Westmalle Tripel

Brewed by Brouwerij der Trappisten van Westmalle
Style: Abbey Tripel
Malle, Belgium

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip

Aroma’s of lemon peel, pine, spice. Fantastic fresh bitterness in the taste, this beer is very well hopped for a tripel. Some spicyness in the aftertaste and surprisingly little alcohol. Amazing for 9.5% ABV. Maybe less balanced than some other tripels but surely the most refreshing.

Pours hazy yellow with a medium head. Aroma is citrus and yeast. Flavor is bitter malts, alcohol and some hops. Dry and unexpected flavor. I like it.

UPDATED: JUL 19, 2011 Aroma: Sweet, slight sour tinge, quite spicy/yeasty, citrus fruits, oranges, apples, pears, my mouth is getting dry from eating this tuna, phenols, some estery stuff and it does smell slightly like a kriek lambic. Complex. Appearance: Murky but bright, golden yellow with a bright white head that’s somewhat determined to stay. Very lively carbonation. Pretty. Taste: It’s amazingly sweet, but that’s countered by spices, and a hoppy and boozy finish. What a change in character! WTF made me think St. B Tripel/Chimay white was comparable to this...? They’re good, but a bit passive, whilst this beer likes to assert itself. Palate: Kinda cloying at first, but that quickly chages. A slight oilyness, very crisp, very smooth, and it has a nice dry spicy finish. Overall: Price is very good for this beer, but the availability is random. Chimay white is always there, cheaper, but not as interesting, however it is more refreshing and the alcohol content on this is a bit high. It’s a tradeoff for character vs. drinkability.

Tot u spreekt een grote westmalle tripelfanaat. This beer is unique in every way imaginable. From the taste to appearance and smell. Poured into a big glass you’ll see the true color of this beer, bright golden-yellow with a slight touch of brown. The smell is sharp, it’s just the beginning... After this delicious golden liquid enters your mouth you’ll experience thousands of flavoured sensations, one even more exquisite than the last one. Goosebumps start to rise all over your body, your tongue enjoys a tsunami of deliciousness. After you’ve swallowd and fully tasted this beer you’ll crave for more. The best way of consuming a Westmalle Tripel is to serve half a bottle at first, drink it, and then, pour the rest of the bottle -including the yeast (saccharomyces cerevisiae)- into your glass, this gives you the ultimate Westmalle Tripel experience, it ads a bitter and very barley-like finishing touch to your aftertaste. Drinking this beer will truly expand your horizon concerning beer, not only by taste but also, and maybe even more, will provide you with a whole new perspective on this ancient brewers tradition. Nothing will be the same anymore. Period. And the best is yet to come; order your next glass.

April 20, 2011; large bottle acquired from MikeB. Cloudy, golden pour; exquisitely-fine head; zesty, lemony aroma; citrus hops, while dominant, are balanced somewhat by malts that give this brew a full body. Palate is dry & somewhat astringent. The 9.5 ABV is very well-hidden; not a boozy brew at all. I’ve yet to become well-acquainted with the Tripels (and am still developing a taste for them), but this is certainly a good place to start.

A good Belgian ale. Well balanced, very drinkable but also interesting enough to make you keep reaching for it.

33cl bottle. Golden/orange colour, a bit hazy, a big lacey head with a steady stream of bubbles. The nose has flowers and lemon zest and is extremely intense. The taste has a dominant sharp yeasty/floral note which finishes with a huge candied lemon note. The palate shows a huge structure, a rich texture throughout and a zingy finish which makes you ready for the next sip. Excellent multi-dimensional beer which improves as you get down the glass!

21 Mar 2010, bottle. pale yellow and hazy. smells of yeast and bananas. aroma is like a weizen but taste is definitely a tripel. slightly fizzy finish. light sweet opening w/ slightly acidic middle and finish. faint hints of bananas throughout. light to med body. watery texture. not my favourite tripel