Tripel Karmeliet - Brouwerij Bosteels

nomad

Kansas

4.65/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured a light gold color that was clear and resplendent. Without a try the head exploded and very slowly settled, foamy and frothy, and had a champagne amount and pace of carbonation underneath it. Good lace, too.

Nose was like wheat covered lightly by honey, and banana sprinkled with vanilla. With time the malted oats they use really came through. Could smell the alcohol at first but it was pleasant in its warmth and not too distracting. In times the scents combined to an almost light/citrus fruity presence.

Taste was soft and buttery – developed to quite a creamy type of cheese aftertaste (another product of the oats). Very smooth and balanced with a great wheat and hops taste that settled very well - all I could think was, that’s Styrian hops done right. Tasted of the white of a baguette (nice),too. But in general, this beer was propped up by a sweet backbone that was controlled and soothing.

A quiet and subtle finish built strength with time; it had moderate length and was very softly dry. Mouthfeel started with a high-carbonation tingle and rolled on to a slightly viscous water feel.

This beer feels like a nice cotton on your tongue. A little more hearty tasting than other classic Belgian tripels, due to the peculiar use of oats as well as the typical malt and hops. Hate to invoke Mr. Beer Micheal Jackson, but he called it full of “finesse and complexity” – he is dead right on. Easily a leader in its style, I gotta have another to catch it all. Have one if you pick up on subtlety and enjoy it!!

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2003 10:08:23 | More by nomad

frank4sail

New Jersey

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

Musty malt nose. Gold color with lots of little tiny bubbles in the goblet. A nice 1/4 to 1/2 inch white head results from the pour. Musty malty taste with and aftertaste of burnt corriander and apricot. Smooth medium mouth. A solid Tripel and at 8% quite drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2003 12:37:51 | More by frank4sail

TXHops

Texas

4.3/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

-ABV: 8%
-Malts: Malted barley, malted wheat, malted oats and unmalted barley, unmalted wheat and unmalted oats.
-Hops: Styrians (and other spices)

Well, like a jackass, here I sit with a bottle of beer full of coriander. When I was in Austin, I was shocked to see Tripel Karmeleit on the store shelves, so I had to buy a 750 (even though the 750 bottle is green…???). Anyway, I found Karmeleit on tap later that trip at the Gingerman, had some, and discovered that it was spiced with my favorite seasoning. Not only did I already spend the 7 or 8 bucks on the bottle, I looked more closely and discovered it was imported by Manneken Brussels, right there in Austin. The next week I saw it in the stores in Dallas, and in smaller bottles to boot. Oh well, here comes some attempt at objectivity.

Karmeleit pours with a really pretty, deepish gold body: darker than many triples. Is the additional color from the use of oats? The snow white head is massive and fluffy and looks like the foam that forms on the top of a boiling pot of potatoes before they’re ready to be mashed, only bigger. Requisiste lace coats the inside of my Duvel glass. The clean, yeasty nose smells quintessentially Belgian. A little warmth reveals a lemony, spicy coriander undertone.

The body is surprisingly yummy: oily and with a slight viscosity to mitigate the airiness. Michael Jackson’s Great Beers of Belgium (Running Press 1998) claims that the beer is heavily spiced, but annoyingly fails to elaborate. Still, I can taste the spices, which paradoxically don’t contribute to the spiciness of this brew—the yeast takes care of that. I can also taste the classic Belgian sourness in the back of the mouth. However, through the annoying flavors of coriander, the fluffy body and the sour finish, I can find some really intriguing aspects of this beer. The oats seem to be the biggest difference between this and other Tripels. The slick creaminess that they impart is really unique and quite appealing. They even helped me see past the coriander enough to score this beer highly. Kudos to Bosteels for making Belgian beers that don’t just taste like all the other Belgian beers. While I like Kwak more, Karmeleit is one that I can thoroughly appreciate, even if I wouldn’t drink it again. Still, my irrational hatred of coriander should not dissuade any other BA’s from trying this unique, exceptionally well made beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2003 18:16:51 | More by TXHops

kbub6f

New York

4.5/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bought locally (Grapevine refrigerated shelves), a few days in my fridge, reviewed 45F-60F.

Got gunsmoke from the small, capped bottle. HUGE, white, noisy head in my round-bottomed glass. The core is dense, but the edges are coarse, leading to a beautiful, uneven slow, ice-cream collapse. Thick, clumpy foam is more an extension of the head than it is lacing. The beer is clear amber gold.

There's a very nice, spicy smell, full of sweet fruit. The front specializes that fruit to apples, I think. Sweet and spicy. Then malt. The finish is just a little syrupy, but still manages to be fresh. Some alcohol is noticeable in the aftertaste. This probably isn't the most interesting tripel, but it sure isn't far off.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2003 08:34:16 | More by kbub6f

gjh

Pennsylvania

4.85/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I love this one. Poors a nice deep cloudy golden color. Head has bigger bubbles than I would expect, but settles to a nice tight head although not much of one. The smell and taste are very compatible - both have a nce mixture of fruit and spices. Considering the ABV, there is no alcohol taste - just citrus and spices, with a yeast undertone. This make for an excellent dessert beer or on a hot, mid-summer day. Although, I prefer to drink this one all year round.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2003 19:12:14 | More by gjh

maxpower

Missouri

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

750 ml caged and corked bottle. Pours deep hazy bright golden orange in color, has a huge white frothy lasting head. Fruity and spicy wet cardboard aromas. Fruity buttery and spicy yeasty flavors. Somewhat sticky but crisp finish. Full bodied with lively carbonation full but crisp mouthfeel, alcohol is hardly noticed, a great tripple.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2003 12:14:55 | More by maxpower

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.72/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Hazy gold color, fine white head, and fortunately poured into it's own particularly shaped glass.

Aroma is uplifting, arousing, sensual, jumping with fruitiness, peaches, tangerines, apricots, citrus, lemon, alive with bright, sunny flavors, and a joyful honey/candy sweetness.

Absolute happiness results from a mere sip of this glorious brew, growing with each new drip down the lips!
Yeast, also, does some work towards delivering the drinker to Beer Nirvana, creating a warm, bready feeling. Body is somewhat light and buoyant, palate is delicate and delicious. Soft, sweet malt, long and lingering, rewarding finish, always accompanied by a tidy, tasteful dance of hops upon the tongue. Ahhh!

Unfortunately, this happy ride was all-too brief, for the otherwise unredoubtable pub poured a meager 8 ounces. Geez, guys, I'd pay an extra $.50 for another 2 ounces, and willingly, too!

Serving type: on-tap

01-22-2003 21:23:18 | More by feloniousmonk

HopheadEd

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -15%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a hazy yellow with an enormous head, so big I had to let it settle a little while. The head lasts through the glass, and ample lacing as well. First aroma caught me by surprise, fruit, but not sweet. Grapefruit and sour aromas. The taste was acidic, with alcohol up front and a slight dried fruit mouthfeel. Clean dry finish though, with hints of spices coming out. Didn't see this one coming, a fine ale, I just wasn't crazy about it.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2003 07:25:56 | More by HopheadEd

Gusler

Arizona

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

The pour a deep golden amber color, with a magisterial head, the texture creamy and the lace formed is a thick sticky sheet to smother the glass. Ripe fruit like pineapple comes to mind, malt, fresh and clean to the nose, and the start quite sweet with a medium in feel top. Vinous and astringent finish with the hops sparse, but still noticeable the aftertaste quite dry and long lasting. All things considered a decent drinking beer and well worth the price of a sample.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2003 14:58:41 | More by Gusler

Bighuge

Minnesota

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

Golden copper color. Big and bubbly white head that has good retention. Appearance indicates a high level of carbonation. Really nice doughy, yeasty aroma. And smoke. I get a definitive smoke aroma which surprises me a little bit. Some banana like esters make their presence known right off the bat. A little bubblegum as well. A very light phenolic presence. Finishes on the sweet side. Medium bodied. Enjoyable and drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2002 19:22:18 | More by Bighuge

Wildman

Ohio

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

This beer poured a golden color and formed a nice bubbly white head that left some circular lace as it slowly subsided. Some carbonation is present. An aroma of citrus and grain. A flavor of citrus and grain with a hint of clove present. A bit of tanginess to the body no doubt brought on by the carbonation. A good beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2002 19:25:41 | More by Wildman

Viking

Indiana

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

Pours a slightly hazy, pale gold with just a hint of an amber tint. Huge amounts of carbonation apparent in the body that feeds the thick, creamy head. Long lasting head, that leaves quite a bit of lace clinging to the glass. Aroma of tart citrus blends with a spicy, but not quite peppery, smell. Very grainy taste, with plenty of fruit and spice flavors adding complexity. The blend of grains is very apparent - the oats and wheat seem to stand out above the barley. Finish is rather grassy and a bit bitter, with accompanying hints of berry-like fruit. Aftertaste has a nice lingering dose of alcohol, along with a dry, tart fruitiness. Carbonation gives this beer a fairly rough feel. Very drinkable brew. I'll have to experiment with food pairings...

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2002 15:10:28 | More by Viking

marc77

California

4.58/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

The tremendous, forceful pop upon releasing the cork starts off another Belgian Tripel experience. After a gentle pour, a dense, very thick, soft peak beaten egg white head sits atop a clear golden hued brew, if decanted off the sediment. Beautiful heterogenous melange of sheets of bubbles interconnected by lace down the glass. Tart citrus fruitiness comprised of lemon and unripe orange hit the nose at first, then are ensued by rounder and sweeter tropical notes akin to ripe pineapple. When combined with the sweet fruit notes, the mild green apple acetaldehyde and alcohol take on a ripe jackfruit like character. Subdued clove adds an herbal accompanient to the overall fruity aroma. Honey like sweetness hits the palate initially, then is ensued by a light wheat tartness and soft white bread graininess. Sweetness then mirrors the aroma mid palate, and becomes fruity and kiwi like in nature. Persistent, mellow clove maintains an herbal undertone to this brew. Hop bitterness is indirectly perceived by its well calculated contrast to malt sweetness. Moderately bodied and fairly well attenuated, but with a full dextrinous mouthfeel derived from the oats in the grist. Finishes dry, with trace phenol and residual sweetness briefly lingering. Karmeliet is an assertively fruity tripel and is certainly unique and absolutely delicious. Robust, yet refined and soft on the palate... drink up!

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2002 18:03:58 | More by marc77

jackndan

Illinois

4.97/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Triple Karmeliet: On tap. Fantastic! The triple refers to three grains: barley, oats, and wheat. Highly carbonated, very nice head. Aroma vaguely smells of oranges, and coriander. The taste is sweet/yeast taste, and pressed oranges, with a perfectly balanced Belgian taste. This is a very, very good beer: on tap, it is one of the five best beers I’ve ever had.

Serving type: on-tap

06-22-2002 12:43:23 | More by jackndan

John

New York

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

11.2 oz. bottle. Just another very good Belgian trippel... yawn. Not that that's a bad thing. This one's got all the typical attributes of a fine trippel. Champagne-like level of carbonation. Full of crisp, fruity, yeasty goodness. Can't go wrong here, IMHO.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2002 08:17:47 | More by John

Jason

Massachusetts

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

Presentation: 11.2 oz brown slender bottle with a freshness date on the back label.

Appearance: Slightly hazed pale amber with a thinnish white lace.

Smell: Touch of honey like sweetness, soft vanilla and medicinal phenols that are a little herbal. Malt is evident and yeast gives an earthy character to the aroma.

Taste: Prickly carbonation with a warming and spicy alcohol wakes the palate up, medium to full in body donning a syrupy sweet mouth feel. Estery and fruity of mangos and star fruit, mild peppery taste in the middle. Hops are insignificant and are only in play to balance this big brew. Phenols are present and do leave a medicinal herbal flavour but not overdone at all. Some husk from the drying grain is in the finish and the warmth of the alcohol get more and more towards the bottom of the glass.

Notes: Quite the alcoholic brew, big boisterous and complex. Perhaps over the top but still a brew to reckon with. A good cheese pairing would be with a nice creamy Danish Blue and some rye crackers.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2002 22:10:01 | More by Jason

ADR

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle was monstrously charged, a full 12 oz volume of foam during a careful pour. Hazy yellow, yeasty, fruity aroma. Chunky. Lemony citric notes stand out over the oats and barley also used. Flavor profile is upfront with a consistent fade. If you pour to the back of the mouth, its seems estery and fuller. Too astringent, overcarbonated, and champagne-like for me, it crosses that "Belgian Tripel" line that my tastes buds don't want to. Could be higher alcohol refresher for some. Respectably brewed.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2002 08:53:05 | More by ADR

rastaman

United Kingdom (England)

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

A very good tripel, had a unique taste with a good bitterness on the finish, not to sweet also, which i count as a good thing.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2002 21:19:28 | More by rastaman

AaronRed

New York

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

Very sweet with loads of carbonation. Fruity, but with a kick. Yeast is clearly present,but the sweetness of this beer slightly overpowers it. In adding to this review, I tried it agian 9/8/02 and found it sort of dry, with some very noticeable grain flavors- of which I cannot readily identify. This was a smoother brew then before, but remains sweet. You can really taste and smell some sort of crystal like sugar.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2002 21:25:20 | More by AaronRed