Belgian Tripel - The Defiant Brewing Company

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.76/5  rDev -6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Bottle: Poured a bright slightly hazy yellow color ale with a rather large white foamy head with good retention and minimal lacing. Aroma of fruity ester with sweet candy notes is quite nice. Taste is a good mix between some fruity ester with candy-like residual sugar with medium Belgian style malt backbone. Body is about average with medium carbonation and no apparent alcohol. More fruity then I was expecting but very well enjoyable nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 15:54:49 | More by Phyl21ca

farrago

New Jersey

4.45/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thin, initially fluffy head of white tiny bubbles, the final thin surface coating continually renewed, the lacing forms a solid sheet on the glass side but no stickiness, just slides down into the liquid. Pleasing light haze to the bright yellow hued liquid, warm sort of opacity, strong beads of thicker bubbles percolate throughout. The nose has an unassuming sturdiness, tightly weaves together the tart orange citrus, yeast, clove, honey, floral water, peach to apricot to fig fruit, too clean for real earthiness, pinch of white pepper, for all its freshness has a syrupy texture in your nostrils, decent lift for its heft. Medium-bodied, somewhat hyper carbonation, nowhere near excessively foamy but makes it harder for the flavors to settle in. Clove, nutmeg, cardamom, then a blast of lemon, blood orange and grapefruit, great cut without being too dry nor puckering. The yeastiness is fresh and fuels a country bread to baguette character. Yes, there is a bit of banana and bubblegum there but really there’s a lot more basic apricot, peach, pineapple, green apple fruit. Honey much lower, much higher florality. Gives you the textbook array of the style while maintaining a clean profile which increases drinkability. A good food beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2012 01:37:39 | More by farrago

Bierman9

New Hampshire

4.4/5  rDev +10%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bought this 750ml bottle last week in West Milford NJ and popped it last eve, after a hard day of work and a good bike ride...

After a struggle with the cork, I poured some into a small tulip. It was a bright, yellow-golden color, with a bit of haziness. There was plentiful fine carbo swirling about, and the head was a creamy, smooth layer of white foam. Lots of weblike lacing was left behind. Aroma was enticing, with tropical fruit and a doughy character present. It was quite easy going down, with a medium+ body and a solid smoothness.

Lightly sweet in taste, it had a touch of toastiness to it. Then came some fruit action, with suggestions of mango, pear and green apple mixed in with a hint of honey. The finish is rather dry, and it is there that it became somewhat spicy and peppery.

A bit on the pricy side for frequent consumption, but a damn good Tripel, in my opinion. Prosit!!

4.4/5 rDev +13.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

1490

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2012 15:41:37 | More by Bierman9

flagmantho

Washington

4.08/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from 750mL corked & caged bottle into a tulip.

Appearance: beautiful light-gold hue with a nice haze that gives the body a matte finish. There's a strong effervescence and three fingers of creamy white foam atop. Lovely.

Smell: sweet aroma of light malt and hints of orchard fruit. Basic, but appealing.

Taste: sweet malt with a mild fruity character which accents the malt. There's also a floral character to this beer which is interesting. Alcohol is a bit on the hot side, but it's not harsh or anything. Bitterness is perhaps high for a tripel, but it's smooth and welcome here. Pretty tasty, if a bit hot on the alcohol.

Mouthfeel: medium body with a huge carbonation. Creaminess is massive and mouth-filling. I like it a great deal.

Overall: this is a very good and satisfying tripel, although a little more fruitiness and a little less alcohol in the flavor would be awesome.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2012 17:42:20 | More by flagmantho

jtmartino

California

4.63/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pours a beautiful pale golden color with a healthy microbubble head showcasing the bottle conditioning.

Smell is bready with some citrus, spicy hop and funk. Did not realize this beer had some wild yeast in it.

Taste is lighter than I had expected. Bready wih some citrus and a hoppy bite. Hides the alcohol well, and finishes with a light funkiness that is actually pretty delicious.

Mouthfeel is excellent...well carbonated and a little thickness that comes from the alcohol.

Overall this is a great beer. Lighter than other Belgians, almost like a beer de garde with the wild yeast funk. Definitely worth checking out.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2012 01:10:58 | More by jtmartino

BeerLover99

New Jersey

3.95/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: cloudy/bubbly straw, trace head,

S: yeast, mild citrus, hint of spices

T: yeast, orange peel, floral, mild sour/bitter
semi-dry finish

M: med/light body, big tongue pricky
bubbly mouth, semi-dry mouth

O: My 1st Defiant offering.
Love Tripels and Belgian style
beers, but this seems a little too
light in the mouth/body.
Great newbie to BEL beer offering.

QUITE NICE, BUT NOT MUST HAVE!

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2011 21:22:21 | More by BeerLover99

Gavage

New Jersey

4.05/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: slightly hazy golden yellow color with a short one finger head that breaks apart immediately.

Smell: fruits, yeast, and some earthiness rise from the glass and into the nose.

Taste: nice malt profile here. Golden apples, pears, honey, lemon zest, pepper, and a it of yeast flavor come through the most. The bitterness is nicely balancing and not overpowering. Alcohol is warming but well hidden.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied beer. Crisp from start to finish. Aftertaste is long as the fruitiness and spicy yeast linger on the tongue for a while.

Overall: this beer does a nice job reflecting the style. Very pleasant and enjoyable, but it is a slow sipping beer that can creep up on you as the alcohol is barely noticeable.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2011 19:48:31 | More by Gavage

SFLpunk

Vermont

3.65/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Thanks to Ralphs66 for this bottle! $11 price tag. 750mL brown glass cork & cage, no date.

Pours a pale, hazy orange with 1 finger of bright white head that leaves lots of spotting.

Let's discuss the nose, shall we? First whiff tells me this beer has wild yeast in it. It's infected, and other BA notes confirm this. But the question is, is it SUPPOSED to be infected? Lots of tropical fruits, mangos and papayas, blend with bitter orange and juicy sour lemon. A suggestion of plantain too.

Palate is tart for sure, but not full on soured. The mid palate goes a little watery which makes me think question again if this was intentionally funked. Sour tropical fruits and citrus give way to banana meringue and custard, some light grain notes and finishes off with a touch of pine board.

Notes: Well, I don't rightly know what to say about this, not knowing if it's supposed to be funky. If it is, then it's pretty good - if it's not then I'd really like to try a clean bottle please!

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2011 03:56:30 | More by SFLpunk

Jwale73

Rhode Island

4.05/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml corked and caged bottle picked up in March during the 2011 East Coast Instructor's Seminar. Served in a white wine glass. Pours a hazy, golden orange with a loose, bright white half inch head that quickly dissipates into a broken skim. Nose expresses light, fruity esters (apricots, citrus, tropical fruit), a hint of funk and trace of rind. Taste consistent with nose; however, the impression is that this beer is a bit more delicate than your average tripel (which is not a bad thing). There is also a slight citric acid presence throughout that adds a pleasant balance and brightness to the flavors. Mouthfeel is light-medium (but closer to light), with an even, mild carbonation and a trace of acidity. All and all, this is a solid and quite drinkable tripel. Much more delicate, although no less complex, than most examples of the style I have tried, with an exceptionally well-hidden abv and less of the sweet and cloying character you tend to encounter. Well worth your time if you have the opportunity to sample this one.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2011 15:51:15 | More by Jwale73

thedoubler55

New Jersey

4.1/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- A dark hazy orange almost dark brown, leaves about two fingers of head that leaves some nice lacing around the glass as you sip away.

S- Citrus and lemon, a bit of honey, and spice, wild Tripel

T- Alcohol is hidden on this one, a bit of bitterness up front, slight taste of sweet fruits and honey.

M- Good amount of carbonation, medium bodied.

Drinkability - Not a bad beer, had this one on poker night was not dissappointed. Would definitely have it again. Perfect balance for a Tripel.

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2011 13:42:40 | More by thedoubler55

OliverTweek

New Jersey

3.33/5  rDev -16.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Appearance: Golden Brown, a little lighter than most amber Belgium beers. When held up to the light, it turns a nice orange/red color. The bits of yeast floating in the beer isn't nearly as appetizing as the label makes it seem, but they are barely noticeable when drinking.

Smell: A rich, summery smell, with hints of flowers. Very sweet, and to those that don't like this style of ale, might be too much. I for one however, found it quite pleasant. Finds the perfect balance between fragrant and overpowering. Almost bread like, but not the stale-bread smell many lower classed beers occasionally have.

Taste: Has many of the same characteristics that the smell displays. Has a surpassingly earthy taste, that almost seems to vary from sip to sip. The flower qualities of the smell are still there, but not as much as the odor would suggest. The sweetness is almost desert like, if I didn't know better I'd say is white-chocolate like, not to mention fruitish hints such as orange or banana. The alcohol is more present than one would think from a beer like this.

Mouthfeel: As said before, the alcohol is slightly overpowering. The carbonation is milder than other beers, but fits the light style Defiant is going for.

Other/Overall: A good beer. I think the yeast floating in it is a turn off, but doesn't affect the taste enough to comment on. These are my favorite types of beers, but this one is sort of run of the mill. I enjoyed it, but it wasn't as memorable as I would have liked.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2011 14:38:03 | More by OliverTweek

womencantsail

California

3.95/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle shared by Tim.

A: The pour is a clear golden color with a short-lived white head.

S: A very fruity aroma. Lots of pears, apples, bananas, and even some lemon zest. A nice sweet malt and sugar character and there is just a hint of tartness to it.

T: Sweet for the most part, but there is a hint of tart fruit. Apple, banana, pear, orange peel, and lemon are again present and there is a light floral note to the beer.

M: Somewhat light in body for such a big beer, but I'm not complaining. Medium in carbonation.

O: Despite being a 9% beer, this was really easy to drink and fairly light.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2011 23:53:06 | More by womencantsail

r0nyn

New York

3.68/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a corked and caged bottle into my Chimay chalice. Shared with a fellow beer lover.

Pours a cloudy yellow gold with seriously sticky lacing. Big off-white head that recedes gradually. Particles of yeast can been seen suspended in the liquid. Smell is mildly sweet with a lot of the advertised brewer's yeast and not very much else. Maybe a little bit of clove and spice at the end. Doesn't have that fruity bouquet I get out of most tripels.

Taste is full of that brewer's yeast and lots of it. Little hint of some funky sourness, but it goes away quickly. Subtle nuances of banana and a very slight bubblegum zing. Tiny bit of fruitiness makes an appearance on the palate after the beer has washed over. Lightly bitter on the back end, with some bready notes. Alcohol is mildly detectable at this point as a fleeting boozy warmth. Mouthfeel is effevescent, with a slick feel. Finish is very drying with a light crispness and medium body.

Drinkability is pretty good. Defiant really has crafted a quality brew here right in my back yard. I think I've definitely been spoiled with regards to tripels, because their take on the style isn't as good as some of the others I've sampled, but this is by no means a knock on this beer. It's a solid, drinkable Belgian style ale that I wouldn't mind having again.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2011 04:24:00 | More by r0nyn

bigfnjoe

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Corked and caged bottle into a wine glass.

A- pours a very cloudy orangeish yellow with a one finger white head. The lacing is fantastic

S- the nose is a lot of Belgian yeast, and I'm getting a little bit of banana in there as well

T- oh my. Really flavorful, with lots of Belgian yeast, orange peel, banana coming to the forefront.

M- it's pretty thick

D- very rich beer, and a little boozy...a good example of a tripel

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2010 20:21:40 | More by bigfnjoe

Teleweizen2

New Jersey

4.35/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

From notes.

A - pours a bright glowing clear pale straw color. A puffy fingers worth of white foam develops on top. Good lacing.

S - big aroma. bready malts. Belgian yeast is dominate. Hints of clove, white pepper, and fruit notes like pear, orange, and lemon.

T - very dry on the palate. Tons of yeast flavors. Mostly notes of fruit like pear and citrus fruits as well as a spicy balance.

M - a soft, light body and a fairly high efervesence.

D - no hint of alcohol heat. Insanely drinkable for such a strong beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2010 04:18:33 | More by Teleweizen2

brandnew711

New York

4.1/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer is exceptional. Being from the town this beer is brewed in, I can tell you it is well received in the area. Several restaurants in the area feature it on their menu. For such a strong beer it is relatively drinkable. It goes great with dinner. Overall a solid beer and the staple of Defiant's brewery.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2010 02:47:56 | More by brandnew711

brentk56

North Carolina

4.08/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours a clear golden color with a massive head; the head retains well and leaves sheets of lace

Smell: Pale malt with a floral, grassy hop character; hints of bubblegum and thyme

Taste: Fruity elements lead off the flavor parade, with banana, apple, pear and lemongrass tones; bu mid-palate, grassy hops and herbal spices (white pepper, thyme and coriander) add balance; after the swallow, hints of bubblegum and candi sugar add some sweetness and a slight hint of alcohol appears in the finish

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate to high carbonation

Drinkability: Criticism by other reviewers that this is not to style are not unreasonable; call is a Saison or a BSPA if you prefer, but I really like the complexity and subtle flavor elements that this beer displays

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2010 21:29:18 | More by brentk56

9InchNails

New Jersey

1.8/5  rDev -55%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 1

Before I even open it, it has a corkscrew type bottle. Reminds me of a champagne bottle. What a bitch it is to open! The cork screw has its cool logo on it, Defiant.

Appearance: A very smooth bubbly head that is pure white. The beer itself is a light yellow color. Bubbles look more spaced out but very present. The head sticks around for a while.

Aroma: very spicy hops are pronounced at first smell. It has somewhat of a boozy aroma. It does have ale characteristics to it.

Mouth Feel: quite bubbly with carbonation. Leaves a very dry taste in my mouth as if I was drinking a red wine.

Taste: at first sip a somewhat metallic taste. A very strong dry hop flavor that's bitter with spices. I don't know if I like it... No I found out I really don't. With each sip, I feel nausea coming on. It reminds me of a horrible champagne.

Drink Ability: very low. I'm struggling with getting through one third of it. Its very filling...

On the back it says, "We are always happy to have visitors." I'd be happy to be in bussiness with a crappy Ale like this. I feel horrible for pouring it out because its beer but yuck! I can't finish it! The only cool thing about this beer is

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2010 06:12:01 | More by 9InchNails

tdawgydog

New York

4.13/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked this up on my last trip to halftime. Supporting local NY brewers. Excellent representation of this Belgian style. One of the better us Micro brewed triples that I have had.

A: it's bottle conditioned which means that there is plenty of healthy goodness at the bottom of the bottle. Pours cloudy golden in color with extra "taste" at the bottom of the bottle.

S: not a ton of scent, maybe a little fruity but I don't enjoy a beer because of it's smell anyway.

T: Sweet and to the point. a true representation of this style, very well done.

D: goes down smooth. Hard to believe this carries a 9% abv.

M: perfect body and carbonation, one of the better beers that I've had in quite some time.

This beer has warranted a trip to the Defiant brewery which is only abbot 35 min. From my house. Looking forward to it.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2010 01:19:55 | More by tdawgydog

Naugros

New Jersey

3.73/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Really pale and cloudy. I'd describe as maize if I had a box of Crayola crayons. The best part about this beer's appearance is the amazing head it raises and maintains for a lifetime (or at least until you drink it). It starts off thick and falls back into itself in the middle while the edges stick to the glass. Many heads have been described as meringue-like but this is so much like a true meringue in texture and movement. Even the lace left behind looks like the meringue stuck to the plate after having a slice of key lime pie.

The smell is a bit funky, so you know they used Belgian yeast. The lemon, banana and cloves also give that away. There's even a bit of acidic bite in your nose, so I'm expecting a bit of sour tang in the taste. Did they infect this beer? I'll need to look it up after I finish reviewing it.

Yep, it's got some sour to it...lemony sour to be exact. My wife was completely taken by surprise by that (if only she had been reading my review as I wrote it). She doesn't like sour. There's also a metallic bite that I think comes from the alcohol. This takes away from the sour, but that flaw gets washed out by gritty malts and some floral hops in the back and the finish. Still, the flavors don't mesh well and it's a bit of a mess. The mouthfeel keeps changing from sour to biting to gritty. It's an adventure and one that will leave you with a headache for sure. Yet, I still like this beer and I am certainly willing to try more that this brewery has to offer.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2010 23:33:20 | More by Naugros

Mora2000

Texas

3.9/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Nellie for sharing this bottle.

The beer pours a yellow color with a white head. The aroma is wheat with some yeast, lemons and salt. The flavor is some fruit (lemons and oranges) as well as some yeast, wheat and alcohol. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation. Not too bad.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2010 02:39:38 | More by Mora2000

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

4.22/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours down a clear, lightly-hued gold body with a tall, looming, white head.

Smell: Aroma of pils malt, perhaps a smidgen of wheat, with sweetish honey tones and an ambiguous tanginess. Pinch of spices. Sliced orchard fruits spritzed with alcohol. Even a couple pieces of individually-wrapped bubblegum.

Taste: A golden sweetness of emboldened pale barley and pilsner malts slathered in clover honey. A brief flirtation with some floral aspects, then, it's cut down by a spicy pairing of coriander and pepper. Fruity flavors of pear and McIntosh apples. Even some noted bubblegum carrying over from the nose. Minor bitterness. Sparse creaminess to the drying mouthfeel.

Mouthfeel: Medium-plus body. Medium carbonation. Mouthfeel has a faint stickiness to it.

Drinkability: A pleasant surprise. I mean, have you heard of Defiant Brewing? No, neither had I. But yet here I am enjoying a solid Belgian-style tripel from them. Delightful!

Serving type: on-tap

09-22-2010 19:42:45 | More by ChainGangGuy

dasenebler

Maine

4.15/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

From the 750mL bottle, this Tripel pours a clear, deep golden hue with a modest head. Good retention and lacing though.

Aroma is nice and pungent, with notes of strawberry, apricot, caramel, alcohol and a bit of funk, actually.

The flavor is very complex. There is sweet, ripe fruit flavor that seems to hit first, but this is countered by a rindy, almost brett-like bitterness and tart, dry finish. Has some Saison-like characteristics with the acidity, and also the woody, spicy and peppery notes. Doughy malt sweetness. Pretty decent amount of hop flavor as well. Kind of intense and bitter for a Tripel, but I dig it. The mouthfeel was chewy, but the carbonation was low, maybe too low for the style, I feel.

Satisfying, if somewhat untrue to style. With the huge flavors and noticeable alcohol, I would take my time with this one.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2010 01:40:08 | More by dasenebler

gory4d

New York

3.9/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This is a nice enough interpretation of the style. The head is voluminous and white. The smell is toffee, straw, tree bark, maple sugar, herbal funk. The taste is maple syrup diluted in black tea, tannic bitterness, a little milkfat, wood sorrel sourness in the finish. It's thick but not meaty, well carbonated. Rather big and chewy to drink easily, but enjoyable nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2010 02:52:57 | More by gory4d

mentor

Colorado

2.17/5  rDev -45.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Pours a five finger head over a hazed light straw liquid. Smells brettanomyces. Woody dry with mild cherry, powdery mildew, and sour berry.

Tastes malt on the pull, but brett off-putting immediately afterward and throughout the duration. Woody, biscuit malt, bready, ginger zip, mildly of candi-sugar, powdery dry and sour from brett. Peppery zip at the finish accompanied by a tame and clean alcohol and a fine carb sting. I'm not at all fond of this beer at all. Md light body with strong and fine carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2010 04:43:56 | More by mentor