Kraftbrau Belgian Style Blonde Trippel

Formerly brewed at Kraftbrau Brewery
Style: Abbey Tripel
Kalamazoo, Michigan USA

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip

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tap at the brewpub - The beer menu just said "blonde belgian" for this one, so I’m going to guess that this entry is it. This ale has a good yeast and citrus aroma. Citrus notes abound in this sweet brew. Medium bodied and lively, it has a clean finish. It’s simple for the style, but not bad.

medium brown appearance...aroma is full of spices and light fruit notes; smooth palate; flavor is also mildly spices with some hints of cherries and other fruits

UPDATED: JAN 10, 2005 Slightly hazy golden body, medium off-white head. Bready aroma with toffee, caramel, toast, and earthy yeast, kind of like their Oktoberfest. Flavor begins with sweet, musty fermented fruit, quickly moving to wet crackers, big breads and caramels, toast, and a touch of pepper. Less emphasis on vinous notes and sharp fruit than most Tripels, but the layered breads and caramels play nicely off the pepper. A much, much better offering than the putrid Bird in the Hand. This was obviously aged, and I didn’t notice much, if any, alcohol presence.

After uncorking the 750ml green bottle it pours a bright but beclouded orange with the head statuesque and the texture spumous, the color a winsome light tan and as it evanesces the lace forms a tight skirt to hide the glass from view. Nose is sweet, with a nice hint of raisins and a bit of yeast, quite crisp, lemon like is a good description with the start ambrosial, nice malt profile, the top is fair to middling in its feel to the palate. Finish as an authoritarian acidic bite with the hops personable and spicy which carries to the very dry and slightly alcohol bitter aftertaste, a nice tummy warming from the 9.5 percent ABV, quite a nice brew tis true.

Fresh, zingy aroma not quite met by its sweet, syrupy, and very winey flavor. But you know, it's still a quality trippel, and a pleasure to drink...in a leisurely way on a summer evening (or winter night for that matter)!

UPDATED: SEP 22, 2004 Great German hop aroma, but not followed through in the flavor. Far too sweet (and JoeM500 is right about the corniness), super full bodied and a huge alcohol resence make this a sipper. Still, it gains in comparison to the beers I had immediately across town at the Mystic!

RBSG2003 (extended) (On tap at the brewery) Deep, murky golden brew. White, creamy head with good lacing. The nose is spicy and rich with candy sugar, malt and citrus fruit. Very malty flavor with loads of candy sugar up front. Tart hops and clover honey and yeast on the backside. Full-bodied with a creamy mouthfeel and light carbonation. Medium-length, semi-sweet, tart finish. Grassy at the wee end. A good tripel, but not quite balanced enough for my palate. I will always applaud American attempts at tough styles.

I liked this better than their Bird in the Hand ale. The alcohol is much more present, and there are some dull fruit tones - bananna mostly.

Dark brown in color. Sweet corn aroma with alcohol in the nose as well. Some whisky notes on the palate, but mostly alcohol burn, almost corn syrup taste. Not too complex, but a dry end makes it drinkable. Big alcohol in this one.