Belgian Tripel

By: Mark West

The Belgian Tripel is proof positive that you can improve on a great thing. If anyone can make such a move in the world of beer it would have to be the Belgian monks. I’m pretty sure that when they aren’t drinking it, they’re meditating about it. The monks of Belgium are among the truly elite, best of the best brewers in the world. The Trappist monks in particular brew some of the finest beers ever concocted, including Orval, Chimay and Westmalle.

The tripel is actually a fairly young variety compared to some of the extremely tried and true varieties of beer attributed to the region. When the Westmalle abbey decided to mark the opening of a new brewhouse in 1934 with the unveiling of a new beer that they referred to as a ‘superbier,’ you could say it was a leap of faith. Instead of the rich, auburn colored, malty ale the world was used to experiencing from the Belgian abbeys, this new creation was a light golden color and much more dry. Although it doesn’t really taste like it is high in alcohol, plenty of pale candy sugar guarantees that it has a sneaky little kick. It’s just that kick that makes it one notch higher than the Belgian Dubbel.

Since the introduction of the Westmalle’s tripel many others have adapted their own versions of the brew. The truest examples share some specific qualities. Each of them is deep yellow to light gold, clear and effervescent, with a creamy head leaving behind the trademark “Belgian lace” in the glass. The golden elixir has a citrus flavor with esters of orange and lemon. It can often be spicy, peppery and softly malty. The high alcohol content is masked under high carbonation and a complex and dry body. The light-colored ale is refreshing, yet subtly complex with an alcohol punch that you won’t see coming. Here are a few of our favorites.

Westmalle Trappist Tripel
Westmalle Brewery
Antwerp, Belgium

They Say: “Westmalle Tripel is a clear, golden yellow Trappist beer that undergoes a secondary fermentation in the bottle (9,5% alcohol). It is a complex beer with a fruity aroma and a nice nuanced hop scent. It is soft and creamy in the mouth, with a bitter touch carried by the fruity aroma. An exceptional beer, with a great deal of finesse and elegance and with a splendid long aftertaste.”

I Say: When it comes to Belgian Trappist style beers, you can’t get any better than Westmalle. The king of Belgians, this beer did not disappoint. Despite what “they say,” it poured slightly hazy and effervescent with a loose head that dissipated quickly, leaving lacing. The aroma was primarily of banana and hops. Warm in the mouth and nose, it had nice banana flavor that was slightly tart and medicinal. An ever so light bitterness rounded the sweet to make this a very drinkable beer.

Tripel Karmeliet
Bosteels Brewery
Buggenhout, Belgium

They Say: “Tripel Kareliet is a very refined and complex golden-to-bronze brew with a fantastic creamy head ... hints of vanilla mixed with citrus in the aromas. Tripel Karmeliet has not only the
lightness and freshness of wheat, but also the creaminess of oats together with a spicy lemony almost quinine dryness.”

I Say: Tripel Karmeliet poured a clear golden with a big, loose, pale white head that lasted. Immediate aromas of bananas, clove and orange citrus were apparent. The taste was of sweet caramel and banana with hints of clove or coriander and light lemon. A very highly recommended beer that.

Gulden Draak
Brouwerij Van Steenberge
Ertvelde, Belgium

They Say: “Gulden Draak is a dark brown Triple Ale, which makes it an exception among the Belgian Triples. The second fermentation offers the nice creamy head, the full body and all the vitamins of the centuries old brewers yeast. It is a “thick” beer, that you can actually “nimble” to adventure the complex taste. Gulden Draak balances a natural malt toffee-like sweetness with a mellow happiness and some hoppy accents. The aroma is round, sweet and reveals the 10.5 alcohol by volume. Another name for this type of rich beer is: “Barley wine”. You sip and enjoy this beer slowly, probably as a dessert, or as a treat you definitely deserve.”

I Say: This beer might be better classified under a Belgian Strong Ale; however, the label and website call it a “Brown Tripel,” so we went with it.

We’re glad we did, too, because other than the color ­— a beautiful dark amber — this tasted and smelled just as we would expect from a Tripel. Big banana (and slight alcohol) aromas preluded a “Laffy-Taffy” banana flavor with hints of fruity grape juice and caramel. The beer was smooth, flavorful and well balanced by the alcohol. This was the most alcoholic beer of the night weighing in at 10.5% ABV. Be careful, however, because it doesn’t taste like it. Gulden Draak’s uniqueness and balance made it one of our favorites.

La Fin Du Monde
Unibroue
Chambly Quebec, Canada

They Say: “La Fin du Monde has a brilliant golden color with vigorously effervescent foam. It is midly yeasty with a complex palate of malt, fruit and spice notes followed by a smooth, dry finish.”

I Say: Meaning “The End of the World,” after tasting La Fin Du Monde, I’d have no regrets in life should it happen. Pouring clear and light golden, its head was comprised of tiny white bubbles that produced great lacing in the glass. The aroma was that of hops and lemon and it tasted of banana, fresh lemon and apricots. Overall, with a very complex profile that continued to develop, La Fin Du Monde is a beer you’ll not want to miss.

Affligem
Brouwerij Affligem
Opwijk, Belgium

They Say: “Affligem Tripel: the pride of abbey beers. Its amber colour and distinctive bitterness is bolstered by 9.5% alcohol.”

I Say: This cloudy golden and effervescent beer smells of sweet white chocolate and caramel. Its sweet fruit flavor is well balanced by the hops. The mouth is not too heavy and it has a mellow finish. Overall a very impressive and balanced beer, making it my favorite of the evening!

Corsendonk Agnus
Brouwerij Corsendonk
Oud-Turnhout, Belgium

They Say: “Corsendonk Agnus is brewed with pale malt, hence its gold blonde colour. It is a full-bodied, blonde, top-fermented beer, refermented and matured in the bottle to obtain a lively, bubbly beer with a herbal bouquet and hoppy aftertaste.”

I Say: Pouring a clear golden effervescent, Corsendonk Agnus has an even, tight white head that lasts. Immediate aromas of hops and banana predominate a slight orange blossom undertone. It tastes sweet and caramely with hints of orange and leaves the mouth sweet and less dry than its other Tripel counterparts.