Cerberus Belgian Tripel - Thirsty Dog Brewing Company

Flounder57

Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

12 oz bottle was poured into a snifter.

Appearance: This beer poured a minimal head that reduced to nothing quickly. It is a pale light orange color with great clarity and bubbles coming up through the glass.

Smell: Very traditional aromas here. Vanilla, spices, yeasty esters, boozy alcohol, super sweet malts, and a bit of apple and pear.

Taste: sweetness mellowed out here. Smooth boozy alcohol in the back of the palate here too with a tiny bit of bitterness in the end. Nice stuff.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, light to medium bodied, medium carbonation, a little bit of boozy alcohol, and easy to drink. Too easy.

Overall: A nice tripel in my opinion. It could be a little less sweeter, but I'll take it.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 10:06:28 | More by Flounder57

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

2.58/5  rDev -31.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Appearance: Pours a lightly hazed, golden-colored body with a medium-small, fleeting, white head. Nil lacing.

Smell: Yields a somewhat sugary nose, but also an aroma of fruit cocktail, with alcohol replacing the precious juices with which it usually packed.

Taste: Simple, modest malted grains glazed in simple syrup. A little bubblegum, a bit more sugar advancing, then, some fruitiness of strawberry, peach, and melon juice. A couple whole buds of clove. If it stopped there, I'd be content, but it has a real sharp sting from the alcohol, with a touch of acetone to it, leaving a lingering singe in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Medium-plus body. Medium-low carbonation.

Overall: Hot, but not in a good way. It's harshness and brash character overrides any goodness. This is unfortunate. Instead of a bottle capped with gold foil, it deserves to be sheathed in a brown paper bag.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 23:45:44 | More by ChainGangGuy

Fitwitchik

Ohio

4.98/5  rDev +31.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

First time on tap @ TD October 2012. LOVED it as I am a huge trippel fan. Told it was not sold in bottles....yet. Found today at Whole Foods in C'bus Ohio. BAM!

Golden colour with a creamy head. Sediment particles sink float to the bottom of my
glass.

The fruity malted fragance tells me I am about to have a quality Belguim.

DANG! Bottled version does NOT lack. Forgot how much I enjoy this excellent trippel.

Balanced with carbonation & flavour. Feel like I just won the lottery with this lovely brew.

Thirsty Dog has created an outstanding trippel. Pass it on.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 23:37:58 | More by Fitwitchik

flagmantho

Washington

3.58/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from 12oz bottle into a tulip.

Appearance: medium golden hue with plenty of haze and a thick finger of frothy ivory foam. Quite good.

Smell: quite sweet with a good malt component and aromas of pear and green apple. This thing definitely has an alcoholic kick, however, and the overall aromatic effect is a bit messy. There is some good stuff here, but it just doesn't come together terribly well.

Taste: sweet malt with that same nice fruity apple and pear quality, although a bit toned down with respect to the aroma. Alcohol definitely also plays a part in the flavor of this beer. Yeast flavors include a bit of a phenolic finish which, while not bad, doesn't necessarily play terribly well with other aspects of the flavor. I'm a little on the fence about this one, but I admit it could be better.

Mouthfeel: medium body with a good level of carbonation and a nice, smooth creaminess. Works for me!

Overall: this is an interesting example of a tripel. I like the fact that the flavor profile is a bit out of the ordinary, but in this case it doesn't seem to work quite right for me. Not bad, but not a tripel I'd reach for given other options.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 17:09:10 | More by flagmantho

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.65/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Small, but solid head. Leaves chunky lace. Starts very clear but the end of the pour shows plenty yeast cloudiness.

Sweet like brandy with an alcohol kick. Very much a Tripel smell.

High alcohol flavor and aftertaste. This dominates the taste. Mostly creamy and slightly sour. Very warming. Full bodied with a low-ish carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2012 02:17:09 | More by smcolw

gfreed

Massachusetts

3.38/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

The vanilla, oaky milkshake aroma was very attractive, as was the puffy, fluffy head. Beyond that... meh. There's a dry finish, thanks to the hoppy edge, some bubbles and a few lines of chest-beating text on the label. Beyond that, there's not much to recommend. Tasty enough for one try only.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2012 01:55:48 | More by gfreed

SaintBenedict

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle with a gold foil cap, despite the poorly designed label.

Cerberus pours a slightly hazed amber-tinged golden color, with a fizzy, white head that quickly vanishes.

The nose is sweet and malty with faint Belgian yeast, a kiss of rock candi, a significant amount of sweet cookie-like malt, some ripe juicy berries, crisp orchard fruit (like green apple and pear), and a touch of anise and clove.

On the taste buds, Cerberus is sweet and malty, with tangy, peppery clove-like citrus spiciness. There's also a dash of dark berries for good measure, and more fresh tree fruit. Most surprising is the fair amount of bitterness that Cerberus offers. The tripel-style ale finishes tart and dry.

Medium-to-full-bodied with prickly carbonation, Cerberus is a solid tripel, though it may lack some of the bright fruitiness characteristic of Belgian models. The ale is rather malty, with a bitter dryness that strikes me as somewhat uncharacteristic of the style (though it never crosses over into Belgian IPA territory).

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2012 03:46:33 | More by SaintBenedict

Hopdaemon39

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into an oversized wine glass- pours a hazy, bright orange/golden color. Less than a finger of head, not too much retention, some spots of lacing. Not as luscious of a tripel as I'm used to.

Smell is very sweet- candi sugar, pilsener malt, perhaps a little bit of hops. I get some pear and green apple as well. Nice.

Taste is consistent- very sweet, lots of candi sugar, some fruitiness, a little bit of hops towards the end. Interestingly enough, I don't taste yeast in an explicit way.

Mouthfeel is good- medium to fuller bodied, light prickly carbonation, not a trace if alcohol burn which is very nice considering the strength. This is a good one- it's a difficult style for us in America to crack but a good attempt.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2012 00:59:14 | More by Hopdaemon39

barczar

Kentucky

3.85/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a slightly hazy golden peach color with a solid one finger cream head that dissipates fairly quickly.

Fruity belgian yeast esters dominate the aroma, with peach, pear, and a hint of funk accompanying belgian candi sugar.

The flavor follows the nose, heavy pear and belgian yeast take center stage, with an assertive lemony citrus taste hitting mid palate. A fairly bready malt backbone provides balance into the slightly dry finish. Hints of spicy clove add complexity, but the finish is somewhat stale.

Body leans toward the full side, with fairly high carbonation accentuating the citrus profile. Alcohol warmth is a bit more than comforting.

Overall, a pretty decent tripel. If the finish was more lively and the alcohol better hidden, this would've scored far better.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2012 03:58:03 | More by barczar

DavoleBomb

Ohio

4.05/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a snifter.

4.0 A: Clear orange until I got to the yeast, then moderately hazed orange amber color. Yeast particulates at bottom of glass. Just one finger of frothy off-white head. Retention is lacking, but a good sized ring of lacing is left.

4.5 S: Wonderfully spicy with white pepper, clove, and hints of corriander. Mildly yeasty. Flowery hops with a touch of herbalness in there as well. Somewhat sugary with peach, pear, and apple fruitiness. Very well done.

4.0 T: Tastes like the nose, but perhaps a bit less impressive. Peppery with lesser clove and corriander from the yeast with a moderate yeastiness. Flowery and sugary with hay like earthiness joining the scene. Peach, pear, and apple fruitiness again. Booze well in check.

3.5 M: Lighter medium body. Good carbonation level and while it is somewhat spritzy, it isn't spritzy enough. Good creaminess though.

4.0 D: Tasty beer. I only wonder if I'm rating this higher than I should since I haven't had a decent tripel in ages.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2012 02:52:44 | More by DavoleBomb

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

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

Paid a bit more than I wanted for this at 4 dollars a bottle I hope it's worth it.

A - Damn a bit of sediment clumps and a touch of haze. I expected a more clear pour. Head is minimal that forums a light lace.

S - Smell is a nice bit of apples and pear fruity yeasts. Smells pretty balanced.

T - Taste is pretty boozy, more so I expected but it does round out a bit as it warms. Yeasts are good, a touch spicy and fruity. Not bad overall.

M - Medium to heavy in bottle. Needs more balance.

Overall not really worth the 4 dollars I paid and I have had more balanced Belgium Triples. Aside from this its a pretty high octane Triple nothing more.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2012 05:29:16 | More by DrDemento456

htomsirveaux

Texas

3.33/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz. bottle tried 6 Nov 2011. Served in the (512) One snifter.

Small white head. Medium carbonation. Cloudy dark gold in color. Aroma of apples, yeast and ethanol, touch of sugar. Lots of apple from beginning to end. Also yeast. Fairly warming, ethanol present throughout. Medium chewy body, lots of ethanol. Warming boozy finish.

Decent, but I'd take Fin du Monde anyday.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2012 01:58:56 | More by htomsirveaux

bluHatter

Michigan

3.95/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A: Pours with a finger of head that disappears fairly quickly. Little lacing. Big airy bubbles up the sides of the glass.

S: Citrusy, caramelized hops - smells like it might be sweet and rich.

T: Big flavor here. Like old abbey ales but with citric fruity notes and very sour throughout. I taste some grapefruit after a few sips. This is one of those beers that ages in the glass, the flavors maturing and changing with every sip. It adds a lot of really amazing complexity that should be consumed slowly so that it can be thoroughly enjoyed.

M: A lot of IPA-style big airy carbonation... The kind that I'm not usually a fan of. But the flavor makes up for that in this case. It has just the right amount of carbonation, don't get me wrong... It's just not the style of carbonation that I prefer.

O: A very interesting ale for sure. I think this would complement a high grade bleu cheese nicely ~ the two share a lot of the same qualities. Slightly pungent but highly rewarding to the discerning tongue.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2012 01:23:31 | More by bluHatter

jdhilt

New Hampshire

3.88/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a three finger cream head that fades very slowly to a thin layer, leaving a good lace. Hazy amber color. Medium carbonation and medium bodied. Sweet fruity nose and flavor is sweet light fruit and spice. Higher ABV is hidden. $3.50 for a 12oz bottle from Tully's Beer & Wine Wells, Me.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2012 23:00:11 | More by jdhilt

superspak

Michigan

3.85/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 ounce foil capped bottle into chalice, no bottle dating. Pours hazy golden orange color with a small foamy off white head that disappears quickly. No lacing on the glass, with some carbonation streaming up. Aromas of banana, molasses, candi sugar, pear, honey, biscuit, pepper, spicy yeast, and a bit of booze. Some pretty decent aromas with good strength. Taste of big pear, orange, banana, molasses, candi sugar, bubblegum, pepper, clove, yeast spices, and a bit of alcohol. Lingering notes of citrus, banana, pepper, and spices on the finish for a bit. Medium carbonation and fairly full bodied; with a creamy and slightly slick mouthfeel that drinks pretty well for 10%, but it is definitely a sipper. Good balance of flavors; with no cloying sweetness as expected from the style. Alcohol is fairly well hidden, but there is a good sized warming on the finish. Overall this is a very nice Tripel style, if a bit on the boozy side. Really enjoyed this one.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2012 08:31:26 | More by superspak

BigPlay1824

New York

2.75/5  rDev -27.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Enjoyed in a chalice

A: pours a very hazy and muddled orange color with a very very thin layer of white lacing with fine bubbles that dissipates almost immediately, leaves
S: tart and a for some reason lime comes to mind
T: interesting taste, definitely has citrus tastes but also some tartness and a bit of funk, finishes with a definite alcohol tinge, leaves a kind of nasty vodka like taste on the palate
M: medium carbonation, drinks a bit thick, alcohol burn hits midsip and lingers through to the end
O: not impressed in the least bit, alcohol is not masked taste really doesn't seem to align with the style well at all

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2012 01:35:53 | More by BigPlay1824

Ratman197

Colorado

4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle from Half Time poured a hazy gold with a small lasting creamy white head. Aromas of pear, pineapple, bread and light spice. Mouthfeel was medium bodied and smooth. Flavors of bread, pear, light pineapple and light spice with a smooth lingering fruity finish.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2012 00:20:53 | More by Ratman197

burnstar

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a dark yellow with a big persistent head. Smell is cakey sweet. Spices, cloves, bananas. Taste is surprisingly not very sweet despite the smell. Belgian malt characteristics- cloves, phenolic, light fruit. A little boozy. Much hoppier than the typical tripel. Bitter herbal hops. Well carbonated and medium to full bodied. Overall this is definitely different from a typical tripel but I like it.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2011 20:10:41 | More by burnstar

dorianmarley

Ohio

4.4/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance is cloudy orange, with a thin, creamy head that lasts. The lacing sparkles with carbonation, and lasts the whole beer.

Nose is malty, floral, and citrus.

Taste is nutty vanilla, sweet malt, mild sourness, and orange cream.

Mouthfeel is very creamy, with medium carbonation, and mild astringency.

Overall, a very good trippel.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2011 23:47:14 | More by dorianmarley

Cylinsier

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz.

Pours a hazy honey gold. Low white head retains as a lacing.

Smells of citrus and coriander along with fresh grain malts.

Tastes of citrus, sweet malt, honey, coriander, clover and esters.

Mouth is full and syrupy with a mild tingle of carbonation.

Tasty delicious trip, strength makes it a sipper. Not the best taste combination I've had in a trippel, but certainly worthwhile. Would have again.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2011 23:49:48 | More by Cylinsier

CheezyBlaster

Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Smell: Apples, sweet-tarts, pears, sour smelling. Bananas. No booze at all. Complex, but not dainty, I feel a punch in the face coming . . .

Tastes: Bananas/banana bread. Funky, funky, yeast. Lemons. Sticky. Sour/tart fruits. So complex for something so rich and cloying. Not a lot of alcohol warmth.

Damn. Tripels.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2011 23:07:14 | More by CheezyBlaster

thadbme

South Carolina

4.18/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a honey blond with little head and a medium amount of carbonation is present. The Beer is cloudy and not see through. Looks to be golden in the light. After pouring a few minutes after the carbonation is still there.

S: You can definately smell the hops of and the wheat in this guy. It has that typical triple ale smell, but not overpowering, and no indication of alcohol either negative or positive.

T: The wheat is there up front, and the yeast in this is evident. Has some complicated flavors going on in there. Several sips into it and tasting something a little bit different with every sip. Its obvious that this is a higher gravity beer, but no indication that its up to a 10%. This is a good tasting tripel, but nothing that I can tell that makes it stand out from the pack.

M: Medium body, slightly boozy, medium carbonation, and "hoppy".

O: This was a cheaper tripel, and something that I would definately drink. I like this style a lot, and this is one in the crowd. I wouldn't put it at the head of the pack, but I'd say its not in the middle either. Above average.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2011 23:53:34 | More by thadbme

Tone

Missouri

3.65/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear, gold color. 1/5 inch head of a white color. Poor retention and poor lacing. Smells of alcohol, citrus (cherry?), sweet malt, slight pale malt, and hint of yeast. Fits the style of a Tripel. Mouth feel is sharp and crisp, with an average carbonation level. Tastes of alcohol, citrus, slight dryness, slight sweet malt, slight yeast, and slight pale malt. Overall, poor appearance, but much better in aroma, blend, and body.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2011 15:07:07 | More by Tone

nezelrac

New York

4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

poured from 12oz bottle into tulip

A - slightly hazy apricot/orange; voluminous, white, medium-bead head slowly subsides to one finger; plenty of lacing

S - sweet malty notes are at the core of a swirl of yeast driven tropical fruit and some stone fruits as well; slight honeyed character to the malt; rather sweet smelling for the style, i think

T - big honeyed pale malt up front; yeast driven fruity notes follow closely and linger through the finish; alcohol picks up towards the back end, driving some spicy funkiness and trace bitterness

M - medium full and softer than I expected; nice CO2, that seems to be struggling against the weight of the malt, but keeping things moving along

O - quite a good attempt; i like the beer and would have another, though it is heavy-going for a tripel - in my experience

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2011 22:15:16 | More by nezelrac

mikesgroove

South Carolina

3.58/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

frothy head and a nice hazy amber color, a bit darker then i expected to be honest and definitely lively. aroma is soft and light with peaches, pears, and tons of dry hops. really not at all what i was expecting, but what can you do. same with the flavor, not really all that i was expecting, light with too much emphasis on the grains and not enough punch,

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2011 02:03:44 | More by mikesgroove