Val-Dieu Triple - Brasserie de l'Abbaye du Val-Dieu

Avagadro

New Jersey

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

Corked 750, cork states the date 3-2013

A: Val-Dieu pours with a quick burst of foam that quickly falls to a thin film of froth that endures. Body is straw colored and hazy (flaked wheat or oats?), with good lacing throughout most of the experience, only to tucker out at the end of the glass.

S: Apple, pear, and apricot make for a nose that is more reminiscent of vouvray than a triple. Interesting and inviting.

T: Very vinous, with more apple and apricot, mixed with a touch of honey and an ever so slightly astringent finish.

M: Light and effervescent, with a subtle sticky residue.

O: A great example of what a triple can be. Not heavy, not full of solvent (despite its formidable gravity), and simply delicious. I'll admit, I've passed this one up more than a few times based solely on its ugly label, but I have let my prejudice deprive me. Definitely one of the better tripels out there.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 00:23:11 | More by Avagadro

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

4.16/5  rDev +1%
look: 3 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Best before May 4, 2013. Served in a Rochefort chalice.

Terribly decanted with chunky rock salt chips of yeast dredge. Color is a very cloudy yellow-brown ochre. Head looks solid. Lacing is committed.

Bready and wine-y. Notes of Zinfandel, huge clove, floral esters, tangelo, pineapple, wheat malts, booziness, pear, and hints of artificial cinnamon. Ridiculously complex. Lightly white grape-y yet spicy.

Heavyweight clove, sweet Hawaiian bread, apricot, honey, pear, artificial cinnamon, and booze. Sweet and rich. Love the honeyed flavors. Yeasts aren't over the top. A great tripel.

Filled out in the mouth. Lightly sticky, quite spicy. Tingling carbonic sensation.

Very impressed by Val Dieu. Highly recommended for the style.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2013 14:57:12 | More by thecheapies

beerthirtysa

Texas

4.26/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

a: cloudy, lemon-colored appearance. white, fairly long lasting head. creamy appearance.

s: lemon peel, grass, alcohol, malt, phenols, maybe a little butter back there.

t: fantastically well blended taste. extremely smooth and well-balanced. hints of aromatic spice, grassy flavors, underlain by a sprightly malt with mild hops. very little alcohol flavor, even at the finish.

m: slightly more effervescent than other triples I've had. creamy and tongue tickling.

o: taste is a definite 5. Hindered by the slightly better than average appearance and smell, this is definitely one of my favorite triples.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 19:33:11 | More by beerthirtysa

FLima

Brazil

4.25/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Amber color. Poured a two finger head with good retention.
Aroma of caramel, banana, licorice and matured tangerines.
Sweet fruity flavor with notes of caramel, again matured tangerines, pears, condiments, liquor soaked apricots and Belgian yeast with hints of flowers, white wine and earth. Mild dry and refreshing spearmint type aftertaste.
Medium body with low carbonation. Smooth feeling. 9% ABV is felt but improves the experience.
A bit too sweet for my taste but appropriate for the style. This is a beer that definitely improves with temperature. Very good Tripel.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 22:33:57 | More by FLima

VoodooBear

Puerto Rico

4.36/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Presentation: 11.2 oz. stubby brown bottle. Served in an oversized wine glass.

Appearance: Thick, one and a half finger head that goes down to a thin ring and stays all the way to the end. It has a nice gold color and leaves some great lacing.

Smell: Sweet fruit aroma complemented by some spices, pretty much sums it up. A faint alcohol smell is in there as well.

Taste: A sweet fruit taste is dominant, with a strong alcohol kick a hint of hop bitterness at the end.

Mouthfeel: It's medium bodied with average carbonation. Creamy, smooth, and easy to drink.

Overall: The sweet taste and smell combined, and the fact that this is a very easy to drink brew, are misleading. Not that this is a bad thing, but it's something most people don't expect on a beer with a this high of an alcohol content. But that's what gives it such amazing character and feel. This is a must try.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 19:36:45 | More by VoodooBear

Philousa

California

3.49/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

A golden, tawny yellow beverage, pours very clear and has carbonation to spare. The myriad streams of bubbles float to the top and replenish the two finger head as quickly as the top bubbles burst. The foam seems endless and hasn't subsided for at least a minute since I poured the beer. Settles soon after, but bubbles keep coming. Seems like it's putting on a show. A sweet juice, champagne-like aroma starts things out along with sweet, light fruit: pear & green apple. A mild steely metal aroma lingers underneath. There is a pungent, strong dough aroma that comes though occasionally. Lots of flavors hit at once: sweet fruit described earlier, doughy German pretzel, thin, metallic flavor that often accompanies high gravity pilsner malts, and an earthy bitterness that grows towards the end and lingers on the back of the tongue. Feel is slightly viscous and finish is decidedly dry. Both appropriate for the style.

Though I'm growing weary of Tripels, after having discovered that St. Bernardus makes the best one, this is truly interesting considering it has a limited range. Remind me of champagne so much that MGD should be sued for their "champagne of beers" slogan.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 04:34:42 | More by Philousa

JeffreyJDavis

North Carolina

4.44/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Have had this Tripel a few times and figured it's time for a proper review.

Poured from a corked 750ml into a Rhone wine glass.

A: Very nice golden straw color with minor cloudiness but no real visible turbidity. Solid 2-3 finger head from a fairly aggressive pour. Dissipated quickly but laced well. Good looking.

S: Nice nose, but I would comment that from aroma and taste, this beer is on the breadier end of Tripels. I don't get a ton of fruit I might expect in the nose, but a nice bready maltiness and and very appealing yeast profile. Faint honey , vanilla and Belgian candy sugar.

T: Again , very nice Tripel with an amazing yeast profile, but maltier and breadier than many. Light apricot and pineapple, but mostly a solidly balanced biscuity yeasty basket of flavors. Slightly peppery with a bit of booziness in the finish.

MF: Typical Tripel, Crisp and Smooth, on the light side of medium. Refreshing.

Overall: A very nice tripel, though I would put it a bit on the simpler end of the spectrum. I miss a little of the typical fruitiness one might expect from the style. But a very appealing yeast signature which makes it a very solid beer with its own personality.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 23:49:17 | More by JeffreyJDavis

DenverLogan

Colorado

4.48/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

From the big corked bottle...poured in small Val-Dieu glass that comes with the 2012 gift pack.
Large white head with lots of lace that lasts.
Light gold color
Aroma of amber malt, grass, bread, lemon-lime spritz.
Flavors of rich amber malts, powdered sugar, citrus zest, French bread crust. Also, subtle funk, minerals, alcohol and melon. Very subtle clove, pear, banana, and white pepper.

I should admit I represented them through the importer in 2006 in California, and have drunk a good amount of Val-Dieu, in corked and small bottles, and sometimes on tap. I love this beer mostly because their yeast is lovely...similar to St Bernardus (whom I also represented) and others. One of my favorites with La Rulles, New Belgium, Unibroue, Allagash....
Rich, full bodied, pleasant complexity...rather easy to drink despite 9% abv. There is a layer of particulates at the bottom, but usually you have to go quite a ways through the bottle to get them agitated.
... Final note: This is my first beer of the night and I've got it to myself. Lots of times in tasting sessions you get a 2 ounce pour and move on, and I can see this in some reviews of any corked beer. You miss the story of a bottle of cork conditioned beer...it pays to in enjoyment to drink a great corked beer over an hour, plus or minus!!
With this beer, near the end, the head and thick lace remains. The gift pack Val-Dieu glass seemed small at the time, but has served wonderfully, keeping the head and keeping me aware when my glass ran low, because I wanted more. The final pour included all the sediment, and became like a good wit in color and with no large floaty chunks. The only taste addition was of subtle yeast complexity. A lovely brew, even cloudy, from start to finish...ayieee!!

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 05:43:42 | More by DenverLogan

Docrock

Illinois

4.51/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

poured from 11.2 oz bottle into Westy Chalice.

A - poured a reddish golden brown almost amber with a slight haze, nice 1" head that slowly dissipated into a 1/4" cap that lasted for quite a long time. No discernible lacing.

S - an enjoyable combination of Montmorency Cherry, Comice Pear and Honey, Hay, and light Pepper.

T - earthy breadiness with just a hint of the fruit characters, minimal hops and a slight lingering malt aftertaste.

M - smooth and boozy, carbonation is appropriate and not overdone.

O - I really enjoy this beer, will be buying some more the next chance I get. Definitely going to remain in the Belgian Tripel stable for me.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 02:09:01 | More by Docrock

Hopswagger

Oklahoma

4.21/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

P: Cloudy golden apricot body with a vast population of floating specks. Good retention on the frothy white head that leaves wet micro bubble lacing.

S: Dried apricots, figs, bing cherries, toasted caramel, earthy yeast, dry hay, lilacs, camomile and subtle peppery spice. Smells like an old wooden crate of fruit.

T/M: Follows the nose and has a medicinal finish. Earthy, fruit and herbs combine to create a trifecta of flavor. Once warm medicinal booze becomes more prevalent. Lush creamy feel with gentle massaging effervesce. Finish is semi dry with a musty influence. Lingering bitter fruit peels.

O: A great musty triple that melds fruit and herbs together. The mouth feel us amazing and the bouquet of flavor tops the chart. Flavor is dialed in and delicate. This is one that I will have to enjoy again soon. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 00:02:15 | More by Hopswagger

jrenihan

Ontario (Canada)

3.8/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

BB 12/05/17

Beer is a slightly cloudy golden/orange hue, with a large white head. Very good retention, and a nice amount of lace.

Nose is quite fruity. Green grape, apple and pear. Smells a bit like apple or white grape juice.

Taste contains pear, apple, yeast and bread. Honey. A bit of booze. Fairly dry, a little hint of spice.

Full bodied, moderate to high carbonation, bready.

Overall, pretty good tripel, but not excellent. I expected more given the scores it has received. Different strokes.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 19:30:12 | More by jrenihan

Flounder57

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

25.4 oz beer was poured into a large Duvel snifter.

Appearance: This beer poured a two finger puffy head that has reduced to small white billowy head and left some nice lacing on the glass. It is a golden straw yellow with some clarity and visions of bubbles coming up through the glass.

Smell: apples, pears, vanilla, spices, bready malts, Belgian candy, and very strong aromas.

Taste: This stuff is the bomb. A little boozy alcohol in the end. Very tasty.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, medium to full bodied, medium carbonation, a little tingling action, a bit dry, and a bit boozy.

Morning: Pretty solid. You can't go wrong with this beer. Will have to look for more of this in the future.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 00:53:03 | More by Flounder57

superspak

Michigan

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

750 ml bottle into chalice, best before 1/2013 stamped on the cork. Pours lightly cloudy golden amber color with a nice 2 finger fairly dense white head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Some nice foamy lacing clings to the glass, with plenty of carbonation streaming up retaining the head. Aromas of big lemon, grape, apple, pear, pepper, herbal, clove, banana, honey, candi sugar, and yeast spices. Fantastic aromas with great complexity and balance. Taste of big lemon, pear, banana, pepper, clove, herbal, candi sugar, bread, earth, and yeast spices. Lingering notes of light fruits, clove, pepper, candi sugar, bread, and yeast spices on the finish for a good bit. Fantastic flavor complexity and balance; with no cloying flavors at all as expected. Medium-high carbonation and medium bodied; with a fairly slick, foamy, and crisp mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden for 9%, with pretty much no warming on the finish at all. Overall this is an outstanding Tripel! Fantastic flavor complexity with great balance; and very smooth to sip on. This is definitely one of the best ones in the style I have had.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2012 04:24:07 | More by superspak

jjm2503

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

Small (33cl) bottle poured into a Snifter.

A: A light amber, almost golden color. Light frothy head. Light lacing on the glass.

S: Fruity, almost of bananas. Sweet, slight citrus.

T: Surprisingly smooth, almost too smooth for a triple. More banana sweetness up front. A quite simple fruity middle with a hint of hops, and a very clean finish leaving just enough maltiness to make you want another sip.

M: Lightly carbonated, alcohol content is almost unnoticeable.

O: Was recommended to me by my bartender while I was in Belgium after I mentioned liking the Maredsous triple. It did not disappoint. Just enough complexity and flavor to keep you satisfied, but subtle enough to make it to keep drinking. Was my favorite triple of the whole trip.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2012 23:22:39 | More by jjm2503

ONUMello

Ohio

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

11.2oz bottle poured into a snifter.
A: Nice golden color with a one-finger head that slowly falls to a lingering lacing.
S: Gorgeous aromatics- pure bread with subtle hints of honey, fruit and spices.
T: Similar flavors to the nose. Bready with hints of everything else. The alcohol just pokes its head through towards the end. Short finish.
M: Medium-bodied, smooth and enjoyable.
O: A well-made tripel I would not hesitate to recommend. Interestingly the nose is the best part.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2012 04:26:35 | More by ONUMello

brentk56

North Carolina

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

Appearance: A great Belgian looker, with a massive head and a clear goldenstraw color; with excellent retention, the lacing webbed the side of the glass

Smell: Honey, pear and banana, with a hint of pepper underneath

Taste: Wheat bread, honey and banana, up front, with a toffee character developing by mid-palate, when the white pepper and clove phenols perk it up a tone; nicely balanced in the finish, with a bit of booziness that doesn't overwhelm

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with buoyant carbonation

Overall: A rather different tripel, with a bit of the hefe thrown into the mix, but really enjoyable, particularly as it doesn't supercharge the sweetness or the fusel alcohol flavors

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2012 21:23:20 | More by brentk56

brugge2004

New York

3.7/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

poured from a 750cl bottle less head and carbonation than previous tastings of this beer,cork stamped 7/11.The aroma is fruity and fairly complex,maybe a blend of apple but also a hint of dark fruit something I didn't get on previous notes at allThe color was a hazy straw color ,slightly less spice notes than was expecting, creamy mouth feel.Would like to say I rated this a little lower because of consistentcy from previous notes I would still try this one again

Serving type: bottle

02-29-2012 13:41:17 | More by brugge2004

Filosoof

Netherlands

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

I almost completely agree with rater Smakawhat.

This triple is a quite regular, round triple - but I don't understand the exceptional scores it gets.

L: top is disappointing, not too big and very quickly disappearing; cloudy standard triple coulour;
S: regular, touch of banana, honey and spice;
T: round and sweet, the mentioned bitterness...I don't feel anything about that, next to honey it tastes like....(I'm sorry) banana milkshake;
M: full, good alcohol, but not a great final;
O: okay, but not more than that.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2012 20:33:58 | More by Filosoof

Tschnab

New York

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

My friend brought over a bottle to share, glad he did, since I never heard of this and really enjoyed it.

A- A straw yellow hue with a very fluffy white cap and good laceing sheets the glass.

S- lots of green apple and pear, honey, black pepper spice at the finish, sweet yeasty banana.

t- very champagne-like, as it is crisp and dry, with a prickly carbonation and a light sweetnes that suggests pear and green apple.

O- a really nice triple that is a little different from others I've had. More light fruits and spicy esthers than I would have expected, and I was really impressed.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2012 15:26:23 | More by Tschnab

corsendonkfan

New York

4.53/5  rDev +10%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Served in a 11.2% Fl oz bottle, poured a very light hazy non-transparent champagne color. Bottom of the bottle conained a good amount of sediment which was visible in the pour.

S: Has a green apple, sour grape smell. Very strong citrus smell.

T: Citrusy, for a High ABV beer you do not taste a lot of alcohol initially. Alcohol is overpowered by fruit tastes. Slightly spicy boozy aftertaste. Very sweet candy-like

M: Feel a lot of carbonation like champagne.

O: Very sweet/citrusy beer. I would compare it to De Dolle brews like Arabier but much sweeter. I enjoyed this beer very much, one of the better tripel's I've had.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2012 05:32:08 | More by corsendonkfan

Squelch

United Kingdom (England)

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

Appearance: Poured into a goblet, the beer is golden brown and slightly opaque. This beer gives a show with the multiple streams of tiny bubbles throughout its volume streaming to the minuscule head.

Smell: Fresh apples, hay are dominant. Lemon, coriander.

Taste: Banana up front, followed by tropical fruit. Lacks a depth of flavor with a weak finish. Could be great.

Mouthfeel: Lots of alcohol heat. Watery. Dry finish.

Overall: A nice triple but not the best. Try it though as you may love it's unique characteristics.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2011 21:20:19 | More by Squelch

kingcrowing

Vermont

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

6 liter jerobom poured into a wine glass.

Pours a nice light golden color with a small white head along with some fine lacing. Nose is fairly bready and malty, a bit ofalmost milky as well.

Taste is very smooth, creamy, a bit sweet like caramel with an almost candy finish. Mouthfeel is smooth, full and well carbonated and finishes very dry.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2011 00:08:36 | More by kingcrowing

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Some sediment was noticed in the bottle, but a careful pour yielded only small traces of yeast particles on a hazy gold body. Tightly beaded bubbles form a formidable foam cap and retention is excellent. This beer looks lively with active carbonation rising to the top.

Smell: Complex nose boasts Belgian yeast with a sweet apricot note and some underlying white pepper spice. Bready malts. A soft whiff of alcohol peeking though. Complexities abound.

Taste: A well balanced tripel with a nice peppery spice and undistinguishable fruit presence. Sharp carbonation along with an earthy and tea like hop expression. Some creamy malt melds well with the chalky yeast. Gradually the alcohol comes into the picture. Authentic, alittle raw but graceful about it.

Mouthfeel: Lighter bodied, effervescent, strong carbonation, semi dry finish.

Overall: Solid, solid tripel. True to the style, has a good bit of character and more going for it than many interpretations out there. Very fine beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2011 06:10:26 | More by Stinkypuss

n2185

North Carolina

3.3/5  rDev -19.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a clear yellow-gold with two fingers of white head that fades into a white cap with decent lacing.

S: Some light spice and clove aromas up front followed by smells of biscuits and light breads. There are some sweet candy and light fruit notes in there, but they're surprisingly subtle.

T: Light fruit and clove flavors at first followed by a slightly bitter bread and yeast flavor that dominates all other flavors. There is an underlying honey-sweet flavor as well.

M: Light body with high carbonation, this beer is pretty well attenuated but there is a bit of an underlying sticky sweetness that keeps it from being as crisp as it should.

O: A decent beer, but a bit bland overall. I'd like more presence from both the light fruit flavors as well as the spicy yeast characteristics. And while it's not as bad as many takes on the style, there's still a bit of a sticky sweetness in there that detracts from the flavors.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2011 03:11:24 | More by n2185

runner72

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Serving from a 26 oz bottle. No freshness date.

Pours a cloudy, golden color. Three finger with head, good retention. Looks very appealing. Smell is combination of pepper, yeast, grassy, vanila. Taste is great! Hints of pepper, earthy, yeast. Very little hops. You can't taste the alcohol at all. Very smooth. Perfect for the style. Mouthfeel is nice. Carbonation dominates. Overall, a great Tripel!

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2011 22:08:35 | More by runner72