Brugge Tripel

Brewed by Brouwerij Palm
Style: Abbey Tripel
Steenhuffel, Belgium

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip

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(What is this? Of course, the sucessor of Brugse tripel. But - is it the same and where is it brewed? The label says Palm breweries site DGB-Brugge. I hope so, many people doubt it. The ABV has been lowered (that's at least the third version). A taste difference seems clear.) Lighter amber, very clear to the last drop; good white head, big bubbles and quite lacey. Crystal malts & cookies in the nose, and faint hoppy smell. Bitter taste, but as from burnt malts, harsh, with an imminent alcohol impression as a Bisquit-based liqueur. Mouthfeel has obvious alcohol, burning sensation, but rather empty texture and not at all dry. Aftertaste is rather unpleasantly bitterish, not hoppy. There is quite some sweetness, but is remains well hidden. Is it suggestion - but the bitterish taste reminds me of the first Palm-edited Rodenbachs. That has been rectified since. On the positive side, the cloying sweetness has gone.

UPDATED: MAY 31, 2010 Bottled. A slightly hazy golden coloured beer with a decent short-lived off-white head. The aroma has some spicy peppery hops and a little lemon funk. The taste is also on the funky hoppy side. If I tasted this bottle blind I’d have called saison; it really has some good hoppiness with a dose of funk. I remember this as the second beer I had on my first visit to Brugs Beertje back in 1993, I believe (the first was Cantillon Kriek). I loved it then and even now with the differing brewery I still think it’s excellent. Score 3.7
Subsequent rating scored 3.4. Average becomes 3.6

Bottle. Golden/brown with a diminishing head. Aromas are brown sugar with banana, yeast and spices. Some herbal notes. Flavours are sweet malts with some caramel. Spicy, fruity and smooth. Brown sugar sweetness with a bit of a flat finish. Alcohol is evident. Decent.

Slightly hazy orange, small head. Light apple and fruity aroma. Very soft palate. Light apple-like light malts but with some richer darker malt tastes too. Slight pepperiness in the hops. Covers the 8.2% pretty well. Fairly mellow.

22nd February 2008. A sweeter tripel. Well balanced, dry finish. Suppossed to be complex but it ain’t!

Orange color, medium sweet malty aroma, light sweet alcoholic taste, medium body, alcoholic finish.

bottle. Nearly clear brwon amber colour, medium-size very persistent head. Fruity aroma. Fruity flavour with hints of bitter orange/marmalade, slightly sweet and malty with pleasantly bitter hops in the finish.

UPDATED: NOV 23, 2004 Deep straw, off-white head. Yeasty orange aroma of low intensity, something approaching apple, bread, grass. Bready palate, just too yeasty with these overwhelming doughy yeast. Not so tasty at all, an alcohol burn that gets more and more room just after a few sips. Mild grassy hops, notes of apricot, orange. Medium bodied, lively carbonation. I just don’t want my 8% tripels to be this warming and yeasty.

Bottle brought back from November 2005 Belgium trip. Amber colour, Large white frothy head, bittersweet but a touch too sweet perhaps, some yeasty taste ok.

Bottle. White lasting head. Relatively clear amber body. Strong and lovely malt aroma. Of course the taste of malt is evident but this beer also is also dominated by a taste of alcohol. Bitterness or sweetness could have done the trick.