I thought I’d rated this one... wonder where the rating went? Oh well. I can’t remember what I wrote, and only have an aged sample, but I do have my initial numbers from my notebook, as well as jotted notes. Here they are, for your amusement: "Apples but in a good way. Straw. Pears. Honey. Long finish. Spritzy." Thrilling stuff eh?

UPDATED: JAN 26, 2009 Pours golden orange. Shared with donfardz64. Nose is of sweet, ripe orange and honey. Strong floral notes which are dominated by rose scents. Herbs like coriander mixed with spice, mainly clove. Some straw-like malt and resiny hops. Flavours began with an orange punch, with clove spice, cinnamon and alcohol, rendering this beer very warming indeed. Not a whole lot of body, but still amazing with it’s immense honey sweetness, balanced by a zesty, citrus bitterness. Flowery, rose and herb nose is lasting. Nicely crafted NZ example of a tripel, but a few rough edges.

UPDATED: JAN 15, 2009 I’m a sucker for a nice Tripel. And this one is well put together. Bottle kindly shared from sdriessen. Pours a slight cloudy golden with a fizzy white head that dissipates. Strong sweet aromas of clove, corriander, caramel, citrus fruit and vanilla. Very characteristic of a Tripel. Light bodied flavour, warming alcohol and spice. Clove and orange peel dominate the flavour, sweet caramel like flavours ending with a bitter twang. Finish is bitter, dry and medium length. Best NZ made Tripel I’ve had to date, very nice but missing a few things.

(Bottle 50 cl) Pours a clear golden with a creamy white head. Aroma of fruit, yeast and a little diacetyl. Medium-bodied with plenty of fruit and yeast and again some diacetyl. Astringent finish. On of very few Belgian style NZ beers. 270408

Heavy sweet golden brew with notes of bread, yeast and oranges. Mouth is somewhat chalky. Lacking hops and aims for too much malt, but still decent stuff.

Bottled. A hazy light golden beer with a thick lazing yellowish head. The aroma is sweet with citrusy notes of hops as well as light notes of yeast. The flavor is sweet with notes of citrus, yeast, and hops, leading to a slightl dry and grassy finish. Thanks Papsoe for shipping this home.

Hazy golden with large white head. Sweet and slightly sour aroma with fruity notes. Sweet and fruity flavor with sour, yeasty and flower notes.

Bottle. Clear yellow coloured with a huge white ehad. Fruity and spicy aroma of yeast and sulphur with notes of brett. Fruity and spicy flavour of yeast, brett, barnyard and hops. Yeasty finish.

Papsoes mystery blindtasting beer #11. Pours hazy yellow to orange and with a dense chalk white head. Light acidic and mild citrus aroma, seems infected. Flavour is mild caramel malt with a light acidic note. Yeasty and light hops note. Light yeasty finish.

Pours a hazy yellow with a small white diminishing head. Hint of lacings. Quite strawy and a hint of flowery hops notes too. Funny yeasty aromas. Hint of vegetables. Medium to full bodied. Medium carbonation. Didi they use Orval (bold) yeast or did it have a hint of infection (notsogood)?