Tripel Perfection - Brewery Ommegang

JayQue

Virginia

3.58/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Not the best Ommegang beer or the best Tripel I have tried but it is still pretty solid. Corked and caged 750 ml bottle, poured into a Chimay goblet. Pours an orangey/straw gold hazy color wit the usual delicately bubbly white head that fades quickly. Some filmy lacing on the glass.

Aroma is pears and apples, a little sweetness (candi sugar) and a hint of alcohol.

Tastes pretty good. The fruit and sweetness are good. The alcohol is a bit harsh until the beer is at room temperature. What is lacking is a heavy belgian yeast presence and spices. The best Tripels have almost a cheese like yeasty funk and more spice presence, especially pepper. This one is a little less complex.

Mouthfeel is just right. Bubbly carbonated head up front. Richness throughout. Alcohol is a bit harsh up front, much less so when the beer is warm.

I am enjoying this, but there are better (American) Tripels out there.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2012 01:21:47 | More by JayQue

superspak

Michigan

4.23/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 ml bottle into chalice, bottled 3/15/2010. Pours hazy golden orange color with a nice 1-2 finger dense off white head with good retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Some nice spotty lacing on the glass, with a decent amount of carbonation streaming up. Aromas of lemon, apricot, pepper, herbal, pear, candi sugar, coriander, bread, and yeast spice. Very nice and balanced aromas; with good strength and complexity. Taste of big lemon, pepper, pear, apricot, biscuit, coriander, herbal, grape, candi sugar, tart grain, and yeast spices. Lightly tart spiciness on the finish; with lingering notes of lemon, apricot, pear, pepper, coriander, and yeast spices on the finish for a good bit. Great balance of fruity sweetness and spiciness; with no cloying sweetness at all. Medium carbonation and medium-full bodied; with a nice fairly creamy and slick mouthfeel as expected for the style. Alcohol is very well hidden with hardly an warming present after the finish. Very smooth to drink, but is still a bit of a sipper. Overall this is a highly excellent Tripel! A lot of great flavor; with nice spicy flavor balance and very smooth to drink. Ommegang needs to make a Tripel year round.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2012 03:55:54 | More by superspak

BlurryVisi0n

New York

4.35/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle date of 08/18/2010 served again on 03/08/2012. Poured into a snifter.

Appearance: Looks awesome already, semi clody golden amber which produced roughly a white 1" head.

Smell: Smells I pretty good, like fine wine. I get a hint of fruit and some yeast actually. I would grade this higher but doesn't stay with you like most other"tripels".

Taste: Jesus, Ommegang has added a lot of wow to this beer. Little sweet maybe for some tongue but yet bitter, the alcohol is pretty evident in taste. It's definitely not hidden and I love it.

Mouth: Medium, slight heavy carbonation. Goes down smooth though, very smooth!

Overall: I have had about 3 bottles of this beer and just decided now to review as I am drinking one at the moment. Sad but I didn't know this was a limited brew so I am happy I stocked up from last year. If you can get your hands on Perfection, don't take it for granted it is an extremely well made beer and incredible for true bee lovers alike. Cheers to all and love this beer!

P.S. : This beer gets better with age, hold on to it and let it

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2012 01:03:01 | More by BlurryVisi0n

ummswimmin

New Jersey

4.33/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I picked up this bottle a while ago and threw it into my cellar (basement). I poured the beer into my expensive chalice (snifter on sale at Pier One). I even dressed for the occasion (T-shirt and jeans).

This is a very good tripel. I really like the way it smells. The aging brings out a ton of flavor and smell. There is the belgian sour/yeasty presence. It is great pulling in the smell from this beer.

I like how strong this beer tastes. The belgian flavor persists into drinking it.

Overall, this is a very good experience. I would recommend it, but I just found out that it was a limited edition. It is a very good Tripel.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2012 19:05:11 | More by ummswimmin

Dope

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: A cloudy golden-orange pour with an enormous frothy white head. Ridiculous head, even. Head retention is excellent. Lacing is a little weak, otherwise this would be a 5.

S: Pears and apples up front. Nice grass and citrus from the hops.

T: Again, lots of pears and apples. Nice light citrus (lemons mainly) mixes well with the typical bready belgian yeast flavors. It's a little wheaty in fact, I wonder if there is any wheat in the malt bill. A little bit of grass in the aftertaste mixes in with the citrus. There is a nice strong peppery spiciness everywhere.

M: Medium bodied, carbonation is just about perfect.

O: Excellent tripel. Very deceptively light and crisp despite the heavy ABV. The taste elements are well balanced and go together well.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2012 05:21:06 | More by Dope

draheim

Washington

4.1/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750mL bottle (no dates/codes) into a tulip. Pours a slightly hazy golden straw w/ a pillowy white head that slowly deflates like an air mattress.

Aroma is fruity, yeasty, pungent & earthy.

Taste is smooth and rich, fruity with a bitter finish. Citrus, mango, spice. A mild lingering malt sweetness. Full-bodied and thirst-quenching.

Overall a solid tripel, disappointing only in the relatively low carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2012 05:17:46 | More by draheim

BedetheVenerable

Missouri

3.85/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Presentation: 750 brown bottle, corked and caged, classy label, bottled in March 2010, drink before March 2013. Split into two Chimay chalices.

Appearance: Hazy dark golden orange brew, capped with a beautiful dark cream cap which shows good retention.

Smell: Somewhat subdued but pleasant. Hints of sugar cookie maltiness up front, backed by sweet orange peel. Some very mild spicy notes as well (maybe coriander). Pleasant, even if there's not a ton of depth.

Taste: Richer and maltier on the palate than I expected from the (somewhat light) aromas. Sweet orange peel, with some citrusy booze (almost like a citrus vodka). A medium, clean hop bitterness keeps things fairly balanced. Bitterness actually grows This is good beer, make no mistake, but there's not a ton of depth. Ends fairly dry, but with a sweet, juicy orange note.

Mouthfeel: Not as dry/lean as the best examples, but pleasant.

Overall: A solid tripel for sure. I can't remember the exact price, but this was somewhere between $11-13 bucks. That's a justifiable price for this brew, and at that price point, I might pick this pick this once in a while, if not regularly.

B to B+

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2011 04:14:29 | More by BedetheVenerable

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.1/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

light golden hue of it had a nice cloudiness to it that seemed to come through nicely with a bit of lacing around the sides.

aroma is light bready notes and hints of banana, cloves, pears, light tart apples and a touch of spice on the edges. clean, very clean flavor that it is very hard to find really any fault here in that. super clean with light body and a nice medium palate with hints of grain and light fruits that seem to dance all over the place. light bears and nice touches of fruit and light spice. smooth, clean finish

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2011 06:18:48 | More by mikesgroove

tobelerone

New Jersey

4.22/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Semi-translucent, golden colored beer with a fluffy white cap of foam that quickly settles down to nearly nothing. Not much lace to speak of. This bottle is about 15 months old.

Smell is sweet, yeasty, and spicy. Taste is the same, full of sweet malt and spices, mostly clove and coriander. Alcohol is noticed, pleasantly, in both aroma and taste. Tart green apple flavor in the finish.

Crisp mouthfeel with good carbonation, clean, slightly puckering finish. Sharply defined flavors and liveliness on the tongue made this an excellent pairing with spicy Indian food. A very good example of the style, but falls on the sweeter side of the spectrum.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2011 03:41:41 | More by tobelerone

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

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

This one poured out with a really nice looking yellow gold color. There was a nice hazy to it and a fluffy white head on top as well. The lacing was a little sticky on this one which was pretty nice. The smell of the beer was full of yeasty aromas and some soft spices in the mix. The taste of the beer was was a little tart upfront which caught me off guard, after it warmed it got better. The spices cae out a little more and the sweetness of the grains did too. The mouthfeel of this beer was very drinkable, soft and refreshing. Overall I thought this was a really nice Tripel.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2011 05:44:37 | More by Knapp85

lackenhauser

Maryland

4.38/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Nice, clear golden color with a nice pure white head on top. Head could be much fuller when compared to some tripels I have head. Very yeasty, bready and earthy aroma wise. Clean and malty flavor, very crisp and clean. Candy like sweetness-leaves a stickiness on the lips. No hint of the spices that it says it has on the label. Very full bodied mouthfeel. Dangerously drinkable. Not overly complex as fas as tripels go-damn enjoyable for sure.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2011 00:32:07 | More by lackenhauser

rlee1390

Indiana

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

A-Cloudy orange, yeast sediment, one finger head.

S-Wheat, yeast, banana and some clove.

T-Wheat, banana and clove. Some yeast. Not much bitterness but present.

M-Light and very carbonated.

O-A decent beer but it did seem more like the Ommegang BPA. I don't believe I've had a tripel before but it seemed much lighter than their Dubbel and Quad though.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2011 18:15:41 | More by rlee1390

AgentMunky

California

3.85/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 750mL bottle into a cervoise glass. Bottle 11 October 2010. Best before October 2013. Form notes. Reviewed 1 July 2011.

A: Huge goshdarned head, probably from a perhaps overgenerous pour. Pulsating clouds of bubbles with a honey-coloured beer. Translucent but murky, with light edges. Some lacing.

S: Grainy, yeasty, and decent. Sweetish. Not much spice.

T: Tasty! Sweet, very much so, with nice malted grain. A bit buttery on the edges. The aftertaste is clean and lightly sticky-sweet. Some fruit...maybe canned peaches?

M: Smooth, substantial, and scrumptious. A bit of tang.

O: Mediocre Ommegang offering, but a good beer. It doesn't taste at all like a tripel. Much closer to a BSPA in my opinion, but that doesn't affect the quality of the beer. Drinkable and rather recommended, but I would've liked less sweetness and more spice.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2011 14:57:26 | More by AgentMunky

litheum94

California

3.93/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reviewed 7/20/10.

P: Amber body with dark edges. Murky. Two-finger, lace white, frothy head. Slowly settles, leaving some great lacing on the glass.

A: Earthy Belgian yeast. Pepper. Coriander. Lemon citrus. Slight alcohol burn in the nose.

T: Creamy and spicy at first. A little citrus twinge, with some earthy tones. A fairly good alcohol punch on the finish. A bit of hops invade the finish. Some slight fruit flavors appear as it warms, perhaps of pears. Persistent spice the whole way through.

Very nice tripel, that gets better as the session goes on. The alcohol bite mellows and the fruit and spice comes more forward. Not quite as good as Allagash's tripel, but it's almost there.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2011 04:15:40 | More by litheum94

AgentZero

Illinois

3.53/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Hazy, golden colored beer with a white head that had decent retention and left some lace on the sides.

S - A bit of floral and fruity notes, lighter on the yeast and ethers, appropriate for the style. Little bit of citrus zest in there spices it up a bit.

T - Spice, citrus zest, some banana, yeast, ethers. It's decently sweet and pretty solid, but nothing I'd write home about.

M - Lively, active carbonation. Lighter side of medium bodied.

O - Solid, not particularly memorable, but something you can enjoy drinking if you like the style.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2011 21:52:45 | More by AgentZero

gabedivision

New York

4.05/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 7fidyml duval glass.

Pours a clear yellowish orange, with lots of carbonation and a nice head that sticks around for some time. Smells of bananas, figs, apricots, apples, this is some big time fruity stuff. Along with all the fruit are some delicate hop scents and the familiar Belgian style yeast strain. Banana yet again on the tongue followed by a earthy malts, hops and yeast. Spice is very abundant and a slight alcohol presence . Great in the mouth, light, crisp, refreshing. This is some fine stuff, will try this sucker again fo sho.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2011 02:41:09 | More by gabedivision

CHickman

New York

4.13/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Review from 2/21/2011: pours clear yellow gold in color with a massive 2 finger foamy/bubbly beige head that dissipated very slowly, leaving good foamy lacing sliding down the glass; after the second pour (2nd half of the bomber) the beer was very cloudy with a ton of sediment floating around, suspended in the brew: a fine looking triple.

Smells of yeast, spices, sweet malt, coriander, pepper, cinnamon, flowers, floral hops, lemon zest, citrus hops, grains, wet bread and grapefruit; really nice soft floral aroma mixed with a sweetness from the yeast and malt.

Tastes of yeast, sweet malt, spices like coriander, pepper, cinnamon and cumin or light allspice, flowers, floral hops, lemon zest, citrus hops, grapefruit, grains, wet bread, and an oaky like flavor like it was barrel aged; the sweetness dominates and is mellow yet sharp and zesty like a slight sour bitterness from the hops, which then tails off with the funky metallic yeast taste.

Mouthfeel is creamy and smooth, with mild carbonation and a medium body that has ever essence from the bubbles racing up the brew; the overall feel is light, with a tart bitter finish that showcases the yeast and malt. Good drinkability, this goes down easy and mixed very well with spicy food. A very complicated and enjoyable beer that seemed balanced in every way.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2011 03:27:11 | More by CHickman

ngeunit1

California

4.33/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a bright hazy golden-orange color with a big finger of frothy white head. The head hangs around forever, leaving behind lots of lace on the sides of the glass.

S - Aroma is a mix of citrus and spices. There is also some grain, yeast, and banana in the background.

T - The beer starts off with a mix of lemon and some light spices. Through the middle some banana and yeast come through alongside some grain and stronger spices. The finish is a mix of citrus fruits, light spices, and yeast that linger nicely.

M - Medium bodied with moderate lively carbonation. The beer feels super smooth and crisp with a bit of dryness that is really nice.

D - Very drinkable. The flavors are very nicely balanced and fit together very well. Especially the yeast characteristics which feel like they are at just the right level compared to the other flavors.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2011 04:28:56 | More by ngeunit1

fuquan

New Jersey

3.88/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a tulip, hazy orange/gold-ish with a big foamy white head which eventually dissipated. A lot of citrus in the aroma, with some spice. yeast and booze. Taste has a lot of malt, yeast and banana sweetness up front. Get a pleasant funky spiciness as it goes down. Medium/heavy mouthfeel with some carbonation. Not quite "perfection," but a good tripel for sure.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2011 02:44:58 | More by fuquan

KYBrewgrass

Kentucky

4.3/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- 3.5 This is bland in color; it is a very clear light gold. It does have a nice bubbly white head on the pour but it dissipates mostly and leaves a ring on the edge. Moderately sticky lacing on the walls throughout.

S- 4.5 I'm loving the aroma of TP. It is nicely spiced (clove) and even has a reminiscence of original flavored bubble gum. Just a bit of yeast as well. Really nice.

T- 4.5 I mostly get the same blend of flavors that I got from its aroma. None stand out too much apart from the rest and this is indicative of the nice balance this brew has going for it. There's a pleasant combo of spice, sweetness, and yeast that works very well.

M- 4 TP has a good feel. It is medium in body with just a touch above average carbonation (I wish there was slightly less but it isn't overbearing). It is a little chewy, smooth, and doesn't leave me dry.

D- 4 I really enjoyed the TP and would be happy to take down the big bomber. It is a bit pricey, but hell, it was a one-time brew! I may see if I can get another before it will surely be bought up... Overall, it is tasty, well-balanced and not heavy. A good brew for sure - what I've come to expect from Ommegang.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2011 14:00:08 | More by KYBrewgrass

rdub

Pennsylvania

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

Poured from the large bottle into my Duvel tulip. Cloudy bright amber color and fluffy head. I called this La Fin Jr. Looked nice. Fruity, pleasant aroma. Taste was also reminiscent of La Fin. Mouthfeel was medium and overall I thought it was a good basic Triple. Nice job Ommegang.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2011 02:52:06 | More by rdub

uturn

Florida

4.25/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

750 ml corked and capped bottle poured into an Ommegang glass.

A: This beer poured a slightly hazy light golden color with a very small 1 finger white head which thinned fairly quickly leaving no lacing on the glass.

S: The nose was sweet with notes of banana, coriander and yeast.

T: The taste is full of spices, coriander Belgian yeast and fruits like banana and apples, it's initially sweet of honey then ends dry with a mild bitterness.

M: The mouthfeel was pleasant with a nice level of carbonation.

D: The drinkability was very good with the 8.9% abv not to noticeable.

This did not break into my top 10 Tripel list, but I would still have this one again.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2011 16:26:51 | More by uturn

FreshHawk

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Crisp copper color with a huge, light, foamy, whispy, sticky, fluffy, white head. Sticks around for a long time leaving a sticky lace.

S - Fairly standard tripel aroma although it is a touch light and has nothing popping out. Bready pilsner malt along with some orchard fruit, lemon zest, some pepper and clove. Also Belgian yeast. Like I said, standard aroma but a little too blah.

T - Starts out with some slightly tart apple and pear with plenty of spice coming out mid sip. Clove, pepper, and lemon zest. Lemony citrus comes out a bit more toward the finish. Bready malt in the background with a slight fruitiness and a touch of banana.

M - Medium body with a bit above average carbonation. Very spritzy with a slight warming from alcohol and spice.

D - It really started to grow on me as I drank it. Fruity and maltiness balanced the spice pretty well. Definitely has a warming feel.

Notes: Nice tripel, but nothing special or anything to really distinguish it from others in the style. I enjoyed it, and it is a solid beer but is a little blah overall.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2011 02:04:14 | More by FreshHawk

VaTechHopHead

California

4.08/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - Slightly hazy, color a yeast starter for all those home brewers out there, lots of visible carbonation. Pretty dense head that has a half-finger thickness that lasts and leaves a nice lace.

S - A nice spicy yeast aroma with a hint of citrus orange. Nice phenols and a peppery finish.

T - Big yeast flavor with a nice bit of Belgian sugar thrown in. The peppery flavors and slight citrus and carried over from the aroma and all of them come together quite well. The aftertaste is semi-sweet but definitely finishes spicy.

M - Medium body with a lot of carbonation. Light texture on the palate. Semi-complex flavors and high ABV definitely make it a sipper.

Overall another great beer from Ommegang.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2011 23:17:06 | More by VaTechHopHead

dtivp

West Virginia

3.98/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a hazy golden yellow with a small white head that dissipated quickly into a thin ring, light lacing and some suspended solids.

Aroma of yeast , malt and citrus.

Taste was dominated by the yeast and malt with some lemmon, spice and a slight honey sweetness.

Mouthfeel was medium body, light to medium carbonation, crisp with a slight dry finish. The alcohol was masked very well.

Overall a nice Tripel in the Ommegang Belgium tradition.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2011 16:07:18 | More by dtivp