Belgo Tripel DIPA - Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.47/5  rDev +0.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Golden caramel brown with amber accents at the edges. The sandalwood colored crown was thin to start, melted in short order, left a gauzy film on the surface of the beer and several spots of clinging suds on the sides of the glass.

The nose featured an intense blast of tropical fruitiness courtesy of Simcoe and Ahtanum. Other contributors included caramel malt and loads of spicy esters from the Belgian yeast. No alcohol, given the ABV, is quite the feat.

Belgo Tripel DIPA is the bigger and bolder brother of Belgo IPA, which is the finest beer that I've ever had from this brewpub. Belgian DIPA isn't an option, hence the style seen above. If it's good enough for Urthel Hop-It (9.5%), Houblon Chouffe Dobbelen IPA Tripel (9.0%) and Gouden Carolus Hopsinjoor (8.0%), then it's good enough for this offering.

The flavor spotlight was occupied by caramel-dipped candied fruit, including pineapple, white grapefruit, juicy orange and zesty lemon. There was also a generous amount of clove and white pepper spiciness. It all came together beautifully by the bottom of the ten ounce glass, as I was pretty sure it would.

It's doubtful that oak-aging was involved, but at times the beer tasted like it had seen the inside of a barrel (for a short time at least). One minor quibble is that the alcohol wasn't quite as well-buried as it could have been. Then again, a golden rum and tropical fruit punch-like ale is definitely not a bad thing.

The IBU count must have been pushing triple digits. The only thing keeping my tongue from being shredded was the soothing effect from all those malt sugars. Hopheads will find a lot to like, which is usually the case when wdmrock brews an IPA. Or DIPA, as the case may be.

The mouthfeel improved one notch by the middle of the glass. It firmed up and filled out over the first few minutes, becoming lush and creamy smooth in the end. Carbonation that bordered on tongue sizzling initially, ended up only lightly tongue tingling.

Bigger and bolder isn't necessarily better... but it's still pretty damn good. Even though Belgo IPA is still my all-time fave, Belgo Tripel IPA is an intense experience that will give casual Rock Bottom patrons in the new era of Iowa craft beer all they can handle. And then some. Highly recommended.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery, 4508 University Ave, West Des Moines

05-03-2010 19:22:16 | More by BuckeyeNation

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Reviewed from notes. On tap at SAVOR 2010 in DC. Several glasses into a mini snifter.

Poured a dark gold color with a nice white head and a good deal of lacing. Nose is overpowering with notes of citrus, flowers, and a good amount of spice. Some nice notes of white pepper. Earthy. The taste brings a really great amount of bitterness along with strong notes of orange and grapefruit plus white pepper and some zest. Great feel with lively carbonation. Drinks insanely well and, along with the Upland Raspberry, was the best beer there.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery, 4508 University Ave, West Des Moines

10-24-2010 16:55:55 | More by Thorpe429