Witches' Brew - Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V.

fultonj

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a Corsendonk 33cl long stem tulip glass. It had more head than the average tripel. Thick bubbles stood above the glass before making their way down after a couple of minutes and leaving a fluffy mountain range with smaller bubbles near the center and larger bubbles on the side of the glass. This difference in elevation stayed after several sips and each sip left a thick lacy ring on the level above as I worked my way down. It had a hazy copper color; not as clear as other tripels. The scent after pouring was not as distinctive as the taste; I mostly smelled bread like yeast. Esters produced a flavor of honey which was strongest, followed by apricot, and finally a little bit of apple. Phenols gave a nice spice with a slight after taste of cloves. As expected from the exceptional carbonation, the beer left a nice dry after taste appropriate for a tripel, not too hoppy. Overall it's a pleasure that I'd happily drink again.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2011 04:53:28 | More by fultonj

drpimento

Wisconsin

3.98/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Wellll... while a solid effort, not so different from the mainstream tasty Belgian golden/ tripel/ blond/ strong ales. I let the bottle warm some out of the fridge and then poured a colossal, off-white, extremely flothy, fluffy, wispy head that settled after a bit and some clingy lace. Color is a minisculey hazy amber with no bubble trails. Aroma is yeast, bread dough, crackers, hop, malt, white wine. Flavor's very similar to nose, but with vineous sweetness on top then bitter tang, followed by other stuff including apples, pears. Body and carbonation are good. Finish is similar to flavor, easy and of short to average length with little alcohol warmth. Nice beer to get comfortable with. Be great for a picnic or to cook with.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2011 00:41:02 | More by drpimento

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.95/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Sweet, spicy, and fruity- this Halloween Tripel delivers what's best about the style but doesn't add much to capture the flavor of the scary holiday.

Pouring a hazy hue of orange, copper, and peach- the beer builds a fluffy and airy ivory white head that retains impressively while leaving connected patterns of lace all around the glass. A very nice looking Tripel, but a tad richer shade toward amber than I'm used to in the style.

Peach, appricot, pear, apple, and oranges all fill the nose along with a spicy note of white pepper, clove, and ginger. A backbone of malt sweetness give a candy-coated fruit scent throughout.

Flavors are very consistent with the aromas. The malt flavors represent a range of powdered sugar, cookie dough, and freshly baked light breads. An estery mix of peaches and appricots become dominant flavors along with the background notes of pear, apple, and orange. Low hop bitterness allows for a yeasty spicy of ginger, clove, and white pepper to balance. Lightly herbal and grassy late, the hops have only a mild impact at finish.

Rich and somewhat sugary to feel, the beer has a more robust malt character that doesn't dry in finish the way more classic versions do. Low hopping rates also disallow the dryish ending and promote a sweeter, longer finish that hinders drinkability everso slightly.

An overall very straight forward Tripel with more malt character than the style forcasts. Where hop balance is foregone for yeasty spice, the beer still balances fairly well. A great choice going into the Halloween weekend.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2011 15:18:36 | More by BEERchitect

jayhawk73

Maryland

4.35/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a golden color into my snifter- nice sheets of lacing on the glass. Almost has an orange tint to it, after looking at it for a bit. Great looking Belgian brew. Nose is pears, apples, yeast, malt, spice, and a tiny bit of alcohol. No complaints on the smell, other than it's not super balanced- still really nice though. Taste steps it up a notch. This is a really fine tripel, and even though I'm partial to the style- I'm surprised the scores on here aren't higher. Taste adds more fruit flavors and hops to the already complex nose. Really fantastic and unique tripel. Feel is a little above medium, w/ sweetness/hops mixing nicely. Carbonation is pretty good in the mouthfeel. Overall, I was surprised at this beer- it's a great tripel, and I'll definitely look for it again.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2011 12:35:42 | More by jayhawk73

ccrida

Oregon

4.5/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Man the Steenberge's rip out a ton of brews. Is this one that will be distinct by taste rather then marketing? Dark gold with a fluffy white head leaving lots of foamy lace.

Smell is very herbal, dried skunky styrians, this is really heavily hopped, in a good, very Belgian way.

Taste is really quite good, this is a big, modern blonde, yet really well balanced, banana esters and a slate edge. I'm impressed! This is trending towards BIPA style, I dig, very continental, modern, Hotel Costes. Sans soucie...

Mouthfeel is very dry, crisp, palate-cleansing, light bodied and smooth.

Drinkability is high. This is really drinkable, dangerously, with lots of classic Belgian blonde flavors exaggerated without overbearing. Another very well executed blonde by Van Steenberge, makes me miss my Sharp Edge days.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2011 05:02:59 | More by ccrida

dbexpert

Massachusetts

3.6/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A:Good. Deep Golden hue. Rocky white head showing good life.
S:Bannana and fruity esters are prominent, slight floral hop notes sneak thru
T:Not quite as heavy as expected leaning towards a golden vain. Yeast offers good spicieness. Hops are subtle but offer a bit of complexitiy
M.Average. Dry, lingering finish, alcohol is noticeable but not negative.
O. A good worthy beer. Drinkable. I would purchase this again.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2011 01:44:53 | More by dbexpert

impending

California

2.88/5  rDev -25.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

750ml into a tulip. Pours a nearly transparent clean copper penny, dense cream colored head subsides slowly, very nice lacing.

Aroma lacks, simply ok, sweetness & phenols. Doesn't inspire leisure sniffing, generic.

Taste mirrors the nose, sweetness & phenolic notes. Zero bitter zero dry, just a phenolic kick trying to substitute. Hint of zinc in the aftertaste. Medium bodied creamy mouthfeel.
cheers
jd

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2011 04:49:14 | More by impending

claytong

Vermont

3.75/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

appearance - somewhat murky golden color, 2 inch head on controlled pour, 3 to 4 when being a little wild

smell - clove and other spices, biscuit, earthy hops

taste - very similar to a pale ale which i wasnt happy about, biscuit and minor hops dominate

mouthfeel - light body and loads of carbonation make this quite refreshing

lot of good tripels so i doubt ill be coming back to this one

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2011 21:34:00 | More by claytong

EnojysAnyBeer

Colorado

4.1/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

A- Dark golden color with some transparency and a huge head that falls apart somewhat quick

S- Fruity and spicy with a solid alcohol note that reminds me of wine

T- Solid grain flavor comes across tasting like a biscuit. Hops, fruity esters and warm alcohol spice up the biscuit flavor

M- Very fine carbonation and a relatively light body make for a perfect mouthfeel.

O- Solid Tripel but I don't see myself getting this again. Definitely worth a try though.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2011 21:34:48 | More by EnojysAnyBeer

Beer4Baltimore

Maryland

4.18/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

750 ml bottle, corked and caged

A - very heady/foamy hazy gold.
S - certainly coriander with some hops.
T - starts spicy/sweet and finishes bitter with a little more sweet in the middle.
M - foamy from the higher carbonation but finishes clean.
D - despite the foamy feel I find it very drinkable and the high alcohol is barely noticed, yet....

Maybe a little hoppy for a Belgian but I like it.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2011 22:53:01 | More by Beer4Baltimore

ummswimmin

New Jersey

3.78/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from bottle into pint glass. Then I realized I should have used a Belgian glass. I own one... it was on the shelf... it was next to the pint glass.

Poured properly, but I got a very large head. Over four fingers. Looks pretty thin as a head, which is appropriate to the beer.

The color is a pretty shade of golden yellow. And now I see some pretty dots of lacing where parts of the head are sticking

Smells like a normal belgian tripel. I smell a lot of hoppiness coming through. This is pretty refreshing.

The flavor is a very strong impact of hops, and I don't think they are really well balanced. There is a decent amount of bitterness; maybe too much.
I like this beer, and I may buy it again. The mouthfeel is clean, and the flavors really stay after each swallow.

Give it a try. They did a good job with this Tripel.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2011 21:52:25 | More by ummswimmin

daveytheformer

Oregon

4.22/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

My friend Eben shared this with me.

Pours a cloudy golden color with a nice thick foamy head that sticks to the side of the glass as it goes down.

Smells fruity, spicy, sweet and like cloves and yeast. Very Belgian.

Taste is candy sweet with a bread like yeast quality. Kind of a metallic bitterness as well.

Mouthfeel is a light medium, well carbonated and sticky sweet.

Overall a pretty good beer and better than I remembered it being.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2011 05:43:52 | More by daveytheformer

Radome

Spain

4.33/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 750 ml bottle into a snifter.

A - Beer is slightly cloudy with a golden orange color. The head is thick and fluffy and lasts a long time.

S - The aroma is very complex with all kinds of aspects. There is sweet malt, bubblegum, honey, citrus and alcohol.

T - Delicious and surprisingly subtle. Sweet malt, honey, oranges and alcohol.

M - Light hop bitterness, spritzy carbonation.

D - Complex and yummy.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2011 05:43:46 | More by Radome

CaptainTripps

Oregon

3.1/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

750ml bottled poured into a tulip

A:Poured a hazy amberish color, almost resembling apple juice. Came with about two fingers worth of creamy white head and pretty good lacing all the way down to the last sip.

S:Lots of light fruits coming off the beer: Pear and apple are the most prominent. Has a spice kick to it as well along with a very developed sweetness. Belgian yeast a big factor as well as some pilsner malt.

T:From the get go it was pretty sweet on the palate. Light fruits again are dominating the beer paired with some spices. Has caramel and honey qualities to it as well.

M:Very well carbonated medium bodied beer. Alcohol has a presences but not problematic.

D:Well being my first Tripel i have ever had, i really don't have anything to compare it with so i am going to set it at average. For the beer in and of its self, i find average drinkability to be right were it sits as well. Really really sweet beer that could become a problem.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2011 13:26:10 | More by CaptainTripps

crossovert

Wisconsin

2.73/5  rDev -29.3%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

750 ml corked and caged bottle.

IT pours awful for a Tripel, the head is reminiscent of an adjunct lager's and it is super carbonated looking.

It smells of citrus, pears, an raisins. It has a subtle tanginess to it and some metallic notes.

The flavor is tangy with some lemon tartness, honey, caramel, apple cidre, and pear/apple skins.

It feels a bit boozy and metallic.

Stay away from this tripel.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2011 06:19:48 | More by crossovert

emmasdad

Colorado

3.33/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Picked this one up at Lukas Liquors because it was on sale for $3.99. No other reason. Poured a light to medium golden color with a huge, creamy three finger white head (which quickly settles into a few random spots on the surface). Aromas of juicy pear, green apple skins and a little yeast. Light bodied and creamy, a little tartness, green apples, pear, warming finish.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2011 03:30:49 | More by emmasdad

CuriousMonk

Virginia

3.03/5  rDev -21.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from 750ml bottle into goblet. Large white head atop hazy apple juice body. Aroma is moderately sweet, orange, bubblegum, yeast, clove, some turpentine. Taste is moderately sweet, alcohol, yeast, some orange, alcohol astringency. Medium body, some effervescence. Reminds me of a Belgium Tripel, definitely not belong to the autumn category.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2011 20:18:40 | More by CuriousMonk

Snamnoum

Georgia

3.73/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance - hazy honey color. Gentle pour produced two fingers of off-white head. Good retention

Smell - smells of yeast, cloves, and coriander. Phenols and medicinal spiciness are accented by floral hops.

Taste - very sweet malt, overly sweet for my taste. Fresh doughy yeast, some bitter hops, and bubble gum.

Mouthfeel - medium bodied, fairly light for the style, low carbonation, slick feel.

Drinkability - drinkable for the for a high abv beer but a little too sweet and somewhat boring. Not the best tripel I've tried but somewhat interesting. A little over priced IMO.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2011 08:10:03 | More by Snamnoum

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.55/5  rDev -8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

750mL corked & caged bottle - $9.99 at Bullock's Wine & Spirits in Marietta, Georgia.

Appearance: Pours a relatively clear, pale golden body with a tall, billowing, meringue-like, white head.

Smell: Pils malts, a distant toastiness, and notes of pears soaking in sugar water, honeysuckle, Granny Smith apples with a touch of floral apple blossoms and a very teensy hint of spice, all cut with some stinging wafts of alcohol.

Taste: Pilsner malts, light toasted grain accents and a sweetness akin to rock candy. A few drops of simple mead, a splash of Tott's champagne. Fruit tastes of pears and sourish green apples, though, as it warms, a hint of orange marmalade comes out. Noted yeastiness. Modestly bitter. Slight flourish of acidity. Dusting of spices and some warming alcohol tones approaching the finale, but it still finishes a bit sweet.

Mouthfeel: Medium-plus body. Lively mouthfeel with an effervescent degree of carbonation.

Drinkability: A near-ten-buck threesome between a Belgian blonde, a malt liquor, and a low-grade champagne. Eh, it's alright, though I find the sweetness a bit tiring in the long-run.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2011 04:45:14 | More by ChainGangGuy

Wasatch

Utah

4/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml
Caged/Corked

Poured into a chalice a very nice hazy golden yellow color, nice carbonation, with a nice creamy/foamy one-finger white head, with some nice sticky lacing to follow. The nose is malty, with a nice yeast note, some coriander, slight peppery note, slight hoppyness. The taste is malty, sweet, yeasty, with a nice touch of spices. Medium body. Drinkable, this one really surprised me, a nice tasty brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2010 20:52:27 | More by Wasatch

zeff80

Missouri

4/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Poured out a cloudy, orange color with a two-finger, khaki, soapy head of foam. It left thin rings of lace on the glass.

S - It smelled of clove, spices, yeast and light caramel malt.

T - It had a very nice spicy and yeasty character with a good dose of clove. It had a nice caramel malt backbone.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A medium bodied beer with a dry finish.

D - This is a very good tripel. Pretty easy drinking despite its high ABV.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2010 04:22:23 | More by zeff80

Mightyscoop

Georgia

3.9/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Cork & caged bottle pured from 750ml champagne bottle

A- Golden body, and a pure white, frothy, 2" rocky head. Bubbles cling to the glass slightly. Initially pured more clearly than I have grown used to from this style, hazed nicely.

S- Malty with some nice floral notes. Fades to traditional style with citrus and apple scents.

T- Sweet. Slightly sour. Honey with some spiciness. Soft green apples and familiar Belgian yeastiness. Hop bitterness is present, though subtly.

M- A bit too carbonated for the style in my opinon. Otherwise a good medium mouthful that stays with me well after the sip.

D- Drinkable. I split a bottle with the S.O., but could see myself drinking the entire 750.

Overall - a good tripel. There are better out there that I feel better fit the bill (and cheaper.) Would drink again.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2010 04:53:41 | More by Mightyscoop

Brent

Kentucky

3.4/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

This beer generally gets good reviews, but perhaps at the time of sampling it was lined up against too many other top-notch examples of the style. A bit over-carbonated, fruity with some spice - almost witbier-ish at times. Sweetness seemed out of balance to the sweet side. Not bad, but the overall effect was not well blended.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2010 15:29:28 | More by Brent

thekoz

California

3.68/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

750ml corked bottled.

Poured a slightly hazy, golden color.

Head on the first pour dissipated fairly quickly, subsequent pours were better.

Slightly over carbonated for my tastes, as the beer sat and some of this was reduced and more well balanced with the spicy flavors of the beer. Had a yeasty aroma to it, perhaps a bit of diacetyl as well.

Flavor developed as the beer warmed. When it was initially poured I got a strong alcohol sensation, but as it warmed this was reduced. Similarly initially (fridge cold) it was very spicy and lacked other flavors, as time passed it was more well balanced. Still a little too spicy for my tastes. I get some fruity esters as well that I cannot complete identify.

Overall a nice beer, lots of flavors especially as it warmed and open up the flavors. Probably wouldn't choose it again, but certainly wouldn't turn it down.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2010 05:34:00 | More by thekoz

bucklemyshoe

Georgia

4.08/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Notes from 10/31/2010 (Starting a tradition):

750 ml bottle at 42* into a chalice.

A: This pours a lovely golden color with a finger and a half of fluffy, off-white head that remains in large clumps on the edges of the glass.

S: We have spicy yeast, different citrus fruits, banana, barnyard funk, and some breadiness.

T: The taste is dominated by the earthy spicyness but it also features citrus notes, sweet berries, and a bit of breadiness.

M: It is medium-bodied with very heavy carbonation.

D: This is a nice tripel. It's a bit too spicy and shows a little alcohol at the end but it's still a nice brew.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2010 02:20:09 | More by bucklemyshoe