“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.