Tripel Karmeliet - Brouwerij Bosteels

RobertColianni

Pennsylvania

4.48/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4.75

10oz tap pour into a Duvel Tulpip at Hawthorne's Cafe in Philadelphia.

A: Burnt amber with a white, sudsy head with layers of carbonation.

S: Heavy sweetness. Has that sexy rankness of most true, dark fruited trips. Heavy cherry cordial scents.

T: Cherry Cordial and white, Turkish Figs. Beautiful sweetness with a subtle malt that balances nicely with the thin backbone.

M: Thin and smooth.

OVERALL: A very drinkable trip with only a slight maltiness that adds definition and depth to this perfect, all day ale.

Serving type: on-tap

05-05-2013 20:38:57 | More by RobertColianni

MadCat

New Jersey

4.28/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: A light straw color with a good white head, leaves good lacing

Smell: Malty sweetness, Belgian yeast

Taste: Fruity, peppery, yeasty, malty... this tastes like a highly complex version of what I expect from a tripel. You would never know it is high in alcohol.

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body, high carbonation, very smooth and refreshing

Overall: A great example of the Belgian Tripel style. It is awesome, I highly recommend it, especially if you like the style.

Serving type: on-tap

03-07-2013 02:10:30 | More by MadCat

NilocRellim

Minnesota

4.35/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this beer on tap while in Bruges, Belgium. I've also had this beer many times back in the states from the bottle and surprisingly does not lose much in the bottle.

Pours a hazy golden colour with a large, very foamy head which is very common with Belgian beers. Belgian beers in general produce extremely large heads that are scraped with a knife. The smell is floral, very sweet, and fruity, due to the Belgian yeast strains that are used. The taste is very fruity, sweet, and you can definitely taste the alcohol content. It is also very carbonated, like most Belgian beers.

Would I buy it again? Absolutely.

Serving type: on-tap

12-01-2012 04:25:13 | More by NilocRellim

merc7186

New York

4.38/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Aurora Brew Works in East Aurora NY, poured into a snifter.

A: Golden Straw Hue, Passes Most Light, White Head, Some Lacing

S: Peach, Apple, Apricots, Mild Belgian Sugar

T: Peach, Pineapple, Belgian Sugars, Mild Booze

M: Decent Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Lightly Sweet, Mildly Boozy

Overall, a pretty balanced triple with nice fruit notes and sugar.

Serving type: on-tap

11-29-2012 21:19:18 | More by merc7186

Csnowbrown

4.9/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

On tap, poured in a 12oz tulip
pours crisp golden with a bit of haze. 1 1/2" rich fluffy head. Aromas of clove spice and fruits, a bit of alcohol.
Taste is very smooth with a full yeast flavor and a long crisp finish. Carbonation is superb!
This is a fantastic beer!

Serving type: on-tap

08-28-2012 01:51:37 | More by Csnowbrown

TheRealBigC

Nevada

3.98/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy yellow with fizzy head. Very herbal nose, a little yeasty as well. Taste-wise it's a pretty big brew considering how light it feels. Herbal/medicinal sort of flavor plays with yeast and fruity phenols. I think it's a good beer and a major stand-out flavor profile among tripels.

Serving type: on-tap

08-20-2012 22:43:48 | More by TheRealBigC

brureview

Massachusetts

4.7/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Julian's restaurant in Providence.

What a great beer! Light golden color with less than a finger head.

Great aroma- strong cloves.

Mouth feel- very smooth, complementing the style.

Taste- strong cloves, with warming-apricot-cloves.

This was my first time tasting this tripel, and it is perfect for a summer day. Very distinctive. A world class tripel.

Serving type: on-tap

08-18-2012 00:00:00 | More by brureview

Louski

Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On Tap in Nancy, France.

Poured a golden blonde with about a finger and a half worth of head

Smell was timid though sweet with hints of banana

Taste was sharp with a smooth finish almost honey-like. No alcohol hints what so ever.

Mouthfeel was retained for several minutes before another sip was needed.

Overall a great Belgian style beer that showed its class.

Serving type: on-tap

06-05-2012 20:22:45 | More by Louski

DIM

Pennsylvania

4.83/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

a: This was a clear, shining golden color. It was served to me with a firm, long lasting white cap.

s: Warm, banana esters and hints honey, peaches, and other candy-like fruits.

t: Just a perfect tripel in my opinion. Lightly sweet honey with flowery fruit notes, sweet candi-sugar and estery bananas all spectacularly.

m: Soft and velvety.

o: An incredible beer. There was so much at work here beyond my ability to describe.

Serving type: on-tap

05-15-2012 22:27:41 | More by DIM

chinchill

South Carolina

4.23/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Tulip glass from a tap at Barley's in Greenville SC

A: Pours a bright, pale honey/golden color, with a small-to-moderate size, exceptionally creamy head. Head has good retention, at least as a ring.

S&T: Light and fruity, although no specific fruit comes to the fore. Clove and banana elements, but less pronounced than in some tripels. Honey too. The aroma is a bit boozy, but in a positive way ... think fine brandy or liquer.

M: Very smooth, with a bit of alcohol warming. Nice, light carbonation.

Overall: One of the best tasting tripels I have ever had. Complex and flavorful, but not challenging. Very refined. Makes an excellent sipper, and I took a good long time to finish my serving, enjoying every sip.

Serving type: on-tap

03-27-2012 01:13:47 | More by chinchill

UCLABrewN84

California

3.45/5  rDev -19.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

On tap at The Surly Goat in West Hollywood, CA.

Pours a slightly murky light yellow with a beige head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is very fruity with some spice and very floral aromas. Taste is of grain, spice, yeast, and floral flavors. There is an almost medicinal bitterness on the palate that sticks around after each sip. This beer has a low level of carbonation with a somewhat flat mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good tripel but it's much different from what I was expecting.

Serving type: on-tap

03-09-2012 06:31:30 | More by UCLABrewN84

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from tap onto tulip. Golden hay color with a good amount of foam that is gone quick but leaves spotty lacing behind. Smells of belgian yeast and slight fruit. Taste is of belgian yeasts, banana, biscuity malts...but it has more personality than I can pass along here. Smooth as can be. Just a superb offering and world class of the style.

Serving type: on-tap

02-14-2012 00:42:36 | More by DrinkSlurm

denver10

Colorado

4.33/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Golden in appearance with a nice white head. A warm, sweet aroma and matching flavor of fruit of some banana, some grape, some citrusd some wheat, some bread, and spice (coriander shows itself, maybe clove too). The alcohol is masked pretty well but not completing hidden. A nice creamy, medium bodied moutfeel with a nice dose of carbonation to give it some life. A very nice tripel that is worthy of return visits.

Serving type: on-tap

02-12-2012 01:34:22 | More by denver10

WoodBrew

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I had a chance to try the Karmeliet Tripel at "The Bank" in Wheaton, IL. The beer pours a hazy yeast filled pale yellow or straw color, very large foamy white head which left a very spotty lace due to the fruity precence. The smell is sweet yeast esters, some banana, some pepper, honey, very good. Feel is light lots of tingling carbonation. Taste is good, there is a nice dry finish, I get sweet honey, malts, a little hop bite, some peppery aftertaste along with the dryness. Overall a good triple.

Serving type: on-tap

12-30-2011 00:53:18 | More by WoodBrew

ChugginOil

Illinois

4.35/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a hazy, light orange color with a fluffy 2 inches of white head. Massive lace throughout.

The nose is full of Belgian yeast, clove, corriander, and spice. Pretty welcoming.

The taste is balanced very nicely and has flavors similar to the ones noted in the smell of this brew. The yeast and clove are prominent with a bit of a malty backbone.

The mouthfeel is smooth and has a nice prickle of carbonation. Very smooth.

Overall, thia is an impressive tripel with balance and great characteristics.

Serving type: on-tap

12-27-2011 03:52:59 | More by ChugginOil

VictorZaidi

Belgium

4.43/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

It is , when well poured of cxourse , a tough of soft fluid silk that fils your mouth, it's full flavour and frechness at the same time is the key of it's well diserved succes. Here in belgium where they have regional restrictions on the amount of cafés that can have it on draught it is a staying succes Cheers

Serving type: on-tap

11-30-2011 02:13:12 | More by VictorZaidi

vincicle

Colorado

4.4/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this at the Cheeky Monk in Denver on tap in the appropriate and striking chalice emblazoned with Fleur-de-lis. I have to say, that drinking this beer, under the shade of an umbrella on a beautiful and sunny summer day with a pile of Moules Frites a la Provence is a truly excellent recent memory. In my opinion, this isn't your average Tripel, with a sweet carmel taste with a hint of banana and lemon esters. It is a beer that gives the impression of being sweet without any real sweetness. Perfectly balanced and belying its Alcohol content, this is a beer that will make even novice beer drinkers see the light and appreciate craftsmanship.
The appearance is a light yellowy golden color with a slight cloudiness (the glass was srosted glass obscuring the view also) and the head was a balanced yet expertly laced making for a very asthetic experience.
The feel of this beer embodies "sauve" making for a super pleasant mouthfeel.
excellent overall and I can't recommend it enough.

Serving type: on-tap

11-02-2011 15:57:33 | More by vincicle

bogus564

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a big mug at my favorite watering hole...

A: It looks like what I'd expect a tripel to look like; golden amber in color, a less than 1 cm wheat colored head that just does not last.

S: Pepper right off the bat. A decent balance of hops and yeast and malt in your nose. Cloves as well.

T: It certainly tastes like a tripel, meaning this bugger is sweet. I'm getting the usual suspects of tripel, and anise and cloves. It's interesting; I don't know if I love it, but at least it's making me think.

M: There's enough going on with this beer to hold my attention. Good body, good carbonation, good on the palate.

O: As a tripel should be, it's sweet. If you are a fan of this style as I am, you'll enjoy this beer, especially with a big ol' plate of fish 'n chips. Cheers.

Serving type: on-tap

09-16-2011 00:18:12 | More by bogus564

LambicKing

Virginia

4.78/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at one of Delirium's mini cafes in Bruxelles on 13 Aug. Poured into Tripel Karmeliet glass.

A: Pours a hazy yellow-orange. Two fingers of slightly off-white head, moderate carbonation.

S: Sweet orange, solid grains, and coriander dominate the nose. Very sweet, pleasant and apparently balanced. No boozy aromas at all, unlike most tripels that have some sort of booze smell (Westmalle, Tremens, Chimay, St F, etc).

T: Orange, coriander, malts. Sweeter than most/all tripels, but won't come close to sending you into a diabetic coma. Very balanced, very drinkable and not hot in the least. Smooth as smooth can be for an 8.4% brew. Drinks like a 4-5% beer. Almost reminds me of what Weihenstephaner Hefe would like to grow up to become (even though I really like that beer as well).

M: Med to wet finish. Sweeter profile does not coat mouth/throat. Perfect carbonation.

O: My favorite tripel. Period.

Serving type: on-tap

08-13-2011 23:23:04 | More by LambicKing

vande

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

another great offering at the Taphouse, near my abode...

A: a deep, golden color with easily a finger and a half, white thick looking foam... lively, active in appearance as the carbonation continues to float to the top from the bottom..slightly hazy...

S: yeasts born from Belgium with some earthiness qualities intertwined... some floralness, maybe a bit of honeysuckle mixed up here.. just a "pretty" smelling beer if one can say so...

T: a great example of a Triple. Bit sweet, but one that follows the nose in flavor... The yeast quality that blends with touches of earthiness/barnyard; dash of floral and a bit of lemon.. a great blend here...

M: Creamier drink with a medium body

O: A great Belgian for beginners, those who've experience Belgians, or simply an old Fan...

Serving type: on-tap

08-01-2011 05:44:52 | More by vande

bceagles39

Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On draft at Gastropub 775 in Reno, NV on July 26 2011

Pours a translucent honey gold color with light head and beautiful lacing.

The is sweet but not cloying and, like any good tripel, was not hot at all.

There was very light carbonation. I wish it was a little thicker and creamier but this was true to the style.

This beer was great and dangerously sessionable.

Serving type: on-tap

08-01-2011 00:03:04 | More by bceagles39

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

First had: on tap at the Belgian Cafe, Philly, PA

An overall great brew, with a variety of flavors that reveal themselves at just the right times.

Poured into a signature stem glass, an amber-honey color, hazy, with a huge puff of foamy white head that almost floats right out of the glass. Retains well and leaves some delicate lacing. Aroma is full of spice and perfume, with essences of fruit. Light and crisp on the tongue with a cavalcade of flavors: herbs and floral perfume give way to peach, pear, melons, orange blossom, and a touch of banana esters, with a ubiquitous peppery sensation. Tasty all over, with hints of its relatively high alcohol content. Medium-bodied, complex, full of flavor, and highly drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

07-06-2011 11:53:42 | More by Rifugium

ChadQuest

Illinois

2.05/5  rDev -52%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

I got this on tap, i actually came to this specific pub because they have this beer on tap and i live in the cornfields. I don't have it easy.
So the pour is a really clear pale golden straw color, the color is a bit lackluster though. The head is decent with average retention.
The aroma and flavors seemed muted from what i expected, there wasn't a strong yeasty character which is not surprising from the clear body, but i also got very little spices or white pepper notes that i generally look for in this style. What was there was just slight banana and clove and some wheat notes, not much else adding character to this one.
I have had triples from alot of others i liked alot more honestly.
The mouthfeel was a bit low carbed, maybe that kept the flavors from popping? I hope that was the problem, hopefully it was a bad pour or something, but i wasn't impressed.

Serving type: on-tap

07-01-2011 06:34:28 | More by ChadQuest

GilGarp

Colorado

4.43/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served on tap at Choice City in a large wine glass.

Pale golden straw color with good clarity.

Aroma is lemony and fresh. Really enjoyable smell

Flavor is really nice too. Great yellow cake, lemon, and mild spice. Great depth of flavor with a subtle month herbal quality.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied with moderate carbonation.

Overall a really nice trippel. Kudos to the dude who made the recommendation.

Serving type: on-tap

06-27-2011 22:28:54 | More by GilGarp

kojevergas

California

3.5/5  rDev -18%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On-tap into 20cl Fest stemware at Beer Passion Weekend 2011, Antwerp. Reviewed from notes.

A: Two finger head of soft delicate cream, good thickness, and great retention. Clear yellow lemon colour.

Sm: Lemon citrus esters. A light strength scent.

T: Lemon citrus ester hops over a weak overburdened barley foundation. Simple but refreshing. Balanced and well built.

Mf: Smooth, wet, but adequate coarseness to bring out the flavours. Complex.

Dr: Nice drinkability, decent quality. Fair price. Give her a spin, lads.

Serving type: on-tap

06-27-2011 19:57:41 | More by kojevergas