Trade Winds Tripel - The Bruery

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BA SCORE
89
good
-
551 Ratings

rAvg: 3.95
pDev: 10.13%
Reviews: 290
Hads: 261

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Brewed by:
The Bruery

California, United States

Style | ABV
Tripel | 8.10% ABV

Availability: Summer. bottle (246), on-tap (36), cask (4), growler (4).

Notes:
Our Summer seasonal, Trade Winds Tripel is a Belgian-style Golden Ale with a Southeast Asian twist. Instead of using candi sugar (typical for such a beer), we use rice in the mash to lighten the body and increase the gravity, and spice with Thai Basil. The result is an aromatic, digestible and complex beer made for a lazy summer evening.

25 IBU

View: Beers (63) | Reviews (49) | Events (0)

Reviews

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Reviews by SHODriver:

SHODriver

California

4.1/5 rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: pours a cloudy orange and yellow with a huge dense white head into a DFH snifter
S: smells sweet with notes of fruity esters, spicy yeast, a little lemon zest
T: slight bready malt at first, fruitiness, spicy yeast, a bit of basil, some citrus zest, and grassy hops. swallow brings more fruity sweetness, bitter hop, and a bit more spice
M: smooth with slightly prickly carbonation. medium to light in body.
O: A well made Tripel with a nice little twist and something different. Many of those flavors you expect along with a little something extra from the basil. Very easy to drink as well.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2012 14:24:31 | More by SHODriver

More User Reviews:

DIPAFAN

New Jersey

3.75/5 rDev -5.1%

05-19-2013 00:43:51 | More by DIPAFAN

moonknight31

California

4/5 rDev +1.3%

05-14-2013 22:21:46 | More by moonknight31

Dweedlebug

Pennsylvania

3.75/5 rDev -5.1%

05-14-2013 00:01:51 | More by Dweedlebug

DarthKostrizer

California

4/5 rDev +1.3%

05-13-2013 01:59:32 | More by DarthKostrizer

morimech

Minnesota

4/5 rDev +1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

First pour results in a clear golden color with a massive head that fills the Duvel tulip. Moderate amount of lacing is left down the glass as the head settles to a thick cap. Carbonation makes the beer look effervescent.

Intriguing aroma as the fruity yeast esters mixes with the spicy basil and dry malt. Gives off an impression of tropical fruit and coconut.

I was skeptical of the rice addition but it adds a dry crispness that really lets the basil and esters to shine. Malt adds a touch of sweetness but this beer is all about the yeast influence and basil. Turns out it is a nice combination.

The carbonation is thankfully lively. There is a bit of a cloying slickness that slightly hurts the mouthfeel.

Surprised and impressed by this beer. Probably my favorite Bruery beer to date.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 18:11:23 | More by morimech

TysonA

Washington

3.75/5 rDev -5.1%

05-12-2013 15:32:42 | More by TysonA

kojevergas

California

3.05/5 rDev -22.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

750ml bottle with standard branded presssure cap and generic label acquired at a local SoCal beer store and served into a Mitchells of Lancaster flared stem-tulip in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Purchased yesterday. Unfiltered. Self identifies as a Tripel; that's what I'll review it as. 8.1% ABV confirmed. Cost was $9 USD.

Served cold - straight from the fridge - and allowed to warm a bit over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a one finger beige colour head of no real cream, average thickness, and average (~2 minute) retention for the high ABV. Body colour is a hazy murky copper. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Okay vibrance. Typical of the style; not unique or special. That said, no obvious flaws are detectable.

Sm: Pale malts, sugars, light floral hop character. Apple. Basil when I search for it. Fruit skin. Sweet biscuit malt. Apricot. Maybe some clove. Thin rice malt. Definitely on the sweeter end of the bitter/sweet scale. No yeast character or alcohol is detectable. An average strength aroma.

T: Pale, rice, light caramel, and biscuit malts form the body. Floral hop character rides atop. Clean and pleasant. The rice is interesting. I get a buried hint of basil spice when I really search for it. Lightly grainy. Apricot fruit; unnaturally sweet. Balance is off. Lacks the complexity and subtlety needed to make it a great beer in the style. Little yeast character comes through, if any. I don't get any alcohol. Decently layered but largely uninteresting.

Mf: Smooth and wet. Good carbonation. Decent thickness. Okay presence on the palate. Suits the flavour profile okay. Doesn't feel custom-tailored to its flavours.

Dr: I definitely wouldn't get this again, especially at its high price point. Another disappointment from The Bruery. Drinkable but forgettable. The rice and basil don't add enough to really set this one apart from the pack. I like it in a general sense, but it's not going to turn heads. Hides its ABV pretty well.

Low C+

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 22:56:48 | More by kojevergas

MinorThreat

Colorado

3.75/5 rDev -5.1%

05-11-2013 21:26:37 | More by MinorThreat

mtbdonn

United Kingdom (England)

4/5 rDev +1.3%

05-11-2013 20:52:13 | More by mtbdonn

Polasiuss

Ireland

4/5 rDev +1.3%

05-09-2013 23:25:31 | More by Polasiuss

bmur112

Maryland

4/5 rDev +1.3%

05-07-2013 15:19:11 | More by bmur112

flayedandskinned

California

4.38/5 rDev +10.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2013 Vintage
Poured into a Duvel Tulip.

Appearance: Pours a beautiful, cloudy gold with a luscious 2.5 finger tall white head, which slowly reduces down to about a half finger, leaving plenty of sticky lace behind.

Aroma: Wow, this beer is absolutely bursting with tropical aromatics; sweet basil, coconut, fresh bananas, green apples, some spicy yeast phenols and fresh squeezed orange juice. There are some sweet biscuit-y malts neatly tucked underneath the very floral and perfume like nose. I could smell this ale for hours; it is positively intoxicating.

Taste: A bright burst of juicy, succulent fruit right away; strawberries, pears, bananas with some accompanying citrus hop tones. There is touch of some spicy basil before you're treated with a starchy, off dry finish with long, lingering notes of traditional, slightly spicy Belgian yeast; banana, light clove and raisins. Underneath the yeast there are some lovely, biscuit notes from the malts. The way the starchy rice interacts with the Thai basil leaves a strong impression of coconut on dancing on your palate. The sweet malt and yeast combination does get a tad cloying as the beer warms up.

Mouthfeel: Robust, yet very light bodied. High, lively carbonation. Very refreshing and highly drinkable.

Overall: The Bruery takes the Tripel style, normally a very traditional style, and completely reinvigorates it; The Thai basil marries perfectly with the spicy, yet sweet Belgian yeast and the rice simultaneously lightens the body and adds some really nice texture to the beer. Want a summer beer that is, complex, refreshing and has some deceptive strength? Look no further. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2013 01:35:14 | More by flayedandskinned

Zorro

California

4.11/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Clear gold colored ale with a tall puffy white colored head.

Smell is spicy with a strong apple aroma. Apple skins and spice. Cinnamon, clove and basil. Heady aroma distinctly smells like apple butter.

Starts out Spicy with lots of apple, clove and cinnamon. There is a strange whiskey taste here but this was never in oak. Caramel and vanilla flavors, it ios actually more tasty than it sounds.

Mouthfeel is good.

Overall a triple that is a little different.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2013 02:34:01 | More by Zorro

vfgccp

New York

3.9/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

A - Fine, lightly off-white head pours 3 fingers high before settling into a thin foam cap. Nice retention and OK lace.

S - Bold and dusty. Fermented peaches, pepper, basil.

T - Surprisingly sweet. Apricot jam, peach puree, rice wine, and light herbal bitters.

M - Smooth with a medium-full body to style. Nice carbonation.

O - Sweet to style, but the flavor profile still has nice integration and complexity.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2013 01:51:45 | More by vfgccp