St. Bernardus Tripel - Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV

thegodfather2701

North Carolina

4.65/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A-Poured into my large St. Bernardus chalice. It pours a hazy honey golden color with a two finger head that is thick, frothy, and white. No real lacing or cascading to speak of.

S-Belgian yeast, some spice, and alcohol

T-Sweet from the alcohol, Belgian yeast, and a slightly tart finish. To me this is the best tasting version of the style, I love it.

M-Fairly thick and syrupy with the near perfect amount of carbonation.

D-I could drink this all day-its delicious and at 8% alcohol you could drink a few in a single session.

Overall, this is my favorite Tripel. I love this beer and I love this brewery. I must try for fans of the style.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 03:07:04 | More by thegodfather2701

stephenjmoore

Maryland

4.28/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A- Cloudy peach colored body with a huge foamy white head. Leaves a lot of lacing around the edges of the glass with some sediment at the bottom of the glass.

S- Belgian yeast, lemongrass, pear, apricots, raisins, slight aroma of sweetbread too.

T- Fruity and yeasty. Fruit flavors include white grapes, pear and sweet dried fruits. The bready flavors come through almost in the way of a fruit tart. Sugary bread and sweet fruit.

M- High carbonation, foamy, slight carbonation tingle, slightly dry finish.

O- Really good tripel with a very sweet flavor. The feel is excellent and the beer is very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 23:57:02 | More by stephenjmoore

Jacobob10

New Jersey

4.33/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Hazy amber color with a thin, bubbly, white head. Great retention throughout the entire beer but not much lacing to speak of. Loads of fruit in the aroma mixed with earthy yeast. Flavor carries over the citrus fruit and banana from the aroma and finishes with a touch of spice from the hops. Medium bodied and very drinkable.

I'm not sure why it took me so long to try this beer. I love tripels and this is a classic for the style. Very enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 14:09:13 | More by Jacobob10

bobhits

Kentucky

4.3/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a dense deep orange/golden wheat body, a good bit of yeast floating in there and a nice white head though the bubbles are a bit large given it less of a cream look than I like, but exactly what is expected of the style.

Farm house hops all over this one. Lemon grass, funk, pears, apples, just a great nose here. As it warms the farm house is turning more towards just Belgian spices and citrus fruits, but still just great.

I really expected a dry biting beer here, instead a wonderful fruit cock tale accented by a nice alcohol note and some hops. Pears, apples, spices....I'm even getting a buttery finish here. This is one complex beer.

There's a good bit of alcohol here, but that seems almost part of what makes this style and without it, I'd be disappointed. Easily the best Triple that doesn't change the traditional formula I've had.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 12:26:41 | More by bobhits

pkalix

California

5/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

beautiful, sunshine-y golden haze with a fluid, creamy topping of beaten egg yolk-white froth on top. nectar, indeed!
smells of fruits and belgium beer!
taste... i cant taste it yet. i continue to admire the beauty in the Duvel tulip glass (yeah, i know...). it doesnt even lace as i tilt the glass. it bounds fluidly side to side.... that is nice.... i can never express my tastes in the types of malts used etc but i know what i like. and this is sweet. and it is sweet, too! but it's got a nice full, rounded taste. not too heavy. not too fruity (as belgiums can sometimes go), and the head continues, still, on top. i must say, with this experience right now, this has to be my current all time favorite brew. this is exciting. i've heard this is comparable (and supposedly earlier brewed by the same) to the westvleteren which i balked at and missed out on. well, at least the 8. the brick had the 11%, right? i had considered the chimay blue one of my favorites, and for commercial-ity duvel is a stand out; but although i've had this before, my taste buds are literally screaming right now! glad i got the big bottle! i understand 5's should be rare, but today, right now, this is a straight across the board 5. something the hobbits would brew...

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 00:22:59 | More by pkalix

BeerCon5

Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a slightly cloudy, golden color with a thick fluffy white head with good retention.

The scent is of sweet fruit, notes of toasted malt.

The taste is of sweet fruit, citrus, sweet sugar, toasted malt, slight hint of alcohol.

Light body, crisp and smooth, moderate carbonation.

This was a very good tripel. All around very nice flavor and the alcohol was almost undetectable.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2013 16:04:46 | More by BeerCon5

MattyG85

Minnesota

4.48/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 11.2 oz bottle into a St. Bernardus goblet glass. Best by date of 28-08-15.

Appearance: Pours a hazy golden orange with a little bit of floating sediment. Moderate amount of bubbles and a solid three fingers of white head which slowly fade into a thin creamy layer. Leaves a good amount of lacing.

Smell: A solid fruity yeast driven aroma. Belgian yeast with some funk and hints of clove and white pepper spicing. A fair amount of Belgian candied sugars. Sweet bready malts with hints of biscuit, wheat grains, hay, and cracker. Big scents of fruits including banana, pear, apple, citrus orange, pineapple, and lemon. Fairly grassy with a decent presence of hops lingering around. Nicely fruity and spicy aroma with a balanced sweetness.

Taste: Like the smell hints, a nicely yeasty and spicy Belgian taste with lots of fruity notes. Funky Belgian yeast with some clove, white pepper, and a little coriander like spicing. Sweetness from some Belgian candied sugar. Sweet malts with a taste of bready biscuit, wheat, cereal grains, crackers, and hay. Nicely complex mix of fruit undertones with some banana, pear, apple, and citrus orange, lemon, and pineapple. Good notes of grass from some earthy hops. A very good balance of spice, sweetness, and bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a moderate amount of carbonation. Creamy, spicy, and slightly prickly. A little heat comes through but overall its pretty smooth.

Overall: A really great Belgian Tripel. It has everything you look for in the style, fruits, spices, and a balanced bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 07:33:44 | More by MattyG85

KingSlayer

Mexico

4.83/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

350 ml bottle.
A: pours a golden hazy untranslucent liquid, 2 and a half fingers of white creamy head, medium retention, good lacing, persistent top white ring.

S: delicious! sweet pear and pineapple juice, fresh bread, vainilla, dash of cinnamon. very fruity and malty.

T: rich sweet alcoholic fruit juices, malty, almost no bitterness present, but not an overwhelming sweetness.

M: medium to full body, definitely feels like a high density brew, medium alcoholic bite to the palate, nice adequate carbonation.

O: strong brew, very fruity and on the sweet side, complex rich palate and nose, i loved it.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 07:06:38 | More by KingSlayer

Hex92

Virginia

3.85/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Triples aren't my favorite style but I picked this up as part of their gift pack with the goblet this winter.. .

As far as they go this is a nice beer and representative of the style. It has nice flavor and looks good in the glass.

It might be a bit dry and choppy for my taste, but if I was in' the mood for a triple I would definitely consider picking this up again.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2012 05:15:54 | More by Hex92

FondueVoodoo

British Columbia (Canada)

4.48/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Hazy golden yellow with an abundance of active carbonation streaming up. Head poured with 2 fingers and calmed down to a soapy cap across the entire brew.

S: Sweet with hints of minerals, sweet tart pears, apples and lemon. Some flora notes and just a hint of yeasty bread. A crisp scent overall.

T: More Belgium yeast flavours than the scent would suggest, some forward mineral flavours, suggestive of a champagne. The sweet tart pears, apples and lemons come through on the taste similar to the nose.

M: Lots of carbonation that plays up the tart sweetness and minerals notes. A light to medium brew, but holds well in the mouth.

O: This is an incredible example of a triple, the champagne style scent, flavour and mouthfeel is outstanding. Easy to drink and never reveals the 8% ABV. The mouthfeel is light, but manages to hold nicely on the palette leaving a clean crisp tartness with a hint of yeastiness. Terrific drink.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2012 03:07:16 | More by FondueVoodoo

BeerDocT

Georgia

4.15/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a chilled tulip glass.

Appearance 3.5: Large head appeared after pouring and quickly dissipated. Color is a somewhat hazy golden yellow.

-Smell 4.0: Pleasant bouquet. I smell lots of candi sugar, malt and that characteristic Belgian spicy yeast.

-Taste 4.5: Front is somewhat sweet, but is flat and musky, but not in a way that is off-putting. Middle is light, but there are some very faint (and enjoyable) notes of malt, honey and general sweetness. Finish is very nice and light, sweet malt flavors and light maltiness. Aftertaste is long, and this is where the subtle hop hints enter into the flavor profile.

-Mouthfeel 3.5: Mouthfeel was right on target for this type of beer, but not overly impressive.

-Overall 4.0: This was a very intriguing triple. I enjoyed this beer at approximately 50 degrees fahrenheit which brought out many, many flavors that I was not expecting. Actually, as the beer warmed up, tastes that I initially perceived as adjuncts (particularly in the finish) changed and became more obviously simply a lighter malt sweetness. You may want to try this if you have the chance to taste this very good triple.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2012 23:13:40 | More by BeerDocT

PeterIngemi

Massachusetts

3.55/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 11.2oz bottle into a tulip

A: again, i just reviewed prior 8, i ended up with a borderline obnoxious fat three fingers of fluffy slightly off white head, takes a bit to recide but leavs tons of lacing. The body of the beer is a slightly hazy golden, carbonation bubbles can be seen rising from the center of the glass... Looks clean compared tonite prior 8 w/ no real sediment to be foud floating around in the glass

S: I get the bready and floraly notes that I found in the prior 8, must be due to the bernardus yeast strain, I also get some lemony citrus notes, along with some grain.

T: much like the nose I get bready and floral yeastyness right off the bat. Along with a bit of grain... Then I get some light citrus notes and a touch of sweetness. Along with some light notes off apple/pear.

M: nice and creamy body that is a touch on the heavy side of medium. Creamy and lush carbonation that also brings a touch of sharpness, very nice mouthfeel, dry in the finish.

O: a decent beer, the grainy character if this brew reminds me of a wheat beer, with some bready and floral yeast and some light hints if citrus and apples

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2012 04:12:48 | More by PeterIngemi

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.95/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from bottle into wine glass

Appearance – The beer poured a hazy orange amber color with a one finger, rather fizzy white head. The head fades relatively fast giving a decent level of lacing on the sides of the glass.

Smell – The aroma was lighter then I would have expected with it being mainly of a candied sugar and light fruit aroma of peach and apple. Mixed with these sweeter smells were some notes of a bready and wheaty nature as well, giving it a rather traditional triple, but light traditional, triple aroma.

Taste – The taste starts out with a lighter fruit and bready flavor. Flavors of pear and peach mixed with a lighter orange flavor create the fruit flavor base while the bready flavor has some light notes of a wheat bread flavor. As the flavor advances, the yeast starts to make its presence known. This mixed with a light candied flavor as well as a newly arriving clove spice and boozy flavor. The boozy flavor gets stronger as the taste advances further and at the end the mix of sweet, boozy and bready flavors leaves a satisfying and warming flavor on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – For an 8% abv. triple the body of the beer is just above average in its creaminess and chewiness with a carbonation level that is very appropriate for the style at a medium to slightly above medium level, Both are nice for accentuating the fruity, sweet and boozy flavors of the brew.

Overall – A rather delicious triple. It had a little more boozy flavors then would have been expected for its 8% abv. strength, and its nose was a little weak, but overall it had great flavors, a nice look and a wonderful feel.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2012 02:35:00 | More by Darkmagus82

Amalak

New York

4.45/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A. It has a nice, hazy wheat gold color, opaque, with a big bubbly white head that leaves a good amount of lacing.

S. Wheat and malt comes through the most.

T. It has a yeast malt taste. There's a slight caramel sweetness to it. Wheaty. Very smooth. THere's a bit of a sugary taste underneath.

M. It is carbonated an provides a zesty tingle.

O. Very refreshing and complex. It has a nice burnt wheat character that I fully enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2012 00:26:55 | More by Amalak

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle into a matching St. Bernardus goblet. The brew appears a pale golden yellow color with a rich finger of white froth that slowly fades leaving a wall of lace sticking to the glass. Despite the most careful pour, a serious amount of yeast makes it's way into the glass making this look like one chunky brew. A swirl agitates about a finger back to the surface.

The aroma has some sweetness to it reminiscent of belgian candy sugar coupled with some pale fruit notes like apple and pear. There is a very mild yeasty spice almost like pepper also present before blending into a more familiar aspect of clove. A trace amount of herbal hops are also felt across the backend of the brew's nose.

The taste is a bit sweet and bready with notes of pear and apples with a complimenting fruity alcohol note contrasted by some herbal hops. Like some of the other St. Bernardus offerings, this one collectively almost comes off with a medicinal aspect to it. There are some earthy notes coming out of this mixing with yeast as the brew warms up.

This is a medium bodied brew with a moderate to lighter level of carbonation. Overall not bad, but not a tripel I would drop my pants and run to have again. Worth a try if you never had it before, but this one was a little underwelming for me. While it offered some nice complexity, it just was ok.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 04:08:45 | More by stakem

SometimesIfart

Michigan

3.5/5  rDev -17.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - Pours a nice golden orange with a massive white bubbly head. Left good lacing.

S - Hay, bubblegum, slight coriander, wheat.

T - Alcohol soaked bubblegum, hay, slight lemon zest.

M - light bodied with heavy carbonation.

O - Overall, it reminded me of a more alcoholic La Fin Du Monde. Probably the only beer I've have from these guys that wasn't a disappointment.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 20:40:21 | More by SometimesIfart

CuriousMonk

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours hazy pale orange with a thick white long-retaining head that leaves lace. Aroma is classic spicy Belgian yeast, with clove, banana, and some orange standing out. It’s not quite as aromatic as some other examples, however. Taste is sweet and meaty with no bitterness. A grainy flavor makes itself apparent after it warms a bit. Body is full, mouthfeel creamy. A really nice tripel.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 18:18:49 | More by CuriousMonk

mscudder

Georgia

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

Served into a Bernardus tulip.

A - Cloudy orange hue with a one-finger pale head. Fair retention and decent lacing.

S - All kinds of warm fruits: peach , pear and apricot come to mind. Sweet yeast and lightly spiced.

T - Lemon, vanilla and pale malts compose the base of the flavor. Slight bitterness from hops with a dash of spice, perhaps a touch of pepper.

M - A bit dry for my tastes in a tripel. Creamy medium body with average carbonation.

O - This is a good brew that is worth having on occasion but I do not understand how it has gathered quite so much hype.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 04:30:53 | More by mscudder

CA_Infidel2o9

4.5/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12oz to a Tulip

A- hazy gold w/ floaties, 2" white head

S- citrus, apricot, caramel, grains, pils malt

T- citrus, apricot, caramel, toffee, grain, hay, acidic after taste

M- almost creamy, crisp carbonation

O- awesome brew. I picture myself drinking this at a farm on a summer day. There's so many farmhouse like flavors, grains, hay, apricots, citrus fruits, and refreshing pils malts. On top of that, your given awesome caramel, toffee, and the mouth feel is creamy. Try this!

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2012 21:08:24 | More by CA_Infidel2o9

scottyb88

Maryland

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

A-pours a hazy, golden yellow with great lacing and nice head

S- yeasty bread with lemon and clove, a hint of apricots and tangerine

T-similar to the nose, but with a citrus peel flavor balanced by the sweetness of the malt and fruitiness of the yeast; the hops are noticeable, but not overbearing, to balance things out

M-crisp and smooth; great medium body; a surprisingly dry finish with a lingering taste of sugar coated tangerine (the orange gummy circles with sugar on top comes to mind); nice carbonation

O-really hard to find faults in St. Bernardus; always has been one of my favorite breweries; fantastic beer

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 05:26:19 | More by scottyb88

JimTeal

Nevada

4.98/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I must come clean up front, I love St Bernardus beers, and shockingly this beer out of the bottle is darn near as good as draft in Bruge. I purchased a 4 pack at Total Wine (glad to see they are beginning to carry good variety of bottled 4 packs of Belgians) and this Tripel is excellent. The pour is delightful, not overly carbonated, really an almost perfect head. The golden haze is classic for a really good tripel. The initial taste is neither sweet nor too dry, just right, without the lemony aftertaste of most Belgian blondes which have their own category. The smell is as good as it gets for tripels, great balance, hint of banana/caramel, but really a clean and fine flavorful beer and the moderate alcohol makes this Tripel worth a try. I plan to enjoy this particular brew many times in the future, especially now that I don't have to buy the 22 oz expensive model every time. I am occasionally torn about the overall price of Belgian beer and I will be glad when our stateside brewers catch up, which they will. Unfortunately we are a bit short on monks supplying out of the back monastery entrance, but our micros more than hold their own. The St Bernardus range of beers is wonderfully thought out and each has a reason, taste and character for it's existence. So I am happy to include this with their Abt 12/8/6 and Wit.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2012 23:01:39 | More by JimTeal

vidisad

California

3.53/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Very nice Belgian triple. I got this bottle at Bevmo in Ventura, California. It comes in 330ml bottle. The foam was creamy and reach but lasted not so long. This beer has most of attributes of Belgian triples but it is not one of my favorite Belgium triples.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 07:52:49 | More by vidisad

Maltmaiden

Alabama

4.55/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Beautiful carbonation! Yellow/orange. Thick white head that goes away quickly but hardly leaves lacing or film. Murky. I have to say, the gorgeous color and carbonation of this tripel almost make up for the lacking in retention.

I smell that Belgian yeast right away. A tad metallic. Light notes of pineapple or apricot. Maltiness. Faint hops.

Definitely taste that apricot right away and to a lessor extent pineapple. Breadiness and bitterness from the hops (more than I was expecting, but I like). I can just barely detect a metal taste :( . Tiny bit of alcohol but that is very well hidden. Perfect amount of malt sweetness. Cloves.

Mouthfeel is medium to thick and is very smooth. The carbonation keeps it crisp and lively and there is just a touch of effervescence from the alcohol.

Pretty good tripel from this brewery, though I enjoyed their dubbel more. This one was very well balanced. Will probably buy again.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2012 02:06:53 | More by Maltmaiden

Serge

Alberta (Canada)

4.43/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle. Dark gold with a very slight haze. Aroma has notes of malt, wheat, yeast and dried fruits. Very smooth, creamy and somewhat foamy palate. Flavor has soapy citrus, peppery spices, some orange peel, coriander and floral notes. . Soft body. The alcohol makes a statement early, but the brew turns sweet, almost cloying, before spice and peachy fruit finish

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2012 04:14:50 | More by Serge

gleemonger

California

4.63/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Hazy burnt yellow-orange with dark floaties tossed around by the high carbonation. Large, foamy white head with long retention and thick lacing.

Blast of sweet banana, clove and a spicy peppery fruit bouquet. Very pleasant.

A very well blended mix of the banana clove Belgian yeast flavors with some earthy hoppiness, and a sweet, fruity backbone. Spicy, sharp and refreshing. Nothing really lingers other than the yeast a bit. No real standout flavor here, as each kind of just bats down the other all the way through the finish.

Light, crisp, refreshing with fairly heavy carbonation. Perfect for the style.

Very nice, but not quite at the level of some of my other favorite Tripels. I definitely appreciate how perfectly balanced and well crafted this is, though, for sure. A very, very nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2012 03:10:36 | More by gleemonger