Long Strange Tripel - Boulevard Brewing Co.

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.78/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Atlanta Ale meeting. Good head on a Belgian light colour. Thick mouthfeel and lots of malt. Quite yeasty. Smooth taste, yeasty aroma and yeast in taste. On the sweet side, but not too sweet. Spices like corriander. Well suitably carbonated. Not a bad one.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2008 00:48:03 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.38/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

"Sometimes the light's all shinin' on me
Other times I can barely see
Lately it occurs to me...
What a long, strange trip it's been"

--the Grateful Dead

Shimmering apricot with honey colored edges and a barely visible yeasty haze. The pale khaki colored cap was three fingers to start and isn't giving ground willingly. It could use some help in the texture department. Not bad, though. A few splotches of smeary lace don't pull the score down because the beer itself looks so good.

It smells pretty damn good too. There's nothing strange goin' on, just the typical tripel golden fruitiness complemented by a hint of yeasty spiciness. I'm not jumping out of my chair, but the brewers (so far at least) have done a more than credible job with a style that confounds quite a few American craft brewers.

I'm surprised at how delicious this beer is. It could use a bit more depth and complexity, but that borders on nitpicking... especially since a little voice inside my head says 'this is the real deal' each time I tip the glass up. It looks like the boys from Boulevard Brewing have done their homework.

The beer's strongest suit is its remarkable balance. There's a lovely mixture of sweet, bitter, tart and spicy. Plenty of pale malt holds down the bottom end, a few orchards worth of fruit (tart pears and snappy apples) occupy the middle ground, and generous pinches of clove and white pepper zip and zing on the top end. The yeast is crucial in a beer of this style, and it looks like the brewery picked a humdinger.

The mouthfeel didn't seem good enough initially. With time and warming, it just does earn the score seen above. It isn't quite as caressingly creamy as the best of style, but it isn't that far off either. As always, a perfect amount of perfectly sized carbonation is the key. It's obvious that these guys thought LST through from A to freakin' Z.

This Smokestack Series beer is one of the nicest surprises of the past several months. I'm floored by the fact that a brewery in Kansas City, MO is capable of brewing a Belgian-style tripel that could hold its head high in the best beer bars in Brussels. Simply put, Boulevard Long Strange Tripel is a home run.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2008 22:32:52 | More by BuckeyeNation

Thorpe429

Illinois

2.15/5  rDev -47.8%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Served in a tulip. Thanks to my father-in-law for picking up this bottle.

Pours a dark golden color with almost no head. No head on a tripel--are you kidding me? Bad, bad, bad. No good. The nose is a bit of malt with some very light phenols. Taste has a bit of bread with light yeast character. Not impressed. Feel is light with low carbonation. Overall, not impressed. This is nowhere near a tripel, let alone a good one.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2011 02:34:32 | More by Thorpe429

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.2/5  rDev -22.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Appearance: Pours clear, golden body with a fizzy white head.

Smell: Sweetish candi sugar aroma with notes of bananas, cloves, with a bit of peppery alcohol.

Taste: Honey-coated maltiness with a sticky candy sweetness. Obligatory Belgian esters. A mild, fleeting bitterness is encountered along the way. Touch of peppery alcohol. Yeasty, candi sugar finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-full body. Medium carbonation. Somewhat syrupy.

Drinkability: The Long Strangly Sweet Tripel was just a hair too sweet for me.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2008 21:32:57 | More by ChainGangGuy

brentk56

North Carolina

4.18/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours a hazy golden color with a fluffy head that leaves sheets of lacing behind in the chalice

Smell: Doughy, fruity (apples, pears and bananas) and peppery

Taste: The doughy flavors up front are joined by a fruit basket of flavor almost immediately, with a peppery dash appearing by mid-palate; after the swallow, the spice level is raised, but only complements the malty flavors that were established up front

Mouthfeel: Medium body, almost creamy, with prickly carbonation

Drinkability: Although it lacks a little in the complexity department, the beer more than makes up for it in drinkability; no fusel alcohol flavors that mar so many tripels

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2009 23:52:45 | More by brentk56

UCLABrewN84

California

4.38/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to JealousChalice for sharing this one at MrVonzipper's tasting.

Pours a clear golden color with an off-white head that settles to a film on the top of the beer. Small dots of lace slowly drip back into the remaining beer on the drink down. Smell is of grains, spices, yeast, and some sugary/honey aromas. Taste is very much the same with a slight alcohol kick on the finish. This beer has a light level of carbonation with a crisp and bubbly mouthfeel. Overall, this is a very good tripel with some delicious aromas and flavors.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2012 23:45:49 | More by UCLABrewN84

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

4.08/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle: Poured a cloudy orangey/copper color ale with a large off-white foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma of spicy yeast with some fruity ester and nice Belgian malt backbone. Taste is also a nice mix between some spicy and somewhat peppery yeast and some fruity ester with light peach notes while being very well supported by medium sweet Belgian malt. Full body with limited filtration and good carbonation while alcohol is not apparent. Very well done and probably one of my favorite US brewed tripel.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2009 03:42:10 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.53/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A definate fruit-forward Tripel with high sweetness and leaving me wanting a bit more in complexity and hop balance.

the orange-golden colored beer carries a significant haze and a lot of yeast particles floating about. Seems to have a viscous look similar to pureed fruits. A creamy off-white head has great staying power while leaving a lot of lacing on the glass.

Appricots, apples, and pears are the dominant features in the nose. Light herbal notes (hops) decorate the edges and the phenolic spices are equally as light. Nice, but somewhat one-dimentional.

Flavors do much the same except for the sweet maltiness that amplifies the fruity esters. Towards the end of the glass, these features prove a bit too much.

As expected the mouthfeel tilts towards heavy sweetness, thickness, and dangerously close to syrupy and cloying notes. Alcohol warmth helps but doesn't dry the beer nearly enough.

I think that the flavors are quite appropriate but they are not balances well with phenols and other yeast character. The body makes me want a Chimay White. Thanks again Exiled!

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2009 15:34:12 | More by BEERchitect

TMoney2591

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served in a Duvel tulip glass.

It's surely been one, amiright? Anyway, this stuff pours a clear brass topped by over a finger of lightly off-cream-white foam. The nose comprises clove, banana, slightly waxy orange peel, cracked wheat, sweet flowers, and the slightest possible kiss of lemon zest. The taste shows off more of the orange (now complete with some flesh) and wheat, but the rest is still easily found. The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and an ever-so-slightly grainy feel. Overall, a very nice tripel, unsurprising seeing as it comes from the quality-producers at Boulevard. Good times.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2011 02:54:41 | More by TMoney2591

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.18/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

My notes are minimal, but my enjoyment was full.

Long Strange Tripel, Boulevard...

hazy golden hue, huge white head...

sweet and spicy aroma...right on for a tripel.

Lemon, .lime, orange, and more in the flavor, with a spicy kick.

Delicious stuff...perfect fit for the tripel style.

That's all I had to say while I drank it, but it says it all.
Excellent.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2008 09:46:38 | More by feloniousmonk

drabmuh

Maryland

3.65/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Yay more smokestack beers. This beer served in an imperial pilsner glass. Beer is orange and really hazy. Forms a big head that leaves a lot of lacing on the glass. Beer is moderately carbonated but the head doesn't have any staying power.

Aroma is sweet and estery, smells pretty good. Some yeasty breadiness in there too.

Hmmm....this beer is medium to light in body and has some carbonation on the palate. Beer finishes slightly dry with an out of place bitterness on the back that makes this beer slightly hard to drink. Not my favorite tripel for sure.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2010 20:13:11 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

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

The beer pours a hazy orange color with a large white head. The aroma is orange citrus with Belgian yeast, spices and some alcohol. The flavor is alcohol, citrus (oranges and pears) with some coriander, pepper and Belgian yeast. The alcohol is rather strong in the aftertaste. Medium mouthfeel and medium-high carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2010 01:40:46 | More by Mora2000

zeff80

Missouri

3.88/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Poured a cloudy, golden/orange color with a bubbly, off-white, three-finger head. It left some nice lacing on the glass.

S - It smelled citrus, yeast and some light caramel malt. A floral presence, too.

T - It tasted slightly bitter with a good deal of citrus flavor. It was somewhat hoppy with a light maltiness.

M - It was crisp and sharp. A medium-bodied beer.

D - This is a nice version of a tripel. It's the first Smokestack beer that I've tried and it is quite good.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2008 17:56:24 | More by zeff80

Gueuzedude

Arizona

3.58/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Batch Number: T8123; Sampled September 2008
There is lots of banana in this beer, first it smells of it as I am pouring this beer, but also the foam tastes of banana. Speaking of foam an not overly hard saw the head start to flow over the sides of my 25cl tulip glass, but I was able to react fast enough to slurp all of the excess foam; so no mess. The head stands a full four-fingers in height (including a finger above the rim of my glass) and is a pale tan color that is more the color of cream than anything. The beer is a has a nice copper hue to it as it sits on my desk, but shows a mostly clear, deep gold color when held up to the light. The aroma is a mix of grassy grain, spicy esters and fruit. Aromatic notes of bananas, definite clove, clean pepper, bubblegum / almost juicy-fruit esters, dusty-crushed grain aromas, a touch of unsalted saltine cracker, an at times strong green apple note and a touch of warming alcohol are all easily noticeable (none are a stretch for me) if you spend a little time with the nose).

Well carbonated still (even after resting for the last ten minutes), the beer foams up as it rolls across my tongue. Fairly dry, but it still has some sweetness that is accentuated by the fruity esters and the higher alcohol notes that pepper this beer. Sweet, malt accented banana flavors mix with sweet clove notes, touches of cotton candy, wild-flower honey, and ripe melon notes provide the sweet flavors in this beer. The sweetness is only lightly offset by pepper-like higher alcohol notes in the finish, a spicy clove notes in the finish that gets turpene heavy, a touch of dried ginger and a light astringency and bitterness that lingers on in the finish. Fairly light bodied as a decent Tripel should be, it has a touch of viscous heft to it, but is far more quaffable than a 9% alcohol beer should be.

Can be a bit too hot and phenolic at times, but this is certainly an interesting Tripel. This is even tasty enough and I am certainly happy to find myself quaffing this for an evening.

Purchased: South Bay Drugs, Imperial Beach CA

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2008 03:31:57 | More by Gueuzedude

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.85/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Batch# 7276, thanks to my buddy Eric for hauling this back from Mizzou!

Pours an effervescent apricot with 1+ finger of pearl-white head. Started getting floaties
halfway through the bottle. Great sounds coming from my chalice as I empty the bottle! More floaties at the bottom. Average head retention & below average lacing

S: Fruitty (apples, pears, lemons) & honey

T: Fruitty, appleskins, grapes, apricot & some warmth up front. Candi sugar, honey & more
appleskins, some earthy yeast notes as this warms. Finishes with lemony hops, much fruittyness & bit of boozey warmth

MF: Slick with low carbonation & syruppy notes

Drinks fairly easy, but the boozeyness does slow you down a bit. A solid tripel, hits most of the right notes, but just doesn't really reach me

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2008 05:09:21 | More by russpowell

Halcyondays

California

4.33/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. bottle, playing Truckin' seems appropriate, in an interesting coincidence, the Greatful Dead were mentioned in the Cards-Giants Game 7 as I was writing this,

A: Pours goldenrod with a fizzy big white head, light spotty lace.

S: Sweet candied pear, some pineapple, orange, white pepper, very fruity.

T: Pear and yellow apple, lots of esters, some sugar cane on the back end adds a complex touch. Only light hopping in this one.

M: Medium-bodied, lush with a nice silky ethanol undercurrent which never interferes with the base beer. Slightly sweet aftertaste with a hint of spice. Soft yet crisp carbonation.

O: This is a wonderful American tripel. It reminds me a lot of Green Flash's classic version with the heavy fruit character and the nice spice undercurrent. Clearly American in its approach, well worth seeking out.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2012 02:52:38 | More by Halcyondays

tempest

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had a bottle with dinner at the Happy Gnome in St. Paul. I made this mistake of drinking this after Moinette Blond, which while very similar, was a richer beer. So it was a more subtle tripel, but delicious and very drinkable. Like the other Smokestack Series Belgians I've tried, they've pretty closely nailed the style. The beer has a lovely mix of mild vanilla, light white bread grains, peppery hops, citrus zest, and Belgian spice. It does taste a little too similar to their Saison, but it's a good enough beer that I can forgive that. Certainly worth a try for anyone looking for a nice, fresh tripel.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2009 23:13:45 | More by tempest

akorsak

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to hwwty4 for this bottle, the original Long Strange Tripel (3rd release in the Smokestack series).

A: The tripel golden, bedecked with orange highlights that add a depth of hue. While objects on the other side are fuzzy, the ale does indeed remain translucent. A finger of fluffy foam, white, has left a few isolated patches of lace behind.

S: Sweet with pale candi sugars, the nose has pear and light fleshy fruits at the forefront. Mild spices follow although the aroma is by no means hot.

T: Bready and sweet, the pale biscuity flavors mix with fleshy fruits right away. The biscuity flavor is a little more pronounced, perhaps the results of a few years in the basement. Pears and peppercorns, a caramel richness and a dash of anise. Larger sip with a preponderance of carbonation provide a bit of a jolt to the sinuses. The soft fruity sweetness makes me want more.

M: The yeast, sweet and spicy, steals the show, although the biscuity caramel comes in a close second. Age has treated the tripel well.

D: Where's the fresh orange? Oh wait, wrong tripel. My head is still focused on Tripel Sec. This is an admirable entry into the tripel realm, solid flavor and little in the way of booziness (despite the bigger strength).

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2010 19:51:07 | More by akorsak

barleywinefiend

Washington

4.5/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Poured a yellowish golden color with great carbonation with big fluffy white cap

S: Some clove, spice, banana, booze. Big nose.

T: Clove, spice, banana , some bubblegum and belgian yeast

M: Warming and spiciness

D: Very good and would recommend

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2010 01:07:54 | More by barleywinefiend

smcolw

Massachusetts

4.3/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Large white head that settles in a lumpy fashion. Only a chill haze to the otherwise golden brew. Only some spotty lace.

Mildly sweet and floral. There's a bite of all spice and clove in the background. Light on the Belgian yeast.

The taste is stronger on the alcohol side than the smell indicates. Also, there is a stronger peppery taste, particularly in the swallow. The start is almost creamy. The body is full and the carbonation is high, like a good Tripel. Perhaps the highest praise I can give is that this seems to be indistinguishable from the excellent Tripels from Belgium.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2011 23:33:40 | More by smcolw

Wasatch

Utah

3.98/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks goes out to stephens101 for this one.

750ml Bottle
Batch: T8173
Caged/Corked

Poured into a chalice a very nice cloudy golden orange/yellow color, nice carbonation, very nice three-finger thick/creamy off-white head, with some very nice creamy sticky lacing left behind. The nose is malty, with some yeast and spices. The taste is malty, slightly sweet, yeast, and a nice touch of spice. Medium body, a little to spicy/hot for me. Drinkable, this is a nice brew, but not as good as other's I've had to date.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2009 23:56:46 | More by Wasatch

rhoadsrage

Illinois

3.15/5  rDev -23.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

(Served in a chalice)
A- This beer opens with a soft pop of the cork then pours a full light tan foam head that fades back into a cobweb. There is a sea of microbubbles that swirl through the orange body.
S- This beer has a soft floral perfume note with only a faint sweetness. Otherwise pretty clean
T- This beer has a soft light sweetness to a thin flavor of fruit that fades to a pungent hop finish with a soft pine note. The faint note of apricot and a big boozy alcohol heat that covers everything but the hops.
M- This beer has a light thin mouthfeel with a soft fizz and no alcohol heat when cold but it lingers in the aftertaste. Then it soon grows to a big alcohol heat that grows and grows.
D- This beer is a bit thin and light which is ok until the big boozy alcohol heat and pungent hops bitterness covers up all the subtle flavors.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2009 23:04:00 | More by rhoadsrage

Billolick

New York

4.22/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Large bottle, caged and corked, pours cloudy darker apricot, loose and also fine bubble light head and film, bubbles rising to the top....light sheeting and just spots of lace...fruity nose, notes of tropical fruit, gin, juniper bite, smoke, yeasty goodness. Tasty and complex triple from Kansas City..who would have thunk it...good stuff

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2009 02:17:27 | More by Billolick

jlindros

Massachusetts

4.08/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Huge head of 2/3 the glass fades semi quickly over semi hazy golden orange color, lots of big bubbly foamy head and bubbles coming from the bottom.

Nose is nice tripel, some citrus, semi sweet Belgian golden malts, some belgian yeast, light spices like hint of allspice, coriander, clove, ginger, light not really holiday like spices just light spice like aromas from the Belgian yeast, a bit of a candy jelly orange, some fruity esters and hint of phenols as expected, hint of apple, bit of candi sugar.

Taste is typical as well, some sweet candi sugar, orange jelly candy and zest, again light spices from the yeast, sweet belgian malts belgian yeast, bit of warming booze and esters, slight phenols, apple and pear fruits, almost juicy, slightly acidic, light toasty. Finishes dry but slightly sweet, lingering light spices and sweet malts, bit of fruit.

Mouth is heavier bodied, good carb, warming tingly booze.

Well, its a good beer, very standard for the style, nice malts, spices, belgian yeast fruit, esters, nice warming booze. Perfect beer for bunkering down in the middle of a very early season blizzard with no electricity. Good for keeping warm.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2011 14:52:06 | More by jlindros

ppoitras

Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml bottle obtained via trade with mhewes. Thanks for the opportunity. Corked & caged, Batch T8067.

Poured into a heavy glass chalice, formed a 1" beige head above the clear dark golden brew. Head is moving and grooving, but keeps on trucking, with average to good lacing. Aroma is sweet and effervescent, with spices present amply as well. Taste is a spinning experience of sweet, spice, and alcohol warmth, all flavors coming on spearately now and again. Mouthfeel is soft over the tongue, and drinkability is good. Numbness does seem to slowly appear on the tongue and at the back of the throat, but this one's worth the effort.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2008 23:59:45 | More by ppoitras