Rule Of Thirds (Import Series Vol. 4) - Stillwater Artisanal Ales

ThePorterSorter

New York

3.75/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Bottle picked up @ Max's Taphouse in Baltimore, MD last week

The beer pours a rich looking, hazy golden amber with a creamy, tight-knit white head that laces. Yeast/sediment speckle the bottom of my glass. The nose is relatively fruit/yeast forward with a bit of sugar and very little hops. It drinks the same as it smells with yeast esters overpower the beer's sweetness and unapparent hops. The mouthfeel seems off as a typically clean, drinkable Belgian beer style is now a hard-to-consume yeast bomb. The hops used are not particularly aromatic or bittering...so I'm not sure how this beer can be described as a "hoppy" version of anything. Regardless, I'm not completely let down once I've given the beer a chance to warm -- a lot more of the expected tripel sweetness is able to cut through its overpowering yeastiness. I'm not exactly sure how fresh this bottle is/when this beer was released, which may contribute to its overpowering yeast and underwhelming hop profile. I would recommend other stillwater collabs over this one.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2013 00:00:25 | More by ThePorterSorter

ngeunit1

California

4.23/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Clear golden orange with a finger of frothy slightly off white head. Fades fairly slowly.

S - Citrus, grapefruit, and grassy hops, sweet grainy malts, Belgian yeast, spices, spices, a touch of funk.

T - Sweet caramel and grainy malts, grapefruit, citrus, and a bit of grassy hops, some bitterness, lemon zest, Belgian yeast, coriander and other spices, and and a touch of farmhouse funk.

M - Medium bodied moderate carbonation. Smooth with a dry, lightly tart, and lightly spicy finish.

D - Great balance. Good mix of spices, malt, and hops.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 07:49:35 | More by ngeunit1

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to wishuwerebeer for his relentless persuit of drinking all things possible from any/all "Gypsy Brewers" and sharing them with me.

375ml bottle into a tulip. Warning here, this one is explosively carbonated and despite having a glass ready, brew was lost during the gushing. The brew appears a copper orange color with a mountainous 4 + fingers of white head composed of rather large bubbles.

The smell of this is hoppy with herbs, rinds, pulp, zest and earthy mineral quality coming into play towards the back. A pleasant citrus note fills the nose all around and is surprisingly enjoyable albeit unexpected for the style.

The flavor is spicy with yeasty character blended into citrus hop character. Fruity rinds, pulp and zest of oranges mixes with minerals and a bit of sulfur/carbonic quality. The fruity and floral components blend into caramel malt sweetness that hints to something along the lines of belgian candy.

This is a med to light bodied brew with an effervescent, lively and overdone amount of carbonation. This gushed out the bottle and filled the glass with bubbles instead of beer. 3 pours later we have liquid. However, overall its not bad and one of the better stillwater offerings ive had to date.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2012 14:01:29 | More by stakem

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This poured out as a muddy looking gold color with a fizzy white head on top. The retention and lacing are decent. The smell of the beer is sweet similar to what could be a barley wine. The hops have definitely mellowed but it's still enjoyable. The flavor is still good in my opinion whether the hops have gone south or not. The taste of the beer is sweet, I get notes of honey, some spice, malt and just a touch of bitterness. The mouthfeel is sharp upfront with a solid carbonation that settles into a creamy finish. Overall it's a good brew. Wishing I could have had it fresh also but all in all I found it to be good regardless.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2012 22:42:20 | More by Knapp85

Guden

Maryland

3.15/5  rDev -20.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A- Bright gold with a big fluffy head that lasts forever.

S- An interesting blend of sweet biscuits and bread, probably a bit oxidized.

T- Bright and sweet malts with a bit of pepper and some strange bread, might be oxidation. Not nearly as spicy or hoppy as I expected, but this is definitely past the best by date.

M- Medium carbonation, dry with a nice creaminess.

D- Definitely an old beer that is hard to measure versus what it once was. Not a great beer at this point, but drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2012 02:01:59 | More by Guden

vfgccp

New York

4.45/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Nice wheat orange body. The white head sits low with low retention and lace.

S - Great nose. Green apple, sage, hard cider, and a lace of spruce.

T - Sweet apple and honey opening. A spruce and rosemary center counterbalances the sweetness and keeps things in check through a soft malty finish.

M - Creamy, medium/full body.

O - Delicious. Great profile and excellent smoothness for the style.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2012 16:51:17 | More by vfgccp

busternuggz

Arizona

2.73/5  rDev -30.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a 11.2 oz bottle into a red wine glass. No freshness date, but I bought it something like 5 months ago (probably a bit past it's prime).

Pours a dark golden/orangish color with a 3/4" white head. Ample floaties and a little yeast sediment. Head settles to a thin layer, like 1/8".

Very estery nose, with a little dried banana and something like palm sugar. Some kind of spice...allspice? Ginger? Smells like it's going to be too sweet and estery, but interesting.

Definitely tastes hoppier than it smelled...there's a rough alcohol to it, makes me think of nail polish. There's some of that nice estery/yeast character and some of the allspice and ginger notes, some apple, a little peach. The alcohol is really unpleasant though and overshadows anything else going on. It fades as it warms a little, but it only really goes from boozy to astringent. A slight citrusy aftertaste.

The texture is smooth, unobtrusive. Medium bodied, not too thick.

Dunno what to make of this one. I'll say this, despite the initial booziness I kept drinking it because there was enough other stuff going on. I wouldn't buy it again, or recommend it at the price, but it had some character. And I probably drank it a little old for a "hoppy triple", so there's that. Definitely my least favorite of the export series.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2012 05:11:54 | More by busternuggz

oline73

Maryland

3.33/5  rDev -15.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a bottle into a Chimay goblet.

Appearance: Pours a cloudy orangish amber color with two fingers of foamy white head. The head fades to a layer on top of the pour.

Smell: Very sweet and malty. Getting a strong grape presence with some hops as well. The sweetness also has a hint of brown sugar to it.

Taste: Just as sweet as the smell indicates with some Belgian spice from the yeast. Still getting the strong grape notes as well as brown sugar and perhaps some wine. The finish has a slight hop bitterness to it along with the malt.

Mouthfeel: Medium body and over carbonated with a slick finish.

Overall: This one was a bit too sweet for me. Not terrible, just a bit too much.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2012 03:20:48 | More by oline73

akorsak

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Rule of Thirds, purchased at Max's during last year's BBW. In a goblet.

A: The hoppy tripel is champagne-like, foamy and bubbly. The first pour was only a few ounces of beer and an overwhelming white head. Three pours later, I had a hazy autumn brown ale, sediment-laiden and thick, resting underneath that dense white head.

S: From an arm's length away, the tripel aromas waft out of the glass, big with spicy sweetness. Candi sugars and phenols, paired with citrusy hops, create a big swirling nose. Hard to pin this one down, but the ale smells bubbly, if that makes sense.

T: The carbonation is ample, leading to a zesty mouthfeel. As that passes, my first register was caramel, fuller malts supporting the yeast and sugars. Pepper and botanicals, paired with the herbal hop varietals, gives the tripel a zing that overcomes that caramel malt start. The spices and hops, which grow more prominent as the ale warms, crowd out that unappealing caramel presence (I'll blame the temperature). The hops rear up in the finish, adding an herbal bite that couples well with the candi sugars - nearly a Belgian IPA.

M: The ale feels like its got a bit of age. Still though, the hoppy finish and effervescent feel are very nice. I've been nursing this one for a few hours, give it time to warm (and wake) up.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2012 23:33:22 | More by akorsak

LiquidAmber

Washington

4.83/5  rDev +22.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured into a Nostradamus flute. Pours a cloudy yellow orange amber. Massive fine white head. Aroma of sweet malt, orange citrus, light fruit. Taste is complex sweet fruit, apple, yeast, caramel malt. Hops faint at first then becoming dominant in the finish. Pleasant hop and fruit aftertaste. Creamy medium to heavy bodied. This is really good. On the sweet side for a tripel, but one of the nicest, most pleasant tripels I've ever had. Excellent.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2012 04:51:07 | More by LiquidAmber

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a tulip.

A: Pours orange with gold highlights. This is a yeasty beasty; obviously unfiltered. Cloudy and murky. Yeast is suspended throughout the glass. There's 3 fingers of fluffy white head that sticks around for quite a while before dissipating.

N: Orange juice and notes of grassy noble hops. Bread, wheat and hints of strawberry banana. Unique and subtle.

T: Very bready and wheaty upfront along with faint notes of strawberry banana and orange juice. Nothing really develops mid-palate but is does get slightly sweeter. Okay, maybe just a hint of coriander in there. Finishes with orange citrus notes and noble hops.

M: Medium bodied, smooth, sticky and dry with a light-moderate bitterness.

O: This is incredibly easy drinking. Not as hoppy/bitter as expected. Although not extremely complex, it is rather tasty. If you're a fan of Tripel's I'd say give this one a go.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2012 16:24:44 | More by justintcoons

drabmuh

Maryland

4.05/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Beer served in a Stillwater wine glass because I love to do this. Beer is yellow, hazy with a nice white head of small bubbles, some lacing, moderate carbonation, nice retention. Looks good.

Aroma is tea-like, sweet, with a nice yeastiness to it. Smells good.

Beer is pretty spicy, sage-like, sweet, yeasty, light to medium in body, mildly dry finish. Decent beer, a repeat for me. 8%? Really? Hides the ethanol well.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2012 01:43:10 | More by drabmuh

womencantsail

California

3.68/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a hazy golden orange with a tall, dense, white head. A surprisingly citrusy aroma to this. There's a nice bit of banana to it, too. Maybe a little bit of straw. Some sweetness of malt and sugar, as you might expect. The flavor is a bit bland. Light sweetness with some bready malt. A little straw and citrus peel flavor, maybe even lightly bitter. A faint banana flavor toward the back end. Medium bodied with medium carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2012 08:24:13 | More by womencantsail

cosmicevan

New York

4.43/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Big big thanks to 321jeff for continuously helping to feed my stillwater obsession. poured into a stillwater wine glass.

a - classic tripel look, but a bit more murky than i had expected. generous foamy head and some small yeast chunks. dark orange...almost brown in color the head lasted for days and has a classic belgian look that you just don't find from beers brewed in the states. really creamy looking. lacing clings hard.

s - very nice and complex smell. oranges, lemons. hops are there but more of a dry hopped vibe. gives the beer a touch of bitterness to the smell.

t - flavors are melded nicely not letting anything really stick out too much, but finishes with some booziness. somewhat fruity and definitely yeasty. kind of pale ale-ish and definitely some candied sweetness. the hops come across mostly in some bitterness.

m - uber creamy. really nice tripel. super easy to drink. has the mouth and qualities that i look for in a high quality quad or BSDA. really smooth and silky. fantastic body.

o - all-in-all a very unassuming tripel that is pretty balanced and easy to drink. i do find that tripels can be polarizing, but this one is a pleasure...especially when it comes to the mouth feel. it is also wonderful to drink other styles from brian aside from saisons. i think he's hit the nail on the head with cellar door and i was extremely pleased with the belgian strong dark and his barrel aged brews have been nothing short of fantastic. this is a really nice tripel with a touch of a bitter finish counterbalanced by some really nice candied sweetness. VERY glad i got to taste this one. thanks again to 321jeff for helping me try as many brews from this amazing brewer!

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2012 03:19:16 | More by cosmicevan

draheim

Washington

3.75/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

11.2oz bottle poured gently into a tulip. Pours a slightly hazy golden color w/ some suspended particulate sediment. Minimal white head.

Aroma is floral, herbal w/ notes of candi sugar & booze. Some caramel sweetness evident.

Taste is initially sweet, boozy w/ ample candi sugar present on the palate. I'm thinking this is a Belgian strong pale.

Overall this has maybe a little too much sweetness for a beer billed on the label as a "hoppy Belgian triple." IMHO, Hops were AWOL.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2011 07:23:19 | More by draheim

ShanePB

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served on-tap at Khybar Pass Pub this weekend. Poured into a tulip.

A: Cloudy orange golden color with a small white foamy head. Nice patches of sticky lacing with a minor retention cap.

S: Banana, lots of spice with clove and white pepper. A bite of a zesty citrus and some really profound yeast notes towards the back end of the aroma.

T: A pretty harsh bite of booze is up front, along with some very yeasty and bready qualities. Orange and lemon peel, clove and more peppery spices towards the finish.

M: Fairly active carbonation with a very scrubbing, clean feel to it. Somewhat dry in the finish but I like it, really what a Tripel should have, this does.

Not my favorite Tripel but a really nice take on the style. The alcohol was a bit too noticeable, especially when I've had some higher ABV Tripels hide it even better. The flavors are there though, well done.

Serving type: on-tap

11-21-2011 15:53:21 | More by ShanePB

viaingo

Maine

4.9/5  rDev +24.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Type: Belgian Tripel
Color: Dark Orange and cloudy.
Body: Lightly carbonated. Very full body beer.
Head: Thin white head but lingers for a period of time.
Taste: Excellently mellow. Its hoppy but still has great taste to accompany it. Somewhat fruity and very malty. Overall complex.
Aroma: Sweet an metallic (comes with a tripel). Somewhat hoppy.

Expect to see more Stillwater Artisanal Ales beer highlighted on this blog (activebeergeek.com). It is simply a good beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2011 02:01:13 | More by viaingo

mltobin

Connecticut

3.88/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked up a 11.2oz bottle at Whole Foods - Bowery.

The appearance is a great looking orange tone with a bubbly white head. Its` nose has grains, banana, citrus, biscuit and some clove. A very appealing aroma, that draws you in. While the taste was now quite as impressive; It is somewhat earthy, floral hops, yeast, a somewhat bitter finish. Mouthfeel is med-full, with a middle of the road carbonation level. I am happy I picked this offering from Stillwater up, but with a decent cost to it, it certainly will not become a regular.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2011 00:50:23 | More by mltobin

gford217

Georgia

4.1/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

11.2oz bottle.

Pours a very hazy golden orange with a huge fluffy white head that hangs on stubbornly to the sides and leaves a thick cap on top.

Aroma is really nice and complex for a tripel with some underlying fruit notes, peaches mixed with bananas. There is also a lot of spiciness with some cloves and maybe a hint of lemon zest.

The taste isn't quite as nice as the nose but still solid with a little more yeasty spiciness and some fruity esters. There is also more caramel malts than I was expecting. There is some alcohol in the finish.

The mouthfeel is really, really creamy for a tripel with soft carbonation.

As usual with Stillwater, this is a unique take on a traditional style.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2011 03:35:37 | More by gford217

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4.4/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Alewife for Baltimore Beer Week.

The beer pours a slightly hazy gold color with fairly good head retention and light lacing. The nose is quite attractive in this beer, showcasing white pepper, light honey, light pine, some underlying clove and even some leafy tobacco. The flavor profile replicates the nose and I'm impressed by the amount of flavor this beer delivers. Also, there is considerable hoppy bitterness in the finish, with this beer reminding me more of a fine Belgian IPA than a tripel. The bitterness counters the light sweet malt and honey flavor very, very well. There is also some nice underlying spice in this medium bodied beer, and the finish was long, slight bitter, and spice filled. Alcohol is very well integrated into the flavor profile, with the beer not the least bit hot or heavy on the finish.

A really nice effort from Brian S. at Stillwater. Maybe the best thing yet I've had from him. Quite well done...

Serving type: on-tap

10-17-2011 12:56:37 | More by johnmichaelsen

impending

California

3.98/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz into a tulip. Pours a fully hazed dull butterscotch orange, dense slightly off white head subsided slowly, ok lacing.

Aroma is sweet and floral, honey, yeast and apricot skins.

Malts & hops balanced well with strong yeasty malt flavors upfront and all hops trailing. Nice peppery kick as the aftertaste begins. Although not particularly strong, the aftertaste is defined by the bitters which disappear quickly, doesn't linger. Light to medium bodied lively mouthfeel.
cheers
jd

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2011 00:00:19 | More by impending

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.53/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Picked this 11.2 ounce bottle up at State Line in Elkton, Maryland. Served in a Mikasa tulip.

Pours a very light copper color with a fluffy white head that is several fingers high and eventually falls into a thin cap with some lacing on the glass. The brew itself is slightly-hazy.

The nose first brings forward peach and other stone fruits along with a faint earthiness. There is some sweetness there and a touch of spice. The flavor takes a different turn with some peppery spice being much more prominent, though the fruity esters are still there. Along with that comes a bit of alcohol, which is then very pronounced through the finish, really taking its toll on the overall character of the beer. Medium body with good carbonation.

Overall, the alcohol is simply too much to get past, despite a very promising nose and good general flavor.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2011 15:45:04 | More by Thorpe429

Verecund

North Carolina

3.58/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Extra from a recent trade. Thanks, Drew. October 10, 2011.

Pours a hazy burnt orange / copper with one finger of white head. Decent splotches of lacing.

Biscuity malts with citrusy and grassy hops peeking through the tripel base. Candied orange; light banana esters. Fairly appetizing.

Sweet biscuity and caramel malts, orange zest, and a diminished citrus, herbal, and grassy hop component. Ends with a touch of Belgian yeast and a small amount of surprising [spicy] heat.

More or less what one would expect from a hoppy tripel. Please to have tried this - Stillwater is putting out some solid beers. A well constructed beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2011 02:53:05 | More by Verecund

metter98

New York

3.78/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: The beer is cloudy yellowish brown in color and poured with a finger high head that died down but never completely faded away.
S: Quite unusual for the style, the smell has aromas of bananas, raisins and spices along with notes of floral hops.
T: The taste is similar to the smell and has notes of orange zest in the flavor. There are some hints of bitterness from the hops and alcohol in the taste.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation. There is some dryness and warming from the alcohol in the finish.
O: The beer is quite good but would be more drinkable if the alcohol was hidden from the taste.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2011 22:40:41 | More by metter98

razorsdescent

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

had on tap at Smoke and Barrel in washington dc adams morgan.

a- A fair golden color that was a little pale for my liking.

s- Smell was relativley faint with a little hops and a little sweetness.

t- This is the beers high point, a little hoppy and a little sweet. Very palatable for such a high abv it really doesnt taste nearly as heavy as other 8% beers.

o- this would be a hell of a session beer ddespite it scarcity. it would be nice if it was more widely distributed.

Serving type: on-tap

10-08-2011 08:55:07 | More by razorsdescent