Ondineke Oilsjtersen Tripel - KleinBrouwerij De Glazen Toren

Telix

Michigan

4/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Taken from notes. Had this a few months back at Birreria Paradiso in DC. Apologies on the meager notes here...

A: Pours a coppery gold with a pillowy head that slowly dissipates.

S: Slightly funky standard tripel aromas.

T: Kinda funky bretty notes with delicious light apple and white grape flavors. There might be some rotten fruit flavors in there, and it finishes clean.

M: Effervescent, mouth-filling, a bit fizzy on the tongue.

D: Very high, very easy to drink and enjoy.

Serving type: on-tap

01-06-2010 18:16:00 | More by Telix

augustgarage

California

4.63/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Over time, I am reviewing the offerings of De Glazen Toren (Jef Van Den Steen's brewery) in the order that they were first released. Their Saison is highly impressive; among traditional formulations of the style, it stands at or near the apex. Now I'll move on to their Tripel.

Tissue-wrapped 750mL bottle, bottled on March 15th, 2008, cellared for several months between 67˚F and 77˚F. This should be a fairly mature bottle. Lightly chilled then poured into my Trabadour tulip glass. Bottle was a tremendous "gusher" which had me worried, but thankfully this wasn't a sign of spoilage. Sadly, at least one glass worth ended up everywhere but in the glass...

Carrot orange body with bright tangerine-yelllow and amber highlights. Clarity would be good but for the sand-storm of tiny reddish-brown yeast particles caught up in a perpetual cyclone of carbonation. Massive and rather dense lemon-chiffon/beige head leaves a glorious crown of lacing along the sides of the glass, and a fluffy mesa in the center. Retention is rather average for the style though...

Complex and subtle aromatics - faint rock candy, fresh baguette, slightly medicinal but in a good way (iodine/seaweed), cream, earth, and restrained spice (pepper, clove, cardamom). Ineffable esters from the alcohol - a really unique expression that seems to have aged exceptionally.

Another textbook integration of the various elements of the flavor profile: esters, phenols, alcohol, hops, and malt form a kaleidoscope of shifting impressions that synergize in the end. Analogies to orange peel, pepper, clove, leather, clover, cinnamon, honey, and so on could be made but they fall short of revealing the unique sense of provenance in the glass.

While traveling through Sicily, whenever I saw local foodstuffs for sale, they were often described with a curious admixture of pride and humility as "tipica," that is "typical" of the region. The word has a deeper meaning however, about an almost spiritual connection to a distinct location, utilizing traditional practices and/or products of a farm, a town, or a region. There is a similar alchemy at play with this Tripel.

I don't usually like to focus on the intangible qualities of a beer, but there is something about this ale that pulls me away from a more analytical approach to reviewing.

The mouth-feel is not just creamy, but almost buttery - a little too slick perhaps, but not at all hot. Effervescent, but not to the point of being refreshing...though the flavor and aroma are such that drinkability remains very high.

With this rustic yet sophisticated Tripel, De Glazen Toren once again reveals themselves as true artisans with a deep understanding of tradition. Next up to try is their winter scotch ale...if they keep up this pattern throughout their offerings, they may displace De Dolle as my favorite brewery...

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2009 22:13:22 | More by augustgarage

corby112

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a hazy golden orange color with a 2.5 finger frothy yellowish head. Good retention, slowly fading into a lasting cap that leaves sporadic spots of lacing.

Spicy peppery zest aroma with hints of corriander, bready yeast and citrus peel. Smells like a bland version of a style that usually has an intere4sting aroma.

Sweet citrus aroma with a lot of zesty/peppery flavor. Lots of corriander with bready yeast body and sweet citrus notes. Orange peel and grapefruit dominate and the alcohol is well balanced.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2009 08:52:11 | More by corby112

Beerenauslese

California

4.88/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A: Translucent golden amber and a few yeasties. Have a glass handy, this gushed from the bottle, even though it was not agitated! Massive head, resolving into a dense cappuccino foam, eventually leaving a thin layer of lace.

S: Tropical fruit, brown sugar, honey, tobacco, green tea.

T: A wonderful balance of tart and sweet in a triple style. Pineapple, sweet mango, dark sugar, butterscotch, a bit of gunpowder green tea and hop bitters.

M: Moderate carbonation, taste explodes everywhere. A buttery flavor produces the desire for another immediate sip, but if you can wait a bit, the lingering mouthfeel is a pleasant ginger buzz with a tropical fruit sweetness and butterscotch.

D: Remarkably drinkable, one sip brings on the next and at 8.5% it is sessionable. I am spending Christmas Eve thoroughly enjoying this one.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2008 02:58:39 | More by Beerenauslese

Crosling

Colorado

4.3/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Signature Belgian look, a dark golden body with a large, frothy head of foam that leaves spotty lacing and lasts well. Nose is the weakest part of the ale, but still shows some nice notes of herbs, along with a variety of yeast derived from notes. Flavor is brilliantly balanced, full of subtlety and nuance. Mouth feel is silky and wet, and glides down the throat. Very nice ale. The Belgians do it the best, period.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2008 20:09:09 | More by Crosling

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.1/5  rDev -1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Blurry lemon, thanks to abundant swirling yeast and even more abundant, rapidly rising bubbles. The alabaster crown is beautiful in the way that only Belgian foam can be. It's huge to start, looks pillowy soft, becomes melted rocky as it descends, and leaves fine filagreed lace on the glass. The second pour looks even better. What a looker!

The nose is world-class even if it doesn't deserve a perfect score. No spices were added, according to the brewery. Which means that the yeast are incredibly esterific. The usual candi sugar-soaked orchard fruit is present, with lemon zest more prominent than in most beer of this style.

The spiciness of the flavor profile is impressive. Ondineke isn't as rip roarin' as, say, De Dolle Dulle Teve (Mad Bitch), but it ain't no wallflower either. It may be lacking a little in terms of depth and complexity, but that's a call I don't feel good about making until the bottle is almost gone. If I can still type at that point.

Flavors include spiced pears and apples, maybe a slice of juicy peach, and candied lemon zest... all swimming in sugar syrup. That isn't to say, however, that OTT is overly sweet. Hallertau Mittelfruh hops do a good job countering the sugariness of the malt (pale, pils) and the candi sugar. Let's add the slight tang of untoasted sourdough bread to the list.

A better mouthfeel might have put this ale over the top. Unfortunately, it isn't as lightly creamy and as voluptuously smooth as the best Belgian tripels. The carbonation faded too quickly and is sorely missed.

Ondineke Oilsjtersen Tripel started out like a house on fire, but lost its spark when it came to the mouthfeel. I'm still pleased with my first De Glazen Toren beer and can't wait to see what else this brewery has to offer. Bottom line: if it was less than $10, it was worth the money.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2008 21:41:15 | More by BuckeyeNation

gory4d

New York

4.25/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours into my goblet a cloudy orange with a thick meringue head. Smell is fruity with a bite; taste is malty loquat with a sharp hop spiciness. It feels clean but heavy on the tongue, with the alcohol snap coming up after. A couple of glasses of this would be plenty, but man, it's a nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2008 05:25:30 | More by gory4d

TheLiterati

California

4.45/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Amazing. Simply amazing.

Poured a cloudy orange-amber color with a long lasting, multi finger high head. Just beautiful in the glass.

Aroma is subtle, but gently blossoms as the beer warms...reminiscent of apple pie, mildly spiced, with a light, flaky crust, all of which translates to the taste.

mouthfeel is like butta...smooth and velvety.

Drinkability is spot on, but watch it - the alcohol content is well masked but definitely present.

Thank you Alex at Red Carpet Wines & Spirits for the recommendation!

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2008 04:52:20 | More by TheLiterati

Kraken

Maryland

4.38/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a capped 750ml bottle. Born on date for this bad boy's wrapper was 12/30/05. I've seen very few 750ml bottles that are capped and not corked, and even fewer from 2005. Pours a wonderful dark translucent orange with a 3 finger head, head has substantial lasting power with moderate lacing, large amount of sediment. Smells of caramel, sour apples, cider, and belgian yeast. Slight funkiness, more sour apples, sweet candy sugar, very minimal hop bitterness, peppery finish. Sweetness becomes more intense, in a good way as it warms. Excellent refreshing Champaign like bubbles add significantly to the flavor amalgam. Mouthfeel is creamy rich and complex. Highly drinkable, alcohol is totally hidden. A fantastically refreshing Triple even after 3yrs on the shelf @ Oak tree. I still can't believe this didnt have a cork. Well worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2008 02:25:46 | More by Kraken

GClarkage

California

4.75/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

04/20/08- Had on tap at the Toronado during Belgian Beer Month.

Presentation- Via the tap into a tulip-wine style glass.

Appearance- Pale honey colored pour with a 1/4 inch head that leaves decent lace traces.

Smell- Lightly hopped nose with a bit of a herbal note. Smells a touch tart and farmhouse.

Taste- Complex! Notes of everything at different stages. Honey, floral flavors, light hops, sweet confectioniers sugar, caramel malt base. Starts out a bit tart and ends a bit sweet.

Mouthfeel- Lightly carbonated, but sharp and intense. Very smooth and creamy as well.

Drinkability- My favorite beer of the day hands down. Lots of goodies thrown into one beer. Easy drinker that I will look for in the bottle in the future.

Serving type: on-tap

04-23-2008 00:38:44 | More by GClarkage

RoyalT

Ohio

4.63/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Appearance - This came out a sharp but clear orange in color with a beautiful bright white head. Everything about this beer looks terrific but the head in particular looks as fluffy as a down pillow. This mind you from a very careful pour.

Smell - The bouquet has all the requisite smells of the style, but everything is of high quality and very distinctive. The coriander aroma for instance is like fresh cilantro seeds just crushed in a mortar and pestle. The hops are mild but again very leafy and distinctive. The light white pepper is lightly bitter but absolutely exquisite.

Taste - The taste is as delicate and distinctive as the smell. There are more hops at the taste making this a heavy-hitting Tripel. The malts definitely play back up but again are of the highest quality. The light candi sugar melts in the mouth.

Mouthfeel - This is a medium to full-bodied ale. The delicate, tickling mouthfeel is pure pleasure and the long, bitter finish is quite satisfying.

Drinkability - This is one of the most harmonious Tripels I have ever had. It went down slow but beautifully, had no sense of alcohol or that dreaded Tripel medicine cabinet, and was delicate as a freshly plucked flower. One of the best Tripels I've ever had!

Comments - The hops for this beer, Saaz, target, styrian, goldings, and cascades, are all picked locally from the town of Meldert, and boy does it show. It's like the difference between making a dinner salad from vegetables bought from the store and those plucked fresh the same day from your own backyard garden.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2008 04:02:17 | More by RoyalT

Zorro

California

3.78/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Wrapper says Bottled on 24 Aug 2007 so this bottle is 6 months old.

Clear golden colored beer with a massive white colored head.

The smell is sweet and spicy with a strong herbal aroma and a strong vanilla aroma. Coriander, hot pepper, mint, apple brandy, and caramel are all in here.

The taste begins mildly sweet and spicy with a mint aftertaste...I think. Slightly hot in the mouth possibly from coriander or ginger. The taste just isn't what the smell promises, smells great and tastes sort of average.

Mouthfeel is OK.

Well not the best but not so bad. Though for $14.99 for the bottle it should be world class. Not a bad beer but I think I would drink the Saison again first.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2008 00:27:22 | More by Zorro

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4.45/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Another fabulous beer at 72 hours of Belgium.

The beer pours an impressive bright gold color with good head retention and excellent lacing. The nose is bit mute, but one gets honey and gingerale. The flavor profile replicates the nose, but is very rich... butter, honey, ginger ale, apple and honey. This beer is terrific. The beer is not heavy and is so easy to drink. This is just fabulous stuff. On tap it is an extra special treat.

The flavors are quite complex, and there is an added element I cant' quite describe. There is almost a chalk/clay flavor, which normally wouldn't be such a great thing, but works very well in cutting the sweetness of this beer.

Excellent stuff....

Serving type: on-tap

02-17-2008 18:07:32 | More by johnmichaelsen

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.68/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Musty slightly funky yeasty aroma. Great creamy head pour. Light colour. In a word, creamy yeasty milk taste with hop bitterness in the finish. Nicely drinkable, with food. Not for everybody, and not everyone's idea of the triple.ABove average mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2008 05:30:28 | More by northyorksammy

HombreWing

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled 12/30/05

Eyes: Hazy gold, bubbles bubbles bubbles, beautiful white head that laces the goblet

Nose: slight honey sweetness...tropical fruit, very little spice..no hop

Tongue: Spice is showing here but I think it's yeast bite. Drying finish.

Texture: bubbly in the mouth

Mouth happiness: I like trips ...gimme gimme gimme

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2007 01:01:26 | More by HombreWing

blakesell

Ohio

4.2/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 750ml bottle (bottled on 04/06/06) into a belgian goblet.

Appearance- Beer is a light hazy golden like a lemon has a head of froth that pours 2 deep in the goblet, slowly fades away like clouds put in time lapse.

Smell- A hint of brett with a peachy aftertone, a bit of clove, kind of floral.

Taste- Peach cobbler with a hint of dry sourness. Corriander and tart lemon. Grassy sweetness. This is quite the impressive tripel.

Mouthfeel- Medium light bodied with some warming. Just dry enough to keep me coming back to it.

Drinkability- Absolutely. I'll have to find another of these to keep back next time I need a good tripel to set my taste buds right. Warming at 8.5 ABV, but still a fine example of a great tripel.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2007 01:16:03 | More by blakesell

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

4.08/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle: poured a deep cloudy (non-filtered) golden color ale with a super huge white foamy head with great retention and some perfect lacing. Aroma of light sweet peach with some fruity yeasty ester is really intriguing and refreshing. Taste is a well balance mix between some peach, some sweet malt with a well balance dry hops finish and some fruity ester from the yeast. Full body with minimal filtering and some great carbonation. I have to admit to being really impressed by that one.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2007 19:46:08 | More by Phyl21ca

crookedhalo

Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev -13%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a golden bronze color with a decent bone white head that subsides leaving tattered Belgian lace. Aromas are mostly of yeasty funk, orange rind, tobacco, unkilned candi sugar and a slight vegetal aroma not unlike a sliced roma or black tomato. Vegetal carries over into the flavor as well; minisculy hoppy, but noticeably vegetal. Some pale malt sweetness, light fruitiness and a lesser alcohol kick with subtle lime citrus notes. Carbonation is decent, light and airy. Overall, not the most noteworthy tripel, but pretty decent. I'd try it again if given the oppurtunity.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2007 02:42:57 | More by crookedhalo

Yotus

Nebraska

4.18/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured a decent sample from a 750m, tissue-wrapped bottle.

Deep gold color with a dense, pillowy white head. Good blast of hops in the aroma, unexpected and very nice. Underneath it all is some yeasty spiciness and some citrus notes, possibly from the hops.

Refreshing tartness. This beer has a very light body with a fairly crisp finish with accent on the hops. Good lingering bitterness that dries out nicely - there is still a good solid malt backround, but an interesting interplay of hop, malt and yeast that provide a very complex taste experience.

Very refreshing for an 8.5% ABV beer.

This is a good Tripel and is apparently is very good shape. The tissue wrap indicates that it was bottled on 4-17-06 and is best by the same date, 4-17-08.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2007 02:08:47 | More by Yotus

Goldorak

Quebec (Canada)

3.85/5  rDev -7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Appearance: Opaque, maybe a little too peachy colored for the style but still okay, save for the chunks floating around. Nice clingy white head that had no problem reviving itself with a swirl of the glass.

Smell: For a capped-only bottle, it had a lot of cork notes which was sort of unexpected but not unpleasant, it gave it some dusty attic feel to go with the obvious yeasty, spicy aromas ubiquitous to the style.

Taste: A teeny little bit sweet for just a half second, then the carbonation hits your tongue and attacks you with coriander and maybe allspice, who knows with belgian tripels, maybe it's all yeast. Alcohol is subdued, but then again so was the overall body. A solid trip from a brewery that has been all good so far for me.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2007 01:49:59 | More by Goldorak

cbl2

New York

3.88/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

3/25/2007 8l49 750 mL 8.50% Bottled on Decmber 30, 2005.

Appearance:

Red cap is removed with a nice hiss. Beer pours with vigorous carbonation that leads to two fingers of tight creamy foam. Liquid is a hazy dark gold suffused with a vortex of carbonation.

Aroma:

Crisp tropical fruit, and loads of pepper dominate the nose. Very light and airy, and representative of what a Tripel should be.

Taste/Mouthfeel:

Creamy though effervescent mouthfeel. Peppery and light on the tongue, with muted starfruit flavors. Rather enjoyable, though not outstanding.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2007 16:24:08 | More by cbl2

Dukeofearl

California

4.22/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750 ml bottle purchased from Hi TIme Wine in Costa Mesa, CA. in January 2007 for the princely sum of $13.99- this better be good! Paper on bottle says bottled on 06 April 2006, so this isn't quite a year old when I get to try it in late February, 2007. Best by 2 years after bottling.

Capped bottle opens with a huge fufff sound and a volcano of tripel all over my kitchen counter. This kept flowing like the fake volcano in the old Brady Bunch episode all the way over to the sink, where I was able to vent it off into my Chimay goblet. So much for about 4 ounces of this bottle. This is my second biggest explosion ever (after Mead the Gueze) that I can remember.

Because of this incident, all the yeast (apparently quite a lot) went up into suspension, making this a very cloudy beer. However, the head (and yes, there is plenty) is gorgeous.

But the aroma from this experience- even my wife likes the smell! A mix of fruitiness and spiciness, and general tripel goodness. I can only hope it tastes half as good.

Flavor follows the aroma, but it's spicier. But overall the flavor is pretty mild. A certain coating on my throat (after the swallow) suggests sugar, but it's not really sweet. Good, but not outstanding.

However, the package does make this extremely drinkable. So much so that my wife (who doesn't like tripels) even enjoyed it. Overall good stuff, but I can't say that it's worth the price.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2007 02:49:29 | More by Dukeofearl

Phatz

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Poured a cloudy lemon color with a hint of orange hue. Big white head in my little snifter glass. Gorgeous sticky lacing smattered on the walls of the glass.

Smell: Light fruity aromas of apple and peach along with coriander spice and honey.

Taste: Zesty and lively across the palate with some sweet wheat bread and yeasty flavors along with a light sprinkling of spice. Some hops near the end and dryness in the finish. It is not an over zealous triple but tasty.

Mouthfeel: Very well carbonated but light body underneath and quite quaffable.

Drinkability: The alcohol shows just a tad, but as triples go this one is pretty nice. Still it was nice to share it.

Hope this is helpful.
Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2007 01:37:31 | More by Phatz

Westsidethreat

California

4.03/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Huge frothy white head with substantial mountaineous peacks sits majestically on the apple juice colored body. Lot of sediment has come to rest at the bottom of the glass. Superbly carbonated.

S: Very spicy with nips of coriander, all spice, green banana peel and wet hay.

T: Banana backbone with touches of peach, green apple and a splash of lemon juice. Very sweet, a lot of sugar has been added to this one. Bittering hops are present but get over run by the sweetness. Very strong applesauce personality takes over this brew, can't get the thought out of my head. Aftertaste is pure honeysuckle and plumeria.

M: Medium body, sort of sticky.

D: Like drinking a fresh fruit salad with sugar sprinkled on top. This beer could have sucked a lot worse. Rarely do I find a triple I like, this one fit the bill.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2006 01:17:47 | More by Westsidethreat

emerge077

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A loud hiss is released when the cap comes off...moments later foam is gushing into the sink. Pleasant aromas waft around, well before the glass is poured. First impression was of fruity yogurt, and fresh baked breads. It's a hazy golden pour, with a ton of billowing foam. Sticky lace forms as the glass rests for a minute. Aroma closer inside the glass is of sweet pale malt, with a hint of spice, mildly rich and boozy overall.

Taste follows aroma of pale malt, candy sugar, sort of lightly wheaty. I'd agree with the previous review describing it as an imperial hefe, especially in the smooth mouthfeel and wheat character. Unlike a stronger version of a hefe though, it's a bit sweeter and fairly rich. No banana/clove dynamic really. Hops are there in the finish but take a backseat to the stronger flavors. A pleasant lingering aftertaste of mellow citrus, and sweet esters. A slower sipper, one to share with friends.

De Glazen Toren surely creates unique versions of traditional Belgian styles. This is my second favorite, after the exceptional Jan De Lichte Double Wit.

Recommended!

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2006 01:29:27 | More by emerge077