La Trappe Tripel (Koningshoeven / Dominus) - Bierbrouwerij De Koningshoeven B.V.

Bierman9

New Hampshire

3.93/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

My second bier during my 05Oct12 visit with Brabander. Had been going heavy on the Tripels so far, so why stop now? A 0.25l glass cost €3.50.

The Trappe chalice contained a Clear, medium-dark golden liquid; a touch dark for a Tripel, to me anyhow... Had steady carbo and a nice, foamy, off-white head with A-1 lacing. Aroma was somewhat candyish along with good tropical fruitiness. Pretty smooth despite the carbo, and it had a medium body.

Flavor had a good amount of candyish sweetness to start. Solid trop fruits attacked the palate, with pear, green apple and some honeydew. Finish leaned towards dryness, with some cotton candy notes detected. A nice Tripel! Thnx to Thijs for covering my two biers here at La Trappe.

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

1520

Serving type: on-tap

10-21-2012 18:45:58 | More by Bierman9

kojevergas

California

2.88/5  rDev -26.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Served on-draught into a La Trappe goblet in Belfort, France. Reviewed from notes.

A: Pours a wonderfully cream head of marvellous thickness and great retention. Colour is a cloudy copper-gold.

Sm: Nice cream alongside musty orange/citrus peel. A moderate strength aroma.

T: Orange peel, wonderful citrus notes, artificial cream, full barley, and a pleasant hoppy climax combining the best of the citrusy notes. Well balanced and decently built, but largely unremarkable. Certainly not unique.

Mf: The main flaw is it's too wet. It's also somewhat sharp, with a bite that might suggest overcarbonation - perhaps having this on draught wasn't the best serving type choice. That said, it's nicely smooth, and the mouthfeel overall is partly complementary of the flavours.

Dr: The high ABV is somewhat concealed, and she drinks easy. It's of pretty good quality. It's priced too highly in France, but I'd try it again preferably out of a bottle, or in Belgium or Holland.

Serving type: on-tap

12-26-2011 20:51:29 | More by kojevergas

jrenihan

Ontario (Canada)

3.88/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a dark golden colour, with a very thin frothy white head. Head dissipates quickly.

Smell is rather faint, but consists primarily of sweet. bready malt. Perhaps it would be more fragrant from the bottle?

Taste is good. Like the nose, the flavour is more of sweet malt than fruit, unlike some other tripels. I do get some banana, in a banana bread sense. Caramel is present as well.

Beer is medium bodied, with moderate carbonation. Feels good.

Overall, a good but not great tripel. I quite enjoyed it, but it is not one of the best.

Serving type: on-tap

05-07-2011 14:31:46 | More by jrenihan

kwjd

Ontario (Canada)

3.8/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Smokeless Joes in Toronto, served in a branded glass. Cloudy pale orange colour with a finger of white head that never really dissipated. Lacing down most of the glass. Smells quite fruity with a lot of the Belgian yeast. Some spices too I think, though I can't put my finger on what they were. Flavour is fairly sweet with a slight hint of bitterness. Overally a very nice tripel.

Serving type: on-tap

11-05-2010 14:00:22 | More by kwjd

Brabander

Netherlands

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

Drank this one at the abbey during a visit to the brewery. If you are in Holland and the wheater is good this is place to see. Nice scenery and a nive tour.

For a triple this is rather good one. It is not the best there is but i think it's the better one in the La Trappe range.

Poured in a small glass the beer showed nice. Carbonation is hard to see in such a small glass but there was some.

Citrus notes and a yeasty taste. Not bad at all!

Serving type: on-tap

07-19-2010 20:15:27 | More by Brabander

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

3.48/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This beer, served in a Koningshoeven chalice, appears a clear orange amber hue, with a bit of thin, soapy white head, and no lace. It smells of earthy fruit, alcohol, and a bit of Belgian yeast. The taste is plummy, grapey fruit, warm, boozy, gummy candy, and a bit more of the yeast. The carbonation is average, the body has that fleshy fruit consistency, and it finishes warm, fermenting fruitiness carrying you out...

This one has a bit too much heat, but a nicely understated yeastiness. So, fairly drinkable once the palate gets accustomed to the edge.

Serving type: on-tap

08-14-2009 04:39:27 | More by biboergosum

Antilochus

Ontario (Canada)

3.43/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Had this one on tap at the Alex P. Keaton in London, Ontario. Served in a generic tulip.

Brownish amber hazy body under a decent offwhite cap (odd, I know). Sweet, fruity aroma with generous booze. Palate has more fruit and sweetness, butterscotch, rather easy to quaff and mouthcoating palate. Don't appreciate this one as much on tap but a unique experience.

Decent stuff overall.

Serving type: on-tap

08-27-2008 06:03:09 | More by Antilochus

cyrenaica

Ontario (Canada)

4.4/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

20oz draught
8.0% ABV

I tried this beer on January 17, 2008 at "Smokeless Joe's" in Toronto. The beer poured a dark translucent golden brown with a thin tan head. The aroma consisted of sweet malt and vanilla. The mouthfeel was medium-bodied with medium carbonation. The flavour was sweet malt, plums, a little caramel, and a little vanilla.

Serving type: on-tap

05-12-2008 05:55:51 | More by cyrenaica

Viggo

Ontario (Canada)

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

On tap at BeerBistro. Pours a clear golden, thin white head forms, very big bubbles, thin ring sticks to the sides of the glass, some lace spots are left. Smell is sweet, honey, yeast, some citrus, fruits, apricot, some alcohol, nice. Taste is apples, yeast, caramel, some wheat, sugary, alcohol, some floral, spicy bitterness in the finish, quite nice. Mouthfeel is full bodied with low to medium carbonation. Nice example of a tripel, solid bitterness compared to most, very smooth, nicely done.

Serving type: on-tap

12-22-2007 20:32:52 | More by Viggo

grub

Ontario (Canada)

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

on tap at beerbistro as part of their koningshoeven trappist beer launch nov 27/07.

pours a nice crystal clear orangey amber colour with a bit of very fine white head. drops slowly and leaves a bit of spotty lace.

aroma is nice. light caramel sweetness. nice floral character. light alcohol. bread and biscuit malt. very light clove.

taste is good. medium-low bitterness level, lower than i'd expect. alcohol. great bread and biscuit malt. just a bit of clove and spice. nice floral hop character that doesn't cross over to being medicinal or perfumey. light caramel sweetness.

mouthfeel is good. low carbonation level. medium body with a fairly dry finish.

drinkability is good. nicely balanced. sort of like the witte, it isn't quite as assertive as other examples of the style, but it's still very interesting and enjoyable. definitely looking forward to having this one again.

Serving type: on-tap

11-29-2007 19:24:24 | More by grub

rosebud

New Hampshire

4.6/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Love this beer, have to get it everytime I'm in PA. Great aroma and taste ... gets better as it warms and a gentle spicy/fruit taste invades your palatte. Especially nice on a cold day or evening.

Serving type: on-tap

08-04-2002 08:31:30 | More by rosebud

Blindpigbiz

California

4/5  rDev +2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Smell: herbal with subtle hops and sweet citrus

Taste: spices cardamom, floral notes, hints of clementines, sweet champagne, and subtle scotch-like smokiness

This beer, as Trappist style dictates, is designed by those under and for God; it's going to be good. This beer, although not life changing, is one of the better tripels out there. With its pseudo complexities, this beer is an interesting stand-alone drinker. However, if you feel like pairing it with something, this beer goes great with a smoked salmon pear glaze on a rice pilaf with mild spice; try it with Chinese food too

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2013 07:30:00 | More by Blindpigbiz

brureview

Massachusetts

3.99/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Poured a light golden color with a 1 finger head in a snifter.

Aroma: light cloves and banana which fades with warming.

The mouth feel is very carbonated- perhaps too much for a tripel.

Taste: light cloves and spice.

Overall: a solid tripel. This beer is worth cellaring. I cellared the quad which after 9 months was quite complex.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2013 01:35:46 | More by brureview

Darkmagus82

Montana

4.13/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured from bottle into a chalice glass

Appearance- Pours a slightly hazed golden orange color with a two finger off white head present upon pouring. Rather quickly the head fades leaving a moderate level of lace on the sides of the glass.

Smell- The aroma is heaviest of a citrus and yeasty smell with lots of banana and spice mixed within. Other aromas of other lighter fruits, like apricot and peach are present as well with all the smells being complemented by a light alcohol aroma.

Taste – The taste follows the nose fairly well with a front showing of citrus and some lightly toasted malt. The yeast quickly come to the tongue and bring with them flavors of banana and a bit of clove. As the flavor advances fruiter a bit of a warming alcohol taste begins developing with some flavors of apricot and a little bit of earthy hop coming at the end of the taste. With the alcohol now slightly stronger at the end of the taste, a fruited and yeasty, warming taste is left to linger on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The body of the beer is on the medium side for an 8 % abv triple with a carbonation level that is average to slightly above average for the style. The combination of the two, when mixed with the lighter fruit flavors, give a crispness to the brew, making it quite easy drinking.

Overall- A nice triple that has a great easy drinking character with a good blend of malt, light fruits and yeast. Rather enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2013 00:35:57 | More by Darkmagus82

Digimaika2

Ontario (Canada)

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

(4.0) A: Cloudy rich copper colour with a finger of velvety head. Adequate retention and waves of lacing cling to the glass.

(4.0) S: Green apple, banana, cloves, spices, faint floral qualities, and dried figs and dates. A good mix of strong aromas that work together well.

(4.0) T: Ripe banana, pineapple, cloves, yeast, slight grain taste, and floral qualities. Smooth with a honey-like finish. Not overly sweet with a solid dryness.

(4.0) M: Medium bodied with a moderate carbonation. Appropriately slick with a bit of gritty texture.

(4.0) D: A good and solid all-around tripel and one I would enjoy again.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2013 02:51:10 | More by Digimaika2

Chrysostom

Ohio

4.41/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

As always, I review live, not from notes, puzzling out the libation brewed in houses of salvation. As always, I review to style (ala BJCP), modified by personal taste (contra BJCP), not solely to personal taste, which would be unfair to many great examples of styles that I don't personally favour.

First time I've had this beer. Ratings subject to revision upon consumption of additional bottles.

Apologies for my short review this time. Christ is risen! It's Easter/Catholic Pascha (Orthodox Pascha isn't until May 5 due to the Revised Julian Calendar differences from the Gregorian - lots of discounts!), so I'll be heading out to the House of Worship in an hour. Or less. I'll try to keep it brief. And likely fail.

Presentation: 750mL corked and caged bottle, $9.99, served at 40ºF and warming as I write, poured in to a Chimay goblet/chalice.

A: Slightly hazy, still mostly transparent, apple-juice or hard-cider colour, with one finger of soapy white head which recedes relatively quickly to a scum upon the face of the beer and a ring around its edges. Minor rings of lacing. Mildly active carbonation.

S: Cracked black pepper, very mild citrus fruits, bready yeast, "dry bubblegum" (bubblegum aromas, surprisingly lacking much sweetness), applejack, a little Belgian funk, and an extremely elusive (possibly imagined) whiff of Belgian spiciness.

T: Peppery and fruity, probably from the inimitable Belgian yeast, slightly dry, quite bready, bordering on the biscuit-like. There's a bit of undefined alcohol in there, along with an undefined hop bitterness which holds the malts and sweetness in check without being obvious. A little bit of weird skunkiness, probably part of the Belgian funk, with an almost-imperceptible twang of DMS on some sips - it may just be my imagination, but it gets a 4.5 instead of 4.9 or 5.0 for this bottle.

M: Medium of body, light and spritzy of carbonation,

D: High.

O: An extraordinarily well-balanced Tripel, not exceedingly complex but complex enough for the job. Easy drinking, but with layers of flavour that exist if one wishes to drink it more slowly with the goal of puzzling them out. Better than St Bernardus Tripel, not quite as good as Chimay or Westmalle Tripel, but it's a beast of it's own sort - less fruity, less estery. Better in some ways, not in others, it's hard to make a direct comparison: try it. It's certainly worth it.

To style: 85/100
To taste: 92/100

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2013 13:33:21 | More by Chrysostom

lacqueredmouse

Australia

3.08/5  rDev -21.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 2.75

330ml bottle purchased from Steve's Cool Booze in Kensington.

Pours a rather deeper hue than I expected: an amber-golden colour, that looks rather dense and syrupy. Head fizzes up quite a lot on the first pouring, but then settles back to an inauspicious film across the top. Body looks fluid, but also retaining some of the thickness initially perceived. Overall, it looks like a decent beer, but a pretty average tripel.

Nose is dusty and slightly savoury. Some green sprouting wheat characters, and a hint of dusky spice, like pepper mixed with earth. There's a noticeable booziness as well, and a suggestion of oxidation. I note the best before date is 05-2013: so it's still within that range, but towards the back end. Overall, I'm not particularly impressed.

Taste is dank and limp, with a metallic character rising on the mid palate, and a old sherry oxidised bitterness on the finish. Some spice and booze are noticeable, especially when the beer is allowed to evaporate on the tongue, but otherwise it feels flat, and rather uninteresting.

Feel is overly fizzy, despite the perception that it has burnt itself out quickly. It is light, however, belying the appearance of thickness. Some boozy heat is also present.

Overall, I'm not a big fan. This has really darkened, dampened and flattened with time, and I'm far from being enthusiastic. Indeed, this tastes a little like a mediocre homebrewer attempting a strong Belgian golden without much success. Very average indeed.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 06:13:32 | More by lacqueredmouse

Filosoof

Netherlands

3.9/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This tripel lacks elements that can make a tripel interesting. It is drinkable, certainly. But it's too thin and dry. If there are other tripels available, I will not take this one.

A: okay; golden looks; good top;
S: which smell? It lacks smell! Some bitter, stone, alcohol.
T: starts interesting but loses my attention very quickly. Too tart and bitterish for a triple.
M: okay, missing a finish; alcohol feels strong, though it is just 8%.
O: bit disappointing; drinkable, but doesn't make me happy.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 15:38:48 | More by Filosoof

drabmuh

Maryland

3.5/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served in a La Trappe coupe glass. Overall this beer was too heavy and too dark for me to consider it a tripel. It was heavy on the bubble gum esters and since all of their beers seem to be this way I will begin to assume they do no temperature control on their fermentations. Still, it was drinkable and I finished the bottle. I will likely have additional beers from this brewery but I will no repeat this one.

Beer is dark amber almost brown and hazy with an aggressive tan head of small and medium bubbles, no retention, no lacing, moderate carbonation in the glass.

Aroma is sweet, bubble gum esters.

Beer is medium in body and quite sweet, the finish is a little heavy, overall it is just too sweet and not try enough for my tastes. Not a bad beer but too much esters and malt for my tastes.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 13:54:52 | More by drabmuh

DenverLogan

Colorado

3.91/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

From a corked bottle...12:47...K29E12.
Poured in a smaller Konings Hoeven tulip glass.
Significant pop from plastic cork.
Pours a golden color with significant head.
Aroma initially has a touch of alcohol, melon rind, astringency.
Significant carbonation and mouthfeel.
Flavors of grassy hops, sweet malt, bitter kava kava root, alcohol...let's give it 5 minutes...
OK...minimal head remains, light aroma of roasted malts, banana and alcohol. Flavors have mellowed out...sweet malts, light citrus, honey. There's a uniqueness and it's in the yeast...certain challenging esters. There's also a seemingly sweet carbonation effect. Quite a bit different than the Quad but I'm tasting some commonalities.
After half an hour the brew brings forth a touch of pear, but in the nose and taste there's still a hint of phenols as may be inherent in the yeast. Tasty and challenging for a tripel.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 05:02:02 | More by DenverLogan

brodericksloth

Oregon

3.6/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

bottle one pint 9.4 ounces 8% abv

amber orange

heady at first (two fingers white) dissapears fast. bubbly lacing no glycerin effect

no complex undertones pretty much two dimensional

not much in the nose department some simple fruits; orange nothing exotic other than
light figgy fruitcake

doesn't excite or intrigue the senses; pretty standard

alcohol well hidden; very smooth and approachable

usually i pour out the bottom dregs from bottle fermented beers...glad I did't on this
one. The flavor and complexity improves. clean yeasts and malts. no off tastes; pure
fruity esters. actually a decent beer at the end.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 02:38:07 | More by brodericksloth

takemetothelion

3.66/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Purchased at a New Brunswick liquor store. The first non quebecoise brewed beverage I am reviewing on my vacation and most likely my last seeing as I leave tomorrow morning. $8 for the bottle in the cooler, wish I had let it warm up a little before starting but oh well.

A- very much more amber than I expected from this tripel. Insane head! and it actually stuck around for a while. I clocked her at about 2.5 fingers and stayed at 1.5-2 for about 5-7 minutes. slowly dissipates as I work in my first handful of sips. decent to above average lacing along the sides. very cloudy barely any light making its way through while moderate bubbles race to the top.

S-Not the strongest nose I've encountered. Mostly yeast coming through with some fruit elements, citrus, apricot and peach. Another review described paint and nail polish, although I'm not picking that up at all...maybe I need to smell more nail polish.

T- The moment we've all been waiting for...and man it does not disappoint! Definitely generous portions of apricot, peach and orange. very rich though not as complex as some of the more top self brews. the strong yeast taste doesn't let you forget your drinking a beer that's for sure. and the alcohol is hidden, but still makes a slight appearance known i mean it is 8% and a fairly light brew.

MF- This is a home run for sure. It's exactly how you picture it. The cloudy golden texture with flavor explosion just is fulfilling like a big bite of a perfect sandwich. The carbonation could be a tad more to excite the inside of the mouth a little more, only complaint.

Overall, kinda kicking myself for by passing this one so many times on the self. I guess the trappist reference kinda threw me off as being a little commercial, and its netherland origins. But honestly pretty authentic and will surely be on my list for the future. maybe i'll check out the quad next time. High fives all around for this golden beauty.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2013 19:22:05 | More by takemetothelion

Labeorphile

Texas

4.04/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured from bottle into Chimay chalice. Cloudy wheat orange color, with a relatively small white head that disappears a bit quickly.

Nose is pleasant, banana, peach and a hint of citrus. Telltale Belgian yeast. Mouthwatering.

Strong orange and apricot in the flavor. A bit overpowering, almost syrupy or artificial. Nice carbonation in the mouth makes this a good beer, but not my favorite Tripel. Smelled great, but the taste left something to be desired.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 03:13:32 | More by Labeorphile

mndlssphlsphr

Washington

4.26/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25

This is a well rounded beer. It starts off with an autumn orange flow into the glass that it is poured with an off white head to follow. The smell is sweet and peaceful and tells you that there is smooth flavor to follow. The taste is a pleasure while the mouthfeel; however, is a bit bubbly and tickles the capillaries to pause the time causality while the brain questions the thought if the hops come before barley, or am I wrong? This is worth your dollar, and with the recent loophole for bankers in free-trade laws I will say it is worth your time here in Panama.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 20:20:33 | More by mndlssphlsphr

sfprint

Germany

4.28/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Exp 7/2013
A: A hazy dark orange. sparse microcolumns of rising carbonation with a more substantial column directly in the center. quickly disappating head.
S: Sweet apricot peach, slightly of nail polish/paint, somehow like a plesant scratch and sniff something designed for girls, except more intense, rich and sweet. Pretty remarkable.
T: Ooh, this one is good. Tripels are sometimes one of my favorite styles of beer, but they can be so hit and miss. This one is also quite unique. Despite it's paint quality, it's smooth and orange fruity. Rich but not syrupy. Very impressive. A tinge of bitterness is creeping in as the beer warms up.
M: Rich and smooth with a slight sharp, delayed sting.
O: I was extra careful in keeping the yeast out. But regardless, it's a very impressive Tripel and also quite different from other's I've had. It's kind of "flashy" in a way like a polished car.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2013 04:32:56 | More by sfprint