Rating:

“From the Himalayas to the High Country. Brewed in the foothills of Mt Bogong, this big bold Belgian style Tripel uses Tibetan Purple Barley, malted by our mates at Voyager Craft Malt, adding complex and deep malt character to this boisterous beer. In honour of Jeff.”

Glassware: Trappist tulip.

Appearance: Brilliantly clear, deep honey to light amber complexion. Short off-white cap which rapidly forms a collar. Struggles to lace as we go.

Aroma: Intriguing. The brewers (for some reason) opted for a Tibetan purple barley for this Belgian-style tripel. We’re somewhat confused by the decision but…intrigued. It shows flashes of a conventional tripel – rich and sweet caramels, nutty, a little earthy. We’re picking up distinct florals like lavender, rosewood and more herbal notes of sage, bergamot and Thai basil. Very unique!

Flavour: We had no idea what to expect but we must admit we’re pleasantly surprised by the mellow and well polished nature of it. Suggestions of conventional tripel here and there but it’s the floral and herbal aspects that grab the attention. It follows on from the nose with that floral lavender perfume, woodsy and herbal sage, basil and bergamot. Fresh coriander also. Rich, nutty and sweet malt profile to finish.

Mouthfeel: Chewy, sticky, gelatinous. Medium body, Co2 kept pretty low. The 8% ABV is very well concealed.

Overall: We honestly don’t know what to make of this. It is quite a good drop. Far from traditional even though there were some traditional characteristics. The Tibetan barley is wild and so is the strong focus on unique florals and herbs. Weird but weirdly good.

Rating:

“De Dulle Teve is brewed in the tradition of a Belgian Triple. Its high density stems from large amounts of pale malt increased with pale candi sugar in the brew kettle. Unfiltered, unpasteurized, bottle-conditioned. De Dulle Teve keeps two to three years without major changes in taste. Further maturing, up to 10 years, will cause it to darken a little and lose some of its bitterness. The bittering of about 30 IBU is due to Goldings hops in the brew kettle.”

Glassware: Trappist chalice.

Appearance: Somewhat rustic orange pour with a big three finger head that nestles in on top. Excellent retention, taking an age to recede then leaving thick blotchy lacing on the glass.

Aroma: Quite funky. Extremely complex too. Initially we pick up tart citrus overtones which hint at candied lemon and lime, Angostura bitters and ruby grapefruit. Other fruits like green grapes, green apple and unripened orchard fruits are also present. More subtle notes of yoghurt, cheese cave and sweaty funk. Really interesting tripel..if we didn’t know any better we’d think we had a glass of lambic in front of us.

Flavour: Woah. Absolutely zero sourness which is wild considering the amount of funk on the nose. There’s so much to dissect we don’t know where to start. It’s a touch herbal and malty sweet upfront followed by an earthy caramel and semi-sweet honey. It hits a really dry and bitter mid-palate then leads into a rather fruity, malty, herbal and phenolic finish which endures.

Mouthfeel: Effervescent, somewhat light and flinty. Mild-medium body. A lifted Co2 and an extremely well maintained 10% ABV.

Overall: This was our first crack at this Belgian brewery. It’s unpasteurized, unfiltered and bottle conditioned so not only would the flavours evolve nicely if cellared, the beer is practically alive inside the bottle. Very cool.

Rating:

"Zeevonk triple is based on our blonde Zeevonk, with even more flavour thanks to the use of abbey ale yeast.This creates a wonderfully intense flavour that lingers long after the first sip."

Glassware: Chalice.

Appearance: Deep golden-orange complexion with a lot of suspended sediment floating around. It builds a finely beaded two finger head which eventually forms a collar. Lace rings mark each sip as we imbibe.

Aroma: Classic Belgian tripel vibes. Oodles of yeast esters i.e banana runts, clove, black pepper, bubblegum and Angostura bitters. A mix of zesty and candied lemon/peel, tang and coriander powder also getting a good look in. It offers a sturdy honey malt profile too…adding that fine little touch of sweetness to round out a pretty darn good aroma.

Flavour: First sip displays quite a strident booze burn. It weighs in at 9% ABV so we can’t be too critical. We’d have liked a tad less burn though. Alas, a heady malt sweetness of floral honey and subtle caramel makes way for the yeast esters and old world hops through the mid-palate. A hint of tartness late in the piece as it finishes quite dry, malty and astringent.

Mouthfeel: Kinda dense and creamy yet prickly. Medium-full body, effervescent Co2. The 9% ABV is quite noticeable as aforementioned.

Overall: What we’ve found from these more obscure Belgian breweries is that the further we get away from the tried and tested brands (Chimay, Westmalle, Leffe etc) the more likely to get one that misses the mark. Although this one didn’t really miss the mark it’s clearly not as refined as the more well-known brands. Good but not great.

Rating:

“The Lupulus Blonde is THE Lupulus par excellence, the one with which the adventure began. A beer available in 75cl format. It is an unfiltered craft beer, with refermentation in the bottle. Golden colour, slightly veiled, topped with an ivory foam. Citrus and herbaceous aromas. Bitterness present but delicate, which brings a refreshing side, with a touch of thyme.”

Glassware: Trappist chalice.

Appearance: Slightly hazy golden pour with a lot of fine suspended sediment floating around. It caps off with a short white head which retains well. A beautiful cascading lace is left behind on the glass.

Aroma: When the brewers say they use “hops in considerable quantities” they aren’t lying. This would have to be the hoppiest tripel we’ve ever come across. Really fresh and green with bold notes of orchard fruit i.e apple, pear, peach etc, candied lemon/lime, fresh herbs like parsley and coriander. There’s also a hint of spice although this could be driven more by the yeast profile. Very nice.

Flavour: It somewhat balances out a bit here. The hops still take the limelight but they’re met with a delicate semi-sweet honey malt which provides a crucial counterbalance to the bitterness. It’s almost like an IPA/tripel hybrid as it finishes bone dry with lots of fruit and yeast character on the back end.

Mouthfeel: Kinda sparkling texture initially then dry in the swallow. Medium body, lively Co2. The 8.5% ABV was well hidden.

Overall: This was our first crack at this Belgian brewery. We like the fact that it’s unfiltered and unpasteurized. Along with the lifted hops and many other facets. Solid offering.

Rating:

“Deep golden in hue with notes of pear, fresh apple, clove and banana. We carefully create our own Belgian Candi syrup for each batch to provide a perfect mild golden sweetness and balance the malt character in the beer.”

Glassware: Tulip.

Appearance: Pours a light pastel orange with golden hues when held to the light. It only a forms a short white head which quickly settles to a collar. Fairly reasonable lacing for the lack of retention.

Aroma: KR is one of our favourite breweries of late as their passion for old world styles matches ours, but it’s their attention to detail that we’re most fond of. This Tripel is displaying pretty conventional qualities of peppery spice, coriander, orchard fruits, candied lemon, angostura bitters, yeast esters (clove, banana runts), golden raisin and tang.

Flavour: Pretty darn good for such a difficult style. Nice and yeasty, fruity and tangy upfront. Some doughy malt coming through as well. That “farmyard” character of wheat grains, subtle funk and orchard fruit mixing with the Belgian yeast through the mid then laying down for a fruity, spicy and herbal finish that endures.

Mouthfeel: Light, sparkling texture with a vibrant carb. Mild-medium body and the 8.2% ABV was very well behaved.

Overall: An impressive interpretation of this Belgian classic. A lot of non-Belgian breweries completely mess this style up but KR have done a magnificent job keeping it balanced and light yet maintaining its natural complexity. High quality stuff.

Rating:

“Floreffe Triple has an amber-blonde color and a creamy head. Refermented in the bottle, it has a highly original scent, with woody and spicy notes mixed with fruity nuances.”

Glassware: Trappist chalice.

Appearance: Bold amber pour with a big and frothy three finger crown. It takes an age to recede and leaves an absolute mess on the glass as it ebbs.

Aroma: It has a very robust malt profile to it – mostly sweet and caramelised but also plenty of honey, toast and fresh white bread. Equal to the task are the hops which throw out Fuggles-like spice, florals and old herbs. Definitely some fruity notes too…more yeast-driven esters i.e banana, pear drop, marmalade etc. Brilliant aroma.

Flavour: Daammmnn the progression is next level. Kinda earthy, spicy and tangy on entry. The alcohols adding a bit of sweetness and warmth. Estery fruits like banana and pear then roll into caramelised malts while some light florals dance in the background. Dries out late in the piece and finishes with a mild hop bitterness, herbal spice and a flutter of orchard fruits on the back.

Mouthfeel: Slightly gassy yet chewy and bulbous. Medium body with a well contained 8% ABV.

Overall: We like to consider ourselves somewhat connoisseurs of the Belgian Abbey ales. We’ve been fans of them since our early days and we’ve literally tried over 100 of them. And this one, despite its obscurity in the market, sits pretty close to the top shelf stuff. Solid Tripel.

Rating:

“We made a small batch of Sauvignon Blanc wine with Thiol boosting yeast & blended it with our Belgian Tripel. This elegant blonde ale is a perfect sipper & a great accompaniment to food. Floral with balanced spice. This beer was crafted with Sauvignon Blanc from orange via Piggs Peake winery, Belgian Pilsner, Aromatic & Biscuit Malts, Riwaka, Motueka & Nelson Sauvin Hops, Ardennes Yeast.”

Glassware: Goblet.

Appearance: Somewhat hazy golden-orange complexion with a light and frothy three finger head. Excellent retention and scattered patches of lace as it ebbs.

Aroma: Quite a backstory to this beer which is impressive. They made their own small batch Sauvignon Blanc with thiol-boosting yeast then blended it with their Tripel. The other aspect we really like is their use of all NZ hops – Riwaka, Motueka and Nelson Sauvin. So it’s a conventional Tripel blended with their own thiol-boosting Sauvignon Blanc which is pulled into the new world with NZ hops. Very crafty.

Flavour: Very crafty, and complex! As anticipated. We’re getting yeasty, earthy, fruity, spicy and citrusy notes in abundance. The Sauv Blanc starts to push through around the mid with its grassy, fruity and almost tart acidity, but it’s never not surrounded by a chewy and semi-sweet malt profile, earthy spice and wilted herbs. Nice drawn out finish full of practically everything written above.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, slightly chewy with a lifted Co2. The 9.3% ABV is well concealed too.

Overall: This review literally took us ages. Good thing it came in a 440ml can! It’s extremely complex and very well layered. Hats off to Fontaine, this was a fascinating drop.

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.