Rating:

“Brewed according to age-old traditions, Leffe Rituel, with its deep golden colour, inspires respect. Its elegant, distinguished flavours of grain, bitter spices and bananas will seduce your taste buds over and over again. Rich in hop and remarkably balanced, with a long and intense aftertaste certain to thrill the more delicate palate. But make no mistake, only when poured into its own chalice can this divine beer be tamed.”

Glassware: Trappist tulip.

Appearance: Deep amber complexion with brilliant clarity. It builds a frothy three finger head which holds its shape. Good retention and blotchy lace on the glass.

Aroma: Has a fairly rich sweetness which is nicely countered by the fruity esters, mixed spice and vanilla. We almost get this oriental broth-like quality from it…like something you’d get from your local Vietnamese pho restaurant. A notable zesty tanginess develops as it settles. Toffee apple, wilted herbs and a mead-like sweetness. Very intriguing aroma.

Flavour: It carries a lot of character over from the nose. A semi sweet honey malt washes over, followed by mixed spice, fruity esters and toffee apple. A very brief warmth from the booze early in the mid palate shifting into an intensifying estery, fruity, and at times herbal finish which draws out nicely.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, gelatinous and a little chewy. Delicately carbed with medium body. The 9% ABV is pretty well buried.

Overall: Interesting take on a Tripel. It’s a lot darker and richer than previous traditional Belgian Tripels we’ve tried. It’s a well structured beer (and obviously well brewed) but we weren’t really big fans of it.

Rating:

“Maris Otter malt and American Centennial hops magically combine to give an aroma of lychees and peaches with a full fruit body of spicy orange and coriander. Warming high alcohols finish with smooth caramel.”

Glassware: Trappist chalice (not Bede’s though )

Appearance: A burnished orange hue with notable haziness. It forms two fingers of fluffy white head which retains well. Healthy lacing on the glass as it ebbs.

Aroma: First thoughts are malty sweet, fruity, estery, some warmth from the booze. Getting stewy orchard fruits i.e peach, pear, apricot. Loving the almost burnt orange and spicy orange peel notes, they marry up with the caramel and doughy malt base nicely. It’s interesting as it has traits of a traditional Tripel but the adjuncts and the English malts certainly put a different spin on it.

Flavour: Quite dry and boozy. Getting every bit of the 9% ABV. It’s not overcooked though, it’s pretty well integrated. Similar to the nose in the sense of stewy orchard fruits, spicy orange/peel, herbal spice and florals with a flutter of tangy phenols midway. It carries that robust base of caramel, biscuit and doughy malt all the way through to the finish. And then some.

Mouthfeel: Initially dry then chewy, creamy, well rounded. Some heat from the 9% ABV. Medium-full body and a lightly sparkling Co2.

Overall: Definitely not our favourite Durham expression. Kinda muddled and lacking cohesion. Just a big old meh.

Rating:

“The triple blond is both simple and complex. Its initial simplicity, with an easy approach that releases a sweet zest is quickly complemented by a bitterness that runs to the back of the mouth. Complex, with its raw ingredients clashing a little like cannon shots, but each tastier than the last, with alternating bitter hops and the flexibility of its malt, gives this Waterloo beer the taste of victory.”

Glassware: Trappist tulip.

Appearance: Deep golden amber pour with two fingers of fluffy white head perched on top. It eventually forms a thick collar with sudsy lace work left in its wake.

Aroma: Man this has got some good uplift out of the glass. With one or two light swirls it releases an abundance of semi sweet, spicy and fruity yeast esters along with orange peel/zest, fresh herbs like sage and coriander, ripe nectarine, boiled candy and red flowers like roses, hibiscus etc. It has a sweet honey malt structure to it. Wouldn’t go as far as saying caramel but it’s definitely chewy.

Flavour: Similar to the Dubbel in that its dryness is somewhat unexpected. The high Co2 also adds to that as well. The hallmark Tripel flavours of crisp and fresh herbs, orange peel and spice dominate upfront and shift nicely through the slightly phenolic mid palate. It finishes strong – fruity, yeasty, spicy, some malt sweetness to balance it out.

Mouthfeel: Champagne-esque texture, medium-high Co2, moderately bodied. The 8% ABV is well behaved for its size.

Overall: Not the best interpretation we’ve had but it’s still clearly a Belgian-brewed Tripel and that is certainly distinguishable. Good but not great.

Rating:

“– It is the result of a long fermentation which is very carefully checked by the Master Brewer.
– Its deep bitterness will still maintain its delicate flavor.
– Aromatized hops will be identified.
– It can be consumed with very sophisticated meals.”

Glassware: Trappist Chalice.

Appearance: Hazy pale orange pour with a subtle golden hue. A short fizzy head practically fades instantly and forms a halo. Very little lace work as we go.

Aroma: Tonnes of fruit character emanating. The strongest being the candied orange, mandarin and rather earthy apricot but there’s also splashy notes of yeast-driven orchard fruits i.e apple and pear along with banana runts and a delicate lick of lemon. Distinctly floral hops, clove/peppery spice, a touch of vanilla and a nicely poised semi sweet honey malt at the base. Excellent aroma.

Flavour: We think we’re on here. This is about as good a set of flavours you’ll get from a Belgian Tripel. Sweet and almost woody malt along with the earthy and floral hops gets it all started. The in come the fruits…first the chewy apricot then the sweet/sugary orange. A gentle bitterness develops late and sets up the fruity, spicy and well rounded finish.

Mouthfeel: Perfectly weighted. Soft pillowy texture with just the right amount of effervescence. Light-moderate body and the 9% ABV is incredibly well hidden.

Overall: Up there with some of the best Tripels we’ve ever had. Pretty much faultless actually. That’s all we have to add. Superb.

Rating:

“Oilsjtersen tripel – The figure of Ondineke and the use of Aalst hops made the City of Aalst choose this beer as a city beer.”

Glassware: Trappist Chalice.

Appearance: Hazy golden orange complexion with a super fizzy three finger head which actually retains surprisingly well. Lots of thick blotchy lace decorates the sides of the glass as we imbibe.

Aroma: Seemingly well balanced with all the ingredients coming together nicely. Quite a hoppy little number – floral, herbaceous and spicy. A flutter of lemon zest and then moving into the yeast-driven orchard fruits like apples/pear and white grapes. Picking up hints of hay/straw, dried grass, earthy notes, candi sugars and banana runts also. Nice biscuity malt profile binding it all together. Very nice.

Flavour: It has that dry and effervescent champagne vibe going on. Candi sugars and semi sweet malts upfront. The grassy and floral hops are quite distinct here too…adding some earthy-ness and bitterness as it rolls into the somewhat grainy, hay and straw-filled mid palate. Orchard fruits, white pepper and clove rounding out the bone dry finish.

Mouthfeel: Effervescent, dry and aerated with light-moderate body. The 8.5% ABV is neatly tucked away.

Overall: Another respectable Tripel from another completely unknown Belgian brewery. Much drier and carbonated than what we’re used to but we’re still digging it.

Rating:

“Bornem Tripel is a powerful beer to be enjoyed as an aperitif or dessert. Often taken with mussels and other seafood. This abbey beer is also an excellent accompaniment to a hearty cheese platter.”

Glassware: Trappist tulip.

Appearance: Slightly hazy burnished orange with a thumb of finely beaded head perched on top. Excellent retention and healthy lacing on the glass.

Aroma: Very traditional but also quite complex. The classic sweet honey malt leads out with the Belgian yeast esters following close behind. Lots of banana, mixed spice, ground coriander, tangy orange citrus etc. It exudes a certain dry musty-ness akin to Saison. A hint of orchard fruits, honeysuckle and bubblegum to fill it out. Smells the foods thus far.

Flavour: It definitely carries the complexity over from the nose. Showing its hop profile with a lot more energy too – grassy, herbal and spicy notes upfront which blend nicely in to the ensuing sweet and grainy malts. Not until later in the piece does the yeast and fruity aspects come in to play but when they do they bring pear/apple, banana, yeasty spice and wheat grains.

Mouthfeel: Fairly light and well aerated. Pretty smooth, mild-medium body with a light sparkle. The 9% ABV was a surprise…very well concealed.

Overall: In our opinion it’s less appealing than other releases such as Augustijn or Gulden Draak but it does hold its own. Expect a fairly conventional Tripel but don’t expect to be blown away.

Rating:

“Home made and home “bottled” beer from ‘Pakhuis, Antwerp, Belgium. Refermenation on bottle.”

Glassware: Trappist tulip.

Appearance: Quite dark for the style – kinda muddy rusted bronze with a firmly held thumb of creamy off white head on top. Good retention and a beautiful cascading lace down the sides of the glass.

Aroma: Mostly of semi sweet honeyed malts, caramel, earthy hops, orchard fruits and dough. But keeping with typical Belgian beer tradition there is a multitude of refined and more nuanced notes such as tangy orange citrus, herbals/florals, spice/esters, candied toffee and banana runts. A fairly impressive aroma from this unknown Belgian brewery.

Flavour: Well it’s nice and warming on this slightly chilly spring arvo. Definitely rich and sweet, caramelised malts, dough, buttery biscuits, mildly fruity i.e apple, pear and quince. Tasting the florals, rosewater, spicy herbals, banana, tangy orange etc through the mid then it all shifts into a somewhat dry, yeasty and fruity finish which draws out well.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, creamy and well rounded texture. Medium body, finely carbed. The 8.3% ABV is nicely tucked away.

Overall: Impressive Tripel from this largely unheard of Belgian brewery. Pretty close to conventional with just a few minor distinctions…which we liked, mind you. Solid offering.

Rating:

“Tre Fontane Tripel (ABV 8.5%) is brewed with eucalyptus grown and harvested by the monks of Tre Fontane Abbey, who, since 1873, have been known for their eucalyptus oils, extracts, and liqueur.”

Glassware: Trappist tulip.

Appearance: Much darker and cloudier than its counterparts brewed further North in Belgium. Kinda dark apricot with pastel orange hues when held to the light. Short and frothy off white head which weaves a fine lace as we go.

Aroma: As we read up on this brewery we were quite surprised to find out that they’re situated in Rome, Italy. Making them the only Trappist brewery in the country. Another fascinating part is the history behind why they grow eucalyptus trees (obviously too in detail to go into here) but they actually use the eucalyptus leaves in the beer and the herbal aromatics it offers are highly enjoyable.

Flavour: Again the eucalyptus is very pronounced but also very well integrated. It actually lifts the profile of the more classic herbal notes found in the style i.e coriander, lemongrass, fennel seed etc. Strong yeasty spice, semi sweet malts, honey, wheat grains, fermented orange juice and slightly funky caramel are finished off with more accentuated spice and doughy malts.

Mouthfeel: Incredibly smooth and creamy. Medium body with a tight Co2. The 8.5% ABV is extremely well hidden.

Overall: Wow, we hadn’t even heard of this mob before we bagged a bottle of this Tripel. Not is it the only Italian brewery to carry the Trappist label (or brew with eucalyptus for that matter) it’s also faultless! Magnificent drop.

Rating:

“Tripels are a strong pale beer that have been brewed in Belgium since the 1930’s. The name originates from when breweries marked their beers with X’s according to their strength.Those marked with three X’s being referred to as a Tripel. Threefold has complex yeast derived flavours from an initial open fermentation and a second fermentation in the can. This beer is highly carbonated just like the original Belgian Tripels.”

Glassware: Trappist tulip.

Appearance: Bold amber pour with a light and fluffy three finger head forming on top. Gradual reduction and lots of soapy lace clings to the glass as it subsides.

Aroma: Strong apple cider notes hit the olfactories initially…kinda funky, musty and floral in character. A hint of malt sweetness and herbaceous hops along with the subtle yet classic peppery spice, orchard fruits and banana runts from the Belgian yeast. Quite a noticeable raw onion quality which it could definitely do without in our opinion. Other than that it’s a solid aroma.

Flavour: It has glimpses of a good traditional Tripel but it seems too focussed on this peculiar tangy orange flavour. Very brief banana runts and spice upfront with delicate caramel sweetness and pot pourri-like florals later in the piece. The finish is dry, fruity and a little tinny but it does linger well on the back end.

Mouthfeel: Fairly light on and effervescent. Moderately bodied, lively carbonation. The 8.4% ABV shows through a touch but it’s well enough concealed for us.

Overall: Not really sold on this one. SL have been one of our stand out breweries of late but this Tripel missed the mark on a few occasions. Surprising actually, up until now they’ve nailed every Euro Style there is. Ah well no one’s perfect!

Rating:

“A strong beer with complex flavors, the Tête de Mort makes a nice breeze wind throughout the body.”

Glassware: Trappist Goblet.

Appearance: Deep amber with shades of bronze. It forms a thumb of cappuccino head which slowly recedes. Nice wavy lace being left in its wake.

Aroma: Interesting. It’s like a hybrid between an Amber Ale and a Tripel. Now we feel like twats coz we just remembered it’s called an Amber Tripel . The fusion is really nice though…sweet honey malts and caramel – which certainly are not foreign in a traditional Tripel – are magnified and enjoy solid support from the classic Belgian yeast esters, candi sugars, peppery spice, toffee apple, butterscotch and herbals.

Flavour: Wow it’s incredibly sweet but not at all cloying. Sugary caramel, toffee and butterscotch enjoy a very mild nutty and toasty accent to balance it out. Almost a hint of maple coming through too. It shifts into fruity yeast esters, bubblegum and spice midway then leads to a really long and drawn out finish of candi sugars, caramelised apple/pear, honeysuckle and orange blossom.

Mouthfeel: Incredibly smooth and creamy, chewy and kinda sticky. Very fine carbonation, medium body. The 8.1% ABV is really well buried.

Overall: We dig it. Liking the crossover between the two styles. The rich malty sweetness of Amber Ale probably outweighs the Tripel though…would have liked to see more of the classic Belgian yeast pushing through more. Essentially a tasty beverage.

Rating:

“Such an impressive symbol that has been around for more than 6 centuries requires an equally impressive beer. Like the dragon at the top of the city, Gulden Draak has been one of the world’s best beers for years. It is a dark tripel, which in itself makes it an exceptional beer, but the complex taste with notes of caramel, roasted malt and coffee makes it unique. In short, the beer is worthy of its name.”

Glassware: Trappist Goblet.

Appearance: Slightly dark rubescent red with soft pink highlights. It forms a big and frothy three finger head which stays the course and leaves a smattering of lace on the glass.

Aroma: Candy overload! Instantly we’re getting red toffee apple and coconut-infused caramel slice. The amount of caramelised sugary sweetness is insane but what’s even more insane is the balance. Behind it is a mammoth malt bill which provides decadent notes of buttery brown bread, treacle, carob and wheat biscuits. Layered with lots of dark fruits like cherry, plum, raisin and dates, yeast-driven spices, bubblegum and banana. Wow…so much going on.

Flavour: Super sweet and riddled with candi sugars, dark fruits and cough syrup but carefully layered with yeasty spice, bubblegum, banana bread, caramel, nuts, tobacco and musky florals. Loving how it keeps pretty sweet, fruity and yeasty and then right at the end it throws in a light toasty-ness to counter it all. Even with all of the rich flavours we can still pick up a subtle herbal hop all the way through.

Mouthfeel: Luscious and velvety with a lively sparkle from the Co2. The 10.5% ABV comes in and out. Medium-full body.

Overall: Extremely complex but absolutely spot on. Dark red Tripel or Quad? It’s a tough one as it exhibits a lot of character from both styles. What is clear is that it’s an amazing drop.

Rating:

“The Augustijn label came into the Van Steenberge portfolio in 1978, when the brewery acquired the recipe of the beer the Augustijn Friars brewed in their monastery in Ghent.  To this day, it is the top selling beer label for the brewery. Brewed in the style of a Belgian tripel, this beer is a typical golden straw yellow with a rocky white head.   Lots of Belgian yeast notes, fruit sweetness and a little spice appear in the aroma.”

Glassware: Trappist tulip.

Appearance: Reasonably clear golden amber pour with a fluffy two finger head capping it off. Good retention and lacing as it subsides.

Aroma: Smells amazing. It’s honestly coming at us from all angles. At first we get a nose full of the semi sweet malts and honey then the fruity esters rock up with their freshly sliced pear/apple notes. Fresh coriander and hints of lemongrass then clove, star anise, black pepper etc. Definitely a barnyard funk to it, wheat grains and florals as well. Brilliant depth. Diggin it…big time!

Flavour: It’s a lot drier than what we’d anticipated. But we’re liking it here as we’ve seen so many decent Tripels fall short from an overly cloying sweetness. This one thankfully doesn’t have that. Pretty much a mirror image of the aroma – kicks off with semi sweet honey, fresh herbs and green apple/pear then it shifts into a dry, almost tangy and citrusy middle which sets up for the dry, yeasty and fruity finish.

Mouthfeel: Frothy, dry, highly carbed. Light and aerated body. A bit of warmth from the 9% ABV. So dangerously drinkable for near 10%!

Overall: World class. This and the Dubbel we reviewed last week were both absolutely sensational. Belgian brewing at its best.

Rating:

“With ingredients such as coriander, Curacao and organic Belgian hops, the Adriaen Brouwer Tripel results in a spicy premium organic tripel with 9 percent alcohol by volume. Organic beers: This means that all ingredients used to brew the beer are grown organically… and that’s a first for the brewery that has existed since 1545!”

Glassware: Trappist tulip.

Appearance: Pours a deep amber hue with a thumb of fizzy white head over the top. It gradually recedes but manages a nice wavy lace down the glass.

Aroma: Bursting with lemon citrus, fresh herbs and a strong floral bouquet. There’s a lovely Belgian yeast profile throwing out oodles of Angostura bitters, banana runts and tinned pear. Also some estery spice, stone fruits like apricot and rockmelon and a touch of caramel and honey. Exceptional. Very traditional Belgian Tripel.

Flavour: Wooowwww! About as good as any Trappist Tripel you could find. It has a touch of champagne to it with its bright lemon, apple/pear, subtle vanilla and lifted carbonation. There’s a nice line of caramel sweetness which gives it a good base and structure. Kinda creamy and warming to finish. Good length on it too.

Mouthfeel: Creamy, gassy, medium bodied. Really coats the whole palate. Medium-high Co2. The 9% ABV is well behaved.

Overall: A fantastic Tripel from a largely unknown brewery when it comes to this style. It could easily stack up against the likes of St. Bernardus or Straffe Hendrik if need be. Top notch stuff.

Rating:

“Despite the technological advances, this beer is brewed according to ancient tradition and unites, as before, the best raw materials from our soil as ripe barley and fine hops, to preserve a maximum of pure flavor. This beer was originally brewed for the Knights of the Golden Fleece in 1491.”

Glassware: Trappist tulip.

Appearance: Hazy golden orange with a fizzy two and a half finger head. Excellent retention and good lacing strewn down the glass.

Aroma: Slightly different to the likes of Duvel, Rochefort, Westmalle etc. This one displays more candied lemon, apple pie and a distinct musty-ness. There’s a fair whack of ginger in here too. More of the classic notes like orange/rind, lemongrass, florals, bubblegum, peppercorn and wheat grains coming through too.

Flavour: It has a bit of a Saison-esque edge to it which we also picked up in the aroma. Sweet honey malts, mixed herbs (lemongrass, coriander), wheat grains, ginger and candied lemon all slowly unfold. Picking up a bit of peppery spice as it finishes with sweet sugary lemon and ginger drawing out.

Mouthfeel: Slightly gassy, medium body, mildly lifted Co2. The 9% ABV is well hidden as most traditional Belgian Tripels are.

Overall: We’re huge fans of the style but there’s just a couple of things we weren’t fond of with this. The sugary lemon mixed with the ginger notes got a bit much by the end. Otherwise it ain’t too bad.

Rating:

“Meet the Maallust Heavy Guy (Heavy Guy) Triple. It’s a golden yellow, top-fermented beer. This classic triple with a percentage of 9% is heavily hopped and pours a creamy white head. Its taste is spicy and full of malt, with a nice hoppy bitterness in the aftertaste.”

Glassware: Trappist Chalice.

Appearance: Kinda hazy amber/orange with a short white cap. It quickly collapsed to a ring with very little lace in its wake. PS watch your pour as there’s a tonne of suspended sediment.

Aroma: Quite sweet and oily like buttery biscuits. Herbal/grassy Noble hop characters, dried spice, dead leaves/vines, caramel fudge and semi sweet bready malts. Subtle earthy nuances which feed into the ripe apricot and bergamot-like scents. Very different we must say. We’re aware Holland is on the other side of the Belgian border but it may as well be 1000 miles away with this beer.

Flavour: A mirror image of the aroma – sweet with buttery biscuits, caramel fudge and honey but well balanced by the lifted Noble herbs, florals and spice. Finally some yeast esters develop late before a rather dry, herbal and yeasty finish.

Mouthfeel: Pretty well weighted. Smooth texture with a bit of dryness forming in the swallow. Mild-moderate Co2. 8.7% ABV is reasonably well disguised.

Overall: This is our first crack at this Dutch brewery and although it’s far from your classic Belgian interpretation it’s still a pretty decent offering. Would have liked a bit more of the typical yeast qualities coming through. Not bad though.

Rating:

“This beer has hops aromas on the nose with spices and fruit notes. Spice on the palate with well-balanced bitterness lingering in the finish.”

Glassware: Trappist Chalice.

Appearance: Bright golden amber with 100% clarity. It forms a thumb of super fizzy head which collapsed almost instantly. No head = no lace.

Aroma: Nice and crisp with a beautiful yeast profile. All the usual suspects including banana runts, clove, peppery spice, apple and pear supported by semi sweet honey malt, candi sugar, bubblegum and Angostura bitters. Picking up some sweet orange citrus and a bit of a Noble hop grassy/herbal note as well. Quality stuff.

Flavour: Crisp and very nicely balanced. Yeast esters upfront – banana runts, clove, peppery spice moving to orange peel, earthy hops and herbals midway. Apple, pear and Angostura bitters develop late and deliver a somewhat dry spicy/estery finish with some sweet honey malt and wheat grains on the back end.

Mouthfeel: Crisp, mineraly, lively carbonation. Medium body with the 7.5% ABV extremely well concealed.

Overall: Without a doubt one of the better traditional Belgian Tripels out there. We’d put it on the same level as Petrus and Korenaar – impressive but not as good as the likes of St.Bernardus or Straffe Hendrik.

Rating:

“In this time of self-isolation we want to ease the cabin fever with this rich brew. Aged in Cognac barrel this massive beer has a yeast-driven complexity with a noticeable malt sweetness.”

Glassware: Trappist tulip.

Appearance: Bold amber with orange highlights. It only manages a short head which slowly peels back to the rim. Decent lace as we go.

Aroma: Hella funky. Kind of has this strange soapy thing going on initially…can’t say whether it’s a byproduct of the barrels or the beer. Maybe a combination of both? It’s uniquely floral with unmistakable green grape and dry white wine qualities from the cognac barrels coming through. Undertones of green apple, dried apricots, mild esters/phenols and young oak. Still slightly undecided.

Flavour: Showing a bit more sweetness which we’re liking. Not before a short cameo of dry white wine and slightly tart green grapes though. A hint of dry woody oak is fused through the delicate notes of dried fruits i.e raisin, apricot and apple/pear leading in to an ultimately complex and warming finish with lingering cognac in the tail.

Mouthfeel: A little slippery with mild-medium body. The lack of body really exposes the burn from the 9% ABV.

Overall: Can’t say we’re at all impressed by this. Apart from the lovely cognac accents the base Tripel is quite ordinary…hardly any conventional aromas and flavours to be found. Pretty cut and dry.

Rating:

“Filou is a strong blonde beer that is re-fermented in the bottle. Filou is brewed with Belgian and Czech aromatic hops. Therefore this blonde beer offers mild fruitiness and subtle hop bitterness. Filou can be a real rascal, but always without any bad intentions. A friendly beer for everyone!”

Glassware: Stemmed tulip.

Appearance: Fully transparent bright golden body with two and a bit fingers of finely beaded foam on top. It holds together and works a healthy lace down the glass.

Aroma: Gorgeous wafts of sweet candi sugars meet the olfactory’s. With it comes hints of fairy floss, bubblegum and candied fruits while the yeast throws up its classic trio of banana runts, clove and caramelised pear/apple. There’s a mild floral hop note alongside undertones of fresh vanilla bean, orange citrus and a crusty/bready malt structure. We like!

Flavour: Quite floral upfront. Getting earthy pot pourri notes which feeds back in to the floral accents. Syrupy honey, orange citrus and toffee apple also getting amongst it. Some dry hop bitterness through the mid and a bit of warmth from the booze adding to the sharpness there. Classic Tripel finish – full of esters, artificial sweetness and spice.

Mouthfeel: Crisp and zingy. Medium body and perfectly carbonated. 8.5% ABV shows a little but it’s hidden well enough.

Overall: Fairly decent. Not one of the more memorable ones but it certainly holds its own.

Rating:

“The pale malts used give this tripel its deep, ocher colour. Grimbergen Tripel has a bittersweet, spicy and extremely round flavor. The typical spicyness is created by using blonde candy sugar and the subtle mix of soft and bitter hop varieties. The secondary fermentation gives the flavour bouquet a perfect harmony. You’ll especially appreciate the perfect aftertaste of this beer.”

 Glassware: Trappist tulip.

Appearance: Clear golden complexion with a massive four finger head. It slowly peels off and leaves an absolute mess on the glass.

Aroma: Getting a real peppery champagne-like quality from it initially. Lots of yeast esters as any good Tripel should (pot pourri, bubblegum, banana runts, clove). Really showing a lot of Saison characters of hay, Angostura bitters and farmyard funk. Coriander, parsley, candied lemon, bush honey, syrupy malts and vanilla rounds out an extremely well layered aroma.

Flavour: Kind of follows the nose with the super champagne-like fizzyness, yeast-driven notes of banana, candied lemon, dank herbs (coriander, parsley), peppery spice and Angostura bitters. Slightly funky and musky through the mid as it sets a platform for a spicy, lemony and mildly dry finish.

Mouthfeel: Quite frothy, aerated and dry. Highly carbonated. Mild-medium body. The 9% ABV is well disguised.

Overall: We want to like this Tripel, we really do but it just doesn’t stack up against the likes of St.Bernardus or Straffe Hendrik. Certainly gets points for being a little outside the square but ultimately there’s better Tripels out there

Rating:

“St. Bernardus Tripel is a traditional abbey beer that follows the classic tripel style. In the Watou region a tripel is often referred to as a ‘Bernadetje’. A fine tribute that pays homage to Bernadette, the youngest daughter of Evariste Deconinck, the man to whom the monks of Abbaye Sainte Marie du Mont des Cats sold their Belgian property in 1934.”

Glassware: Trappist tulip.

Appearance: Slightly hazy honey gold with a fluffy two finger cap. Excellent retention and lacing as it ebbs.

Aroma: 100% real deal Belgian Tripel complete with all the bells and whistles – honeyed malt, yeast esters (banana runts, clove, apple pie) farmyard funk, wheat, orange/rind, peppery spice and grassy herbs. And lots of florals! About as traditional as you can get. Love it!

Flavour: Follows on from the nose…brilliantly balanced honey malt sweetness with the yeast esters – banana runts, clove, apple/pear, pepper – working in harmony. Subtle Noble hop grassiness, herbals and mild bitterness also contributing to the outstanding balance. Super yeasty, fruity and herbaceous finish with ample length.

Mouthfeel: Creamy, gassy, but well rounded. High Co2 adds to the frothy texture. Medium body. 8% ABV is incredibly well concealed.

Overall: Over the last couple of years we’ve been hunting for non-Belgian Trappist-style ales (Dubbel, Tripel, Quad) with very few making the cut i.e Unibroue, Boulevard and Allagash to name a few. It’s so good to taste a classic Belgian brewed Tripel again. Oh we’ve missed it! This is sensational.