Allagash Tripel Reserve

Brewed by Allagash Brewing Company
Style: Abbey Tripel
Portland, Maine USA

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip

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a very nice Belgian style micro. hoppy for a trippel style. a little sweet and has interesting fruity flavors. the main thing that separates this from a true Beglian is the lack of the tart and zesty yeast flavors.

UPDATED: APR 10, 2004 Whoa! Very carbonated! Strong scent of apple mix with the alcohol. Also a wood taste. Darker brown blond. I had Batch# 21. Definitely try this with a good brie, as they compliment each other well. Recommended American Belgian(huh?) a la Ommegang. Great beer.

UPDATED: JAN 17, 2005 Head is large and in between creamy and bubbly. Lasted long. This beer initially had stong citrus notes but also touched upon the sweeter part of my palate. I found this in itself to be unique. Finished strong with a full body. This is a wonderful beer to someone who does not even generally care for Belgian beers. Rerate. Upon retrying this, it continually delivers. I buy this beer often. I love the balance, and the herbal liqueur-like flavor. Epluche Culotte may be more complex, but this has the balance and spiciness I enjoy most in a tripel. I find this to be one of the least watery tripels as well. Rerate I suppose I should say more. I think, of all the good beers I have had in the last 3 years, I may have purchased this one the most frequently. That is, in part, due to its broad availability near where I live, but I think it is more due to how damned good it is. I could never tell this wasnt made in Belgium, in a blind taste. Wonderful balance throughout. Maybe the best example of a beer that dosent have to use sheer force of flavor and body to come across as good. It’s in the balance, the yeast, the spice, the delicate flavors that play about on the palate. Some of the newer batches have moments of, perhaps, too much sweetness, and the alcohol does show up at times, but as far as aging potential goes, this stuff is superb.

UPDATED: DEC 31, 2003 Batch 31. Head is initially average sized, frothy, white, fully lasting. Body is hazy dark yellow, bottle conditioned. Aroma is moderately yeasty (cobwebs), lightly hoppy (flowers, lemon), lightly malty (cookie, toasted grain/bread), with light notes of clove and alcohol. Flavor is heavily sweet, moderately acidic, moderately bitter. Finish is moderately sweet, moderately acidic, heavily bitter. Medium to full body, velvety texture, lively carbonation, lightly alcoholic, lightly astringent. As with batch 26, this one is still a bit weak in the aroma department...what's there smells nice, but you almost have to fight for it. Great flavor balance, mouthfeel, and well-hidden alcohol, though.

UPDATED: MAR 26, 2009 Fresh honeyed malts support the subtle peppery, herbal hops…Not far away, gracious pears are tickled by the spicy hop bitterness and round cereals…The broad forests of Maine have yielded a fantastically classy and creamy Tripel…

Aroma has a lot of elements, sweet and fruity maltiness, spices, yeast, and a tinge of alcohol. Carbonation is very evident, head is average for the style, but I was careful in pouring. It’s an attractive hazy golden-orange color (I ’rolled’ the bottle before pouring). Fantastic lacing. Flavor profile is complex, with the fruity, malty flavors most apparent, along with some herbal tastes, spices, and a bit of yeast. Finish is long and satisfying, and yeasty. Warming. This beer just feels great on the tongue, the carbonation really does something for it. This is a great Tripel in every aspect, it feels, smells, looks and tastes very nice. Nice big 750ml bottle, too. I can’t think of a Tripel I’d rather have more right now. Thanks a lot, jca! Addendum: this bottle was from batch #13.

Golden hue with a touch of amber and an immense white head. Huge aroma of yeast and bread with a hint of alcohol for good measure. Flavors of candied sugar and coriander with a touch of alcohol and hop bitterness on the palate. Solid tripel.

Slight spiciness mixed with citrus in the aroma. Body is wel balanced for 9%. A good Belgian Strong, but nothing outstanding to make it stand out.

(Batch #23) My 200th rating! The passion fruit description is dead on. Pours with a medium head, well under control, medium carbonation. Sweet, with mild banana notes, a bit too much alcohol bite.

Not impressed. Long, dry and bitter finish. Alcohol too strong in this one also.