Tripel Karmeliet - Brouwerij Bosteels

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

mjw06

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Zero to little head when it was served to me. My assumption is this may have had something to do with the glass not being completely dry, but I can only judge off of what I had. The hazy orange tinted yellow was as clear as hazy can be, if that makes sense.

The nose was balanced but left some to be desired. Spicy, but not just in the sense of a lot of spices, but that it actually have a little extra kick to it.

Strongly present residual malts lead the way in the taste and occur mostly mid-tongue and follow thru to the finish. Dry and spicy all over. Hop character was very balanced, as well as a very balanced hop to citrus spice. A nearly perfect feel lends much favor to the taste and drinkability. Great brew. Could have enjoyed many more that night if I wasn't on a budget, ;)

Serving type: on-tap

06-21-2011 19:12:47 | More by mjw06

doopiedoopiedoo

Netherlands

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

Got his on draft at café in Westende Belgium. My kids are young enough not to be embarrassed by dad taking notes while drinking a beer. The wife is used to me being weird.

Served in a 33cl Karmeliet Tripel glass... ofcourse..

Looking goldesn yellow. Just a little hazy. Two fingers of thick wonderful foam.

Tons of spices on the nose combined with yeast, fruits like banana and some honey malts.

A bunch of honeylike sweetness on the first taste. Spicy peppery cloves, summer fruits... Wonderfully complex.

Medium body but a dry finish. The alcoholis present but not overwhelming.

Overall a great pick sitting outside this cafe ona nice summersday at the beach. Beer like this could pretty much work for any ocassion.
WONDERFUL!

Serving type: on-tap

05-09-2011 19:57:16 | More by doopiedoopiedoo

moshiric

Japan

3.58/5  rDev -16.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A- clear blonde with a large but relatively thin head. Not much lacing.

S- very floral and purfumey. Maybe overly so.

T- purfumey notes are very prominent and are the most dominant flavor.

M- more crisp than than expected. NIce that its aftertaste isn't as purfumey.

O- the ourfuminess is what makes this beer a little much on the palate. If it was turned down a few notches, the beer would be a lot more drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

05-08-2011 09:44:05 | More by moshiric

ghetto90007

California

4.4/5  rDev +3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from tap into a tulip at Holstein's in the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas.

Pours a still, hazy, pale orange, almost peachy. Not much in the way of head or lacing, just some white bubbles on the edge of the glass.

Aroma is primarily fruity.

Taste is primarily of exotic fruits, malty sweetness, some bitterness in the aftertaste. A touch of spice.

Soft and medium-bodied. Carbonation is there, but not significant.

Tasty and drinkable brew. I think this particular bar may have an old tap as I remember this being more carbonated back at Wurstkuche in LA. The lower carbonation did not seem to detract much from a solid brew.

Serving type: on-tap

05-02-2011 03:53:13 | More by ghetto90007

jera1350

Minnesota

4.22/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at The Blue Nile.

Served in its namesake glass, the beer is a light golden color with a clean head of foam that has excellent retention.

Belgian yeast with a light fruit smell, some banana and a honey sweetness.

Very clean and refreshing taste of fruit and honey along with some clove and light banana from the belgian yeast. Nice and simple, but complex at the same time.

Medium body, dry and very smooth. The carbonation is very soft and pleasant.

Overall, a top notch brew for the style. I've waited too long to try it and now need to have it again. Definitely a benchmark for the style.

Serving type: on-tap

04-11-2011 16:29:04 | More by jera1350

gatornation

Minnesota

4.18/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A-pours a slight hazed pale orange color with a whispey white head and good lacing

S- is apples /bananas some clove and a sweet candied malt

T- is sweet/tart light fruit with a touch of clove and belgian yeast

M- medium carbonation on the sweet side with enough fruit and hop to balance the flavor

o- a tasty tripel well balanced with fruit citrus and hops an easy to enjoy

Serving type: on-tap

04-11-2011 15:35:23 | More by gatornation

StaveHooks

Oklahoma

4.18/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - pours a cloudy light orange color with a thin white head that forms a tight cap.

S - citrusy yeast, hints of clove, light alcohol.

T - candy sweetness off the top, pears, golden delicious apples, earthy hops and citrus zest adds a bitter kick. Cloves and Belgian yeast create a solid base. Finishes fruity and clean.

M - full bodied almost milky until the carbonation kicks in. Alcohol is present but mostly hidden.

One of the more hoppier Tripels out there. Very complex flavors. Glad I had a chance to try this on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

03-20-2011 01:19:59 | More by StaveHooks

BeerCon5

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a light amber color with about 1 finger of white fluffy head.

The scent is of earthy hops, notes of vanilla, light alcohol.

The taste was of sweet fruit, light herbal hop presence, some honey, grains and yeast.

Full body, crisp and refreshing, high carbonation.

This was a pretty good beer, nice flavor and very easy to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

03-16-2011 16:21:09 | More by BeerCon5

Cozzatoad

Italy

3.9/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is based from notes from an on-tap tasting at a local pub. I had it again on bottle a few days later and didn't notice much difference

A- Golden to orange colour, a bit brighter than other tripels. A medium and very fine head stands for some sips and then recedes leaving a decent lacing

S- A really sweet aroma. Yeast is perceptible, but the aroma is dominated by lemon with some spicy (or maybe alcoholic) hints. A bit too sweet, and hence not enough full, in my opinion

T- The beer is dominated by fruity notes with a nice spicy alcohol feel to back them up. A pepper like flavour shows up at times. The end also presents some herbal tones. There's definitely some kind of a soft feel from the wheat malt.

M- Medium body, maybe a bit on the lighter side for a tripel, nicely carbonated. Overall, the beer is very smooth, alcohol is noticeable and brings a warming feel, but it's never overpowering

D- This is plain good stuff. Decent complexity in a pleasant, warming, but still easy drink. Overall, a very good beer and a fine example of the style, but not a standout beer as some say

Serving type: on-tap

02-16-2011 15:56:21 | More by Cozzatoad

donkeyrunner

Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

$9 @ Green Land Cafe, Salem MA

Wimpy 20cl pour - where are we, Cambridge? Nifty Karmeliet glassware with 4 fleur de lis emanating from the glass bottom. The beer itself is a slightly hazy gold color with a thin white top. Skim retention and scant lace not worthy of such a ballyhooed tripel.

Sweet honey and vanilla aroma not unlike a Twinkie. Taste is similarly Twinkie-esque. Full of simple complexity...if that makes any sense: very nuanced. Perhaps it comes from the selection of a combination of wheat, barley and oats? I don't get the tropical fruit of many tripels but rather and airy, nuanced honey vanilla sweetness that I love. Mild white pepper compliments the sweet flavors.

Hands down one for the best tripels I've ever had. I'd like to see how it compares in a bottle as most of the more in-depth reviews seem to come from a bottle tasting.

Serving type: on-tap

02-15-2011 15:14:19 | More by donkeyrunner

ColForbinBC

New Jersey

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

On-tap, served in a tulip

A hazy golden body with a thin, bubbly paper white cap. Delicate lace on the inside of the glass.

Fruity aroma of peaches, apricots, bananas, and tangerines. A playful yeast aroma along with honey and a candy sweetness with a light punch of clove.

Extremely clean body. Flavors follow the nose. Peaches, banana, apricots, green apple and tangerine. Spicy clove comes through the middle with an undercooked bread/yeast flavor.

Light body, very clean, creamy and smooth. Perfectly drinkable. Fruity and clean with the perfect carbonation.

Serving type: on-tap

01-28-2011 01:24:09 | More by ColForbinBC

burnheartsMKE

Wisconsin

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

Served up, too cold, in a beautiful branded tulip - my nose was excitedly greeted by your typical clove & Belgian yeast triple-threat; highly drinkable, well executed with a high ABV and a satisfyingly charming old-world sensibility. It's a style I've recently really begun to enjoy and in collaboration with a nicely charred & quite tasty burger and some obligatory beer-battered fries it made for a perfect afternoon lunch.

Serving type: on-tap

01-25-2011 21:19:33 | More by burnheartsMKE

zooalbert

Minnesota

4.78/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

What can I say? These beer is one of those rare ones that I can genuinely say that it is one of the best I've ever had. As someone prone to darker beers, I found this one to be surprisingly good. The appearance wasn't the common straight piss yellow color, but rather a cloudy, bright yellow. The taste wasn't bitter at all, and I found it quite friendly but different. I would strongly recommend this beer to anyone, and I look forward to the opportunity to try this beer again.

Serving type: on-tap

01-15-2011 04:37:09 | More by zooalbert

mallthus

Colorado

4.08/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

So, second Belgian of the night and I'm coming off a less than ideal interlude with Duchesse de Borgnone (sp?) so I'm eager to get back on the Belgian pony.

Well, when you're at a pub in Oklahoma City and you see a lot of a Belgian Tripel going out the door, it means something, so I order one.

Look: Beautiful as only a Belgian can be. Nice thin head and wonderful golden colour.

Smell: A little lacking in all honesty. Didn't get that much from this one.

Taste: Well, knock me down. This is one smooth brew. The high gravity gives a bit of a tingle on the tongue. Nice grapefruit notes with some oddball tobacco notes on the finish.

Bottom line: I'll drink this again.

Serving type: on-tap

01-10-2011 04:01:51 | More by mallthus

kwjd

Ontario (Canada)

4.03/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this on tap at Burp Castle in New York City. I actually hadn't heard of this beer before, but I figure they have a good beer list there and I like tripels, so I'll just go for it. Pours a cloudy orange colour with tight, thin white head. Lacing around some of the glass. Smells of saison almost, with the Belgian yeast and some spices. Very dry flavour, not as sweet as many tripels. High carbonation level. Very enjoyable beer, I'd be glad to have this again.

Serving type: on-tap

01-10-2011 01:25:15 | More by kwjd

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.47/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

believe it or not i had not had this one before this night. i decided to go out with a bang and ordered up a glass of this one to round out the night. served chilled and poured into a glass on 11/07/2010.

really not the pour i was expecting, for some reason i thought it would be much darker, but the light golden hue of it had a nice cloudiness to it that seemed to come through nicely with a bit of lacing around the sides.

aroma is light bready notes and hints of banana, cloves, pears, light tart apples and a touch of spice on the edges. clean, very clean flavor that it is very hard to find really any fault here in that. super clean with light body and a nice medium palate with hints of grain and light fruits that seem to dance all over the place. light bears and nice touches of fruit and light spice. smooth, clean finish and absent abv lead to just a great mix of flavor and drinkablility.

overall it deserved all that it deserves, really a great and light an highly drinkable beer.

Serving type: on-tap

11-09-2010 02:21:11 | More by mikesgroove

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

3.53/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 oz tap pour into a Tripel Karmeliet tulip at The Highland House. $6.50

A - Hazy golden yellow with a low white head despite the tall tap pour to the center of the tulip. Not as effervescent as the bottle version. No lace, pour retention.

S - Cold aroma with a big banana ester, Belgian aroma, crystal malts and notes of earth, clay, and white pepper. The overall aroma is pretty low. Hints of butter suggest the tap lines might need some cleaning.

T - Sweet pale malts and candi sugar with banana notes. Interesting. No where near as good as the bottled version. Sweet and lacking the great nuances the bottle has.

M - Smooth and soft with a light finish and a touch of alcohol.

D - Decent drinakbility but either it's a way old keg, the tap lines need some cleaning, or it's just not the same as the bottle. Possible pour sanitation in the line I feel, but my friend likes it more than the bottle and stands by his pour. Hmm.

Serving type: on-tap

11-07-2010 20:17:48 | More by BeerFMAndy

boss302

Florida

3.33/5  rDev -22%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Tripel Karmeliet, 1679, draft, 8.4%

A Golden not clear thick head to begin, but faded quick. 3 

S Very Saison like. Cirtrus, estery. 3 

T Citrusy sweet. More saison like than other tripels I've had. A Dry finish a little astringency in the finish. 3.5

M Medium to full. Feels thick on the tongue. 4 

D Probably not the best example of a tripel, but good if you like Saisons. I would rather drink something else. 3 

Serving type: on-tap

10-25-2010 01:14:10 | More by boss302

takeabrewski

New Jersey

3.68/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served in a fluted Tripel Karmeleit 8 oz. glass.

A: Gold, clear, with fine carbonation and a soft frothy head.

S: Banana, clove, slight malt aroma.

T: More banana and clove, with some biscuit and candi sugar. Hops are hidden or absent.

M: Very nice fine carbonation that is soft on the tongue.

D: I could drink maybe 1 or 2 of these.

A bit banal compared to other Belgian tripels I have had, but still worth trying.

Serving type: on-tap

09-30-2010 21:20:12 | More by takeabrewski

Phelps

Arizona

4.05/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served from the tap into a Tripel Karmeliet tulip glass. Classy!

Looks: an almost clear light rosy orange with a puffy cream-colored head that slowly fades to speckled foam sitting atop the liquid, leaving webs of lace in its wake.

Smells: spicy and sweet. Coriander, clove, light brown sugar and cinnamon, honey, peaches and marshmallow cream.

Tastes: bright and sweet, like caramelized pears. Burnt sugar, light lemon peel, very subtle pale malt and cereal grain, and some pink peppercorn. The finish is both sweet and very slightly drying.

Feels: velvety and smooth. Medium-light in fullness of body with a peppery moderate carbonation. Nice.

Drinks: I often find that a drinking experience is improved when served in the most appropriate glassware, and it's hard to get more appropriate than the glass built and labeled for that specific beer. At 8.4 percent alcohol content, Tripel Karmeliet is a smooth, easy-drinking beverage. It paired incredibly well with my pear and walnut salad, and even better with balsamic.

Serving type: on-tap

09-17-2010 21:03:47 | More by Phelps