Chouffe Houblon Dobbelen IPA Tripel

750 ml bottle, large popcorn head with golden yellow color, lots of pineapple flavors with some coconut thrown in, great body with good finish

750 ml bottle. Pours a hazy dull gold with some floaties. Large brilliant white head that is continuously fed by a multitude of tiny carbonation bubbles. The head ends up looking more like whipped cream it is so dense, but leaves surprisingly little lace. Very pleasant aroma of citrus, sugar, yeast, and a bit of spice. The flavor is a bit sweet with sugar and citrus the most prevalent with some spice detected as well. Really nice crisp mouthfeel and the bitterness is well restrained and in good proportion. The alcohol is very well hidden with no hint of the 9% abv. Very enjoyable beer.

The 750 has scads of bottle sediment and uncaps with a muted hiss. The bright yellow ale settles in my tulip, turbid with floaties and capped with lopsided foam. Lace coats the glass like spay paint. I am welcomed by a complex yet shy nose, consisting of citrus, yeast, watermelon rind, lychee, dried ginger, dried apricots, and white pepper scents. The bittersweet flavor includes chewy caramels and lemongrass, clove and cornmeal, and the sweetness (actually more “sugary” than “sweet”) does not linger. The body is brisk and voluptuous. A spicy finish tingles like static electricity. Clean tight bitterness, menthol and marigold musk complete the aftertaste. Only slightly more hoppy than a textbook tripel; nonetheless, a very nice marriage of styles and a solid ale overall.

Bottle. Pours light orange with visible sediment and a huge white lasting head. It looked like I was having an abbey float or something. Aroma is pretty spicy with some citric notes. Flavor is pretty typical of an tripel, and it does finish pretty dry, I was just expecting more of a hop flavor.

Easily the top Belgian IPA out there. Thick, stubborn head that sticks around till the end. Citrusy hops dominate with a crisp finish. For discriminating tastes only.