Westmalle Tripel

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

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip

Pours with an opaque golden color, boasting a fluffy and well retained head. The lacing is thin, but sticky. Much of the aroma and taste reminds me of cider – maybe apple cider. The nose is dominated by fruity smells – e.g. citrus and apple – along with a mild hint of alcohol and clove. The flavor is essentially the same as the nose, running from a bitter-sour taste in the front and finishing out with an alcohol taste in the back. While I could do without the alcohol aroma and taste, in my view, this is one of the better abbey tripels

UPDATED: MAR 21, 2011 This may be the original tripel, but I’m nonetheless a bit disappointed. It looks great, slightly hazy with a medium amber colour and a creamy, white, fully lasting head with plenty of lacing. The aroma is also good: plenty of floral notes, herbs, yeast and pineapple. The taste is initially light bitter with a hint of vanilla sweetness, but then the alcohol kicks inn and threatens to ruin the party: the finish is bitter in an unpleasant way, and the flavour is dominated by the alcohol. In the Chimay Triple the alcohol in the finish creates a warm, mouth warming honey sweetness, but in the Westmalle the alcohol doesn’t do anything to enhance the experience. [33 cl bottle, from Vinmonopolet]

33 cL Westmalle Tripel bottle from Noble Green Wines poured into a Westmalle glass. Loved this beer for years and I’ve finally got around to rating it. Left the best of a centimer left in the bottle to stop the sediment going in. It looks the business, a dark blonde beer with a healthy head. It smells slightly yeasty, malty and strong and a little spicy. Good if not amazing. Tastes a bit sour and dry. Certainly has a sharp and distinctive smaak. Its a fine trappist ale, but not as complex as the Dubbel, which eventually I’ve grown to prefer. This a fine sipper of a beer in its own right though, a must try and its had me coming back for years.

bottle@home: plenty of hops, yeast, plenty of spices (prob. incl. coriander), medium bitter bite, lemongrass, crisp with graceful carbonation, referential but not the supreme tripel in my opinion, I have come across a bit too many, seemingly infected or where something appears to have gone wrong with it

(bottle) clear, light amber colour with tall white head; aroma of fruit, toffee, pineapple; balanced flavour

Strong aroma of a bouqet of flowers. Ginger and banana are also noticable. Copper in color with a bubbly, white head. Constallation lacing. Taste of rotten lemon. Medium-bodied beer with a thin texture. Has an abrupt ending. Overall aroma awesome flavor average.

330ml bottle. Pours a very light gold with a large head. Aroma is sweet candy, clove and some banana underneath. Subtle. Taste starts with some clove and lemon, more clove and banana on the finish. Warm alcohol on the afertaste.

Outstanding tripel by the trappists at Westmalle. Do not hesitate to order one when you find it in a pub.