Westmalle Trappist Tripel - Brouwerij Westmalle

beerthulhu

New Jersey

4.38/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Poured a bright, hazy golden sunset orange with a big, bready, 3 finger white head that was fully lasting.

S: an aromatic farmhouse yeastiness full of fresh oranges, citrus, and light bananas.

T: yeasty, with sour oranges, sour fruit (apples, pears) mostly dominating. There was a light hint of grassiness along with a good acidity bite in the middle of the drink before yielding to a soothing fade of sour velvety oranges. There is a nice dry citrus sourness, and fresh breadiness that finished things out leaving a soft gentle residual coating on the tongue along with dry spicing.

M: light and creamy with a lively carbonation bringing out the complexity of wild fruitiness.

D: great drinkability and example.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2008 23:51:35 | More by beerthulhu

kojevergas

California

3.75/5  rDev -13%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

330 cl bottle poured into An Brainblasta goblet in the Porterhouse Dublin. Reviewed from notes.

A: Four finger head of nice thickness, very good retention, and a bit of cream. Hazy yellow colour. Very appealing. Head retains impressively well for 9.5% ABV. I'm excited to try this.

Sm: Fresh slightly citrusy scent, maybe some yeast.

T: Fresh open of a little cream to a complex body of estery citrus hops that are subtle but lovely. Fresh barley. A hint of bittering hops. The three acts work together; the transitions are seamless. Built and balanced well for the style.

Mf: Very coarse, bringing out the flavours in the body. Starts wet but gets very dry, especially at the climax. Too heavy for the complexity (or perhaps more appropriately, lack thereof).

Dr: Too coarse and dry, but hides its 9.5% ABV extraordinarily well. I'd have it again at a better price, perhaps in Belgium.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2011 18:59:09 | More by kojevergas

DrJay

Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A hazy golden colour, the generous white head was quickly reduced, but produced nice lacing on the glass. Spicy aroma, doughy malt, light hops and a bit of alcohol. Smells pretty nice, but a little bit muted overall. Good combination of flavours, with fruit, cloves, and moderate sweetness balancing a drying bitterness. Short finish that is a little sweet with light peppery spice and alcohol warmth. Medium body, moderately high carbonation produce an initially light, airy texture.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2005 13:59:25 | More by DrJay

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

4.68/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

In the mood to indulge myself a little I pulled this gem from the cellar, after letting it sit for nearly two years. The best before was 20/07/07 but I am drinking it 04/08/07... let's see how this one ages.

The first portion of the pour would reveal as much head as it would beer. Pearl white in colour, it stayed in equal proportion to the beer until about the half way point. While it would remain thick at its base, the head would thin out in some places, leaving a landscape appearance of soft, rolling foothills. The colour is peachy golden. It's almost an optical illusion trying to differentiate the bubbles from the yeast particles, both crowd the body from top to side to bottom.

A cascading aroma that literally "unwinds" the senses. A graceful and unimposing alcohol overcoats all. A lightly spicy yeast yields soft esters. A faint suggestion of fruit. A hard swirl excites a damp, phenolic wheat component that contrasts the otherwise dry character of the beer. The yeast, the esters... so lovely.

The 9.5% is quietly tucked away somewhere, most likely snugged behind the layers of lovely flavours. The carbonation has mellowed suitably over the last 2 years, the mouthfeel is nothing but smooth and graceful on the palate. It seems to dry out for an instance but a presence of flavour quickly resurfaces.

What a wonderful recipe! The yeast is most predominant, again carrying with it countless esters. The flavours all seem "suggestive" rather than upfront. It's a fusion of spices (I'd start with guessing cardamom and pepper), all so subtle but combine for a curious complexity. The inclusion of candi-sugar is very apparent and quite sweet. The taste finishes with the a lingering note of ripened fruit.

A marvelous tripel. Certainly one of the best examples of the style anyone could ever try. I'm not sure which I prefer - aged or fresh. It has held up well - perhaps improved, perhaps not. Either way, this is still something incredibly fantastic and I have savoured every single drop. I will always savour every drop. A wonderful beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2007 04:29:06 | More by biegaman

Derek

British Columbia (Canada)

4.18/5  rDev -3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Very clear, light, pilsner colour. Nice head, a little fluffy, a little retention, good lace.

S: Caramel, brown sugar, slightly fruity (apple, pear, pinapple?).

T: Bready pilsner malt, a little caramel. Very well balanced, low bitterness, little hop flavour, quite dry. Warming alcohol flavour isn't overly assertive.

M: Light to moderate body (impressive for its strength), highly carbonated, finish is dry.

D: Incredibly drinkable, considering the strength/style.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2005 01:51:31 | More by Derek

Georgiabeer

Georgia

4.25/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

At long last I'm finally reviewing this beer. I don't know how many times I've bought a bottle of this intending to review it and then just never did for one reason or another. In any case, glad to finally review this lovely beer. Pours a hazy golden with a glow. Nice two inch fluffy head that fades to a 1/2 inch cap that sticks around for the duration. Nice nose of orange, coriander, and some other herbal aromas. Tastes quite fruity, with notes of orange peel, bitter orange juice, lots of coriander, a bit of lemon, some slight sweetness- not nearly as much as many tripels- and some earthy, herbal bitterness. Delightful. The mouthfeel is a bit tannic and full, especially on the finish. Nice, a very fine tripel, a classic.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2011 18:26:55 | More by Georgiabeer

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

3.58/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

TOP 100 Tick FTW!!!

Poured into unibroue snifter.

Pours 1.5 finger of white head. Nice retention, but no lace. Color is a hazy pale gold.

Aroma: Dried apples and pears are the dominate fruit flavors here. Some cloves and spice notes. Belgian yeast shows with some bready malts. Herbal floral hop profile.

Taste: A bit of booze shows, coriander and spices are big, dried apples and pears again. Yeast, bready malts. The taste follows the nose fairly identical.

Mouthfeel: Very fizzy and dry. Medium bodied with a very high amount of carbonation. A bit hot as well with more alcohol showing than I would like.

Overall, a decent tripel, but too much carbonation and a bit too much alcohol showing. Somewhat drinkable. I dig a bit of it.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2010 22:40:26 | More by mothman

Dogbrick

Ohio

4.3/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Sampled at From The Vine beer tasting Jan 9th, 2004: The beer is a hazy golden orange color with a thin white head. Thin lacing and a little sediment was noticeable. The aroma is very fruity, along with some yeast. Nedium body with a lot of alcohol initially, and it gets smoother very quickly. There is a nicely complex blend of fruit, spice, vanilla and hops. The finish is dry and fruity. I liked this one more than the Dubbel.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2004 14:44:01 | More by Dogbrick

JohnGalt1

Idaho

4.05/5  rDev -6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

330ml picked up at the Coop for about $5.50.. shared with Brenda .. mine from a Tulip.. listening to United DJ's Little Louis Vega.

Creamy head atop a golden straw brew.. pretty nice lacing.

Aroma is spiced fruits.. lightly spiced baked apples.. fresh baked bread and a side of applesauce... something is missing although I can't figure it out. Lemon shortbreads ... a little alcohol.

Flavor is prevelant fruitiness and Belgian spicness.. Pale malts and an unexpected earthiness that is appealling... more hoppy as it warms to room temp. For no other description.. this tastes "fresh". Body is a near perfect medium with a good carbonation.

I have nothing to really criticize this brew other than, I think I prefer slightly bigger boned triples... and the price can be prohibitive ... gets a little boozy as it warms up.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2007 09:59:41 | More by JohnGalt1

tavernjef

Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Color is of melted lemon or banana popsicles, thickly set and murky with a largely tall, whipped smooth white frothy foam on top. Lacing all over the snifter in thick sheets and a very hefty skim (basically a small cap of smoothened white foam) remains present the entire glass. Impressive cap and beautiful thickset color.

Aroma is simple yet delicate with a pleasingly dry yeasty edge darted with some lemon peels and sugary sweetness.

Taste is well mannered with a soft fruity front, well rounded and pleasant to the buds. Drops of lemon, maybe some tidbits of white or green grapes skins in there add some interesting little drying additions to the finish where the yeasty dryness floats off any reminiscent fruityness left over. Nice fading dry finish thats a bit complex and softly yeilding.

Feel is nearly full with a soft well rounded fluffyness thats really nice. A bit of sparkle in the carbonation and yeastyness really keeps a great attraction to thee lips. And the drying finish is alluring with very late spices making an appearance across the far back of the palate.

One finely put together triple. A trifecta, or trifold, if ya will, of an ale. Has a soft pleasing presense in each sip with just the right amount of everything to keep it interesting.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2004 02:57:10 | More by tavernjef

thagr81us

South Carolina

4.13/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served from bottle into a Chimay goblet. Poured a nice golden color with tan sediment. A nice three-finger white head was formed but slowly subsided to a one-finger. The lacing was excellent throughout. The aroma was comprised of mainly fruit and alcohol. The flavors found were fruit, malt, and alcohol. It had a medium feel on the palate with medium carbonation. Overall this was a very nice and smooth brew. If it had other flavors on top of the ones already present it could be great. It was very enjoyable, however it was not overly drinkable in large quantities.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2010 18:06:03 | More by thagr81us

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.38/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Yellow, straw hues, slightly hazy, enormous whipped meringue head, long lasting retention, nice lacing. Hard to ask for more.

S: Very distinctive Belgian yeast character, slight alcohol, spices, fruits.

T: Fluffy and light. I always look forward to drinking any trappist ale. Fruity and spicy, Westmalle Tripel is well balanced and very flavorful.

M: Light body, slight warming alcohol finish.

D: A great beer that I'd certainly drink again.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2010 01:12:37 | More by Huhzubendah

Cyberkedi

Georgia

4.43/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Color is a hazy amber, not impressive - but the thick, white, rather persistent head promises a great ale. Strong aroma is creamy, fruity, malty, and slightly sweet. Flavor is crisp, fruity, malty, very satisfying, not overly complex but rather mouth-filling. Texture is smooth but edgy, and leaves a fruity and slightly hoppy aftertaste. It does have quite a bite to it, so beware - it ain't for sissies!

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2009 21:15:30 | More by Cyberkedi

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer was in a stubby brown bottle, poured into a glass, clear straw yellow with yeast sediments.

The smell was of clean alcohol and belgian yeast.

Taste follows the nose, malt sweetness accompanied by a strong burst of alcohol. Some bubblegum is noted and just a whiff of belgian hop in there too.

Mouthfeel smooth and quite crisp.

Drinkability is good, this beer is kick arse in every way. Big strong belgian liquid love.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2009 19:16:03 | More by Stinkypuss

ccrida

Oregon

4.63/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured from a 330ml bottle (two in a row in fact) into my 70s era Westmalle chalice, the Tripel is a cloudy golden orange with a light, white 2-finger head that fades fairly quickly to a persistent skim leaving only a bit of scattered bubbly lace. It is well carbonated, with active streamers lasting the whole glass. The wonderful color and chill haze make this very visually appealing, although I'd like a rockier, longer lasting head.
The aroma is moderate, pineapple and banana with a slight spicy hop backbone and assertive yet clean alcohol.
The taste is also very nice and follows the aroma, grainy, fruity and spicy, and thanks to the high attenuation not at all sweet or cloying. The finish is very dry and clean, only a tad bitter, with noticeable but not overwhelming booze that increases as it warms, though certainly no fusels.
The mouthfeel is light and lively, yet still creamy and rich, and beguiles it's high ABV - masterful.
The drinkability of this is through the roof. It taste great, has superb depth, and is very clean with little indication of it's kick. Luckily, it is priced high enough that those that buy it will be savoring.
Westmalle was the first Tripel (at least by the Trappists, Drie Lindin's Witkap Pater is probably the originator), and is the benchmark of the style for a reason. This a fantastic beer. It has a very romantic old world history, yet it's execution is clearly indicative of their modern brewery and scientific approach. It's just too difficult for me to try to discern favorite beer, but Westmalle's Tripel is certainly high on my list. If you have a chance to get this, do so, take your time and savor all that it has to offer. And of course, don't serve it too cold!!!

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2007 23:28:41 | More by ccrida

RoyalT

Ohio

4.88/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Appearance – Large head with great lacing and a beautiful, cloudy orange color. The bubbles on the head are huge. You almost want to take a picture of it.

Smell – Fruit and spice hit the nose along with the classic Tripel malt and yeast. This one has a huge bouquet, and the yeast and orange notes are perfectly balanced.

Taste – This is hard core. The yeast is big and tight even after the ale warms. The spices are monstrous. I can pick up some heavy coriander and powdery white pepper and allspice.

The fruits are amazing. This is raw, organic, just bought at the local health food store kind of flavors. It really is something else. The alcohol evens things out. Everything is amazingly controlled and balanced. The finish is pale and hoppily bitter, but not overly so.

Mouthfeel – This full-bodied Tripel has some of the best carbonation that I’ve ever experienced. The complex and bitter finish is in a class all by itself.

Drinkability – The amazing flavor of this beer, along with the terrific sensations that it creates in the mouth, makes this one a real classic.

Comments – The say that this style originated right here at Westmalle. I can certainly believe it. There is a depth to this ale that I am failing to describe. This thing is awesome.

Update – This was the 12th beer that I review on the site. Now, in 2004, over 1,000 reviews later, I thought I’d re-write my rating.

I have had other Belgians that shared portions of these flavors, but nothing that brings them all together like this one. This really is the ultimate Tripel in my book and certainly sets the standards for all others. The balance is the key to this ale, IMHO.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2003 01:39:45 | More by RoyalT

largadeer

Kentucky

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

Appearance: Cloudy, blonde, effervescent body with a big foamy head that never dissipates. Looks pretty damn appealing.

Smell: Citrusy, grassy, earthy. No trace of alcohol, despite the 9.5% ABV.

Taste: The alcohol is well-hidden under layers of flavor. Perfectly balanced between malty sweetness and bitter/sour citrus, a touch of hops, and a very clean finish. A tad drier than many Belgians.

Mouth: This is rich stuff for such a pale beer. Full-bodied, oily, and crisply carbonated like champagne.

Drinkability: I could easily drink several, but I'd probably pass out in a drunken haze pretty quickly.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2006 03:54:04 | More by largadeer

avalon07

South Carolina

4.22/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: When poured from a bottle into a tulip glass, had a rich amber color and a thick texture. There was a big, big head and lots of lacing.

S: The aroma consisted of yeast, some malt, apples and spices. Very balanced and never obnoxious.

T: The flavor had lots of apples, Belgian yeast and spices. Nicely done, crisp, with a certain sharpness to it.

M: Highly carbonated, with a smooth finish.

D: This is a very drinkable beer. Everything here seems to be done in proportion.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2008 13:24:46 | More by avalon07

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

4.72/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pours a hazy yellow color with a big white head. In the aroma, dry candy sugar, hints of fruit and a nice yeast presence. In the taste, candy sugar and fruit notes, all mellow and a dryness that rides all the way through. A smooth and medium bodied mouthfeel, with a small dry hint of fruit. Best representation of style ever.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2010 11:46:11 | More by OWSLEY069

stcules

Italy

4.4/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Deep orange apperance, lightly veiled. A very beautiful, white, creamy head, very long standing.
Fresh malty smell, bread crust, yeast, with a bit of white flowers in the back, and some fruitiness. And the bitterness.
Full malty taste, a strong bread crust note, and a long lingering bitterness. Hint of pear, and a bit of alcohol, too.
Again malt and white flowers in the aftertaste, along witrh a good and strong hoppiness, balancing the beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2010 09:58:39 | More by stcules

gford217

Georgia

4.4/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a hazy golden orange with a big fluffy white head that shows excellent retention, sticky to the sides of the glass and leaving a patchwork of lacing.

The aroma is nice combination of light fruity esters, grassy notes and spices. There are apples, dough, and a hint of alcohol burn in the nose as well.

The taste is a little less sweet with the spices really coming out - peppery. The alcohol presence is noticeable but not off-putting with the fruits lingering in the background with the light bready malts. The finish is very dry and peppery.

The mouthfeel is lively with strong carbonation and dry effervescent finish.

An excellent and very drinkable tripel that leans more on the dry and spicy side of things, which I like. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2010 01:49:18 | More by gford217

scruffwhor

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance- Beautiful golden yellow hue, slightly cloudy as was expected. Poured an excelent head that maintained throughout the entire 750ml.

Smell- Excellent malt backbone that aintained the inviting sweet aroma to drink this beer furvently.

Taste- Overall malt caharcter, an excellent sweetness slightly offset by the hint of bright hops that counteracted the sugary flavors of the malt. Slight;y reminded me of a vanilla malt from Basken Robbins Ice Cream.

Mouthfeel- Excellent light cracter that lent itself very well to turkey. But with a slight alcolic effervescence that gave the brew a warming quality to the palate.

Drinkability- A beer that has a flavor that lends itself to savoring. Not guzzling, which is good considering the excellent complexity of this beer.

Notes- had this beer with Thanksgiving dinner, which made an excellent compliment to turkey, blaukraut, mashed potatos, and lamb.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2005 00:41:24 | More by scruffwhor

ZAP

Minnesota

5/5  rDev +16%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A-Glowing golden colored...perfect fluffy 1/4 head

S-Great aroma....Bubble gum, apples, apricots, some spicy alcohol notes...

T-Great taste....the fruitiness is up front, baked sweet apples, apricots, peaches, some bubblegum, and finally a nice spicy splash of alcohol.

M-Phenomenal...Creamy texture....no harsh alcohol sting....the alcohol adds a perfect element of spiciness...carbonation is spot on.

D-Wow..this lives up to its rep....wish I had about 4 more of these for tonight as this has the "it" quality to it. I want more of this and I want it now...that is the "it" quality. Unfortunately this is the only bottle I have but I can rationalize buying a few more of these despite its lofty price based on its level of brilliance.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2008 04:47:41 | More by ZAP

TheLongBeachBum

California

4.88/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Presentation: 11.2 fluid ounce (330ml) brown glass bottle that has a very noticeable thick raised ring around the collar which has the words Trappistenbier molded into it. Cream colored classic looking Westmalle obverse label lists the Tripel at 9.5% ABV; the crown cap is a matching color coded affair. Reverse label indicates that this is a part of the new batch of Westmalle now being imported by Merchant Du Vin, the Best Before date is 02/09/06. Accounts for 60% of production at Westmalle and is only available in bottles (unlike the Dubbel).

Appearance: Soft peach infused pale golden body has turbidity that is hazy but which lends a powerful look. White head rises and stays at ½” thick throughout. This one looked incredibly impressive when served into a Chimay goblet (as I broke my Westmalle one). Conventional looks for the style, but impressive head retention and the lovely soft golden body just set this one off in the goblet, I could stare at this one for hours.

Nose: A damn fruity nose which has a lot of spiced hops in the middle. Peripheral smells whiff of bubblegum, toasted malts and yeast fight for centre stage with the lesser detectable aromas of freshly skinned Satsuma oranges and freshly baked white bread that seemingly appears at higher temperatures.

Taste: A reflection of the complex nose in parts, the profile is clearly temperature dependent, like a distillation column the serving temperature seemingly dictates which of the distillate flavors is promoted to the front. Rounded toasty malts, breaded dough and fruity yeast traits make way for an assault of sharp spices and soft yet bitter hops in the back end, the intensity of each changing as the Tripel warms to room temperature. Alters from a the initial profile of soft and fruity at the freshly released chilled 45°F (7.2°C) to a sharper richer and hoppier offering as it approaches 55°F (12.8°C). The finish is exceptionally clean and very rewarding.

Mouthfeel: Marvelous, full-bodied, bold and big on the palate - the carbonation is utterly perfect, sheer silky feel on the tongue and on the cheeks. Warming in the swallow, the 9.5% alcohol is there but it is tamed and only comes through when needed to give you a gentle reminder that you may fall foul of this one if you have a few too many of these!

Drinkability: It is rumored that the Dubbel and Tripel styles evolved from Westmalle. And as with the Dubbel, I do always tend to think of the Westmalle Tripel as the guardian of the style, particularly because of its sociable quaffability. Again, as with the Dubbel, this one is equally satisfying on its own, or with food. I could drink this one all day, if there is such a thing as a 9.5% “session” Tripel – this is it. A dangerously attractive libation that has kicked my ass more times than I care to recall. Drinker beware.

Overall: A fantastic fresh example of one of my all time favorites. If it *does not* say Imported by MdV on the reverse label put it back on the shelf and go seek some of these fresher examples that MdV are now importing.

Easily my favorite of the brace of Westmalles. So much better when fresh in my opinion, I wouldn’t even bother aging these.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2005 01:30:15 | More by TheLongBeachBum

dirtylou

Washington

4.25/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

split 750ml with some dude

appearance: pale golden, slightly hazy, huge fluffy white head...quite inviting

smell: fruity hops, malty, alcohol apparent, clove, bananas, pear

taste: fruit in nose is present in the taste, alcohol well hidden but still up front,

mouthfeel: quite heavy, carbonated, alcohol tingles

drinkability: 1/2 a 750ml is sufficient

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2005 02:32:42 | More by dirtylou