True Believer Tripel
Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant

Beer Geek Stats
From:
Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant
 
United States
Style:
Tripel
ABV:
9%
Score:
Needs more ratings
Avg:
3.9 | pDev: 5.13%
Reviews:
6
Ratings:
7
Status:
Active
Rated:
May 18, 2014
Added:
May 24, 2011
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
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Recent ratings and reviews.
 
Rated: 3.75 by Durandal_777 from Pennsylvania

May 18, 2014
Photo of Kegatron
Reviewed by Kegatron from Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On tap @ Iron Hill Lancaster on 7/16/11 during their Christmas In July event. Served in a tulip glass.

Pours a crystal clear golden copper, topped with a roughly ½ cap of frothy bright-white head. This retains with darn near the same look, leaving back a nice amount of foamy swathes of lacing. The aroma smells lightly floral, which is layered on top of notes of green hops, sweet sugary grains, and ripe soft fruit. A zesty smelling spiciness mingles with those floral tones.

The taste mostly mirrors the nose and has a firm base to it of tight sweet grains, green citric hops, and some light fruity character from the yeast, which also contributes a lively peppery spice that dries the backend of the profile out and lingers with some leftover green bitterness. The mouthfeel is fuller bodied, with a firm and sharp creaminess to the carbonation, which definitely combines that well hid ABV here to give this a warming yet still very accessible presence on the palate.

This came off as wanting to be more of an American take on a Tripel but never did quite seem to want to commit to that in the hop department, yet the gentle assertiveness from the spice and alcohol were more than enough to help balance the malt and fruit sweetness that were present. That warming 9% ABV really helps make this work overall. This is a solid take on the style.
Jul 27, 2011
Photo of ffejherb
Reviewed by ffejherb from Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
On tap at Iron Hill Lancaster on 7/23/11.

A - Clear golden liquid with amber hues, modest carbonation and a slim, bright white head that receded to a thin ring but flared up with each swirl of the glass.

S - Aroma elicits plenty of citrusy notes paired with grainy and bready malt characteristics and a hint of alcohol. I do not get much of a Belgian yeast or spicy presence in the nose. Overally, the aroma is bright and citrusy with underlying bready, grainy malt.

T - Like the aroma, the flavor packs a zesty citrus punch with an equally pronounced bready malt character. Finishes with a hint of hop bitterness accompanied by a distinctive grainy malt character.

M - Medium bodied with a slick mouthfeel and hint of syrupy texture. Alcohol presence remains quite restrained for a 9% beer, even after it warmed up significantly.

D - Great tangy, citrusy Tripel with a big bready multi-grain malt character. The minimal alcohol warmth really kept the drinkability high here.
Jul 24, 2011
Photo of Thorpe429
Reviewed by Thorpe429 from Illinois

3.48/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
On tap at the Lancaster location on Memorial Day 2011.

Pours a medium golden color with a good white head and a bit of lacing on the way down the glass. The nose brings a bit of bread along with some light spicing and a bit of booze. The flavor consists mostly of a yeasty spice but also has a bit of bread in the background. Too much booze toward the finish. The body is too full and heavy, and while I was told a certain yeast was selected to give a fuller body, I still didn't really enjoy it and didn't find that it fit well with the spiciness and other characteristics of a tripel. Also, too much alcohol taste. An interesting take on the style, but not one of my favorites.
Jun 03, 2011
Photo of Slatetank
Reviewed by Slatetank from Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
I enjoyed this at Iron Hill Lancaster - served in a goblet.

The clarity and color or good with a healthy head topping and visibly carbonated and good lace clings to the glass. the aroma of belgian yeast is apparent with a slight sweet ester and light pilsner malt quality. the feel is great - not too sweet or strong, smooth and well carbonated with a semi-dry finish.

This triple is not too fruity or banana heavy from the yeast but has a semi-dry yeast taste which accents the malt nicely with a complimentary hop flavor and mild sweet sugar-like edge in the finish that seems to balance some of the spice from the yeast. This is a good example of Paul Rutherford's strengths as a brewer as this stays true to the style well -I found this to be a nice Tripel, it does have some alcohol flavor but I wouldn't have guessed that until I saw it listed here. I would probably say one is enough in a sitting, but I liked it and would order it again.
May 30, 2011
Photo of akorsak
Reviewed by akorsak from Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On-tap at the Lancaster location.

A: The tripel is clear, a light golden yellow hue that happily shines in my glass. An active carbonation lends to the head that measures over half a finger.

S: The nose is heavy on candi sugars, sweet initially with pears, apples, and pepper leading the way. Anise and clove add to the spice profile. A sweet tripel that hides its booze well.

T: The pears are strong upfront, lending an immediate sweetness to the tripel. More sweetness follows as the candi sugars bloom. Anise and pepper follow, adding spicy depth to the ale's light biscuity base. Clove stands tall through the finish, a spicy pairing for the sweet sugars. Light for 9%.

M: The spicy mouthfeel does an excellent job of hiding its strength. The sweet start allows for the hotter clove/pepper to gradually come through. The wide array of spices makes the tripel work.
May 30, 2011
Photo of stakem
Reviewed by stakem from Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
On tap on 5/23/11 at the Lancaster location served in a thin stemmed goblet. This brew appears a clear light orange to copper color. A thin white head appears less than a finger strong and holds in lace across the top. The bubbles collect closer to the edge of the glass which creeps upwards creating patchy lacework. Bubbles rise constantly through the clear solution.

The smell is very spicy with Belgian yeast notes. Plenty of clove and light peppery notes meets alcohol and herbal rind character smelling lightly like orange peel. Overall it has a touch of medicinal quality coupled with faint mineral and sulfur aspect across the back as it warms.

The taste is also medicinal with lots of rindy bitterness like orange peel. Herbal hops are present all before the typical Belgian character comes into play with spiciness like clove. This brew finishes dry, somewhat crisp and quite warming. As the brew warms up some hidden notes of banana are left lingering inside the mouth.

This brew hits with much more heat than 9% which I think is mostly due to it's dryness. The lack of residual sweetness doesn't help any to help mask the abv. Overall it is well balanced and a spicy offering that is worth trying. It's medium bodied and modestly fizzy with carbonation. A mighty fine sipper.
May 24, 2011
True Believer Tripel from Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant
Beer rating: 3.9 out of 5 with 7 ratings