St. Bernardus Tripel - Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV

spoony

Colorado

4.04/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Reviewed from notes.

From a 330 ml bottle (best by May 29, 2015) into a tulip.

A-The brew pours with an impressive three-finger head of nearly-white foam. The beer is clear and nicely golden in color.

S-The smell is an archetypical mix of banana and clove. This is not a bad thing, just not the most impressive scent. I also smell white pepper, sweet candy sugar, and a whiff of herbal hops.

T-The taste is estery, sweet, yeast up front with an herbal, grassy finish. Things are more doughy and bready up front, but there is a mild bitterness on the end. Again, right in line for the style. Taste doesn't stray far from the smell.

M-The mouthfeel is typically old world, which is to say the carbonation pairs well with the flavors and the heft is medium.

O-There are better tripels and there are worse tripels, but if I had to describe all of the characteristics that make a tripel a tripel, this would be a good brew to use. There is a nice balance between sweet, sugary yeast flavors and more herbal grassy flavors that keep this beer drinkable. Feel, as usual for a true Belgian, is great.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2013 04:58:36 | More by spoony

Dirksen

California

4.25/5  rDev 0%

05-24-2013 19:23:19 | More by Dirksen

Bikeboy1

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev 0%

05-24-2013 15:59:37 | More by Bikeboy1

Callmecoon

California

4.5/5  rDev +5.9%

05-23-2013 02:26:57 | More by Callmecoon

GinsuDave

Michigan

4.5/5  rDev +5.9%

05-21-2013 23:21:51 | More by GinsuDave

johntfox

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +5.9%

05-20-2013 21:53:27 | More by johntfox

Dcunicelli

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev 0%

05-19-2013 21:06:57 | More by Dcunicelli

beerhunter13

Ontario (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +5.9%

05-19-2013 20:22:33 | More by beerhunter13

ShawnMH

Indiana

3.75/5  rDev -11.8%

05-19-2013 15:42:20 | More by ShawnMH

sh00ky

Hawaii

4.25/5  rDev 0%

05-19-2013 01:10:17 | More by sh00ky

Photekut

Azerbaijan

4.25/5  rDev 0%

05-18-2013 21:58:19 | More by Photekut

carlosega

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev 0%

05-17-2013 17:24:44 | More by carlosega

Dave7500kl

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +11.8%

05-16-2013 23:35:11 | More by Dave7500kl

Blashawright

Texas

5/5  rDev +17.6%

05-16-2013 22:38:35 | More by Blashawright

Westuh

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -5.9%

05-16-2013 18:41:36 | More by Westuh

eulerthegrape

California

3.75/5  rDev -11.8%

05-16-2013 17:41:21 | More by eulerthegrape

JoshFrierson86

Arkansas

4/5  rDev -5.9%

05-16-2013 12:21:30 | More by JoshFrierson86

hotsudge

Ontario (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +5.9%

05-15-2013 01:13:21 | More by hotsudge

Quackus

New York

4.75/5  rDev +11.8%

05-14-2013 17:55:05 | More by Quackus

HuskyinPDX

Washington

4.01/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle opened on 4.23.13
Dated 16.04.15

A - Pours a hazy light-medium orange with a huge foamy off-white head.

S - Lemon, peach, sweet candy.

T - Belgium yeast, fruity and sweet candy.

D - Tons of carbonation and a light body.

O - Sweet, fruity and very candy-like. So easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 04:57:32 | More by HuskyinPDX

TheRuss9585

Vermont

4.25/5  rDev 0%

05-14-2013 00:37:23 | More by TheRuss9585

JerzDevl2000

New Jersey

3.96/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Yet another beer that I picked up at Top Hops a few weeks back. I never had anything from Brouwerij St. Bernardus before and although this wasn't as highly regarded as the Abbey 12, I enjoyed this a lot and thought it was quite solid. Nothing terribly outstanding but it felt a lot weaker than the alcoholic content would have led me to believe.

The pour to this was golden, bubbly, and with a very frothy head. There wasn't a lot of lacing to be seen either as the suds slowly slide down the sides of my pint glass. A good amount of apple and pear could be detected in the taste here along with some grass, booze, and a sourness that grew in intensity during the duration of each sip. This wasn't completely clear but I really felt the wheat in this either, although the bubbles did a nice job of keeping this light and champagne-like.

To be sure, this was a strong beer and it as light as the mouthfeel was, the alcohol was easily detected from start to finish. Combined with the candy sugar, it made this just a bit stronger and more intense than I would have liked, but this was still a sold beer that had a lot going for it. Not the best example of a Tripel but not to be missed either if the time allots for the booze to settle in, since the lightness and flavors more than make up for the intensity.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 09:08:08 | More by JerzDevl2000

ThaneMcC

Maryland

4.19/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A: Poured a cloudy, gold color with huge frothy head with excellent lacing as the foam resolves. Nice cloudy, cider like appearance.

S: Bouquet hints of fruit (apple, belgian yeast, caramel, fresh grapes),

T: hoppy up front, followed by fruity esters, hint of sweetness and acidity results in clean finish.

M: Highly carbonated which contributes to its mild acidic/bitter taste, clean finish. good mouthfeel

Another incredible beer from Brouwerij

Serving type: bottle

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 23:37:25 | More by ThaneMcC

Amerikon

California

4.25/5  rDev 0%

05-12-2013 17:26:26 | More by Amerikon

Chingringo

Florida

4.75/5  rDev +11.8%

05-12-2013 00:45:59 | More by Chingringo