Capitol City Belgian Tripel

Brewed by Capitol City Brewing Company
Style: Abbey Tripel
Arlington, Virginia USA

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip

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Very very very odd for a trip. No aroma, light on taste. A little sweet and mildly citrusy.

On tap at Capitol City Downtown. This is not too impressive for the style, but nowhere near as bad as the crappy ratings would suggest. Pours clear golden with a small white head and not much lacing to speak of. Aroma is sweet malt, light fruits, banana, alcohol, and very mild spice. A little odd but not terrible. Flavor is very sweet for the style with pale malt, banana, pear, and fruity esters, mild spicing, white grape, and a touch of Belgian yeast. Not very similar to the good Belgian versions of the style, but definitely enjoyable. Palate is sweet with medium-body and some boozy warmth. Overall a below-average tripel but an above-average beer.

Location: Draft Postal Building Location - From the sampler glass and ordered a full one too, 3/7/09.

Aroma: Slightly fruity, sweet
Appearance: Slight cloudiness, yellow color, nice white head
Flavor: Nice beer, taste was very similar to the Tripel Karmeliet to me, fruit stands out the most.
Palate: Medium body, nice finish
Overall Impression: I liked this one, glad I got to try a Tripel from these guys. Pretty enjoyable beer.

Draught at the Capitol Hill location. I’ve come to learn that getting the tripel in a DC brewpub is like watching a car crash; it’s not pretty, but you just can’t stop yourself from ordering one. Well, to be perfectly honest this was only my second one. After the triple car pileup in the DC Chophouse yesterday, I had high hopes for this being some sweet redemption; not quite. While this one seems to probably be in the ballpark of the attenuation they were going for, (not complete syrup like yesterday) it was still way too sweet and messy for a tripel. Lighter yellow color than the InaugurAle, with a thin white head that quickly and completely went limp on me. Doughy, almost dirty, sweaty yeast, and corn sweetness in the aroma. Sweet, sugary flavor with a little cleaner yeast flavor than the aroma, some chalkiness, fruit, and honey. Medium bodied with some stickiness. Something tells me the yeast in this one were not well-loved. They didn’t seem to completely finish what they started and put some weird flavors in.

A golden ale with a thin big bubbled white head. Aroma of sweet bubblegum and grapejuice. In mouth, a sweet malt with light orange peels, and warming alcohol. Medium bodied. On tap at Downtown location, Jan. 6 2009.

UPDATED: DEC 9, 2009 2009-10-11, draught at the brewpub, Downtown location, 5-3-6-3-11=28
Hazy blond color. The aroma and flavor are lightly spicy; it has a medium body, light simple malt flavor, and overall it’s a bit too boozy. Drinking a full glass can be difficult.

2007-10-05, draught at the brewpub, Downtown location, 7-3-8-4-16=38
Oct 2007, 9% ABV
Hazy blond color; creamy head. The aroma is malty, spicy and citrusy. Very good flavor, malty, a bit sweet and spicy and citrusy, boldly hopped and with a long final.

(Shirlington) Cloudy lemon body with off-white head. Aroma is mild, medium sweet, some pear, clove, light bubblegum. Taste is medium sweet, bubblegum, some orange. light banana. Medium-full body, some stickiness.

Tap. Very cloudy yellow color. Smells of bananas and bubble gum. Cutrusy and fruity taste.

This beer had little to no aroma, which is strange for a belgian trip. Very standard for a trip with really nothing intresting other the the standard citrus and spice flavors. next?

Very neutral Tripel. No particular taste stands out besides the fruity overtones. At 10% it’s a dangerous beer during happy hour when it’s $2.50 a pint.