Sawyer's Triple - Stone Brewing Co.

katan

Colorado

4.13/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bomber into a "glass" from a hotel

A - Pours a darker golden color - very thick looking. Head formation is very strong, leaving behind a 1/2" foam. Very well retained. Very carbonated looking.

S - A tripel no doubt - has a nice combination of yeast spice and boozy phenolic notes. Reminds me somewhat of a syrup for waffles or pancakes. Some bready undertones.

T - Starts off easy - just a bit sweet. Starts to develop a belgian yeast bite through the mid-stream. Finishes with a nice sweet bready malt hit combined with a lingering phenolic warmth. The spicing exists throughout the beer, somewhere in the vein of a clove. Overall the flavors are fairly muted.

M - The carbonation that I see doesn't translate into the bite I taste. The sugary backbone of this beer does hang out on the tongue big time.

D - Low ABV for the style is a big plus for me. Tripels are moving above witbiers as my favorite style. Not at all abusive to the palette from the flavors, nor is it very filling. A highly drinkable tripel.

Glad to support the fight against ALD - and a superb beer to boot. Straight from Stones today from a brewery tour - I doubt it can be more fresh.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2009 01:37:21 | More by katan

Westsidethreat

California

3.83/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Stone Winter Storm

A: Buttercup color with a decent bit of haze but almost no head. A small snow white ring remains.

S: Banana, cloves, cardomon and vanilla.

T: Strong banana candy flavors transforms slowly to butterscotch. Finishes lightly grassy and somewhat spicy. Thats really about it,

M: Medium body, syrupy mouthfeel.

D: Not bad. Good flavor but nothing special. Lacks a lot of depth.

Serving type: on-tap

12-31-2006 23:23:21 | More by Westsidethreat

Blakaeris

Iowa

4/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours dark hazy golden with a thick head that leaves globs of lacing as it dissipates.

Aroma is wheaty, with generous bubblegum. Hint of lemon and honey.

Taste is candied sugar and citrus fruit. Bubblegum, lemon grass and honey as the nose suggested. Lingering subtle yeasty spice.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied, smooth and soft.

Tasty, smooth and very drinkable. Flavor is balanced and unified. Definitely worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2009 01:28:59 | More by Blakaeris

maxpower

Missouri

4.43/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours cloudy hazy yellow-orange color, has a small white foamy head of small bubbles that doesn't last long. Fruity and spicy flowery aromas. Fruity bready and spicy yeasty flavors. Full bodied with soft carbonation, full and round mouthfeel, alcohol is hardly noticed, a really enjoyable tripple. I would like to thank herbjones for sending me this great brew.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2004 00:42:37 | More by maxpower

ThreeWiseMen

California

3.68/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Split amongst friends at a recent gathering. Thanks goes out to Swimsum for bringing this treat!

Poured into a snifter.

Appearance: Cloudy, honey-colored body with a thin, white, foamy halo on top. No lacing. Pretty weak retention. Meh.

Smell: Warm apple pie, overripe banana, honey, clove, and maybe even cinnamon. Lots of candy-like sweetness in here. Very fun to quaff.

Taste: Dough, clove, leafy hops, and banana, with a touch of sourness/funk from the Belgian yeast. Not as exciting or deep as I had hoped. Pretty good overall; mellow.

Mouthfeel: Actively carbonated with tiny, soft bubbles. Medium-bodied and very dry. Nice amount of mouth-numbing.

Drinkability: Other than the smell, this was a very forgettable tripel. With that said, Sawyer's is still a solid beer. I probably won't buy it again, but I wouldn't mind drinking it.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2010 20:29:34 | More by ThreeWiseMen

Boilermaker88

California

3.78/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Last night, my wife and I decided to share a bottle of beer, she having me pick something out. I opted for one of my last two bottles of Sawyers Triple and, without letting her see me pour it, had her guess what I handed her. She nailed it on the first try. Good girl, my missus!
So how was Sawyers Triple, now going on 20 months old from the time of release? It still has a clear golden color, vibrant carbonation and a short-lived white head that shrivelled down to a thin collar. The nose has fallen off a bit, particularly in the spiciness it possessed in the beginning. There is still the fruity sweetness and dusty yeasty malt notes but the pepper and clove spice notes, as well as the light bubblegum aroma, has diminished.
The taste carries more of a apple fruitiness and bready malt flavor while the spiciness has faded some. Still, an ephemeral peppery bite haunts the finish. The bitterness has softened over time. The alcohol is still present, providing a slight kick and warmth with each swallow. The feel is still where it was at the start, medium-bodied, lively and well-carbonated.
Overall, Sawyer's Triple is still a nice triple and easily drinkable. I'd say it's getting on in beer-years so I plan on drinking my last one fairly soon. If you've got a few stashed away, you might want to break one out and try it again yourself.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2005 16:58:14 | More by Boilermaker88

GRG1313

California

4.6/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bright hazy orange color with a short white head and light lacing. Nose of orange and light malt and lemon peel.

The hit here is in the flavor and balance. Wonderful malt and fruit (stone fruit and banana) in the front palate and nice subtle but bitter grapefruit hops on the back palate and finish.

The balance of this beer just may be perfect. The mouth feel is big but not too thick. The balance of fruit, malt, yeast, hops and citrus is perfect, as is the carbonation which is "just right." Rich and bold flavors that seem to be great for anything. Simply put, it just tastes good and you want more! What could be better?

The finish is a light fruit that goes to grapefruit and is long lasting and pleasant. '

This is a beer to quench thirst, consume with all kinds of food; and you could even sip as a delicious strong ale.

I waited too long to try this one! This is one of the best all around quality beers I've tried. When evaluating the perfect beer (whatever that is...) this would be in the running. I will definitely add more of this to my home stock the next time I'm at Stone.

As always, just my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2009 04:16:28 | More by GRG1313

mschofield

Massachusetts

2.42/5  rDev -39.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

I really wanted to like this, it was brewed to raise money for a sick kid, well I'm glad I donated some money to the cause at least.
Pours a crystal clear golden amber, topped with a one finger white head that disappears almost immediately, leaves small bits of lacing.
Soft fruity aroma, toast, some floral and wheat notes.
A bit warming but there isn't much to the flavor - wheat, candy, bubblegum and fruit. Theres no real punch or anything to grab you, pull you in, and let you know you're drinking a tripel.
Next time I'd just mail in a check and skip the beer.

Serving type: on-tap

03-29-2005 00:37:58 | More by mschofield

beagle75

Iowa

3.45/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Draft service into a half-pint goblet at Stone Bistro.

A: Clear, medium golden color with one finger of diminishing white foam head. No lacing remains on the glass.

S: Light toast is obscured somewhat by bright esters, wild mint, and fusel alcohols that impart occasional whiffs of solvent and urea.

T: Begins barely off-dry, with lightly toasted malt, delicate herbs, and some snappy anise that lends an edge. The trend is toward increasing dryness, becoming more clean, with a burst of bright apples and pears in the middle. It finishes with restrained bitterness amidst more herbaceous spice. Alcohol is occasionally detected, adding a spirituous quality that is consistent with the style (but seems inconsistent with the mildness of the other flavors found here.)

M: Thin to medium viscosity, feels more substantial on the palate than it tastes, with moderate carbonation.

D: An interesting take on the abbey tripel style--more like a tripel lite--whose sensory qualities come totally unexpected in a beer from Stone. It drinks easily enough, and leans toward the lower end of the abv range for the style, but flavors seem muted and lacking interest compared to other beers of the style. In fact, this beer may be one of Stone's mildest, tasting less assertive than the pale ale. Definitely rare and probably over-rated, Sawyer's triple is the least likely beer to be judged a Stone brew in a blind tasting.

Serving type: on-tap

02-10-2011 17:16:41 | More by beagle75

beergeek279

Pennsylvania

4.4/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served as a sample from the 22 oz. bomber, into a sampler glass. The color was golden, with a nice head retention. The smell was a nice sweetness. The taste was honey sweet, and had a slight alcohol bite. Mouthfeel was nicely carbonated. As for drinkability, a few of these would be nice.

The best beer I wish I never had. A fitting tribute to courage, both in Sawyer Sherwood as well as in all of us, and hopefully tragedies like this will soon cease with the support for ALD prevention that Stone so graciously donated. I thank my good friend WVbeergeek for bringing this bottle to Chiodo's on the day of the Pittsburgh Gathering, and hopefully the next time I have this beer, ALD will be a bad memory.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2004 23:26:50 | More by beergeek279

coldmeat23

Oklahoma

4.3/5  rDev +7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

GLASS: Chimay Goblet
TEMP: Cellared @ approx 45 degrees
Big thanks to RodBurg for this one!

Pours a clear, golden, orange color, with a hint of amber. One finger head of frothy white foam that dissipates quickly. Lacing is decent, but minimal.

Nice sugarey sweetness greets me first. Followed up with some nice fruitiness and a touch of spices. Slight hints of malts.

A very good, mild triple. Nice fruit flavors, accompanied by a touch of floral. Apples, pears and a touch of banana, are mixed with corriander and clove. The spices are balanced by a nice level of sugar sweetness.

Nice and creamy smooth feeling, in the mouth. Enough body to interest you, yet not enough to overpower. Perfect level of medium carbonation.

If you want a brew that doesn't ask too much of you, this could be it. Very smooth, light, and easy to drink. Recommended, if you have the opportunity.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2009 06:13:45 | More by coldmeat23

t0rin0

California

4.1/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had this on tap at stone the other day. I noticed that they also had 22 oz bottles for sale but didn't really want to pay $22 for it. This is definitely starting to age and I like it.

The color was a golden yellow and was fairly hazy. Looked like a good belgian tripel. There was a touch of foam, about 1/2 inch but it didn't last long.

The smell was partly fruity with some orange showing through. There was a lot of base malt in the smell and it smelled real sweet. Pretty strong smelling for a tripel. The flavor was also very sweet with a touch of fruit but most of it was the pale malt. There was a hint of bread there but not real strong. I think the alcohol had more of a bite to it than the hops did at this point.

Overall it was very smooth and drinkable. I'm glad that the money paid for this beer is going to a good cause but I'm not sure that I want to pay $22 for a 22 oz bottle.

Serving type: on-tap

01-29-2008 20:58:02 | More by t0rin0

scottoale

California

4.25/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 22 oz. brown Stone bomber into a Chimay chalice, a bright amber-gold with a small 1/3" of white foamy head. The head turns to surface patch and a ring, with very little clinging lace. Good carbonation with tons of microscopic bubbles rising from the bottom.

Sweet, fruity, yeasty and spicy...very nice Belgian type Triple nose. Ripe green apple, banana, pear, yeast and candi sugar to name a few of the aromatics coming through.

The flavor is even more complex with a fruit filled sweetness that tapers off to a hop and yeasty spiciness in the finish. A light warming from the 7.6% alcohol, lingers with the aftertaste. Medium body and perfect carbonation for this style, give this brew an authentic taste and drinkability that I truly recommend.

The beer has not been brewed for several years and has been brought back by Stone for it's original charities sake. The proceeds from this brew go to an organization to help fight ALD's, a life threatening disease. A worthy cause.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2008 21:55:20 | More by scottoale

Rastacouere

Quebec (Canada)

3.45/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Golden-amber body with a slight haze wears almost no head at all which disappoints a bit for a tripel. Honest aroma consisting mostly of gentle yeast notes and mead-like maltiness (honey, flowers, clovers). Moderate spiciness, herbs and mild smokiness. Rather perfumey palate, spicy (rosemary, basil), honey attack and candi sugar dominates a mild alcohol character. Nice soft carbonation, medium bodied. Average tripel.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2004 03:17:13 | More by Rastacouere

OldFrothingSlosh

Pennsylvania

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

Bright-looking orange/gold in color with a tight, long-lasting white head. Aromas are spot-on for the style: spicy, bready, doughy, sugary. Flavor was spicy, sweet, lots of fruits. Finishes with a bready aftertaste. Fairly full-bodied and slick mouthfeel. Very, very drinkable. Huge note of thanks to the entire crew at Stone for creating a special beer for a special person. Very well-done.

http://www.stopald.org
http://www.aldfoundation.org

Serving type: on-tap

12-02-2004 01:16:28 | More by OldFrothingSlosh

OStrungT

California

4.33/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer pours a cloudy orange, with a tiny white head. The head fades fast, leaving a very thin lacing.

This beer has a grainy aroma. It has some spices mixed in also. Mostly cloves. Some citrus hops aroma is present, but only just slightly. All the aromas of this beer are very subtle.

This beer tastes exactly like it smells. Grainy up front, with some spicyness. Cloves and maybe a little coriander. Some citrus flavor is present.

This beer is very low in carbonation, but since it is old, I expected as much. It goes down smooth, leaving a grainy aftertaste.

This beer might be a decent session beer, if it was accessable. It is quite rare though, and hard to get even one bottle. It does taste good though.

Overall: Stones was selling this beer as part fo their Winter Storm party. It was $22 a bottle, with all the procedes going to ALD charitys. I liked this beer. I was happy to give a little.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2006 23:23:07 | More by OStrungT

HopDerek

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A surprise offering shared by Kegatron.

Poured a clear golden yellow with a nice white head. Retention doesn't last long but leaves some spotty lacing cling. Smells of green apple, pineapple, candy, peppery spices, honey, and yeast. Tastes of mango, pineapple, orange peel, green apple, banana, clove, coriander, honey, Belgian candy, cracker meal, and yeast with a peppery finish. Medium in body with moderate carbonation. Smooth with a nice fruitiness and some spicy notes. A good Tripel that is easy to drink and isn't too boozy.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2009 18:05:29 | More by HopDerek

SheepNutz

Kentucky

4.4/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22oz. bomber poured into a tulip-style glass. It pours a hazy golden orange color with two fingers of head. The smell is fairly spicy with cloves and pepper. There are also some fruity esters and alcohol to the smell. The taste is smooth and mellow starting off with sweet malt. Hints of spice and fruit then show up. The finish brings forth a little bit of hops and just a hint of alcohol. It is an extremely balanced brew. The mouthfeel is very thick and smooth, and the drinkability is superb for a tripel. I think this is a great representation of the style.

But, no matter how much I like this beer, I wish it would have never been made. I wish that there was no such thing ALD, and I wish Sawyer didn't have to battle the disease. My glass is raised up toward heaven, toward little Sawyer. It is also raised for every other person that has to battle this disease. I thank Greg and everyone at Stone for helping the cause, and all my thoughts and condolences go out to the Sherwood family.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2003 05:24:39 | More by SheepNutz

billshmeinke

California

4.33/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bomber from Stone into Duvel glass.

A: Pretty golden slightly orange color. Nice head upon poor. Dissipates gradually. Some of the head is brought after agitation. Mild to moderate lacing.

S: Orange and floral nose up front. Little bit of vanilla. Quite sweet smelling.

T: Orange peel, cream, spice, something I can't quite make out... cloves? I don't know. Quite complex. Very satisfying.

M: Not exceptionally viscous for the style, but quite nice. Moderate carbonation.

D: I could fully session this beer. That probably wouldn't end well though.

As usual, very impressed with Stone's venture into a Belgian style.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2009 05:10:41 | More by billshmeinke

rallison

California

3.53/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

New bottling of this beer.

A: Golden orange with a minimal white head that dies relatively quickly.

S: Phenolic sweetness with a coriander sort of spice character. Decent, but not all that inviting for me.

T: A bit on the sweet side with touches of caramel and a somewhat sharp spice and alcohol bite toward the end. Not all that complex and doesn't intrigue like the really good triples (a tough feat though, apparently). Meh.

M: Decent carbonation, but it just isn't lively on the tongue. Something about it seems to weigh it down in a way I don't enjoy. I suppose it could be a tad more dry - that could help.

D: As above, meh.

Maybe some age will help, but this is not really a great triple. Admittedly, I've had few American triples that were truly good, but still. Well, let's see how it ages..

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2009 03:21:43 | More by rallison

scottum

Vermont

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

Pours a hazy light brown amber with an ogg-white head. Nice and fruity sweet. But not over the top sweet, more of a mellow sweet. Spices are quite there too. Touch of hop bitter bite at the end aswell. Nice chew of a mouthfeel and the brew goes down easy. Another first class beer from Stone.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2004 20:18:17 | More by scottum

GJ40

North Carolina

4.1/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Sampled from a 22oz bottle purchased at the Stone Brewery.

A - A light golden color with good clarity and very little head.

S - Spicy with clove and some banana.

T - A spicy start with lots of clove and a hint of pepper. Then it becomes semi-sweet yet the spices linger faintly. This is a good American brewed Belgian.

M - A moderate consistency and a nice low carbonation.

D - This is easy to drink beer brewed for a good cause. I hope the donated proceeds make a difference.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2009 04:25:48 | More by GJ40

vacax

California

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

Bomber purchased from the Stone Company Store. $5.99 with 100% of the revenue going to Fight ALD! Beer brewed for a noble cause and enjoyed with great respect.

A: Amber with honey and gold flair in a mildly cloudy muddled beer. Thin but good looking white head.

S: Belgian yeast, fresh grains, hay.

T: A crisp, clean version of an Americanized triple with a pronounced hop presence in the end. Spicy. Prototypical example of a quality American recreation of a Belgian style. I actually greatly prefer this to most Belgian triples. Yet the flavors here are quite classic. Nothing too imaginative, just a quality triple.

M: Light to medium body that is well carbonated. I would like a bit less carbonation, a bit slicker.

D: I think this is an examplary triple brewed in America. If this is what you like, this is going to drink beautifully. Personally this doesn't capture my imagination, but it is quality nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2008 21:42:58 | More by vacax

dfillius

Michigan

4.03/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Enjoyed in a wine glass. One of many unique beers I found at the World Bistro shop during my visit home for the holidays.
A: Moderate pour yields very little head, why so little? Tiny bubble ring, but overall disappointing head level. Dark gold/slightly amber color liquid that is slightly cloudy. Too dark for tripel I would say - pretty, but unconventional. More head please.
S: Belgian fruit, banana, musty farmhouse ale smell, holy basil.
T: Sweet, musty, coriander and clove, nice malt character, honey.
M: Slightly syrupy. Tingly from spicy and herbal character (not carbonation). Good feeling in the mouth.
D: Good. I enjoyed this beer quite a bit. Wouldn't order another, but would buy again.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2009 02:34:24 | More by dfillius

jcalabre

California

4.63/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I drove from my house in Mission Viejo down to Stone in San Marcos today to buy beer. And I've never been so depressed buying a beer. You can all look at Stone's website and read for yourself about the tragedy involving Sawyer Sherwood and his loss in his battle against ALD. Since all the proceeds from the sale of Stone Sawyer are going to be used in helping fight ALD, hopefully the money being raised will save some other child from this horrible fate.
As far as the beer, it pours a beautiful clear golden color with a quickly diminishing white head. The effervesence is continual. I poured this into a Chimay goblet and it looks great sitting there.
The aroma is wonderfully spicey with yeastiness to it. There's a sweet aspect to the nose. too.
The flavor is slightly sweet on the tongue. You can put this up against any comparable Belgian Trippel and Stone would win in many people's views.
The texture and mouthfeel are great. It has a medium feel and it is so easy to drink.
It's another world class beer from Stone. It's ashame that the circumstances are so tragic.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2003 23:36:53 | More by jcalabre