St. Bernardus Tripel

Bottle poured into a trappist glass. Poured a clear gold color with a heavy white head. Aroma of yeast, bananas and spices with some citrus notes as well. Flavor was very spicy with a familiar Belgian caramel flavor. Medium-full bodied with average carbonation. Great beer.

Pours a luminescent blond in my tulip glass with a finely bubbled 2 1/2" thick head and lots of apparent yeast debris. As advertised, blessed with a harmonious intermingling of aromatic elements with prominence given to clove then to mild, slightly green banana, a touch of uric acid, and some floral spiciness. Flavor is somewhat a letdown. Characterized by a strong bitter-sour phenolic,overly green, unripe banana, and touch of band-aid. The flavors just don’t mesh.

Poured hazy gold/orange with a very thick pillowy head that held up very well and left great lacing. Subtle aromas of yeast, bananas and citrus. Lemony hops bitterness up front, gives way to a slightly sweet toffee and caramel taste. Familiar carmelized sugar that you get with Belgians is evident but not overpowering. Finshes with toasted malts in the background. The smooth and creamy texture is outstanding and might be the highlight of this beer. Great carbonation, full bodied, and the alcohol is barely noticeable. Tremendous.

Bottle gushes slightly but pours a light cloudy golden hue with a small pillow of off white head. Heavy spice aroma, slightly citrusy, hoppy. Substantial body and mouthfeel. Strong spice and alcohol notes up front with grassy middle and moderate carbonation. Citrus and boozy finish in a fairly short dry hop finish.

Pours cloudy yellow-gold with thick white head that sticks to the glass. Yeasty, citrusy nose with banana and spice. Sweetish yeasty, fruity, bubblegummy flavor at first, ending spicy, dry, and a bit acidic. Rounded, sticky feel on the palate with a carbonation tingle. Tasty and refreshing.

Bottle, Beer Ritz Leeds. Poured darkish slightly hazy gold with a decent white head Aroma was hay, yeast, citrus. Flavour had a sweetish beginning with spice, fruits and a hint of malt. Dryish finish. Solid.

Nice amber-yellow with a moderate head. Aroma of sugar, big yeast, and bananas. Blast of bubble gum, bananas and bread in the mouth. A delightful fruity tripel with only minor spice and citrus notes. Big, thick gummy mouth feel. Wet full bodied ale that’s rather refreshing and leaning to overripe fruit and vanilla. A refreshing tripel.

Bottle (in NZ), a lively pour, a hazy amber with a large white pillow head. A spicy aroma, ginger and cloves, and sweet yeast. A spicy yeast flavour, quite a bitterness to the palate. I found it a bit uninspiring - but that is probably the result of the trip.