Yeast takes the forefront in this style of beer, but finessing just the right amounts of other additions will make sure that no one flavor steals the show.

From a style perspective, though, it can be tough to differentiate because it bears some superficial and structural similarities to Belgian Tripel.

As a follow-up to his “Make Your Best Belgian Tripel,” Josh Weikert shares his award-winning recipe.

Choose your twist(s) on this Westmalle Tripel-inspired beer.

Spiced with lemon peel and ginger, this beer is a clean, crisp Belgian-style tripel with complex, fruity, and spicy aromatics and flavor.

**Aroma:** “Coriander, pickled ginger, and very lemony—lemoncello—even a bit minty. Toasty caramel malt, too. Light fruity Belgian esters like pears and other tree fruits, but the spicy yeast notes that you’d expect in a tripel aren’t really there.” **Flavor:** “Sweet toasted-caramel malt, big sour lemon-drop candy, moderate medicinal phenol, and assertive alcohol character without being hot, followed by a long finish that fades into a pleasant back-of-the-tongue bitterness. A bit heavy, but not unpleasantly so.” **Overall:** “This could be a unique (and potentially innovative) beer, but it lacks a few of the keynotes of a Belgian tripel that make them enjoyable to drink, such as a dry finish and spicy yeast notes. Additionally, the malt presence is just a bit too sweet.”

Here is an attempt to create something almost, but not quite, entirely unlike Brouwerij Dilewyns Vicaris Tripel.

When the De Ranke brewery opened in 1994 as part of a new wave of Belgian microbreweries, its first beer was a beer inspired by Westmalle Tripel, Orval, and brewer Nino Bacelle’s love of hops.

Biere de Garde (BdG) enjoys more flexibility than most, as a style. Not only do the component style descriptors give ranges (as they do for most styles), it also allows for three distinct (uncredited) substyles based on color: blonde, amber, and brown.

A 20th-century invention made famous by monks, this strong but elegant ale of hospitality is built from the simplest of ingredients—yet it’s among the most challenging to brew well. Jeff Alworth explains its origins and context.

Golden-blond with a lithe body, lively mouthfeel, resilient foam, and sneaky strength—equally at home on the dinner table or next to your easy chair—here are a few of our favorite tripels.

**Aroma:** “Strong wheaty aroma, faint malty sweetness, backed up with hints of candied orange peel, lemon, black pepper, coriander, and bananas. Yeast aroma suggests wit more than tripel?” **Flavor:** “We are in the wit zone! Solid blend of coriander and orange, with some good spicy phenols and a pleasantly dry finish. The orange also moderates the malty sweetness. Very similar taste to the aroma: citrus, bananas, cloves, black pepper, and even a touch of pineapple. High carbonation helps to provide a cleansing finish. Alcohol presence is fruity, but otherwise well hidden. Spicy hops flavor is subtle.” **Overall:** “This is an outstanding tripel that veers toward the flavors of a wit. All of the elements are there, and they work harmoniously—it’s very nicely done. Makes me want to eat some mussels. Nice spice and fruit note with good supporting malt and bitterness and a crisp carbonation level.”

GABF gold medal–winner and Two Rivers’ Head Brewer Josh Bushey recommends using less oak and tequila than you think will be necessary. The recipe here gives you a modest start.

We bring you the sordid tale of a love triangle: One brewer, two beers, and a lot of feelings. C’est la vie.

**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.”

One of Belgium’s most distinctive tripels leans in a more bitter, aromatic direction. Inspired by Orval as much as Westmalle, De Ranke Guldenberg is a contemporary classic. Here, Joe Stange speaks with cofounder Nino Bacelle about its origins and makings.

**Aroma:** “Straightforward banana aroma with light vegetal notes and a very sub- tle grainy malt. Light floral hops aroma and peach esters. Slight sweetness and phenolic with a touch of alcohol.” **Flavor:** “Sweet malt, coriander, banana, lemon esters, and clove phenolics. Floral, spicy hops character. A Great classic tripel profile that’s ester-driven, light-bodied, and effervescent. Beautiful dry finish is the perfect segue to another sip. Low candy-like sweetness as it starts to warm.” **Overall:** “Nice example of the style with coriander added. Nothing too out of the ordinary, just a good, solid, basic tripel that does what it’s supposed to. Look for a classic pairing such as moules frites or put it next to some chicken fajitas. This can handle it.”

**Aroma:** “The nose is all about malt with toasted grain and graham crackers right up front. There’s a caramel malt sweetness, along with some melanoidin. Some cardboard and cat piss from oxidation and a bit of herbal hops aroma.” **Flavor:** “Strongly oxidized—sherry, cardboard, and peanuts. Big rich malt centered on melanoidin and caramel with some fruit and spicy alcohol notes, but not much of the usual pepper-spice character. Sweet malt character lingers into the finish with a bit of bitterness. Needs more carbonation. The biscuit and oxidized character deliver a competing dryness that helps to balance things out somewhat.” **Overall:** “Some odd aromas and flavors. Way out of style and a beer that is most likely past its prime. On its own, this might be a hard beer to enjoy, but pair it with a nice dulce de leche or flan, and you’d have an enjoyable combination.”

**Aroma:** “High phenolics with notes of pepper and floral notes. Lemon, orange, black pepper, hints of fruit, some spicy Saaz-like hops notes and faint graininess.” **Flavor:** “Crisp! This beer exhibits a lovely crispness that sticks with you as it goes down. Nice blend of banana and citrus esters balanced by carbonation and sharp hops bitterness. The aromatic promises are fully delivered: lemon on the back of the tongue and spices near the front. A dark rich sweetness reminis- cent of a dark honey. A touch more fully bodied than expected, but the beer is so crisp that it works.” **Overall:** “Light and fruity. The brewer displays a subtle hand with yeast man- agement. Though the initial appearance could have been clearer, the aroma gives way to a generous palate of flavors that, while simple, create a wonderful drinking experience. A classic tripel that departs from the norm and does it well.”

**Aroma:** “Weird soapy hops. Very spicy with a strong yeast character. There’s a hint of Pils malt in there, but not much else past the overwhelming handmade soaps. Floral and lemony with hints of lavender.” **Flavor:** “Sweet honey malt and spice. Floral hops and unusually floral esters give this tripel a highly unusual personality. A mild, but obvious hops flavor. Strong orange citrus quality. Black- pepper notes. Some oxidation.” **Overall:** “This beer seems to be a creative citrusy take on the classic tripel, but the brewer took a lot of chances with this one, and they didn’t all pay off. The flavors are a bit discordant, and there is some oxidation. It would work well in light fish dishes seasoned with Herbes de Provence. Otherwise, it’s hard to get past the overwhelming soapy nature of the beer.”