer recipe from 1679 originating in the former Carmelite monastery in Dendermonde. Written over three hundred years ago, this recipe describes the use of three kinds of grain, wheat, oats and barley. The name Tripel Karmeliet thus refers to both it’s origin and in it’s in-bottle re-fermentation. From many trial brews of mulit-grain tripels carried out at our brewery in the 90’s, it appears that the particular historic combination of three kinds of grain still remains the ideal blend.”
This Tripel would have to be one of the most popular, although it’s not a Trappist, the recipe dates back to well over 300 years ago. Just mind blowing. Served in a beer tulip the translucent, almost milky straw-yellow pour produces a 1/2 inch white head before collapsing to absolutely nothing at all. No lacing which is to be expected. A decent twirl of the glass yields a mixed array of aromas including banana, champagne, clove, lemon, coriander, booze, white grapes, bubblegum and pear drops. Aromas like these are exactly why we love Abbey beers, they are so complex. The mouth feel is frothy with high carbonation. Medium-full body. The palate is amazing, with repetitive flavours of lemonade, bubblegum, banana, clove and booze that intermittently come in and out from the fore-flavour through to the champagne finish. The 8.4% ABV is so well hidden in flavour. How do they do it? How does a clear golden amber liquid offer so many aromas and flavours? We have so much respect for the history and the original brewing techniques used in these beers. So humbling.