Westmalle Trappist Tripel - Brouwerij Westmalle

FlyAwayPhil

4.45/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Cloudy golden-orange with a think foam head that lingers. Great Brussels lace as the head slowly recedes.

S - Yeast, tart apples with some spices. Some slight banana notes.

T - Strong, sharp yeast flavors with some subtle fruit notes and spice. A complex beer, which makes it difficult for me to describe.

M - Full and rich in the front, but melts away rather quickly. Nice pleasant flavor mentioned above linger on the tongue.

O - Probably the standard-bearer for the tripel style, and my favorite tripel as well. The alcohol is well disguised among the complex flavors. You can never go wrong with this beer. Enjoyed from my Westmalle chalice for this review.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2012 00:53:48 | More by FlyAwayPhil

flyingpig

United Kingdom (Scotland)

4/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Golden orange colour with a huge, three fingers width head that is quite bubbly looking and gradually reduces in size over the course of about five minutes but stops after losing only half its size.

Fruity with a mainly apple smell coupled with a little bit of lemon. There is a lot of spice initially and although not an intense aroma it is a noticeable one. I can detect some pear, yeast and some grain to but everything is very well balanced aroma wise.

Mix of apples and pears along with a lot of yeast and sugar that combine to make a very sweet, almost cider like drink. There is some lemon and citrus along with a lot of spice and overriding sweetness.

Spicy and quite dry as you would expect but other than that the alcohol is well hidden in this one. There is medium to high carbonation along with full and creamy body.

Alcohol content was very well hidden. The aroma was a little weak but very nice nonetheless and the taste was similar but slightly more pronounced. This one was a great beer that had a good balance.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 16:10:38 | More by flyingpig

larryi86

Delaware

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

750 mL bottle, dated 7/14/11, poured into a goblet

A- A clear golden color with a two finger white head.

S- Tart apples, yeast, bananas, earthy spices.

T- A lot more bitter than the nose, earthy, tart apples, bananas, yeast, some alcohol, very tasty.

M- Smooth, medium to full body, creamy.

O- A great beer that I can't wait to have again. Trappist monks really know how to make great beer. Really need to seek out a fresher bottle

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2012 03:49:38 | More by larryi86

SnowFlowMfg

California

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

This is a great example of a triple; probably the best i've had so far.
Poured from a bottle into a Duvel tulip.

It appears somewhat cloudy. I figure this is from the yeast left in the bottle. Saw a clump of the "bread" or whatever it is to. Not bad though. Still looks good with a nice tight head.

Smells pretty typical of a tripel; yeasty and kinda funky. However, this one was a little less intense but still good.

Tastes amazing; especially as it warms up. Really refreshing with lots of tripel flavor packed in and minimal alcohol burn and yeastiness. Slight bitterness on the finish to balance it out. Delicious.

Mouthfeel initially was very bubbly with high carbonation but it mellowed out very quickly. It was smooth, thick, and a little oily. Refreshing and crisp. Extremely drinkable.

What a great beer. As others have said before me, this is a tripel by which to judge others. I'm very impressed. Be warned though, this is extremely easy to drink. A great way to put down $6+ of beer really quick.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2012 08:43:21 | More by SnowFlowMfg

GeckoPunk

Connecticut

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

This is a foundational beer... I would rate other tripel's according to how this beer tasted. It is a first-class, highly recommended beer and I have only good things to say about it. I purchased this beer from the good ratings here on BA, and I will say that I was not let down. The aroma initially was weaker than I expected, but as the beer warmed up, I was getting a lot of wonderful wafts of Belgian yeast, white-grape, raisin, fig, and a slight bit of funk. The taste was exceptionally smooth and delicious... Will get again in the future.

4.0 for the appearance due to all the floaties in the beer, but I actually like them in my beer. It's hard to knock a beer down because of having "food in the beer".

Copied from gtermi:

A: This beer pours a very nice golden clear body with a half inch white head that slowly fades. As the beer fades, the head leaves a nice amount of lace on the side of the glass. The head also never fully goes away.

S: The smell isn't near as strong as most of the other tripels that I have had. There is a small amount of funk, fruitiness, some grain and even a little bit of alcohol that stings that nose.

T: Now this is an absolutely delicious beer. The tripel is nice and mild, but the flavors seem to come together very well. I get some fruitiness, some "funk", a little bit of grain and some weird random flavors on the back of my tongue. Its far different from most of the tripels that I have had.

M: Now this beer has A LOT of crispness, but it honestly goes very well with the flavors and the carbonation helps spread the beer all over the palate. For some reason, tripels are always insane with their carbonation. I assume its the yeast they use in the beers.

O: This is an all around great beer. I mean there isnt one part of this beer that lacks. I would love to have several more bottles of this.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2012 00:33:33 | More by GeckoPunk

deadonhisfeet

Kentucky

4.75/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured from a bottle into a Chimay chalice. The beer pours out a slightly hazy orange-gold color. It is quite effervescent with nice bubbles streaming upward. There is a beautiful creamy white head with outstanding retention and trademark Belgian lacing. Then nose has nice fresh-smelling fruity aromas of oranges, bananas, and pears. There is no alcohol and not much of a hop presence.

The beer has a full body and a wonderfully firm, slick mouthfeel. The predominant flavors are fruity and citrusy, but there is a wonderful complex spiciness that balances it out and keeps it from tasting too sweet. The carbonation is just right and complements the spiciness nicely. As the beer moves across the palate, the flavors develop. The fruit flavors start to recede and a pleasant dry bitter, flowery note creeps in. The finish is dry and sustained and accompanies a faint, warming touch of alcohol.

I'm not a big fan of tripels, but I can see why this one is something of a standard. It has just the right amount of sweetness and a perfect blend of spiciness and bitterness to balance it out and keep it drinkable. This is the best tripel I have had yet and the only one I could see myself drinking over and over.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2012 23:24:30 | More by deadonhisfeet

NoLeafClover44

Delaware

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

11.2 oz. bottle poured into a goblet. Best before May 23, 2014.

A - Pours a hazy gold color with two or thre fingers of frothy white head. Good retention with a blanket of lacing.

S - Lemon peel, ground black pepper, banana, funky yeast. There are also fresh herbs and bubblegum sweetness. Very good aroma.

T - Begins sweet with bubblegum and clove belgian yeast flavors. Biscuity in the middle. Dry on the back end with some lemon and a slightly bitter finish. Very well balanced and easy drinking.

M - Prickly and aggressive carbonation that suits the flavors well. Refreshing with a crisp, dry finish. Light bodied with the alcohol well hidden.

O - One of the best trippels I have ever had. Fruity, sweet, biscuity, and dry. All of the qualities I want in a trippel with great drinkability at 9.5%. For a readily available, relatively cheap option, it doesn't get much better than this.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2012 02:03:47 | More by NoLeafClover44

BGDrock

Ontario (Canada)

3.9/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: yeast particles create a haze; pale gold colour; thick head has length

Aroma: white grapes; floral; boozy

Taste: fruity, lightly spiced yeast curls around the tongue and alcohol level plainly evident in sting that gathers in the back of the throat; finishes with pleasant and fairly strong spiced hops; some apple, grapes; overall the indiscernible combination of fruity and spicy yeast, hops, malt is not incredibly complex, but nonetheless enjoyable

Overall: a great balance of elements, but not quite as exciting as had hoped for

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2012 00:45:13 | More by BGDrock

Dope

Massachusetts

3.8/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled 28/09/10, best by 28/09/12. Almost too late!

A: Pours a hazy medium orange with a huge fluffy white head. Fades slowly leaving minimal lacing behind but excellent head retention. Lacing may be a result of bottle age.

S: Lots of yeast with a bit of citrus - lemon mainly. Refreshing grainy bread.

T: Super sharp and strong yeasty, grainy bread. Wow, overpowering really. Funky, I suppose. Finishes with a bit of tart apple, lemon, grass and a metallic twang at the very end which lingers between sips.

M: Fairly heavy but feels medium bodied with high carbonation. Fluffy, crisp flavor.

O: Very strong flavors in this tripel with good balance. However, fairly simplistic having said that. I think bottle age might have something to do with it, perhaps it's past its prime. Will have to revisit someday.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2012 05:35:22 | More by Dope

gtermi

Texas

4.35/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: This beer pours a very nice golden clear body with a half inch white head that slowly fades. As the beer fades, the head leaves a nice amount of lace on the side of the glass. The head also never fully goes away.

S: The smell isn't near as strong as most of the other tripels that I have had. There is a small amount of funk, fruitiness, some grain and even a little bit of alcohol that stings that nose.

T: Now this is an absolutely delicious beer. The tripel is nice and mild, but the flavors seem to come together very well. I get some fruitiness, some "funk", a little bit of grain and some weird random flavors on the back of my tongue. Its far different from most of the tripels that I have had.

M: Now this beer has A LOT of crispness, but it honestly goes very well with the flavors and the carbonation helps spread the beer all over the palate. For some reason, tripels are always insane with their carbonation. I assume its the yeast they use in the beers.

O: This is an all around great beer. I mean there isnt one part of this beer that lacks. I would love to have several more bottles of this.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2012 06:05:01 | More by gtermi

RussBecker1

4.33/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bottle into a snifter.

A-Crisp golden straw with a ton of varying carbonation. Huge three finger head that slowly dies into a nice crown atop the beer.

S-The classic scents of Belgian yeast overwhelm the nostrils. Very raw and animalistic on the front of the nose, but the yeast is cut nicely by a nice showing of pear and a number of softer fruits (banana?)

M-Very nice feel, the right amount of thickness combined with the lighter notes of the carbonation will have you drinking westmalle faster than you probably should.

T- Tastes exactly how it smells. The yeast is farmy giving it character that is very unique, but it softens nicely into the light fruits. The final hit of sweetness and alcoholic lacing finish perfectly on all accounts.

O-Westmalle exemplifies the very being of a Belgian tripel. A great benchmark for the style

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2012 13:19:29 | More by RussBecker1

claspada

New Jersey

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

Pours a golden yellow color with a huge white head that eventually dies down to an inch worth of foam leaving spotty lacing.

Aromas begin with sweet malt crackery maltiness and light Candy sugar syrup. As it warms the yeast contributions follow with pears, apples and bananas fruity esters.

The tastes follow the nose with the sugary, crackery, bready maltiness opening up the flavors. The same occurs as it warms with the yeast esters of banana and apple along with a light spicy bitterness in the finish.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with medium to full amount of carbonation. Despite the sweetness of the beer, there's a nice dryness due to the carbonation and the emerging alcohol presence.

Overall this is a really really classic well made example of a triple. There are no bells and whistles, just solid Belgian brewing at it's best here. Probably one of the five best tripels I have ever had, but unfortunately for me it's a style I just don't enjoy as much.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2012 20:46:35 | More by claspada

Philousa

California

3.9/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle says best by 12/10/13 (or is that 10/12/13?).

Pours a cloudy tan with light billowy head that settles to nothing, only coming out with a swirl. Aroma is light with vanilla, coriander, and Belgian Pilsner malt. Once the yeast is poured to mix (recommended), all sorts of pungent, floral, and fruity esters pop out of the glass. The candied sugar is evident, but not overpowering as is the alcohol presence. That signature tangy Belgian malt is strong up front and sweet with some of the candied sugar surfacing for a bit before the bittering hops take over.There is some vinous, grassiness to it that stays on the back of the tongue. It's very barnyardish, which I appreciate. I'm sure this is to hide the alcohol content a bit, but it lingers just a bit too long for my taste. But wow, what a difference some yeast makes! The bitterness is assuaged by the yeasty body somehow and I don't get the stagnation in my mouth. Dry finish with slightly watery viscosity.

This is all about the aroma. Even when I drink it, I enjoy the beer better when it sits in my mouth and has time to get to the nose a bit. It's part of the experience, I get it, but the taste really doesn't live up to the first act. I'd stick with a St. Bernardus, which is cheaper and probably fresher. I'd like to go to Belgium to try this fresh to test my hypothesis. To Belgium! For science!

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2012 05:25:38 | More by Philousa

kscaldef

Oregon

4.23/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle pours into a Chimay glass.

A: Very pale, clear yellow-straw. Small head of loose white foam receded in a minute or two. Very attractive champagne-like fine bubble trails in the glass, mixed with much larger bubbles

S: Great fruity esters and light clove and banana notes. Some bready aromas as well, and hints of raisins.

T: Lots of yeast character complementing bready malt. Fairly sweet on the tongue, but not heavy. Slight alcohol note on the finish.

M: Well-carbonated, finishes quite dry and refreshing.

O: A benchmark beer for the style. I'm dinging it a little on appearance, although that might be the fault of my pour. I surprised not to see more of a head, though.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2012 02:43:59 | More by kscaldef

mscudder

Georgia

4.2/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A beer I always will return to! Best by 7/4/13 and poured into a Duvel snifter.

A - A cloudy hay-inspired yellow hue. Slight orange hue. Nice large white head sits atop the body. Beautiful stuff.

S - Like sticking your nose in a nice stack of hay. Notes of apples, pear and clove are present.

T - Dry with tastes of fruit (following the nose) and a fair quantity of honey on the rear. Complex yet well refined. A Trappist masterpiece.

M - Medium bodied with a fair amount of carbonation. Perhaps a tad too much for my liking.

O - This is a solid beer that is worth of praise. Little can be detected of the massive ABV. I prefer a beer that is not quite as dry but it is always a pleasure to revisit.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 02:13:10 | More by mscudder

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

4.08/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle from the LCBO, 330ml into a tulip. Best before October 31, 2013. Poured without the yeast.

Clear golden yellow with a real big white head - really soapy in quality, with great retention and lots of lacing. Nose is spicy, herbal and some grassy notes. Light floral and a general sweetness about it. Taste has sweet typical golden tripel malts, spicing, alcohol and herbal flavours. A ligth fruity character as well, some pear and light fleshed fruits. Full body and the alcohol is far from hidden. Medium high carbonation. A really nice tripel, but the alcohol prevents this from being at the top of my list in the style.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2012 17:38:16 | More by liamt07

paleoplant

New York

4.6/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I had the fortune of going to Belgium and visiting Westmalle. This was an amazing place, with a beautiful Cafe and a huge playground for kids! Of course I was going to try all their style, but I ordered the Triple first. I was surprised that this was the only place in Belgium that asked if I wanted the beer "chilled" or "room" (cool). The best part of this beer is the smell, not that the taste isn't great. I could sniff this hay-scented beer all day. It reminds me of the fields that surround so many of the rural areas of Belgium. Besides the price, this is always a beer that I turn to if it appears on the menu.

Serving type: on-tap

08-13-2012 23:34:15 | More by paleoplant

doktorhops

Australia

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

Getting to the business end of Trappist brews now. Which makes one contemplate the lengths they'll have to go to get a bottle of Trappist Westvleteren 12... soon my lovely. In any case damn the Belgians for making such tasty beers, and also for not being Australia adjacent.

Poured from a 330ml bottle into a chalice.

A: Appealing cloudy Tangerine body with a thin chalk lacing.

S: Sweet, vinous aromas (like a Botrytis wine) along with acidic pears and apples, with a hint of clove phenols. Along the lines of Duvel... promising.

T: Wasn't far off - a very Duvelesque taste; dry champagne yeast start to finish (even drier than Duvel), tart apple/pear centre, and hints of Wit Bier spice phenols and banana esters, topped off with a candi sugar sweetness that faintly hides the alcohol. A very impressively crafted brew.

M: Champagne fizz, lots of it, and a medium body.

D: Damn good beer this... not a glass of Duvel though. They are very similar in profile but the Duvel edges this in flavour with its less dry and more sweet notes. The dryness makes this beer possibly the closest thing I've tried to Champagne, and credit where credit is due it is a great brew.

Food match: Basil salmon terrine with confit de canard or a crispy salmon with lentils du puy and two-mustard crème fraîche.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 10:12:16 | More by doktorhops

srv33

Michigan

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

Pours a cloudy golden-orange, with a quickly dissapating thin white head. Scent of wheat, light citrus, oak, and and almond. Taste very much follows the nose, but there are additional notes of fruit (apricot, cherry,) pepper, lemon, and a really nice yeast profile, its very clean and complex, and just a little creamy. It lingers on the tongue, very clean aftertaste. Despite the nice flavor profile, it isn't as sweet or rich as I would have expected and the alcohol content isn't hidden very well. The mouthfeel is very odd, bites the tongue initially with lots of fine carbonation then is gone right away with a lingering ghost of the flavor profile, which leads me to compare it to a very dry champagne in terms of mouthfeel. Another great Trappist brew.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2012 23:04:11 | More by srv33

BeerCon5

Pennsylvania

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

Pours a cloudy, golden-orange color with a nice fluffy white head with good retention.

The taste is of sweet citrus, some grassy notes, and some toasted malt.

The taste is of very sweet fruit, some apricot is noticeable, some honey, yeast, and sweet sugar, also quite alcoholic.

Full body, crisp and smooth, moderate carbonation.

This was a very good beer, easy to drink a couple of these without noticing. I would get this again.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2012 18:04:07 | More by BeerCon5

LiquidAmber

Washington

4.53/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Review from 9/2010 notes. Poured into a Gulden Draak tulip. Pours a light orange amber with a thick, long lasting white head and heavy lacing. Nice looking. Spicy fruit and wheat aroma. Spicy, peppery start with complex fruit and light malt. Dry, bitter and peppery hot finish that is perfectly balanced. The combination doesn't seem like my kind of flavor, but it tastes delicious. Very well made and tasty. This beer got me hooked on tripels.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2012 23:12:03 | More by LiquidAmber

jtingue

New York

4.55/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle best by dated 29/06/13. Poured into a tulip.

Appearance. Only slightly hazy golden in color. Pours with a finger of head which quickly dissipates to a thin layer on top of the beer. Bubble intermittently rise from the bottom of the glass.

Smell. Clove honey, floral, and phenolic notes dominate. Some ripe pear in the background.

Taste. Starts out with a honey like sweetness, which is complimented by a strong floral component. A some bitterness cuts this introducing a spicy quality that lingers for a while. A sweetness similar to rum soaked apricot takes over. Just before the finish it again turns spicy, this time with clove and a slight amount of coriander. Finishes relatively dry, with a lingering floral quality.

Mouthfeel. Absolutely luscious, super rich with dense and tight carbonation. Truly perfect compliment to the flavors present in this one.

What more is there to say. This one is nearly perfect. Really appeals to the trappist lover in me.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2012 22:08:24 | More by jtingue

pkalix

California

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

750 ml bottle- what's up with that cork? is it real cork? sweet bubble gum smell from the opening, awesome pour- beautiful head with medium lacing spotting down the side and retaining a ring from the high point. i like this in a beer. like the last reviewer said, has toned-down spices, but is very evenly balanced and is filling. awesome cloudy, yellow color. but i cannot taste the alcohol as he says, except maybe very minimally in the end. maybe it depends on how it's stored? i love this stuff. made the trip to Total Wine on Monday and got my Chimays and Duvels and Westmalles and have been licking my lips all week waiting for this moment to pour em in my glass. i know they're considered 'commercial' over there but maybe there's a reason for that. this stuff is great.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2012 00:42:52 | More by pkalix

Converge

Alberta (Canada)

3.55/5  rDev -17.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

330ml bottle poured into a 14.9oz goblet.

A - After a long, tedious pour, this brew literally yields a mountain of frothy white foam for a head. Once in the glass, I'm left with a hazy, pale-golden beer with small bubbles of lively carbonation flowing up the glass. Fantastic rocky head retention and decent enough lacing.

S - Sometimes smelling a beer through a thick, dense head after the pour can be a bit off putting, but it doesn't look like this head is leaving any time soon... The aroma I get is rather peculiar however. Lots of pale barley malt and bready wheat, with some apricot, pear, peach, honey, and light grassy hops. The yeast presence is minimal and the spices seem to be completely AWOL. What I'm left with is a simple but fragrant aroma, with an understated sweetness. Almost reminds me of a blonde ale, or dare I say it, some sort of imperial lager...

T - Much like the aroma, a pronounced backbone of both pale barley malt and bready wheat leads the way, with subtleties sprinkled on top. Apricot and peach flavors are nice and some slight honey and candi sugar notes add some sweetness. Gets more and more bready as it warms. The finish is where this one gets strange for me, and seems to be quite out of style. The usual spice on would expected from a tripel is toned way, way down, and this coming from a guy who doesn't usually care for the spice in tripels. Next up, the hop presence is overdone for the style, with some borderline herbal notes coming through. And lastly, and worst of all, I'm left with the overbearing flavor and warmth of alcohol in the finish. I definitely did not expect this from such a highly rated beer, and a Trappist one at that. The flavor profile just feels muted and even boring, and the alcohol is just too obvious for only 9.50% ABV. Still a half decent brew, but nowhere near the reputation it carries.

M - Medium bodied, with a touch too much carbonation. A little sticky, but really quite oily and warming. Not so good.

D - Definitely a different tripel than most, but this just isn't for me. The profile feels too simple and uninteresting and the blatant alcohol presence just kills it for me. Brewing a tripel that doesn't rely heavily on spicy and yeasty qualities seems like a fair enough idea, but don't make it 9.50% ABV with no significant flavors to mask the alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2012 09:33:02 | More by Converge

timjr2500

Texas

3.7/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a very thick but light white head on top of a golden-yellow body. The head does persist longer than on most beers but looks about average for a Trappist, a bit on the light side actually.

It smells very fruity, my premonition is apricot, and a lingering spice of cinnamon or nutmeg surrounding the nose.

Its taste is cunning, like a traditional belgian, but it lacks the same power of certain Trappists. The more I drink though the better it gets, but I think where this beer is lacking for me is the yeast. I like the crispness that the tight carbonation provides but I think it could go further to exploit the Belgiam yeast that makes the Trappist so special. Although it may just need a few more years in the bottle before it lives up to the expectations of beers like Rochefort.

Its a nice beer but I do think it is a bit overpriced. Maybe I'm paying for tradition or something but I do believe that its more than I would expect to pay for something unaged and a bit rough around the edges, but overall and above average beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2012 02:14:34 | More by timjr2500