Troubadour Magma - Brouwerij De Musketiers

WVbeergeek

Ohio

4.8/5  rDev +22.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Fantastic rendition of the Beglian IPA, some of the brewers get this style and some of them don't. Namingly most of the American versions which kill the experience with loads of American highly potent alpha acids with the Belgian yeast spiciness, this is a yin and yang that just doesn't work for me. This one appears a glowing slightly clouded orange color for me, with bright white peach tinted head. Rocky and thick effervescent head the true Belgian style lacing going on, intricate and layered perfectly with each sip from my Allagash chalice. Aromatics offer up lemon/lime/grapefruit citrus fruits with a really appealing grassiness going on, spicy edges from the yeast and sugary layers of candy coated hops from the tropical fruit mango to the simple syrup tones I'm getting. Caramel coated hops, wrapped in sugar. This is bitter but alcohol and malts stand up to European hop additions. The grapefruit, grassy/herbal, and tropical fruit mango/pineapple tones tend to explode on the palate and the bready spicy yeast blends perfectly amongst the hodgepodge of flavors going down. Mouthfeel is effevescent with carbonation smooth with occasional hop burps clearing out the sinuses this is a nice drinking beer definitely hides the 9% abv. Drinkability overall is incredible the type of beer I would love to have more often than not, conveniently it's right down the street at my local beer and wine shop.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2010 17:01:37 | More by WVbeergeek

Mar02x

Netherlands

4.7/5  rDev +20.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Never saw such a murky IPA before, there is a lot of yeast in my glass and I didn't shook it up. The fluid looks orange brown and there is no visible carbonation. The orange/yellow head is massive and steady. All of a sudden the head collapses into a fluffy, creamy layer. The lacing is nice however. The yeast blizzard is slowing down and coming to a rest on the bottom of my Struise glass.

S - Mango ,grass and pineapple some sweetness and old oranges.

T - WOW, a superb sipper, my beer is still cold but all ready the taste is all there. I had this on my shelf for a while (approximately half a year), but this is still a good beer. I don't really know it the aging made it better. I had this beer fresh before and I threw it down the sink, but back than my palate wasn't developed enough. - Mango, grass, candy sugar, oranges, pineapple.

M - A medium carbonation and surprisingly enough the bitterness stops rather quickly after being swallowed. The body is creamy and slightly sticky. No real signs of alcohol, only a slight warming effect after swallowing.

O - I like this imperial Belgian IPA and I will surely have it again. I am very glad more and more brewers on the European main land are having a try to brew this beer style.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2012 15:52:38 | More by Mar02x

IceTrey9785

Virginia

4.58/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Received a really nice presentation at work the other day on this beer and few others...very impressed. Had to buy a bottle afterwards....

A: I can definitely see why the call this "magma," it has a really nice bright fire-orange color, with a creamy white head. This beer almost "glows" when you pour it into a nice tulip shaped glass.

S: The hops really start the show. The aromas of blood orange and tangerine, laced with brown sugar or caramel really round out the nose. No alcohol burn is present, just a huge amount of sweet, fleshy, citrus.

T&M: Orange blossoms, and hardcore citrus flavor dominate the initial taste. However there is a honeyed - floral taste on the mid-palate, and raw cane sugar rounds out the finish. Very well balanced, good fruit, good spice, and excellent mouthfeel.

I sincerely love this beer. Probably one of the best that I have tasted from Belgium. It isn't overly complex, just a simple, straight-forward beer. You really get the glamorous citrus fruits without the bitter hop burn from a lot of Belgian IPAs...but I think the major aspect of the flavor profile that distinguishes this beer from others is the well-integrated malt. The brown sugar notes just really make the beer what it is. I'll definitely spend $20 on a four pack in the future.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2011 23:47:14 | More by IceTrey9785

MightyMonk

New Hampshire

4.5/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This Belgian is world class IMO. I have not had a bad beer yet from Troubadour.
The aroma is of citrus notes, floral, spicy, clean. Pours a nice orange hue with a large frothy head that stays in the glass to the end with nice lacing.
The taste hits with citrus and some malt, biscuit, bready, yeasty notes with the signature Belgian spice bite. Wonderful taste overall. Warming alcohol in the stomach.
Overall a world class Belgian. Enjoy one today!

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2012 02:04:21 | More by MightyMonk

martja

South Carolina

4.48/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This is a nice belgian that poured a cloudy orange with a one-finger lacing head. Its got a nice citris, malty, spicy aroma. The hoppy taste came in right behind a sweet citris intro, but was perfect to cut what could have been an overly sweet taste. The beer is on the thicker side, but the hopps really come to life as you drink this one. Overall, this is a pretty good Belgian beer with a failrly unique blend of sweet citris and hoppiness.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2012 21:44:48 | More by martja

farrago

New Jersey

4.43/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Three fingers of creamy orange to tan foam, airy and prone to dimpling, steady dissolve, average stickiness to the lacing. Super cloudy and opaque liquid, however, the red tinged pumpkin orange has serious glow, fills the glass with color, lots of tiny bubble beads visible as well. Sweet tangerine, pink grapefruit citrus explodes in the nose, adds juiciness to the apricot, peach, nectarine, mango fruit scents, brawny peppery component, the pine adds edginess, hard to distinguish clear malt scents but something is softening the harder edges here. Medium-bodied, heavily whipped up carbonation yet fine enough that it does not prevent the weight from getting things sinking into the palate. The pepper and crisp spice pairs up with herbal bite to set the tone early, forestalls the appearance of the tangerine, grapefruit citrus, no small feat. Drier fruit profile, more nectarine, pineapple, papaya than riper apricot or peach, tangy. More dead yeast cells than breadiness, offers a charcoal dustiness too. Near the end releases a swipe of maple syrup and molasses. High marks for drinkability given the ABV. Active, not hyperactive, mouth presence.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2010 01:34:35 | More by farrago

HopNelius

New York

4.43/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served on tap into a tulip glass.
Appearance-orange hue with a slight head. Not overly carbonated.
Smell-strong notes of citrus and yeast coming through, smells very nice.
Taste-Strong citrus notes coming through with a slight yeast note. Nice finish.
Mouthfell-pleasant, with a bitter citurs hop flavor that is lovely.
Overall-First time having this beer and I was quite impressed, I usually go for American IPA's but was at my local Belgium beer bar and thought I would give it a try, I was not disapointed. Nice hop flavor coming through, tasted somewhat like an americna Imperial IPA, which makes sense considering the IBU and ABV corresponds with a similar flavor profile.

Serving type: on-tap

01-22-2012 23:52:06 | More by HopNelius

KickInTheChalice

Illinois

4.4/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the Firkin in Libertyville, IL. Had to hound them about when they would have it available. Served in a tulip.

Appearance: Pours an amber color, graduating to Texas orange in the narrow parts of the glass. Magma is presented with a bubbly white head with decent retention. Spider web lacing all over the glass.

Smell: Nothing overwhelms the nose, but a rich scent nonetheless. Biscuity malt, Belgian yeast and spice, and some citric hops.

Taste: Soft caramel sweetness to start. Some citrusy hops push through soon after. Cardamon, cloves, and Belgian yeast provide a nice spiciness in the middle. Finishes with some floral a citrus hops, with a sweet flourish.

Mouthfeel: Creamy, with an appropriate level of carbonation to keep it crisp. Very little hop oil left after each sip, but it is a little sticky. Wrapped up in a medium body.

Drinkability: Alcohol provides a slight warming in the stomach, but the flavor is smooth and this is extremely drinkable. Hopefully it becomes more regularly available here.

Serving type: on-tap

06-11-2010 19:07:52 | More by KickInTheChalice

BeerCon5

Pennsylvania

4.4/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a deep orange-amber color with a very thick frothy off-white head, very good retention.

The scent is very sweet, with presence of citrus and other sweet fruits, floral hops, and some notes of spice.

The taste is of sweet belgian sugars, citrus, notes of pineapple, bread, mildly bitter floral hops, and peppery notes.

Medium body, smooth and a bit creamy, moderate carbonation.

This was an excellent beer, all of the flavors were very prominent except for the alcohol. This is something I would definitely look for again.

Serving type: on-tap

02-21-2012 19:12:25 | More by BeerCon5

bskrtz

Illinois

4.4/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

11.2 ounce bottle served at 42 degrees in glass beer challis

A) Murky glowing brass soup with lots of suspended yeasties and tiny bubbles. Short white head dissapates quickly leaving a quarter inch cover

S) Sweet citrus fruit, sour dough, mild ginger bread spice, alchohol esthers all in perfect proportion. Yummy.

T) Outstanding. Orange, apricot, sweet caramel. Alcohol? Yes, but I can't taste it

M) Ample carbonation, thick and sticky. Effervescent fizz.

O) An excellent triple. I will run, not walk, back to wence I came and buy more.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2012 01:19:56 | More by bskrtz

richmof

Belgium

4.38/5  rDev +12%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Chez Moeder Lambic, poured into its own chalice. A deep gold, amber colour with a nice frothy off-white head that retains all the way down and laces.

Tangy fruity hops on the nose with slight malty biscuit.

There is so much to this beer on the palate. As for fruits, you certainly get some caramel and orange peel (even orange blossom) but, more so, tropical fruits like mango and passionfruit. There is a decent malt structure throughout but obviously, this is a beer about its hops, which impart a fine piney dryness throughout. At 9%, it is no surprise that there is a slightly alcoholic finish but it is a very pleasant finish and gives a nice balance to the sweetness.

The beer was launched this year and has already scooped a number of prizes and deservedly so. It describes itself as a triple IPA but is surely one of the finest of the growing array of IPA-ish beers that are emerging in Belgium. Well done I say.

Serving type: on-tap

05-11-2010 16:53:15 | More by richmof

JohnGalt1

Idaho

4.38/5  rDev +12%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

small bottle picked up today at the COOP.. poured into my Old Guardian goblet....

Great retention and a foamy 2 finger off white head... the brew is hazed orange.

Smells like a pretty traditional triple with a nice punch of citrus zest.. some spice and navel orange rind... honestly smells pretty darn hoppy.

Good bitterness out of the gate that quickly moves into the continental malts with some estery apple and pear and then citrus hops show... the second pour shows some melon and peppercorn.. very interesting.. finishes a bit perfumy.

Body may be a tad high for a "triple", but in this context it seems about perfect... so is the carbonation.

I really like this one.... complex and wonderfully drinkable.. the price tag is the only thing keeping me from making this a fridge staple, but I will certainly pick it up again.

4/4/4.5/4.5/4.5

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2010 08:13:09 | More by JohnGalt1

despainmakesbeer

Kentucky

4.35/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Hazy medium orangish brown color. A very cidery looking beer. Thin white head, turns into nice white ring around glass. Very dark sweet buttery orange aroma. Some sweet breadiness in aroma. Smells thick. Mild to moderate carbonation. Very dense am complex flavor combo. Orangy breadiness. Very candied, almost the orange flavor of a tootsie pop. Deep orange peel taste in finish. Some alcohol on a swish before swallow. Smooth and slightly dry finish. Overall a pretty good beer, very fruity on the orange side.

Serving type: on-tap

11-24-2010 23:07:12 | More by despainmakesbeer

beerhan

Ohio

4.33/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

poured from an 11.2 ounce bottle. apparently this beer is somewhat rare but I had never even heard of it. It pours an amber color and has a ridiculous head. I am thinking it could use a long time to age before drinking. The only way to describe the smell is that it smells like beer, its kind of odd. Taste is incredibly complex: grapefruit and bubble gum. The alcohol is hidden. For being a belgian tripple IPA I cannot even tell the belgian yeasts from the hops it all blend together.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2010 04:35:41 | More by beerhan

CBlack85

South Carolina

4.33/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Duckworths in Charlotte, served in a chalice.

This beer is a hazy orange-ish color with a tall white rocky head. Good head retention and lots of lacing

Lots of citrus in the aroma. There is a slight hint of a malty base, and a definate belgian yeast presence, but the nose is dominantly sweet and fruity (mainly citrus fruits). Sweet red grapefruit, orange zest, apricots, and grapes. There is also a slightly piney and spicy charicteristic that seems to open up as the beer warms.

The flavor is very similar to the nose; the fruity hops steal the show. Lots of orange and grapefruit with pineapple and apricot. The spices and yeast are much more present in the flavor than they are in the nose. Medium bodied and well carbonated. Finishes slightly dry. Fairly easy to drink

Overall this is quite a nice beer, the alcohol is present and noticable, but not overpowering. Well done

Serving type: on-tap

09-05-2010 21:40:55 | More by CBlack85

yapi

Belgium

4.33/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Another great brew from my home country!

This one has a very nice fruity nose, and it will keep the fruitiness on the palate. Very tropical fruit, also with orange & citrus, and nice hops. Even had some honey to it. Not too hoppy, so don't expect a hopbomb...

All in all, one of the best we drank during our beertasting on saturday. Will certainly buy some stock, perfect for tastings & for novice beer drinkers. A realm of tastes! A very good Belgian IPA, but don't buy it for the bitterness!

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2010 08:50:50 | More by yapi

vfgccp

New York

4.33/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A – Opaque orange gold with a frothy white head that holds up with a nice retention and lace.

S – Brioche, orange marmalade, honey. Soft, well constructed, and inviting.

T – Great bready malt backbone throughout the profile. Orange peal. Coriander. Bitter herbal hop character balances out the malt and the fruit. Nice banana through the backend.

M - Nice and smooth with a medium body. Soft rolling bitterness fades fairly quickly after each sip.

O – Fruiter than I was expecting, but nice flavor and balance overall.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2011 03:11:15 | More by vfgccp

LambicKing

Virginia

4.33/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into my St Bernardus chalice. Best by date: 4/13

A: Medium, cloudy caramel amber. One finger of beige head vanishes in 2-3 min, leaving considerable lacing and edging. Plenty of yeast sediment, which I don't mind at all.

S: Very strong pine with lemony citrus notes.

T: Tastes just like advertised...a dry hopped Belgian strong ale (toward the tripel side) aka a Belgian IPA. Definitely hop forward and a nice bite on the back end...9% abv is well-masked. This one seems to be relatively fresh, but I'm guessing if not fresh, this would be a pretty boozy brew.

M: Dry finish...perfect amount of carbonation.

O: Overall, it's a nice beer to sip although the style isn't my absolute favorite. I can certainly appreciate this beer when fresh. If I can get this fresh in the States, I will be drinking this in the future.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2011 19:05:47 | More by LambicKing

WanderingFool

Massachusetts

4.3/5  rDev +10%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Troubadour Magma poured into a tulip glass immediately builds a big, frothy meringue like head on top. The foam dissolves slowly down to a thick sheet on the beer and leaves behind clumps of lace on the side of the glass. The beer itself is an opaque dark amber with orange hues around the edges.

The aroma is rather spicy with notes of orange peel, bready yeast and hints of pale malt.

Each sip of this medium bodied beer is very soft on the palate with an effervescent fizz and a dry finish. The flavor begins with spicy notes of orange peel and touch of cardamon. In the middle some tropical fruity notes appear. Blended in is some sweet malt and Belgian yeast spice (clove) along with earthy hops (grass, pine). Once gone the clove and hop notes linger on the palate.

This is a well balanced and very tasty beer. No one flavor dominates. and it hides the 9% abv well. I thought the mouthfeel would be a bit more chewy. The beer is a bit pricey, but I'm glad I bought a 4 pack since I still have 3 bottles left.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2010 21:09:16 | More by WanderingFool

Brad007

Vermont

4.28/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a cloudy amber/blond color with a two-finger head into my glass. Very appealing color-wise.

The aroma is full of spice with citrusy hops. Just a bit of alcohol warmth lies underneath.

Taste is commanding with citrusy hops, ramped up spices and a small but noticeable alcohol burn towards the back. Very tasty and a bit chewy as well.

Lingering citrusy hops and spice dominate the mouthfeel. Very satisfying.

Excellent. I would recommend this to other hopheads that enjoy Belgian interpretations of our beloved hop bombs. I welcome our new belgian overlords with open hands.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2010 03:14:45 | More by Brad007

Samashley

New York

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

This has become one of my new favorite triples. I think that people may be critiquing this beer a bit too harshly stating that it is not truly an IPA. Belgian IPA's can be deceiving to a person who is used to drinking American IPA's. The IBU's in an American IPA are through the roof and tend to be way more aggressive in their hoppy characteristics. This Belgian Triple IPA is a great brew in my opinion because it creates a wonderful balance between sweet citrus and bitter hops. There is not one aspect that completely overshadows the other with this beer and the complexity really hides the high alcohol content well.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2011 05:30:18 | More by Samashley

jdhilt

New Hampshire

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

Pours a three-finger cream head that fades very slowly leaving a good lace. Hazy amber color with a few floaties. Good carbonation and medium bodied. Nose is light grapefruit hops, flavor is almost sweet grapefruit, malts are balancing the hops really well. Decent TIPA. $4.99 for a 330ml bottle from Kappy's Fine Wine & Spirits Peabody, Ma.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2011 22:18:12 | More by jdhilt

gopens44

Virginia

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

A - Nice head on this one. Thick foamy head with just a little lacing. Fairly translucent orange brown with a little bit of sediment.

S -- Sweet caramel smell seems to cover all else

T - First swig was fantastically bitter upfront before giving way to the sweet slightly circus peanut taste. Alcohol presence making its way a little more as I drink it.

M -- Somewhere between medium and light bodied with decent carbonation and a ton of bitter aftertaste.

O -- Quite the tasty beer! It was not specifically what I expected, it was actually better

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2011 01:48:44 | More by gopens44

ChugginOil

Illinois

4.22/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Trabaduer

Pours a cloudy honey orange and has a fingers worth of white frolthy head.

The nose offers some floral hop notes mixed with spicy yeast and honey. This combo provides a strange funk aroma.

The taste is following the nose closely. Some pine, citrus, and honey notes are blended together nicely. As it warms, a bit of caramel is noticed with a bit of spicy yeast and booze heat. This creates a bit of a biscuity flavor.

The mouthfeel is full-bodied with a slight bit of crisp tartness that leaves the palate refreshed.

Overall, a much different IPA than other Belgian inspired ones. Bold tastes that hold a decent balance makes this one unique and worthy of your hard earned cash.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2011 22:16:03 | More by ChugginOil

dasenebler

Maine

4.22/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

33cl, purchased in Belgium, best before 2/22/13.

Pours a cloudy and luminous burnt orange, with a creamy off-white head. Retention is very good and the lacing is textbook.

The aroma is fantastic, with loads of floral hops and tropical notes of mango and apricot. Very American IPA.

The flavor is also full of juicy hops and sweet malty goodness. Tropical fruit comes through again, but so does a sturdy, piney bitterness. Finish is very bitter. Not so much Belgian yeast character, but the Tripel heat is there (alcohol is much more noticeable in this bottle sample than when had on-tap). The mouthfeel is full of fine, smooth bubbles, though also quite drying on the palate.

Great stuff here. One of the best Belgian hop bombs I've come across. When I was in Bruges and in need of hops, Magma (on-tap) was the perfect beer for the perfect moment, and this bottle does not disappoint.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2011 21:37:07 | More by dasenebler