Victory Variety Pack Round-Up: Golden Monkey

Brewed By: Victory Brewing Company in Downingtown, Pennsylvania 

Purchased: 12oz bottle from Victory's Variety Pack bought at Binny's in Chicago, IL; 2014

Style/ABV: American-style Tripel, 9.5%
Reported IBUs: ?

I realize that reviewing Victory's heritage brews is like reviewing Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale or Anchor Brewing's Anchor Steam. Here's the thing. The four beers contained in this Variety Pack (PrimaPils, HopDevil, Headwaters Pale Ale, Golden Monkey) are classics in their own right. But the times, they've been a-changin'. So it reasons that what was once a classic might be viewed differently today than in retrospect. You know. Plus this is my blog/LiveJournal. If you don't like it, suck on deez nuts. But  About Victory: 

Victory Brewing Company is a brewery based out of Downingtown, Pennsylvania. The brewery was founded by Ron Barchet and Bill Covaleski, two avid brewers and lovers of beer. Although Victory opened on February 15, 1996, the duo were brewing brewing beer long before opening their own company. You can read more about their accomplishments on the brewery's about page. The brewery uses German malted barley and European and American whole flower hops (the use of whole flower hops is one unique aspect of Victory). Victory is currently working on expanding to Parkesburg. For more information about Victory, check out their website or their Facebook page. 

The Golden Monkey is a big-ass, American-style Tripel brewed with 2-Row malts and whole flower European hops. They also throw some coriander seed into this one. This is another classic example of an American-style Tripel, albeit one that the Bros didn't like very much back in 2001/2002. Oh wells. 

This pours very much like its name implies: into a golden body, kicking up two fingers of dense, fluffy, golden-tinged head. This is nicely carbonated, and looks the part of a Tripel, albeit less cloudy than some of the Belgian ones. This is conditioned, however, and you do get some yeast sediment in your glass.

Victory Golden Monkey

The aroma here is also classic Tripel, with vibrant grains, clove, banana, funky yeast esters, and deep hops that include notes of citrus, lemon, and coriander. This actually smells really appetizing, especially for a fresh beer. Part of the allure of the style is that you get these aged bangers from Belgium, but us Americans tend to ratchet up the candy sugar and ride the booze and spice train.

This is super drinkable, with big clove and yeast funk crashing down like a tidal wave. It coats your entire tongue, and also delivers some really clean grain and bready notes. This is stupid drinkable, as the style should be, and you would never guess this is 9.5% until it knocked you on your ass. Along with all the clove is a ton of lemon, floral and grassy hops, and some notes that are probably wheat malts (but go unlisted on Victory's website). This is actually super clean, despite being a very straightforward affair.

And despite being straightforward, this has fulfilling palate depth and complexity. It's just big and drinkable and refreshing...without any of the bullshit. Granted, it's not very adventurous, but it doesn't hit you over the head with too much spice or any of that. It lays out the clove and big funky yeast; and then rolls into some coriander spice, dough, bread, banana esters, and big lemon and floral hops; the back end fades with wheat, more clove, and a surprisingly estery and bready finish. I like this beer a lot.

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Light Above-Average on this. I really like how simple but refined this beer is. It's not blowing anyone away, but this is a good effort for an American Tripel that has a few bells and whistles...namely a super smooth body, coupled with an insane amount of clove funk, and lots of depth and complexity. I'd bang this again, and pair it with some white pasta, meats, and cheeses. Fantastic, available brew. If you are stumbling onto this beer and are new to the Tripel style, check it out.

Random Thought: One more to go...

Une Année Tripel

Brewed By: Une Année Brewery in Chicago, Illinois  

Purchased: 750ml (1 Pint 9.4 FL OZ) bottle bought at Binny's in IL; 2014 (Batch 9 - 10.23.13)

Style/ABV: Belgian Tripel, 8.7%

Reported IBUs: ?

Local Chicago Abbey Ales? Yes please. About Une Année:

Une Année is a brewery based out of Chicago, Illinois located near the intersection of Grand and Ashland in the Kinzie Industrial Corridor (three blocks from the Goose Island Fulton St. production brewery). The brewery was founded in early 2012 by Jerry Nelson, who is "an Architect, Marine, Siebel Institute Graduate, and Chicago native who started homebrewing in 1995 while stationed in California." Currently, Jerry is the head brewer along with Dustin Zimmerman, who also attended the Siebel Institute, and previously brewed at Hamburger Mary’s Andersonville and worked at Nøgne Ø. The name "Une Année" means "one year" in French, and was chosen to reinforce the two main ideas behind the brewery: a focus on Belgian and French style beer, and an emphasis on seasonal beers. For more info, check out the brewery's website.

Tonight's beer, the Une Année Tripel, has the disclaimer: "The Tripel is often considered the most approachable of Belgian ales." I don't know if that is true, but this subtle and boozy Strong Ale punches in at 8.7% and is described as having notes of big fruits, moderate spice, and hints of American hops poking through.

Une Année Tripel

This one pours into a swampy, dark orange/gold body, kicking up a finger of reluctant, off-white head. The head quickly settles into some cauldron bubbles for that nice cauldron effect, with sea foam head on the outer edges of the glass. When held to a bright light, this beer is a vibrant and juicy, hazy orange color. Looking through the beer from the top unlocks those sunset/sunrise tones, and it's kind of a beautiful thing to behold. The head is white with orange streaks, leaving clingy residuals and epic sheets of iceberg lacing. Honestly...it's a good looking Tripel and that's all she wrote.

Apparently Belgium doesn't have a gosh darn thing on Chicago, as this smells inviting with giant citrus splashes, orange, sliced orange, perfume phenols, clove and bubblegum funk, wheat, and boozy perfume. This smells legit like an Abbey Ale, and not at all on the fruity/raisin end of the wheat stick like some imports end up. I'm still not sure if that's an issue of freshness or what, but I know what I like in my Tripels and I'm getting that here.

I'm a little bit less impressed on the taste...but there's a clean elegance to this beer, and plenty of fruity notes in the realm of orange, orange candy, fruity wheat, apples/pear, apple slaw salad, perfume spice. This has a good amount of Belgian funk, with wheat and bubblegum showing up, and some kisses of clove. But the main feature here seems to be the citrus and the hop bitterness. This is definitely in the moderate to higher end of the hoppy Tripel spectrum, but I like it. I'm getting welcomed bitterness that adds a peppery and spicy accent to the alcohol. It kind of reminds me of the Maredsous 10 Tripel, which has some nice spicy booze. As does the New Belgium "Trippel."

At any rate...this is still seductive and hides the booze well. You don't get much of the 8.7%, which is why this style rocks. Give it to your kids/wife. I'm just kidding. Don't listen to me. This is medium-bodied, with good carbonation. It has some creaminess, and the wheat malts help add body. The bitterness from the hops plays off the bubblegum from the wheat, and you get a nice citrus-bubblegum thing that gets bitter like spent gum. I'm enjoying myself here. Palate depth is on point but the complexity lags a big. I mean...this is above-average stuff, but there's a lot of good Tripels out there. Up front: citrus, citrus candy, sweet citrus, perfume phenols, perfume citrus; the mids roll into more citrus, with the addition of some Belgian funk, clove, bubblegum, growing wheat, and hop bitterness; the back end imparts some nice bitterness, and rounds out with lingering orange and citrus. Boozy, peppery, phenolic spice then follows. This is...surprisingly good. This could be a local contender and something I would pick up on the regular. 

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average on this. This is one of my favorite styles of beer, and I'm happy to report that they pretty much nailed it. Success! There's not much else to say here...except that I would totally pick this up again, especially at around $10 a bottle. This is a beer to pair with strong cheeses, grilled meats, grilled lamb, and for me tonight...chili. I actually wouldn't recommend pairing this with chili, but you know, I eat what I have on hand. 

Random Thought: I shaved my beard! All of it! AHHHH. I have good reason though...it's getting hot out. I think I'm gonna roll with the stubble look, only I'll probably look like a hobo instead of Ryan Gosling.

Goose Island The Ogden

Brewed By: Goose Island Beer Company (owned by AB InBev) in Chicago, Illinois

Purchased: 12oz bottle from a 4-pack bought at Rayan's Discount Liquors in Chicago, IL; 2014 (bottled on April 16, 2014)

Style/ABV: Belgian Tripel, 9.0% 

Reported IBUs: 35

The Ogden is one of Goose Island's new beers, which includes their really solid The Illinois, their hoppy and accessible 312 Urban Pale Ale, their Endless IPA, and their Ten Hills Pale Ale. Is The Ogden up to snuff?

About Goose Island:

Goose Island is a Chicago-based brewery that began as a brewpub on Clybourn, which opened on May 1988. The actual brewery opened on 1995, and is located on the Southwest side of Chicago. The second brewpub, located in Wrigleyville by the Chicago Cubs, was opened in 1999. On March 28, 2011, Goose Island sold 58% of the brewery to Anheuser-Busch. The remaining 42% of the brewery is supposed to be acquired by A-B InBev in the future, and there has been much discussion about the brewery's takeover. On November 16th, founder and CEO, John Hall, announced he would be leaving Goose Island. On January 1st, 2013, Anheuser-Busch "veteran" Andy Goeler will take over Goose Island. Additionally, around the same time as John Hall's departure, resident barrel-program leader John Laffler also announced his departure from Goose Island. There have been many changes regarding Goose Island...so we will see what the future has in store for Goose Island. 

The Ogden is a Belgian Tripel, which is a hard-hitting style known for being deceptively boozy and full of big, complex flavors. Goose Island's The Ogden is named after William Ogden, who opened Chicago's first brewery, and was also Chicago's first mayor. He also added the North Brand channel to the Chicago River, where Goose Island would eventually reside and take their name from. This beer is brewed with Citra, Brewers Gold, and Saaz hops; it is dry hopped with Brewers Gold and Citra hops as well. This one features a 2-Row malt base, and is fermented using Belgian Tripel yeast. At 9.0% and 35 IBUs, this is a big, bold beer.

Goose Island The Ogden

This beer pours out the part of a Tripel, into a picture perfect golden/yellow body with some orange tones. The beer kicks up a finger or two of perfectly white head. The head is white, wispy, and looks like clouds. As the head drops off, you get massive webs of lacing. In bright light, this beer is all yellow/gold, with lazy dots of mid-sized carbonation. The beer seems to be filtered or semi-filtered, and the head is vibrantly white. Again, this beer's appearance is the stuff you'd expect from a brewery like GI.

The aroma here is pretty hoppy, actually. This is definitely an American interpretation of a Tripel, with big orange, grapefruit, candied perfume, orange perfume, sugar, clove, banana, and bubblegum funk. The big Citra hops really come over the top, driving the bready malt backing and the clove/sugar/banana/bubblegum funk. It's not a bad aroma at all, especially if you like Citra hops.

Again, the taste is a nice continuation of the aroma, with big Citra splashes up front. I'm getting lots of orange and grapefruit, with big funky Belgian clove, bubblegum, light banana, and tons of sugary caramel. The finish is somewhat bready with lingering sugars. There's a perfume element that shows up in the middle and continues towards the end, and the end drops some mild alcohol warming and alcohol spice on the back of your throat. You also pick up some light grain.

This is full-bodied and feels substantial, which you want at 9.0%. This is remarkably drinkable and hides the alcohol well, but you know something is up here. Palate depth is just okay, and complexity seems a bit low for the style. While I'm enjoying the Citra hop aspect of this, I feel like the rest of the beer is somewhat simple in execution. You get those big Citra splashes up front with grapefruit and orange against a funky Belgian backdrop of clove, bubblegum, banana, and white sugar; the mids dial up the bready caramel, with some serious layers of sugar, candy sugar, and more dark sugar, with some more Belgian funk; the back end cleans up with some bread, grain, and lingering perfume notes. It's very solid, especially for the price. Probably a three point five. 

Rating: Average (3.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'll go with a Strong Average here...when I first had this earlier today, I thought it was maybe too sweet. Now that I'm drinking it again, I think the sweetness is appropriate, especially for the style. This isn't a bad beer by any means, it's just missing that element I can't quite place a finger on. Having said that, at 9.0% this is big and boozy in all the right places. This is a beer begging to be paired with pizza or something doughy. Maybe pasta. My awesome girlfriend made pasta with a white artichoke sauce for dinner tonight, this beer would have paired wonderfully with it. 

Random Thought: Even though I'm not 100% sold on this beer, I'd be happy to see this beer on tap around town or at sporting events. Drinking one of these with a Bulls game? Yes please. 

Val-Dieu Triple

Brewed By: Brasserie de l’Abbaye du Val-Dieu in Aubel, Belgium 

Purchased: 11.2oz/330ml bottle bought at Binny's in IL; 2013

Style/ABV: Belgian Tripel, 9.0%

Reported IBUs: ?

Fuck Sunday nights. About Val-Dieu:

The Cistercian Abbey “Notre Dame du Val-Dieu” was founded in 1216 by monks from Hocht, near Maastricht (the capital city of the Dutch province of Limburg) and the county of Dalhem. The legend goes that the uninhabited valley into which they settled was so hostile the locals called it the "valley of the devil." The monks renamed it "Valley of God," or Val-Dieu in French. Val-Dieu was the only Belgian abbey to survive the French Revolution. Today, the abbey is still linked to the Cistercian Order, and the abbey of Lérins.  

According to Wikipedia, the abbey's original church was destroyed in 1287 during the War of Limburg Succession, and again in 1574 during the Eighty Years' War, and again in 1683 by the armies of Louis XIV. Under Abbot Jean Dubois, from 1711 to 1749, the abbey flourished, until the church was destroyed again in the French Revolution. 

The brewery (Brasserie de l'Abbaye du Val-Dieu) was established in 1997 at the abbey farm. Originally, the monks of Val-Dieu brewed beer to make the water drinkable and to avoid diseases like dysentery, cholera, and typhoid. The beers brewed at the abbey today are inspired by the original recipes of the monks. The abbey emphasizes basic ingredients, a rigorous brewing process, and straight up legit water from the regional Gileppe dam. For more info, check out the abbey's website, or the Val-Dieu website.

The The Val-Dieu Triple is the result of a long fermentation and lots of sugar...I dunno, the Val-Dieu website doesn't really elaborate very much, and why the fuck should they. If you are buying offbeat Abbey beers, odds are you know what a Tripel is.

Val-Dieu Triple

I shook this beer like a satanic baby prior to pouring it, but damn this is some dark, murky stuff. As you can see, the beer takes on a dark gold/brown body, and it's swampy and gritty. The head is pristine, all white and elegant and coming with two fingers. Oh, entendres. In bright light the beer is a hazy golden-orange. Head retention is nice, there's some lacing, and if you brave a full pour you'll see lots of suspended yeast in the mix. Good times.

Honestly, the aroma here is kind of one-dimensional. I'm getting a lot of floral notes, and HUGE apple juice. Lots and lots of apple juice. Along with the apple juice is some shades of raisin, wheat, and some clove. And that's about it.

The taste is creamy and smooth, and hides the booze magnificently. You wouldn't know this was punching in at 9.0%, and that's the intent. There's a lot of wheat notes in this, with some light bitterness towards the back, and some peppery/phenol spice. The front is loaded with lots of apples, some lemons, perfume, a touch of Belgian candi sugar, and hints of hop bitterness. Notably absent is any dominant orange, but I suppose that happens. 

I see now why they don't go into great lengths to describe this beer...this is very much standard stuff, if that. This has a creamy, smooth, medium-full mouthfeel. Palate depth is par the course, as is complexity. The 9.0% is hidden well, but the taste is mostly apples and wheat up front with creamy head; some creamy head and clove in the middle, with some growing apple/lemon hop bitterness; perfume/spices/phenol on the back, with lingering wheat and apples. The finish is a touch dusty, a touch dry, and works.

Rating: Average (3.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Average on this beer. There's nothing going on here that exceeds expectations or anything like that. This works: it hides the booze well, has a rustic vibe, and finishes with a nice dusty/cellar twist. Aside from that, you get a lot of wheat, and some sweeter apples with hints of raisins and lemons. I would pair this beer with chicken or turkey, or a peppery steak, and some potatoes and carrots. This is about on par with the Val-Dieu Blond, but right now the Val-Dieu Brown/Brune/Dubbel is the clear winner.

Random Thought: I had the most amazing burger today at Au Cheval. The burger was greasy, dense, and topped with bacon and cheese. It was over-the-top and will be one of many things that results in my heart attack, but it was worth it. 

Allagash Curieux

Brewed By: Allagash Brewing Company in Portland, Maine  

Purchased: 750ml bottle bought at West Lakeview Liquors in Chicago, IL; 2013 (Bottling March 1, 2013)

Style/ABV: Belgian Tripel/Strong Ale, 11.0%

Reported IBUs: ?

It's been a good weekend, although maybe a bit too short. But it seems appropriate to wrap up with something classy, classy person that I am. About Allagash:

Allagash is a brewery based out of Portland, Maine. The company was founded in 1995 by Rob Tod, who designed a 15-barrel brewhouse, and began brewing some of the first American Belgian-style ales. Rob found success with the Allagash White, and expanded his operation. In 2001, Allagash began caging, corking, and bottle conditioning their beers. Since then, they have continued to celebrate Belgian-style beer.

Tonight's beer, the Curieux, is part of the brewery's year-round releases. This beer was the brewery's first attempt at a barrel-aged beer. The brewery takes their Tripel, and ages it in Jim Beam bourbon barrels for eight weeks. The beer is then blended back with the fresh Tripel. 

This one pours a golden-orange color in low light, and kicks up a finger's worth of golden-tinted, white head. I'm happy to report that the cork came off nicely, there was no gushing, and the pour was reasonable. In bright light the beer is more of a golden-yellow color, with hints of orange. The head is fluffy, white, and sustaining magnificently for an 11% beer. There's a lot of carbonation rising upwards in this, with tiny bubbles rushing upwards. As you might expect, this is slightly hazy. 

Allagash Curieux

This beer is like Christmas for me. Tripels and Jim Beam? Oh my, yes please. You get big whiskey, Jim Beam, vanilla, oak/wood, and meaty coconut on the nose. You also pick up on some nice orange, light citrus, grass/wheat, some candied/perfume Belgian yeast, yeast spice, and some clove. 

Typically you see breweries throwing Stouts in whiskey barrels, and I get that. But throwing these Belgian ales in whiskey barrels unlocks a whole new spectrum of awesome flavors. I'm pulling out big whiskey, meaty coconut, dried tropical fruits, pineapple, mango, citrus/orange, dried bananas, dried mango/pineapple, and big vanilla. There's a big warming in the mix, but the booze itself is virtually undetectable (aside from the Whiskey flavors). As I go in for another sip, I get a wash of the base beer up front, with big citrus, wheat, grass, clove, and Belgian funk...and then the tropical fruits show up, followed by the barrel. 

This has a palate fatiguing effect, where taking quick sips back to back causes the whiskey to fade a bit. If you wait a bit between sips, you get a fresh wash of big whiskey notes. This is very drinkable for an 11% beer, and the body is creamy, has just the right amount of carbonation, and a medium-full mouthfeel. The beer is a bit sticky on the finish, but I wasn't expecting champagne-dryness at 11%. Palate depth is good, and complexity is good. You get big base beer up front, with Tripel-esque notes; that rolls into tropical fruits, and burgeoning whiskey; that rolls into big whiskey, wood, bourbon; the finish is vanilla, coconut, tropical fruits...slightly sticky and dry.

Rating: Divine Brew (4.5/5.0 Untappd)

I will grant this a Light Divine Brew. This is somewhere between the Bruery's very tasty White Oak, and the very tasty Two Brothers' Bare Tree. I'm really feeling the tropical fruit vibe you get with this beer. Lots of bourbon, vanilla, coconut, and mango/pineapple. Good stuff. I feel like this would pair well with mussels or scallops, maybe calamari. You could also pair this with pasta that has a strong cheese sauce, or put it against some peppery chicken/turkey. This could also work with fruity desserts (like pie), or a cheese course. Really tasty stuff, and a nice twist on the Tripel.

Random Thought: Weekend movie recap: This Is The End was hilarious, go see it. Superman was good, but had a lot of problems. Star Trek: Into The Darkness was awesome and good fun.

Boulevard Long Strange Tripel

Brewed By: Boulevard Brewing Company in Kansas City, Missouri

Purchased: Single 12oz bottle from a 4-pack sampler bought at West Lakeview Liquors in Chicago, IL; 2013

Style/ABV: Abbey Tripel, 9.0%

Reported IBUs: 23

What a long strange trip today has been...about Boulevard:

Boulevard Brewing Company hails out of Kansas City, Missouri. They have a very nice website that is cleanly formatted, informative, and is not loaded with Java and Flash scripts. The company was founded officially in 1989, but began in 1988 when founder John McDonald began construction of the brewery. In 2006 the brewery had a major expansion, which allowed for additional brewing capacity. You can find more info on the brewery's history HERE. According to Wikipedia, Boulevard is the largest craft brewer in Missouri, and the 10th largest craft brewery in the United States.

This beer is part of Boulevard's Smokestack Series. If you roll over to the Long Strange Tripel page, you can get all the vitals on this beer. This one clocks in at 9.0% according to the bottle, and 9.2% according to the website. Brewed with pale, munich, wheat, and flaked oat malts; this one uses Magnum and Styrian Golding hops, for 23 IBUs of bitterness. Described as having intense fruity and banana aromas, with some hints of toffee, and citrusy hops...this should be good stuff. Let's see how it holds up.

Boulevard Long Strange Tripel

This one pours a juicy, hazy, orange/yellow color, with a finger of white head. The body has a nice orange juice appearance, and the head settles down into a hazy coating that screams Belgian Ale. There's maybe a little sediment floating around in this too.

The aroma is as advertised, with a big emphasis on big citrus-forward hops. I'm getting a lot of orange, apple, apple juice, and lemon on this. I'm also getting big clove, banana, wheat, vanilla, and white sugar as well. There's some malt on the nose, but there isn't any of that powder/dust you get on a lot of the Belgian/Abbey Tripels. There's some nice toffee and wheat on the nose.

I'm going to let this warm up...but right now I'm getting big apple juice, wheat, and lots of citrus/lemony kick. And...as this warms, you get the same deal. There's a nice boozy complexity on the back end of this, with some mild wheat astringency. I'm also pulling out some apricot, lemon, apple, grape, and a nice sweet toffee note. It's a nice beer, for sure.

This is drinking nicely, with a medium-full mouthfeel, good palate depth, and okay complexity. There's lots of carbonation to help things smooth out, and you get some creamy mouthfeel from the wheat. There's a dash of wheat astringency and hop bitterness that helps clean things up and compliments the boozy complexity. There's booze, but no real heat. It's good. Up front is a lot of wheat, clove, banana, vanilla, and apples, pears, lemon; this rolls into citrus, astringent wheat, wheat, light spice, pepper, apricot; the back end is lingering bitterness, dryness, and some boozy complexity.

Rating: Above-Average (4/5 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average on this. This is a formidable take on a Tripel, and a very solid American-style Tripel. It gets better as it warms. There's a nice creamy mouthfeel, and big fruity notes. Lots of citrus, apples, apricot, and some nice boozy complexity. This would pair well with chicken, turkey, french fries and potatoes, doughy pizza, cheeses, and peppery foods. You could also pair it with something that goes well with citrus/apples. Nice stuff, and cheap in the 22oz format. 

Random Thought: The Blackhawks are losing...tornadoes are destroying Oklahoma...it's like 90 degrees in Chicago, what is going on today?!?!?

St. Feuillien Triple

Brewed By: Brasserie St. Feuillien / Friart in Le Roeulx, Belgium

Purchased: 330ml bottle from a St. Feuillien Gift Set bought at West Lakeview Liquors in Chicago, IL; 2013
Style/ABV: Abbey Tripel, 8.5%

Reported IBUs: ?

Wrapping up with the St. Feuillien beers...tonight I'm looking at the strongest (well...tied for the strongest) and hopefully most tasty beer from the St. Feuillien Gift Set. About St. Feuillien:

St. Feuillien is is an Abbey-stye brewery based out of Le Roeulx, Belgium, founded in 1873. The brewery's history goes back to the 7th century, when an Irish monk by the name Feuillien came to Belgium to preach the Gospel. Unfortunately...while traveling through Le Roeulx, Feuillien was martyred and beheaded. In memory of Feuillien, his disciples built a chapel in 1125, which became the Abbey of Prémontrés, later known as the Abbaye St-Feuillien du Roeulx. The Abbey prospered until the French Revolution. St. Feuillien makes use of natural ingredients, centuries-old brewing methods, and (I believe) all their beers are bottle conditioned. You can read more about them HERE. 

Tonight's beer, the St. Feuillien Tripel, is described as having aromatic hops, spices, and a fruity bouquet. Basically...it's a Tripel. There's not a whole lot else to say, except to glass it up. If you're unfamiliar with one of beer's best styles, check out the BJCP and pick yourself up some Tripels. 

St. Feuillien Triple

This one pours a hazy straw/orange/gold color in low light, with a finger's worth of creamy, off-white head. I did pour this one slowly, like a boss. In bright light, this beer is juicy like orange juice, with a vibrant and tropical orange/yellow body. There's a ton of carbonation streaming upwards in this, and the head is dense, white, and sustaining. I know the glass is all sex, but this is a great looking beer too.

The aroma on this is bright, fruity, and malty, with lots and lots of big citrus kick. I'm getting sweet pineapple, sweet mango, oranges, candi sugar, candied fruits, perfume and floral, a bit of clove and white sugar, and some big apple juice.

Mmm..this really has a dense, creamy, oily mouthfeel, with lots of subtle spice, a bit of powder/dust, and tons of completely subtle/hidden booze that goes undetected in the back. It stays undetected until this hits your belly. I'm getting white sugar, clove, white pepper, Belgian funk/barnyard, pears, white grapes, citrus, candi sugar, and some grain/Pils malt. Hop bitterness does make itself present, but it plays off the Belgian fruitiness and sugary sweetness. This is unmistakably boozy, but like the best Tripels, it hides the booze so well.

This is full-bodied, with a creamy/oily/dense mouthfeel, helped out by lively carbonation, and plenty of complexity to boot. You get hop bitterness in the back, trailing booze, and some powder/dust. Palate depth is great. For the style, I feel like you can get more complexity, but I won't dog this. You get cream, fruit, clove, and spice up front; this transitions into spice, bitterness, citrus, Pils malt; the back end is lingering malt/hops, dust/powder, trailing fruit...it finishes fairly attenuated and a touch dusty.

Rating: Above-Average (4/5 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average on this. I guess I'm not ready to push this into truly divine territory, but this beer is very close. I'll have to revisit this down the road....there's a really nice bitterness on the back end of this and in the finish, which I might keep in mind if I'm recommending this beer for certain situations. For me, I'd pair this with strong cheeses, smoked fish, muscles, a burger, french fries with truffle oil, potatoes with spices, or a rustic and hearty dish. This is seriously solid stuff, and of the three St. Feuillien beers I've had so far, this might be the winner? It's hard to say, since the Blond and Dubbel were both great. 

Random Thought: Wheat beers and Belgian beers got me into craft beer. I've always been attracted to Hefeweizens, and during my true foray into craft beer, I went on a big Belgian kick. I love Belgian Strongs, Dubbels, and Tripels...I also enjoy Saisons quite a bit. If you are new to beer and want to wander off the beaten path of IPAs, try some Belgian beers. 

Tripel Karmeliet

Brewed By: Brouwerij Bosteels in Buggenhout, Belgium

Purchased: 33cl/330ml/11.2oz bottle bought at Binny's in IL; 2011

Style/ABV: Belgian Tripel, 8.4%

 

Tonight I am diving into one of the highest rated Tripels available in the world. In fact, Tripel Karmeliet is the number one rated Tripel on Ratebeer and the fourth best Tripel on BeerAdvocate. This is an epic beer, in every sense of the word.

Tripel Karmeliet is brewed by Brouwerij Bosteels, or "Bosteels Brewery." You can read about their beer and find out about the brewery on their website HERE. Their website is flash heavy and features annoying looping music, so be warned. The brewery was established by Evarist Bosteels in 1791, and has been family run by the Bosteels for over 200 years and seven generations.

The brewery website has a very cool section called A Passion For Brewing where they talk about their brewing process, and the way they pick and choose their ingredients. The website states that "water, beautiful plump summer barley, hops and yeast are the most important basic ingredients in brewing beer."

There is a lot of time and attention to detail put into the beer that Bosteels brews, and these nuances are not missed with the Tripel Karmeliet. The Karmeliet is brewed with 3 grains, and is based on an authentic recipe from 1679 from the Carmelite monastery. The 3 grains used are wheat, oats, and barley. The website states that the beer has hints of vanilla and citrus on the nose, and tastes light and fresh from the wheat, creamy from the oats, and slightly spicy and citrus-like. I am beyond excited to try this beer, so let's dive in.

Tripel Karmeliet

The Tripel Karmeliet glass may very well be my favorite beer glass. It is an epic beer glass with a thick stem, wonderful lilies on the base of the glass, and the Tripel Karmeliet logo on the side of the glass. The glass has a huge bowl that narrows towards the top. This is a huge glass. The bowl is as large as the Duvel glass, only on a stem. This is a glass that will hold beers with big heads. And the thing about the Karmeliet glass...you need it for this epic beer.

Forget Duvel. Forget Guinness. The Karmeliet takes the cake as far as beers with huge heads are concerned. I got 7 or 8 fingers of HUGE, fluffy, white head from this beer. This beer is fucking gorgeous, maybe the best looking beer I have ever poured. In low light this beer has a pale orange/yellow/straw color. When held to bright light this beer is clearly a pale/yellow/golden, hazy, straw color. This beer is super carbonated and very effervescent; as a Tripel SHOULD be. There is already great lacing on my glass, and my guess is the head will in fact hang around. 

The aroma on this beer is clutch. This beer smells amazing, and it accomplishes the wonderful aromas without the outrageous malts like the Chimay White. I'm smelling creamy oats, wheat, and grainy malts. This is very creamy and smooth on the nose. I'm also picking up huge aromas of citrus; herbal orange and lemon tea, fresh lemon, lemon grass, sharp orange, lemon wheat, and hints of apricots and honey. I'm picking up hints of sugar, pepper, and alcohol. The booziness is subdued, and fits the 8.4% ABV. It isn't assaulting your nostrils like the Maredsous 10. There are also waves of candied oranges and lemons. This smells fresh, clean, refined, and subtle. This invites you to take a drink. I'm excited!

Wow. Yummy. This tastes absolutely fantastic. You're greeted with a huge creamy head (which is hanging around quite nicely), and then met with creamy oats. This is cut by oranges, lemons, pepper, grain, and a whirlwind of delicious malts and hops. The finish is wheat, candied oranges and candied lemons, and a tingle of alcohol dancing on the back palate. I'm tasting oats, grain, wheat, candied lemon and oranges, hints of white sugar, apricots, and pleasant booziness that meshes with the grains on the back end.

This is refined, mature, clean, fresh, and delicious. The palate depth is wonderful, this is wildly complex, and it drinks very well. The alcohol is subtle like it should be for the style. This is medium-light bodied, well-carbonated, and drinks like an effervescent Belgian Strong Ale should. The front is creamy oats, creamy head, hints of lemon and orange; the middle rolls into pepper and spice, more fruits, grain and wheat, candied oranges and candied lemons, white sugar; the back end is grain, wheat, candied fruits, alcohol. The finish is slightly dry with tingling alcohol. This has so much depth and dimension, I love it. 

Rating: Divine Brew 

Score: 98%

 

There is nothing wrong with this brew. Nothing. If you see this beer, buy it. If you like Tripels, buy this beer. If you want to store a classy Belgian Strong Ale in your cellar, grab this Tripel. It is effervescent, bubbly, dry, and would give any glass of champagne a run for its money. 

This is love. This is a beer epiphany. This is the best Tripel I've had to date...barring some minor subtleties. For example, the Chimay White is a wonderful, raunchy, malty bomb. The La Fin Du Monde from Unibroue is a very yeasty beer with wonderful flavors from the yeasts. The Tripel Karmeliet relies on a wonderful balance of grains and malts, and is just plain brilliant. These are all top-tier Tripels, each with a slightly different approach to the style.

With that said...cheers. If you love beer, you owe it to yourself to try the Tripel Karmeliet.

Chimay Triple / Blanche (White) / Cinq Cents

Brewed By: Bières de Chimay in Chimay in the province of Hainaut, Belgium

Purchased: 11.2oz bottle bought at Binny's in IL; 2011

Style/ABV: Belgian Tripel, 8.0%

Chimay will mark the third Trappist brewery to cross my path. I would guess Chimay is the most popular Trappist brewery, usurping Orval and Westmalle in terms of availability and popularity. Chimay is located in the Scourmont Abbey, and they are well known for the three beers they brew: Chimay Rouge (Dubbel), Chimay Bleue (Belgian Strong Ale), and Chimay Blanche (Tripel).

If you check out the Chimay wesbite and look at their history page, you can find out a bit about how the Scourmont Abbey came to brew beer. According to the link, in 1862 the Cistercian Trappist monks of Chimay began to brew beer to support employment in their region as well as to provide for their needs. In 1862, the monks began brewing Chimay Première/Red in acccordance to traditional monastarey brewing. In 1948, the current recipe for the Chimay Première/Red was created when Chimay was able to isolate the yeast strain for the beer. In Christmas of 1948, a Chimay Christmas beer was created that eventually became the Chimay Blue. And in 1966, the Chimay Triple came into fruition. The Notre-Dame de Scourmont Abbey has been around since 1850. Farming, brewing, and cheese have been a big part of the culture from the beginning. 

*    *    *    *    *    *

The pour reveals a magnificent looking beer. This beer is on the darker spectrum of Tripels, with a dark, dark yellow-bronze-gold color under low light. Under bright light, the beer is very orange-yellow and almost looks like orange juice. This is hazy and cloudy, and there is a bit of yeast floating in my glass. There was a 3-finger head at first; it has fizzled down into a nice two-centimeter keeper. There is wonderful lacing, and the good head retention suggests effervescence and carbonation. The head has hints of orange, and resembles the slightly darker Tripel.

Add caption

Upon pouring it I was greeted with huge bouquets of yeast and malt. Chimay beers dial up the malts, and this beer wallops you with them. Malts, toffee, Belgian yeasts and bready esters, candied oranges, perfume and hints of honey, light pulls toward sugar, nutmeg and coriander, pulls towards apples and lemongrass or lemon zest.

This is really wonderful. Just the mouthfeel is huge, but slightly powdery, there is an alcohol punch that is very subtle but still there, and lots of peppery and clove spices in the profile. You get lots of carbonation and smoothness up front, followed by big yeasty and malty fruits. Huge candied and perfume-like oranges, apples, and lemon. There are toffee and yeast-bread notes in the mix, and touches of coriander. Some slight grainy qualities pop up with the alcohol as well.

This is on the upper end of medium-bodied, with a smooth and powdery/dusty mouthfeel. Very elegant, and complex. This is refined, but modern. Potent, but drinkable. So drinkable, in fact, that you want to watch out for the 8.0% ABV. The front of the palate is all about carbonation, fruit and malts. You do get some Pils malts on the front end, and some light grain. This rolls into a fruity middle, with spices and perfume and malts. The back end is lingering malts and alcohol warming. Fantastic.

Rating: Divine Brew 

Score: 93%

This is one of my favorite Tripels, by far. Not much wrong about this. The spices are subdued and complex, the alcohol is present but in bursts, and big malty notes compliment the huge fruit overtones that drive this beer. Wonderfully big, wonderfully drinkable. This is the type of epic beer that I expect when I am drinking a Trappist beer; and it even comes with an epic glass.

Given how widely available Chimay is, I would suggest this to anyone looking to try the Tripel style. For everyone else, this is just a wonderful beer to fall back on.

Petrus Triple

Brewed By: Bavik-De Brabandere in Harelbeke, Belgium

Purchased: Single bottle (11.2oz) from a Petrus sampler bought at Binny's in Chicago, IL; 2011

Style/ABV: Belgian Tripel, 7.5%

Alright, so tonight I am knocking out the last beer from the Petrus sampler. This is their Belgian Tripel, clocking in at a pretty reserved 7.5% ABV. After the solid Petrus Blond and the very average (and gushy) Petrus Dubbel Bruin, I'm not really sure what to expect. 

*    *    *    *    *    *

This was another gusher! Thankfully, I had the foresight to open this beer above a sink. Upon cracking the cap, foam rushed out of the neck of the bottle spilling beer everywhere. The beer pours with a golden-yellow, slightly orange color. There is a ton of carbonation, and the beer is very effervescent. There is a ton of foam, and I got a 4-finger, super white, thick and creamy head. The head is leaving lacing as it settles down. The beer is pretty clear, but there is a good amount of yeast sediment floating around. If this was filtered, it was before bottle conditioning. 

Petrus Triple

There are pale malts on the nose, lemon tea, honey, light tropical fruits (pineapple, mango), herbal and perfume tea notes, grass, yeast, maybe a pull towards very light pepper or coriander. I also smell a lot of juice.

The taste is of honey, grain from the pale malts, apples and grass, touches of light lemon, overripe banana, and maybe a hint of the tropical fruit; pineapple. Kind of watery with some hints of spent bubblegum or bubblegum, and light dashes of clove or pepper; coriander Pretty juicy, Belgian-qualities, some bitterness in the center, but on the watery, thin, and non-complex side of a Tripel.

Light, refreshing, and not complex: The front is honey, apples and apple cider, grain, lemon-grass, and maybe a touch of doughy pale malt. The middle rolls into some touches of tropical fruits, mild bitterness, spent bubblegum, touches of clove; the back has some pulls towards pepper, bubblegum, and more malts on the finish. The 7.5% is virtually non-existent which is a good thing. There's a ton of carbonation, but the back end is not very dry. This is juicy and refreshing for what it is worth.

Rating: Below-Average

Score: 50%

This is riding the line between Below-Average and Average. The fact that it gushed everywhere probably tipped my opinion. This beer is juicy, honey, apples, apple cider. It doesn't have any candied notes, it's not very dry, and it seems to miss a lot of the typical marks you expect for the Tripel style.

This isn't disgusting or offensive, and in fact this is drinkable. So I wouldn't turn this beer down. But since I score beer according to the style category...I have to say that I would shop around for other Tripels before trying this. Just a touch too juicy and apple cider-y for the style.

Maredsous 10 Tripel

Brewed By: Duvel Moortgat in Breendonk-Puurs, Belgium 
Purchased: Single bottle (11.2oz) from a 4-pack bought at Binny's in Illinois; 2011
Style/ABV: Belgian Tripel, 10.0%

Let me tell you a story about Duvel. A long time ago I was a noobie beer drinker, and I was interested in trying some "exotic" beer. I saw a big old 750ml bomber of Duvel at the store one day, so I brought it home not knowing what to expect. I did know that the beer clocked in at 8.5% ABV, and I had 750ml of the stuff. Being new to beer I was understandably a little nervous. I opened that bottle of Duvel up, poured a glass of the glorious gold creation, and was blown away forever. Duvel is still one of my absolute favorite beers, and I consider it a beer you could never do wrong by drinking.

Maredsous is actually a different branding under Duvel Moortgat. The bottle states "brewed in accordance with the Benedictine tradition of the community of Maredsous Abbey." And then in small print on the side it says "Brewed and bottled by Duvel Moortgat." The Maredsous Abbey is a legit Benedictine monastery founded on November 15, 1872. The abbey licenses its name to Duvel, who makes the Maredsous beer. So that's kind of gimmicky, but you can't blame Duvel, a Belgian company, for jumping on the Abbey beer trend.

Duvel was founded in 1871 by Jan-Leonard Moortgat. The brewery is probably most famously known for their absolutely kick-ass, divine Belgian Strong Ale, Duvel. Duvel has seen increasing sales, and is now the second largest brewer (in terms of revenue) after global leader Anheuser-Busch.

That's the history, but what about today's beer. Today's beer is Duvel's Abbey Tripel. Appropriately branded under the Abbey Maredsous, this is a typical take on the Tripel style. And when I say typical, I mean "hahahaha....shiiiit." I had three bottles of this stuff back in July, and it was good. Lots of subtle banana and spice, and huge candied orange notes. But this beer absolutely walloped my palate with the 10% ABV. Tripels are supposed to be high in alcohol, but the alcohol is supposed to be sneaky and subtle. This beer was anything but, and I was picking up a ton of heat. I don't mind heat, and I'm willing to adapt, but I wanted to see how this beer would fare in a couple of months. So here we are trying the Maredsous 10 Tripel. Will it still be super hot? 

*    *    *    *    *    *

The pour yields something that already looks "outside the box." For a Tripel, this beer is very orange. The pour gives way to a giant, fluffy, 4-finger head that is orange-white in color. The body is hazy and super carbonated; this is a very effervescent beer. But the big draw is the gorgeous gold-orange color you get from the body of the beer. Excellent clarity, even if it's a little darker than you typically expect.

A beautiful dark orange color.

The aroma is big big candy orange notes. I smell candied oranges and candied lemons dusted with light white sugar. There are big characteristic Duvel pale malt aromas, fresh coriander and big clove, some pepper, subtle banana-vanilla with touches of sugar, orange tea, orange juice, and mild perfume esters. Very, very nice, and no alcohol this time around. Yay!

Well...there is definitely some alcohol in the taste. It has mellowed out a bit over the past few months, and I imagine if you cellar this it will continue to calm down. The bottle has a 2013 expiration date, and this was bottled sometime in 2011 most likely. The taste is full of big pale malts, some dough, perfume, big orange candies, orange liquor, a wallop of clove-alcohol and pepper-alcohol, some astringent nuttiness, veggie notes, or even some woodiness, and some soft fruits like peach or berries. Complex with the malts playing a big role, and boozy. 

Maredsous 10 Tripel

The mouthfeel is pretty fucking viscous on this beer, especially for the style. I would call this a medium-full beer with moderate depth and big complexity. I would also call this a viscous warmer. I'm getting a big warming feeling in my stomach and on the back back stretch of my palate. The front of my palate is getting carbonation, clove-alcohol, pepper-alcohol, and candied oranges. The middle roles into more spices and some dough/grain. The back end has alcohol, spices, astringency, and some of those veggies, woody notes, and soft fruits. I think a lot of the unique flavors are the result of the big alcohol. 

Rating: Average
Score: 73%

3 months does not a cellaring make. I probably should have slept on this beer for another 6 to 9 months. But this is a Tripel, a style that is supposed to have a lot of alcohol and deliver you that alcohol in a subtle and quiet way. I appreciate the 10% ABV, I really do. Sometimes you want a beer that is big and bold, and I think this beer would cut through a lot of heavy cheeses or a big hearty dinner meal. And I really appreciate the complexity of flavors in this beer. This is by far one of the most complex Tripels I have tried. In some regards, this is better than the New Belgium Tripel because it isn't as spice-assertive.

So here's my final thought: this is a good beer, but an okay Tripel. It's a bit too boozy for the style. I would like to try a bottle that has been aged for 1 or 2 years to see how it stacks up. Considering that a 4-pack of this stuff costs anywhere from 15-20 dollars, I would say you can find a better Tripel elsewhere. Still, this is worth trying and it will not let you down if you like boozy and complex beers.

Corsendonk Agnus (Abbey Pale Ale)

Brewed By: Brouwerij Corsendonk in Turnhout, Belgium
Purchased: Single bottle (11.2oz) from a Corsendonk mixer from Friar Tucks in Urbana, IL; 2011
Style/ABV: Belgian Tripel, 7.5%

 

Brouwerij Corsendonk is a brewery based out of Oud-Turnhout, Belgium. According to Ratebeer, their beer is brewed at Brasserie Du Bocq, so I went digging for some history on the brewery.

 

According to Corsendonk's website, the Priory of Crosendonk was found in 1398, and included a brewery and malt-house. The Corsekndonk monks not only brewed beer, but copied books (this was before the printing press, yo), helped teach Latin, and helped teach the study of the Bible. In 1784, Austrian Emperor Joseph II shut down the Priory of Corsendonk; and in 1789 during the French Revoultion the Corsendonk properties were put up for auction. In the 19th century Corsendonk was born again, and post-1970 the Priory of Corsendonk was resotred. According to both Wikipedia and Ratebeer, the Corsendonk beers are brewed elsewhere, but it appears that the Priory is maintained. It appears that the actual Corsendonk beer is brewed at the Brasserie Du Bocq in Purnode, Belgium.

That's about all you need to know about Corsendonk. But the short version is that they are a Belgium brewery with a rich history, and they produces some well-respected Abbey-style beers. Corsendonk is most known for their Agnus (Abbey Tripel), Pater (Abbey Dubbel), and Christmas Ale (Belgian Strong Ale).

 

I happen to have all three beers in my possession, and tonight I am drinking their Agnus (Abbey Pale Ale/Tripel). I actually feel like an idiot now that I am looking over the bottle, it clearly states: "Brewed and bottled by Brewery Du Bocq." Here's a drink to getting the bottle out and looking it over before digging into the history of the beer! 

 

This is a bottle conditioned beer (according to the bottle, ha!) and reacts like one. When I cracked open the bottle a nice chimney of rising carbonation poked out the neck of the bottle. This beer looks a lot like a Tripel. The body on this one is a pale-golden yellow-orange/straw color; the body of this beer has a tea quality to it. The beer is slightly hazy with some yeast residuals floating around. There is a lot of carbonation as evident from the steady streams of rising bubbles. This is pretty effervescent, as a Triple should be. Lastly, there was a gorgeous 4-finger WHITE head when the beer was poured. The head is quite thick and creamy, and is leaving a bit of lacing on the glass.

 

I picked up this beer a couple months ago, and who knows how long it was sitting on the shelves. The bottle states that this beer is best enjoyed before 11/05/12, but how old is the bottle? I'm smelling a really nice candied orange note on the nose, some light lemongrass, a little pale malt, and maybe a hint of clove or spice. I'm also smelling that dusty-cardboard-old book note you get from beers that have spent some quality time in the cellar. The hops do smell slightly faded, but there is a really smooth candy-malt note. I've had some heated Tripels (I'm looking at you, Maredsous!) and this one smells quite mellow and balanced.  

 

Corsendonk "Agnus" Abbey Pale Ale (Tripel)

And indeed, this tastes absolutely sublime. There is no alcohol in here as far as taste is concerned. Tripels are supposed to sneak the alcohol into the beer. The alcohol is there in spirit and warming, but the style isn't really meant to be heated. I'm guessing the age of this beer factors into why it is so mellow, so keep that in mind if you are drinking a fresh bottle. There are really nice clove notes, candied orange and lemon notes, a hint of pepper on the back end, and some awesome pale malt notes. Big pale malts balance the candied fruits, and you pick up some yeast, pulls towards dough, and grain. Really nice. There is also a slightly dusty or aged quality going on. 

 

This is smooth, easy-drinking stuff. So easy-drinking you forget that this clocks in at a pretty damning 7.5% ABV. Proceed cautiously. This bottle I have right here is medium-bodied, smooth and mellow, has good depth on the palate, and features medium complexity. The front of the palate is creamy, carbonated, full of clove and candied oranges; the middle rolls into the big pale malts with some nice remnants of the candied fruits; the back of this beer is slightly peppery and finishes dry and dusty. This is slightly warming on the back-back end, but the alcohol is really non-existent in the taste. I love that. 

 

Rating: Above-Average

Score: 83%

 

This is just a step below the Westmalle Tripel. If it was a total palate-blaster like the Westmalle, it would surpass the Westmalle. But literally, a single step. This is an awesome, awesome beer.

 

I'm really impressed (and surprised) by how hidden the alcohol is in this beer. I really like the smooth, mellow, and sublime nature of this beer. The candied fruit notes are really tasty, and the spices are present but do not overpower the palate. 

 

Earlier in the summer I had Maredsous's Tripel. The beer was good, but heated. It was so heated that I put it on the back burner to let it mellow out for a bit. Tripels are supposed to pack a big alcohol punch, but the alcohol is supposed to be well-masked by the beer.

 

To conclude: The Coresendonk Agnus is one of the better Tripels I have had. This is a really balanced, smooth, and mature take on the Tripel style. I feel obligated to report back if I have a fresher bottle to see if the alcohol is as mellow as an older bottle. This beer is highly recommended, so cheers.