Chouffe Houblon Dobbelen IPA Tripel

Bottle from Systembolaget, Karlstad. Pours a hazy yellow color with a big white foamy head which leavs quite a lot of lacing and remains until the beer is finished. Aroma is really nice; very fruity with notes of hay/grass, flowers, orange, yeast, resin, apricot and citrus/lemon, it feels somehow tropical fruity. Flavour is fruity; there’s notes of hay/grass here too, flowers, caramel, dough, resin/pine needle, apricot, yeast, orange, lemon and a bit of tropical fruits. Quite big. long bitterness in the finish. Full bodied in the mouth; smooth and almost oily, and the carbonation is soft (especially for the style). Really dry. This is a fantastic beer - I love it! Love the combination of a tripel and a good double ipa - it’s not as hoppy as an IPA, but still a lot hoppier than your average tripel ... a well done marriage between these styles.

Poured hazy golden yellow with a bright white pillowy head, solid retention and beautiful, intricate lace. Pleasant light citrus hops aromas with a strong yeast presence. Biscuity malt and tea-like flavors underneath strong bitter hops, but not over the top like an American IPA. Very well balanced. Medium body, lots of lively carbonation and a pleasant spiciness that lingers.

Hazy apricot pour with two finger white head that lasts throughout. Sticky lacing coats the side. Aroma is loaded with citrus, dough, coriander, clove, peach nectar, and banana esters. Orange peel is quite prevalent, rounding out the citrus hop character. Flavor has many toasted caramel malts, citrus and a spicy yeast character. Hop character is largely bitter with a huge orange citrus profile. Alcohol is noticeable but never hinders the drinkability of the brew. Palate is great for the style with some warming alcohol and a dry finish. Yum yum yum.

Murky peach pour with a big frothy head. Aroma holds lots of yeast, citrus, light fruity esters, some Belgian spice, and a bit of caramel malt- not an aggressive nose, but fairly complex. Flavor has a lot more hop presence, with bitterness followed by heavy orange notes. The tripel aspect of the beer follows soon after, with yeast, spice, and a nice dry quality to the mouthfeel. Unique and more complex than most examples of the style. Solid palate, really nice brew.

Bottle from Half-Time which practically exploded when I opened it. Pours a cloudy blonde body with a large frothy white head which left nice lacing throughout. Some sediment in the bottom of my glass. Powerful hoppy, spicy alcohol aroma. Great hoppy, sweet flavor with that perfect tripel kick.Smooth long lasting. Alcohol can be detected but doesn’t take much away from this great beer.

Hazy yellow with a snow landscape like head leaving huge amount of lazing on the glass. Aroma is sweet of perfumey hops and slightly spicy alongside some fresh citrus. Mouthfeel is smooth, flavour starts out sweet and somewhat spicy and finishes dry with a fair amount of hop bitterness, some esters and lingering lemon.

When this beer was opened it almost exploded and poured a thick, frothy white head over a golden-honey colored body. Wife generally avoids ipas but found this most pleasing, great hops flavor without the bitterness she dislikes. Flavors are complex and balanced...good stuff.

A large, creamy white head stands steadfast above a light-hazed, golden/amber body, lacing in wet sheets as it settles... and as I drink. I attribute above-moderate carbonation to the etching on my Chimay goblet. (I should mention: the "light hazing" becomes a dense murk of yeast as the last ounces of the bottle are poured.) Aroma is multi-faceted, with a honey sweetness coating the yeasty funk of a sweaty, leather shoe which is crushing graham crackers near the edge of a field of wildflowers. Her flavor is the epitome of balance. Hop, yeast and malt engage in heated conversation, each one at times raising its voice above the others in such a well staged debate that I can’t help but be swayed at every new punctuation. Smooth, creamy, fulfilling palate. Flavors linger in alteration – for a minute I find grasses and herbs, while after another sip I get caramel and cheeses. It’s like watching fireworks... not knowing which burst will surprise you next. Wow. I find that I do not try to deconstruct this beer but am simply (and humbly) enamored of it. I had high hopes for Houblon (which has cellared nearly a year) but as I enter my numbers, I most certainly did not expect it to be one of my highest ranked of 1800+. ~~~~~~~~~ Given to me at my "retirement" party, Aug. 29, 2008, consumed July 2009. (And I apologize for some of the allegory in my review, but sometimes the beer simply takes hold and I run with it.)