Brouwerij Westmalle Tripel
What the brewers say
“A complex beer with a fruity aroma and a nuanced hops scent. It is soft and creamy in the mouth, with a bitter touch carried by the fruity aroma. And with a splendid long aftertaste.”
What our panel thought
Aroma: “Aroma is bright and fruity with hints of lemon, honey, cantaloupe, Con- cord grapes, lychees, and gooseberries. Light toasty-caramel malt and a light bit of honey. It’s almost like we switched to British beers. There may be subliminal spicy phenol, just a touch above wishful thinking.”
Flavor: “Classic Concord grapes are first on the tongue, followed by pineapple and banana. There’s a bit of black pepper that wasn’t in the aroma. Curiously, the flavor suggests Nelson Sauvin hops. Me- dium-high carbonation works well with the other elements. Very dry finish. The malt profile leans toward toasty caramel and mild hops flavor. Floral notes.”
Overall: “Less sweet and less complex than some of the others, but a creative take on the tripel. Well attenuated, dry, and spritzy, this is an interesting beer that stylistic stalwarts probably won’t like, but adventurous epicureans will no doubt embrace.”
