Green's Quest Tripel Blonde Ale - Green's Gluten Free Beers

Blindpigbiz

California

2.54/5  rDev -13%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Smell: faint herbs, cloves, citrus, and pears

Taste: subtle clementines, herbs (I'm not a cook so I could only tell you this beer tastes like the 'green' ones), and hints of apple cider pervade throughout; heavy rice, bitter oats, and slightly sour gains prevail during each sip

I'm sorry if you have a gluten allergy; this beer doesn't do it for me and it probably won't for you either. Some people may like the taste of sour yeast, oats, and rice but as for yours truly, it's very overbearing and kills the potential it has with some of its other flavors. Maybe if you pair it with a veggie pizza that includes heavy Alfredo sauce it may work

Sorry greens

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2013 06:39:17 | More by Blindpigbiz

WissBrauSean

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +40.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

It pours a clear golden straw, light amber color with a nice two finger sized off-white head of various sized bubbles that leaves a strange Klingon Bird of Prey pattern on the glass! COOL! Nerd Points! the head remains a full beautiful cap throughout the drink as well! Full points on appearance!

The aroma is kind of like like a malty sweet base that meets sour honey and bitter apple in a steel cage match. I was surprised by that but instantly thought that they were going with a sour on this one. There may be a hint of grass-like hops in there, but it's very faint and might be bordering on my imagination.

The taste is quite like cider, but there is a caramel malt type sweetness lurking at it's base. Above it on the surface is like a smooth sour apple with a little bitter on the back of the tounge and a champagne yeast type of ride along the way. It's kind of weird as it starts off sweet and as it moves across the tongue there is a little sour and at the back of the tongue you get bitter (apple) just as how the tongue is set up with sweet at the tip, sour near the back and bitter at the very back. In the middle of the sip there is a creamy caramel-ness that I can't describe. All in all, it's really well balanced and at the very end there is a sense of black pepper and finally, hops!

Unlike other gluten free beers that I have had, this one has just a hint more than a medium mouthfeel, and considering it's peers, it's really full comparatively. It's sweet, but the sour and the bitter do a fair bit of balancing that out, but it tips in the favor of sweet. The carbonation is lively and I am going to go out on a limb and pontificate that the yeast is most likely a champagne yeast. The head remains until the end. If this were a zombie, you would lose because the head must be removed for them to die.

I'm going to go out on another yoga limb and stretch it and say that this is world class. If it is not world class then it is VERY close, but I think it's getting a full score from me. I can't find anything that I don't like about this beer! It's 9% and yet sessionable!

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 02:15:33 | More by WissBrauSean

tdm168

North Carolina

3.08/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A - pale copper with a giant thick, dense, white head that has decent retention

S - alcohol, white grapes, grains

T - grains, apples, white grapes, intense boozy alcohol

M - warm, well carbonated, medium bodied

When this beer was cold it was better. As the beer warmed, however, the alcohol became intense and extremely bitey. There was little flavor content or body to stand up to the intense alcohol. I'll avoid this in the future.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2012 15:39:07 | More by tdm168

jtierney89

New Jersey

3.65/5  rDev +25%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Goddamn review just got accidentally deleted so heres a much a shorter one since I can't remember everything I just said.

For being gluten free this beer is pretty good. Golden hue with a craggy white head. Lots of alcohol on the nose but some scents that are reminiscent of belgian beers come through slightly as the beer airs out.

The mouthfeel is big for being gluten free but still extremely light for a tripel. Sweet corny rice like taste on the tip of the tongue which lingers after the swallow. Subtle fruit flavors of pear and apples along with some earthiness. Bit of detectable alcohol on the swallow but really not all that much, less than you get on some other non gluten free tripels.

This beer provides a nice option for gluten free beer drinkers. Comparing this beer to an actual all malt tripel is unfair due to obvious differences but the guys at greens put on a hell of a good show with this beer providing the gluten free community with a somewhat complex bigger brew. It's also one of the best gluten free beers I've had honestly.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2012 04:11:11 | More by jtierney89

DavidST

Texas

3.08/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a 500ml bottle into a goblet, best before 4/10/15. This pours a light golden color with a fizzy short lived white head. The smells are of belgian yeast esters, sweet malts, banana. The feel is medium to thin with a fizzy carbonation. The taste is okay, pretty sweet almost like an apple juice, a dirty flavor. Its okay, not something I'd get again.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2012 02:38:23 | More by DavidST

Dave1999

Virginia

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

Light yellow to orange with a few bubbles and a very foamy head.

The smell wasn't too strong. sweet malts and a little bit of hops.

Its tastes malty with no real bitterness a very mellow flavour with some spices and a bit of sweetness.

Feels pretty thin in the mouth with a small amount of carbonation.

If I had to drink gluten free beer I wouldn't mind drinking this although I prefer the Greens Dubbel to this.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2012 16:37:43 | More by Dave1999

Bierman9

New Hampshire

3.6/5  rDev +23.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I grabbed a bottle of this Tripel Blonde Ale today, for $5.99, at Ayotte's. Going to dive in while watching the Bruins-Rangers tilt.

Poured into a small tulip, the bier foamed up prodigiously, a lovely, lacy web of white sitting lightly atop the liquid. The foam leaves a splendid trail of lace behind. The bier itself is a bright golden, with a slight bit of haze, and a steady stream of carbo is rising within. The aroma is a bit mild, with some fruity notes present. The body is almost medium, and there's a touch of prickle on the tongue as it heads south.

The flavor exhibits a good amount of fruitiness, with green apple, pear and melon coming into play on the palate. There's a touch of sweetness, but the fruitiness is the lead player here. The finish is quite dry, with a subtle hint of spiciness. Overall, not bad, though I don't think I'd pony up the coin for another. Prosit!!

3.6/5 rDev +30%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

1431

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2012 20:07:56 | More by Bierman9

velosuds

Oregon

3.63/5  rDev +24.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 500ml bottle into a clear pint glass.

A-Pours a orange-copper hue with a two+ finger head with decent retention and lacing. Actually, quite remarkable for a gluten-free sorghum based beer.

S-Nose is more like a tripel and would rate higher if there were separate gluten-free categories.

T-Peppery spice from the yeast is the most prominent flavor noted. There is some mildly fruity twang with some graininess. Slightly sweet.

M-Dry and well carbonated .

D-A good beer, but among the best gluten-free ales I have had. Very much like real beer. Well done and a great alternative for the gluten intolerant or folks with gluten grain allergies.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2011 04:52:34 | More by velosuds

StaveHooks

Oklahoma

3.3/5  rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Hazy orange/amber with 3 fingers of white sea foam that retain well.

S - Grapes, green apples, candy sugar, hints of bubblegum alcohol, spice, slightly acidic.

T - Tart fruit, green grapes and apples, clean white wine flavors, spicy soft grain on the back of the palate. Sweet middle with some yeast esters mixed in. Dry grassy hops clean up the sweetness on the finish.

M - Smooth and clean body with a fizzy dry finish.

Sweet and clean tartness with a dry fizzy finish. This exceeded my expectation being gluten free. I applaud the brewery for this as it doesn't stack up to a BSPA or a Tripel but has the characteristics without the bready malt. I would drink this if I had an intolerance to gluten.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2011 21:39:26 | More by StaveHooks

bsp77

Minnesota

3.08/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Serving glass: Poured from bottle into Tulip.

Appearance: Mostly clear but slightly dulled yellow with surprisingly substantial foamy head and lots of lacing.

Smell: Sweet, grainy and adjuncty with some Belgian yeast characteristics of clove and banana.

Taste: Similar to the aroma, it is too sweet and grainy. That said, it has some nice layers of fleshy fruit, banana and clove. Ends with a titch of spicy hops (Styrian?)

Feel: Moderately high carbonation, medium body. Not as dry as a great Tripel, but many American-made Tripels that are not gluten-free are still like this.

Overall: Not bad for gluten-free, but people with gluten issues ultimately would be better served by drinking wine, hard alcohol, cider, etc.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2011 21:46:03 | More by bsp77

generallee

New York

2.55/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Presentation: It was poured from a brown 500ml bottle into a tulip glass.

Appearance: It has an orange/golden color with a hazy body and a tall head from the pour. This head slowly fades out leaving no covering or lacing.

Smell: The aroma has a light wine like character with apple skins and just a touch of citrus and yeast spice.

Taste/Palate: Up front there is a light grain and an odd apple skin like fruity sweetness with a touch of bready/spicy yeast. The finish has a dry and tart white wine like character that smacks the palate. The body has a light medium feel with balanced carbonation.

Notes: As a Belgian Tripel it’s an epic fail!!! As a gluten free beer it has more character than most. Still I don’t think I would recommend this beer to anyone.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2011 20:28:45 | More by generallee

Nerudamann

Arizona

3.75/5  rDev +28.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle into an over-sized wine glass.

Look - dark golden color, clear, with about three or four fingers worth of off-white foam that dissipates somewhat quickly.

Smell - smells fairly earthy and very fizzy like champagne. Maybe a hint of ginger? But that could be the mix of Buckwheat, Rice, and Sorghum.

Taste and Mouthfeel - nothing at the initial taste, just kinda fizzy. Then there's a tart feeling, but not much of a taste, in the middle at the back of the palate, then it turns a little bitter in the finish. Texture is very smooth, but again very fizzy.

Overall - I don't love the taste, but given that it's a gluten-free beer, it's not bad...definitely one of the best that I've tried of that type.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2011 03:47:12 | More by Nerudamann

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

2.28/5  rDev -21.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

500ml bottle.

This beer pours a clear, medium golden copper, with two fingers of thin foamy off-white head, which leaves some table top cloud lace around the glass as it settles. It smells of sweet white grape juice concentrate, candy sugar, and a bit of green apple tartness. The taste is medicinal, gag-inducing, sweet, boozy non-malt graininess. There are existent Belgian Tripel characteristics, but they are forsaken by the lack of wheat and barley fortitude. The hops are there, hard to discern beyond their general drying nature, and pretty much obfuscated by the cough syrup broadside. Onto the carbonation - it's fairly average, unobtrusive in comparison. The body feels more akin to watered down apple juice, than beer, yet smoothness seems to throw this one a bone. It finishes off-dry, the musty apple character more prevalent, and begrudgingly welcome.

Urgh. I'm taken back to defending my position on tofu 'burgers': if it ain't the real thing, how can you truly expect it to taste like it?. Oh, right. You can't. My heart goes out once again to the celiac beer lovers out there. C'est la vie.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2011 02:23:41 | More by biboergosum

Bitterbill

Wyoming

2.8/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Brewed and bottled by DeProef in Belgium. I have no clue as to why it's under a brewer from the UK.

It pours a slightly hazy pale orange with a good 1 finger head of foam with some lacing.

The smell is pretty sweet...candy sugar mostly, some green apple tartness, umm..that's about it. Nothing wrong with that aroma.

Green apple tartness in the taste, some sweet candy sugar in the flavour as well. and some definite spiciness though I'm hard pressed to define it. Be forewarned, my bottle's label says best before Jan 15, 2010 so I must be drinking it not as intended by the brewer. Very much a cider like brew at this stage but not a drain pour.

Very bubbly, thin bodied, again, very cider like.

Drinkabilty is not bad. Despite it being very unbeer like, it goes down easy and the alcohol is not noticeable. Would I buy it again? Not likely. The resemblance to beer has been lost...ymmv.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2011 18:44:53 | More by Bitterbill

CamuMahubah

Nebraska

4.33/5  rDev +48.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Like ginger ale...nice carbonation...champagne anyone...

Crisp apples...

Dry...the deserts do miss the rain...so easy...so easy...very good...this beer is not spot on for a Tripel...it is missing the barley kiss...it's just that the dry apple cider grape punch is so enjoyable...

Ummm mouthfeel is perfecto! Five stars if the right yeast twang was there....

To bad yeast needs barley to eat to have the characteristic pack-a-punch most tripels have...Despite all that I will buy this beer again over and over again!

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2011 07:45:04 | More by CamuMahubah

emsroth

New York

3.3/5  rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Tried this on a whim after reading about on the Merchant du Vin website. Why not try a gluten-free beer brewed in a classic belgian style?

App: Frothy white head. Nice deep golden color with perfect clarity, for some reason it seems darker than I expect in tripels. Solid amount of lace.

Great fruity nose. Sour apples, white grapes, and lemon that come from the zesty yeast. A touch of sweet alcohol and grain with just enough hoppiness to round the flavor out. Smells a bit more like a saison, but I'm staying open minded.

Taste and mouthefeel: Wow! Pretty darn good here. All the things I look for in my tripels. A strong fruitiness with a hint of funk. Ends dry with a moderate does of hopes that truly round out this flavor.

I've definitely learned that barley malt is what gives beer the body we love. while the flavors of this beer are great, it's definitely missing some meat, both in body and in flavor. The beer seems to be highly carbonated to make up for the body, but I cannot fault them for that.

Definitely a pretty good tripel! Better than some malt versions I have had. Good for those with gluten intolerance and the occasional change of pace. I will be trying the others, but there definitely is a lot of psychology involved in having a gluten-free beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2010 03:32:49 | More by emsroth

cgmees

Texas

2.13/5  rDev -27.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Poured from 16.9 oz bottle dated best before 11/06/14

Appearance is yellowish with a touch of haze

Smelled a little like cider, slightly gone bad

Taste is not good, could be good for a gluten free beer, but this is the first example I have had and it does not impress me.

Mouth feel is semi fruity with a medium body.

Not a repeatable beer for me

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2010 19:22:01 | More by cgmees

flagmantho

Washington

3.83/5  rDev +31.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from 500mL bottle into a tulip. Bottle says best before 1/2/13, so we're well in the clear.

Appearance: rich orange hue with just a touch of haze and lots of apparent effervescence. Three fingers of pillowy ivory head caps the experience. Not too bad at all.

Smell: rich pear and green apple aroma with a bit of an alcohol bite. Actually, quite a nice tripel aroma; thus far, I would not have guessed gluten-free.

Taste: bright green apple with a bit of pear and a little bit of a chalky taste, which I rather like. Now for the bad stuff: there's a bit of diacetyl in the aftertaste which I don't love, and the green apple is a bit too bright and tart right at the front. Still, it's not bad, and I will have to go with the brewers on this: to me, this is definitely more of a tripel than a BSPA.

Mouthfeel: medium-thick body with plenty of viscosity and a well-integrated carbonation. Tripelriffic, in my opinion.

Drinkability: despite a few flaws with the flavor, I rather quite enjoy Green's Quest. It is far and away the best gluten-free beer I've ever had. I'm not sure why it get such a slamming here, because this beer deserves to be given a chance.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2010 16:37:21 | More by flagmantho

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.28/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: This one has been aged 1 year in a cellar. Semi hazy, golden in appearance, some lace.

Smell: Cider, mint possibly from the hops.

Taste: Apple cider, belgian yeast. Sweet. Somewhat tart. Alcohol hidden well. For a blonde/tripel this tastes more like a dry cider.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, semi dry finish.

Drinkability: Not a typical tripel, but a good beverage. If I had a gluten allergy, this could be a staple.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2010 16:37:43 | More by Stinkypuss

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

3.63/5  rDev +24.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Beer review from BA Mag Sep 2007.

We never thought we would ever see a gluten-free Tripel--talk about a niche within a niche.

Very quick to foam up with a white-colored head, a slow crackle shows the head dissipating into a patchy lace that sticks to the glass. Crystal-clear dull golden color--a trained eye can see a hue unlike what malted barley yields. Big pungent grainy lemony aroma that is clean and fresh. Crispness rides over the top as in any true Tripel, and moderate body is a little slick up front. There's a thick kernel of grain to start off, a bit sweet and slightly coarse. Mineral notes, exotic fruit and a faint woodiness show levels of complexity. Minimal hops, suggestions of white wine from a mild tartness and more graininess form an interesting but uncommon flavor profile. Fruity esters and warm alcohol come in the finish with more grain.

Beer geeks, be warned. Gluten-free beer is a new frontier; to compare a beer like this to other Belgian Tripels is wrong. That said, it's certainly complex and worth a try--an absolute must if you have gluten issues.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2010 00:06:18 | More by BeerAdvocate

Rayek

Colorado

3.28/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Brilliant gold, with nice clarity and a bit of carbonation. A foamy bone white head has nice staying power and leaves bits of lace.

S: Quite sweet in the nose. Apple cider, pear and white grape aromas do the bulk of the work. A light whiff of alcohol keeps the sweetness in check.

T: The sweetness from the nose carries straight to the flavor. Sweet apple cider is what really stands out. Bitterness is very mild, but does add a touch of coriander spice. Alcohol adds warmth to the finish.

M: The medium body is syrupy and has about the right dose of fizz.

D: The is the best of the gluten free beers that I've had. It doesn't have much of a beer taste to it, but does show that you can do good work with sorghum when you try.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2010 05:41:18 | More by Rayek

UncleJimbo

Massachusetts

3.13/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

500 mL bottle

This gluten free beer poured a clear, golden color with fizzy carbonation and good, white foam that persisted, clung to the glass, and left lacing. The smell was like sour cherries (not sure if this is the way it is intended to smell?). Not an offensive smell, just surprising. The taste was tart cherries and green apples with very low hop presence and a light sweetness. Very unusual flavors. The mouthfeel was fruity and tart with medium body and strong carbonation. The flavors of grain and fruit linger. This is an odd beer, but I did not pour it out.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2010 16:03:28 | More by UncleJimbo

budgood1

Minnesota

1.93/5  rDev -33.9%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 1.5

label says this is a tripel. let's hope it doesn't suck as much as the dubbel.

pours out of the half litre bottle a hazy apple juice colour with a weak, thin, quickly dissapating head. very sparse lace. white grapes, pears and apples in the aroma. quite subdued. taste is a wince inducing conspiracy of champagne, apple juice and sour pears. yikes. it tastes like a bad bottle of champagne...with some dirt thrown in. a bit boozy, too. yikes. it does get a bit closer to style with a semi carbonated, crispy mouthfeel but the body is totally lacky any depth which proves to make is seem watery and lifeless. drinkability is terrible. ugh this is bad.

ok so this sucks worse than the dubbel. it has some wretched taste in the grain profile that totally ruins any slight positives in the brewing of this beer. again, my scores are on the nice side.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2010 22:00:01 | More by budgood1

hdofu

Maryland

3.4/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

It is not a bad beer perse, but it isn't one that I see myself being excited about. For such a strong beer it has a watery finish. Taste is like a watery cider, smell is very fruity. The beer pour orangeish brown with a thick white head slow to fade away. Overall this beer is pretty strong though not very satisfying, not sure I would want to drink many of these.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2010 22:47:19 | More by hdofu

txbrewer

Texas

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

Reading other reviews of cloudy pours, I wonder what is up with the brewery. Mine was quite clear (almost looked and smelled like cider) and very much on the sweet citrus smelling side.

The initial taste is a reminder of apple or pear cider, not what I expected when the label read Tripel Blonde Ale. That being said, it is still quite drinkable. One person commented about the after taste as it warmed - this is true and I would not suggest this be served ice cold as it covers any flavor this brew contains.

A bit over carbonated (maybe they could cut back on the sorghum or rice???) as all that bubbly was covering the flavor.

Drinkable yes, would I normally, no. For those who are gluten intolerant, it is something nice to have around. I have noticed that most sorghum beers seem to have a certain sweet twang that is just not expected in beers - DeProef Brouwerij is close but they need to get more of the hop flavor going and possibly a bit less on the sugars (this bottle is labled at 8.5% ABV).

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2010 16:45:28 | More by txbrewer