Long Strange Tripel - Boulevard Brewing Co.

bnes09

Illinois

4.51/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Beautiful hazy orange color with lots of visible bubbles. Tower of gorgeous, creamy, sudsy head forms on the pour and gradually recedes leaving a volcano shaped froth in the center as the sides erode away. As the head disappears, it simply blankets the glass in the frothiest lacing I have ever seen. It took a solid 10 minutes for the head to recede enough for me to even take a sip. Not complaining though, this beer is so beautiful I hardly want to drink it.

Aroma is absolutely intoxicating. Wonderfully fresh with tart citrus fruit and pine. Lemon oil. Fresh yeast feeding on wheat germ. Hint of menthol and cloves. Every bit as good an aroma as Westmalle and La Fin du Monde.

Wheat malt backbone with plenty of fresh yeast. Mild sweetness of white grapes. Alcohol adds a drying chardonnay character. Piney hops. Hint of cloves. Very well balanced.

Medium to full bodied and drying from the alcohol and combination of light malt bill and assertive hops. Small bubbles but there are plenty of them. Smooth throughout with a yeasty, grainy texture.

A truly exceptional tripel. One of my favorite styles and this one does not disappoint. Such a beautiful beer with complex aromas and flavors that is well balanced.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2013 02:16:41 | More by bnes09

BarrelAgedBrian

Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a snifter.

Appearance: Honey-colored with some clarity, but barely able to see through the glass. Two fingers of off-white colored head that slowly dissipates, leaving some lacing along the glass.

Smell: Yeasty with some slight citrus notes.

Taste: Hops and citrus upfront, followed by some honey-like sweetness and floral notes. Subtle pepper note at the end.

Mouthfeel: Full body, smooth, very carbonated.

Overall: Very delicious. Though I don't have much experience with tripels I wouldn't hesitate to get this again.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2013 20:13:50 | More by BarrelAgedBrian

DenverLogan

Colorado

4.66/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

From 12 oz bottle into a Corsendonk tulip glass.
Pours yellow gold with significant head.
Aroma of honey, sweet malts, straw hops and floral notes.
Significant carbonation and mouthfeel.
Flavors of sweet malts, honey, straw hops...with a slight tingling from the carbonation, and a touch of white pepper and pink grapefruit rind. Overall a darn tasty tripel in my book...smooth yet full bodied, inviting yet complex.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 02:59:43 | More by DenverLogan

dreedvol

North Carolina

4.41/5  rDev +7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a Belgian glass from bottle.

Has a nice lacy head that diminishes slowly. Good golden with a slight red hue and hazy from the yeast.

Aroma is strong in yeast esters fruits such as banana with citrus notes and a hint of spice. Very appealing.

Taste is citrus with a hint of spice, banana, and a slight cherry flavor maybe.

Crisp aftertaste and a slightly prickly carbonation. Well balanced finish.

A well done tripel. Still have enjoyed most of the offerings from this brewery.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 00:15:39 | More by dreedvol

alex_hart

Oklahoma

4.4/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

served into the classic Boulevard glass.

Has a brilliant transluscent, light, sandy, orange color to it with an overflowing, fluffy, off-white head that retains through the first few sips, then dissipates to a quarter-finger for the remainder of the glass. Great lacing throughout the duration. Even as my glass sits empty (which is sad) I still look at the different patterns left on the sides of the glass.

The smell is sweet and floral with light, but easy to detect, notes of belgian yeast. Can smell some light fruit, maybe orange peel. Slight hint of some bitter hops, but very minimal.

The taste is much of the same. Light and airy with obvious belgian yeast and delicate orange and other light fruits. Welcoming at every sip, and it invites the next one as soon as the previous is finished. The 9% abv is undetectable.

The mouthfeel is comforting, for lack of a better description. Smooth. Each sip almost floats over the toung and just leaves a slight residue upon the swallow. Medium bodied.

Overall this is one of my favorites from the Boulevard Smokestack Series, along with Sixth Glass and Rye-on-Rye. This absolutely one to try and is highly recommended, IMO.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2013 05:17:14 | More by alex_hart

MattyG85

Minnesota

4.38/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a St. Bernardus goblet glass. Best by date of 08/09/2013.

Appearance: Pours a very hazy golden orange with a moderate amount of bubbles. About two fingers of white head that slowly fade into a thin creamy layer. Leaves a lot of lacing on the glass.

Smell: A very yeasty and funky smell with lots of fruit esters. Big scent of Belgian yeast with hints of barnyard funk, white pepper, and clove spices. Big hints of banana, pear, apple, and bubblegum. Grassy hops and hints of citrus orange and lemon. Pale bready malts with hints of wheat grains, biscuit, and crackers. A very zesty and fruity aroma. Good use of the yeast.

Taste: Like the smell hints at, a yeasty, spicy, and funky Belgian taste with big fruit esters. Funky Belgian yeast throughout with a good dose of white pepper and clove spicing. Lots of fruit taste with notes of banana, pear, and apple along with some bubblegum. Citrus orange and lemon. Also some grassy hops in the mix. Bready pale malts with notes of wheat, cereal grains, biscuit, and crackers. Fairly bitter and dry taste with lots of zesty spice and fruit.

Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied with a moderate amount of carbonation. Crisp, spicy, and very drying.

Overall: A really good take on the Belgian Tripel style. Nice balance of spices and fruit esters. Very zesty.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2013 06:34:02 | More by MattyG85

MDDMD

Pennsylvania

4.21/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A- loudly light orange yellow color with a nice white head and good lacing

S-banana, clove, yeasty grain, orange, slightly funky

T-yeasty grain, banana, clove, oranges, slightly peppery and dry finish

F-medium body with moderate carbonation, smooth

O-very good Tripel and a decent price point for this quality

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 21:40:32 | More by MDDMD

frankiepop

Pennsylvania

4.23/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I am becoming more and more impressed with Boulevard. Here I just had to try a tripel named after a Grateful Dead song!!!

I haven't seen such crass commercialism since Ben and Jerry's released Cherry Garcia. This is a good tripel. Long Strange tripel more importantly is a unique different tripel. I commend the brewers here. It's a challenge to differentiate your tripel. I respect the difference or as Pepe Lepew said, "Vive la difference!!!"

The first thing that hits me is a strong malt aroma and taste. Wonderful. In the background you get some fruitiness balanced by some dry hoppiness flavor. Good stuff. I recommend you try it.

So listen to some Dead when you drink this beverage. I mean what else pairs with this. Years ago I went to a great Dead concert. That you missed. Garcia would play long great guitar solos just out in space. Go hear 1969's Live/Dead; Workingman's Dead, American Beauty, or my fave Anthem of the Sun!

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 06:04:50 | More by frankiepop

flexabull

California

4.28/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Pours a bright and slightly hazy gold color with a huge white head.

Aromas are of spices, bubblegum, lemon peel, and a floral quality.

Taste is dry up front, grassy, yeasty and with hints of bubblegum and lemon. Finish is floral, lightly bitter, and a bit sugary.

Mouthfeel is excellent, smooth, full, with nice snappy carbonation.

Overall, a very nice beer. One of the better Tripels I've had in a while, well done Boulevard.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2013 03:27:37 | More by flexabull

patre_tim

China

4.48/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Golden yellow, highly carbonated, very little cloud mostly clear, huge cream white head, foamy melts like sea foam with large and small bubbles.

S: Belgian yeast, fruity like pears and light fruits, not tropical.

T: Hides the alcohol for sure. Light, fruity, again pears, beligan yeast, like Karmeliet but unique unto its own. Light and balanced. Some sweeteness but not overpowering. Some spice almost cinnamon.

M: Light medium slight syrupy body, high carbonation.

O: Balanced, unique, delicious, worth a try, great job by an American Midwest brewery! Enjoyed this one in Kansas City.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 04:09:08 | More by patre_tim

Flounder57

Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

12 oz bottle was poured into a snifter.

Appearance: This beer poured a crazy white billowy head that reduced just a tad. It is a pale yellow color with good clarity and visions of bubbles coming up through the glass. Nice lacing on the glass as the beer was drank.

Smell: Sweet and bready malts, vanilla, spices, boozy alcohol, apple, pear, and yeasty esters.

Taste: Same as above, but with lingering bitterness. Alcohol is nice and warming too.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, full bodied, low to medium carbonation, warming alcohol, and some tingling action in the end.

Overall: Pretty solid tripel. More please.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 03:04:41 | More by Flounder57

MattSweatshirt

Texas

4.04/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours out with vigorous carbonation that keeps up a big fluffy white head and a golden body just filled with carbonation bubbles. Lllaaaccciiinnnggg.

Smells of grass, fruit, and spice: bubblegum, pear, pepper.

Firm bready maltiness takes hold. Gives way to more fruity pear and apple character and alcohol warmth.

Medium bodied and bubbly on the tongue. Fairly dry as well.

I’m a few beers deep into Boulevards Belgian styled offerings and I am impressed. Very solid stuff.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 05:51:16 | More by MattSweatshirt

seand

California

4.24/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

A: Pours a clear light amber with noticeable bubbling in the liquid and a thick foamy white blanket on top. The head dissipates to a thin but reasonably solid blanket, which leaves lots of lacing.

S: Mildly sweet Belgian spice; clove, banana, and light citrus.

T: Relatively mild throughout, but nice, and with some complexity. Some yeast and grain notes. Starts sweet, and finishes dry with a pleasant light aftertaste.

M: Pleasantly light, though not too light, and fairly carbonated, with small bubbles on the prickly side.

Overall, very good. The mouthfeel and flavor work very nicely together, and it's got a lot going on at a subtle level without needing any one overbearing taste. Very drinkable, and the 9% isn't really noticeable, which is probably very dangerous. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2013 05:54:10 | More by seand

allinthehead

3.05/5  rDev -26%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.25

11oz bottle poured into a Bruery tulip

Appearance: Great orange/tan honey color. Big head with ok retention.

Smell: I'm mostly picking up the yeast and malt. Plus maybe some cloves.

Taste: Bready, sweet, some banana.

Moutfeel: Good carbonation, with a medium body. The aftertaste is a little too dry, almost puckery or like eating dirt. And that aftertaste will sit with you.

Overall: I enjoy trying Belgian style ales. This is an OK one, but not one I'd hunt down again.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 04:26:37 | More by allinthehead

Steamer

Missouri

4.68/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Poured into an over sized wine glass. A cloudy yellowish-orange look nicely complimented by a thick foamy head with a lot of staying power. Citrus and spice smell dominates with a sweet malty aroma underneath. Dry, tangy fruit on the front, malty sweetness in the middle just like the aroma, and warm alcohol at the end. Very nice. Smooth and velvety mouth feel. An outstanding and well-balance tripel. A must try!

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 01:28:22 | More by Steamer

mschind

California

3.9/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 ML bottle with illegible best by date.

A- Poured into a tulip with a huge gushing head. Good retention and persistent lacing on the glass. Clear, medium honey color.

S- Great Tripel aroma. Spicey with pepper, some cloves and sour fruit. Yeast, malt and a bit of heat from the alcohol.

T- Starts with some malt sweetness which quickly becomes dry. A hint of fruit in the middle and some boozy alcohol in the background as it warmed.

M- The carbonation gives a full sensation but the body overall is medium light.

O- Happy to find another domestic brewer producing Belgian beers. A very good Tripel that I would try again, especially at this price range.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 03:47:18 | More by mschind

wedge

North Carolina

4.16/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pours a mostly clear, deep golden color under a fittingly large, rocky head of thick, luscious foam. Aromas of softly sweet malt, light dough, spices, herbs, and dried fruit. Malt is toned down in the flavor, though there's a nice cake-y element. Increased phenolics, peppery spice through the middle, with apple, apricot, and slight citrus juice. Creamy, fluffy mouthfeel - appropriately carbonated, drying, and not too sweet. Never boozy. Well done...

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2013 21:52:45 | More by wedge

devilben02

North Carolina

2.93/5  rDev -28.9%
look: 5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.75

Pours a sparkling apple-juice-yellow color, with a massive, foamy, eggshell-white head. The aroma is an expected combination of light, tart apple-like yeastiness against dry grassy hops. The flavor has a light, bready sweetness and a bit of banana, but it is mostly a very dry, grassy, almost dirt-like bitterness that lingers in an unpleasant aftertaste. The light, very active carbonation plays off this flavor profile, leaving an exceptionally drying sensation in the finish. Overall, I will readily admit that tripels aren't a preferred style for me, but I have been able to enjoy some in the past... just not this one.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2013 16:03:07 | More by devilben02

XxNitExX

Nebraska

4.66/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into Chimay Goblet from 12oz bottle

A- Honey color with a nice amount of carbonation that produces a perfect white head that sticks around.

S- Banana, clove, yeast, bread, alcohol, all mixed up into a symphony of smells. Probably strongest with the clove in my opinion.

T- Wonderful bready malt taste, loaded with cloves banana and that alcohol bite you get with a good tripel. Can't forget about that wonderful belgian yeast funk you get either!

M- Very carbonated but not in a bad way. Goes down smooth

Overall a very good representation of the style, only one I put above it that I have tried is La Fin Du Monde, which full disclosure is my favorite beer I can get locally.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2013 00:43:33 | More by XxNitExX

homebrew311

Illinois

4.11/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Served into Boulevard glass. Appearance is bright gold with striking clarity and cascading bubbles. Frothy white head is formed and retains very nicely and leaves heavy lacing. Nose features floral notes with heavy spice and clove character. Bready Belgian yeast looms large with accents of lemon zest. Taste is straight forward and clean for a tripel. Plenty of belgo character which provides some sweetness, fruity esters, light banana, moderate clove, and minimal bitterness. Mouthfeel is highly carbonated with a medium weight mouthfeel. Overall, a refreshing, clean, and full flavored tripel.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2013 06:59:12 | More by homebrew311

Anker13

District of Columbia

4.15/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

1/27/13- Boulevard Brewing Company, Smokestack Series | Long Strange Tripel |12oz Bottle

Appearance- Beautiful golden orange color, foamy white persistent head, lots of carbonation, hazy

Aroma- Bananas, cloves, yeasty, earthy, orangy-citrus-tropical, slight spice. Surprisingly no boozey smell

Mouthfeel- medium body, moderate carbonation, smooth effervescence, slight astringency, a little dry

Taste- Earthy spiciness is upfront, followed by banana bread and a slight yeasty taste, rounds out with tropical fruitiness. Orange-citrus is apparent, can definitely taste the alcohol on the end.

Residual- Semi dry, sweet taste remains

Overall- Pretty good tripel as far as I’m concerned. For a 9% beer, it certainly does not drink like a 9% beer. Very Unique

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2013 19:13:30 | More by Anker13

Maxwell

Massachusetts

4.14/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

The beer pours a hazy orange yellow with a big beautiful head on top that stays for awhile and is full of sudsy bubbles that sit at top as creamy smoothness. The beer’s body is hazy, lightly translucent, and peppered with a thick torrent of carbonation bubbles racing to the top. The beer’s lacing is fat and wall-like, with rather large bubbles sticking to the sides of the glass like snow on the ground. On the nose, the beer smells quite hefeweizen-like with thick clove and banana scents alongside sweet lemon bread notes that reveal the Belgian yeast in the beer. The fruity esters on the beer are bright and lively on the nostrils, also hinting towards pineapple and some lighter tropical fruit. On the tongue, the beer tastes surprisingly bitter, but also strongly of banana bread. The taste begins as bitter and lightly medicinal hops which slowly open into lovely banana bread flavors with splashes of lemon and pineapple, though the medicinal bitter remains as an undercurrent on the taste buds. The finish is strong with banana bread, but the aftertaste returns to the surprising amount of hops hiding in this beer, and rings with grassy medicinal bitters. On the mouth, the beer feels fierce with carbonation. The beer is medium in body, and leaves a sticky ichor briefly on the tongue as it travels down the throat. The mouth is left a little burned from the carbonation, and quite dry from the hops, though the tongue does retain some small reserves of saliva. Overall, this beer is surprisingly bitter and harsh on the mouth, but has an awesome smell and some awesome flavors. I think a little gentler of a hand when hopping this beer could be used, but it is an American Tripel after all, and what are we American’s known for if not our overdosing of hops? This is another success from Boulevard! Try this beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 02:45:08 | More by Maxwell

tdm168

North Carolina

4/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

A - dark orangish gold with a huge, thick, dense, bubbly, white head that has decent retention

S - some fruit, some faint yeast

T - apricot, faint peach, some straw, a faint bitterness in the finish

M - some warming alcohol, medium to full bodied, crisp

This is a nice Tripel. The traditional flavors are evident and the strong ABV is noticeable, but tucked away. Overall, this is a solid offering with a traditional flavor profile. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a Belgian beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 02:04:54 | More by tdm168

jsanford

Georgia

4.11/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Pours cloudy gold with a dense, soapy white head that settles to a nice cap, leaving behind lots of sticky lacing. Big Tripel aromas of bubblegum, light clove, orange peel,and wheat. Very crisp and clean. Taste is similarly clean, very balanced with light wheat malt, banana, bubblegum, and mildly spicy clove phenols. Mouthfeel is light and crisp, with a medium body and good carbonation. Really excellent Tripel, one of my favorites of recent memory.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 00:35:19 | More by jsanford

Cyberkedi

Georgia

4.16/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

The sample I got popped and fizzed like New Year’s champagne, so if you get this in a bottle, open with care - and have a towel handy. It comes out of the bottle a clear, bright solar yellow with a thick, fluffy snow-white head that leaves very generous lacing. Strong, yeasty aroma has apple and pear notes and a hint of malt. Fruity, yeasty flavor fills the mouth with apple, pear, and a hint of butterscotch, as well as a whisper of hoppy bitterness. Lively texture has good body and fizz, leaving a fruity, tingly, slightly yeasty and malty finish. Keep your eyes peeled for this one.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 02:04:05 | More by Cyberkedi