St. Vrain
Left Hand Brewing Company

St. VrainSt. Vrain
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Left Hand Brewing Company
 
Colorado, United States
Style:
Tripel
Ranked #203
ABV:
9.3%
Score:
85
Ranked #21,775
Avg:
3.75 | pDev: 12%
Reviews:
131
Ratings:
320
Status:
Active
Rated:
Aug 19, 2023
Added:
Oct 15, 2006
Wants:
  9
Gots:
  34
A Belgian-style Golden Ale with intricate aromas of fruit & spice.

The usually tranquil St. Vrain River flows out of the Rocky Mountains, winding peacefully alongside our brewery. But, what at first appears benevolent can manifest into something fierce and mighty. Named after the river that brought our hometown's great flood in 2013, St. Vrain is designed to pay homage to classic Belgian Tripels while also adding a uniquely local twist. Colorado barley creates a subtle malt sweetness and American hops bring rich herbal and floral aromatics, both perfectly complimenting the warm spice and fruit character of the Belgian yeast. What at first looks innocent, light in color and body, suddenly swells up with a strong current of aroma and flavor, and a 9.3% ABV.

Malts: Pilsner, 2-Row
Hops: CTZ, Celeia
IBU: 18
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by teak:
Photo of teak
Rated by teak from Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +13.3%

Apr 20, 2014
More User Ratings:
Photo of TwilightBeerCareer
Reviewed by TwilightBeerCareer from Illinois

3.71/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Poured a clear light gold with a fizzy head that left as quick as it came. Aroma of bubblegum, stone fruit, and alcohol. In the taste I get some pear, bubblegum, and spice. Some alcohol warmth going down, but otherwise @ 9.3% abv, the alcohol sweetness was only slightly detected. It's a sipper.
Aug 19, 2023
 
Rated: 3.87 by jchanley from Illinois

Jul 30, 2023
Photo of chinchill
Reviewed by chinchill from South Carolina

3.57/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
12 oz can served in a Belgian snifter.

Appearance. Clear golden body with a good white head that faces slowly.

This is a main stream Belgian style tripel except for being more bitter and less complex. It has about average spiciness. Medium body and medium carbonation.
Jun 12, 2023
 
Rated: 3.72 by Curt3 from Ohio

May 10, 2023
 
Rated: 3.79 by KLHBB from Arkansas

Apr 02, 2023
 
Rated: 3.3 by SolarPower36 from Florida

Feb 04, 2023
Photo of Mikecap42
Reviewed by Mikecap42 from Maine

4.04/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
A: Pours a golden color with a fluffy white head.

S: Fruity aroma as well as hints of pepper. These is most likely coming from the yeast and hops.

T: The taste consists of notes of honey, an mint. The hops provide a nutty finish.

MF: Light to medium boy. The beer is very drinkable.

O: very nice take on a classic style. I recommend this!
Jan 31, 2023
 
Rated: 3.14 by WynnO from Florida

Oct 04, 2022
Photo of B501
Rated by B501 from Arkansas

4.08/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Impressed for an American tripel tbh. Strong and doesn't hide the alcohol %
Aug 14, 2022
Photo of JonnoWillsteed
Reviewed by JonnoWillsteed from England

4/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
L- Pale yellow, slightly hazy, pours with a 1Cm white foam cap now receding - likely due to the high ABV which tends to be a gas-killer.
S- It has that kind of Belgian yeast smell, rounded, hints of spice and fruit, perhaps leather and timber.
T- Interesting! Fruity esters (big esters), hops come in, brief hints of fruity sweetness, the ABV% then suddenly whacks solidly on the tongue/palate, with a refined hoppy bitter twist into the finish. Rinse and repeat.
F- Good, firmly in the authentic style of a Belgian Tripel. The ABV% might be making itself a bit too apparent on the palate.
O- An impressive brew this one. Likely one of the more authentic non-Belgian Belgian style Tripels I've had; and I've had many of the latter. The ABV% is pretty loud and some will not welcome that as arguably a little vulgar, apparently. I'd certainly have it again, esp. if I lived in CO-USA and it costs less!

Bought from Bacchanalia, Mill Road, Cambridge 330ml can £4.39 BB: 03/11/2022
Aug 05, 2022
Photo of schoolboy
Reviewed by schoolboy from Ohio

3.78/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
I needed a couple brews for a take along, and grabbed one of these (and another for later). I wanted to rate it highly due to it being very drinkable, but I had trouble finding areas in which this brew was more than competent. I will explain.

This pours a deep golden with nice light fizz all around. The aroma is clean, yeasty, hoppy, nice. The taste is right in there -not too bitter, not too yeasty, just right. Where I was able to rate higher was the feel - the overall experience. This is a fairly easy drinking tripel. The booze is well hidden (like these can) and you want another when you are done (though you should not).

Recommended. This brew is a great value and well worth drinking.
Jul 30, 2022
 
Rated: 3.08 by RochefortChris from North Carolina

Jul 02, 2022
Photo of FBarber
Reviewed by FBarber from Illinois

3.12/5  rDev -16.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
This one pours a remarkably clear light golden color. It's not perfectly clear, but its mostly so. Thin, sudsy white head forms on the beer before receding leaving just a thin circle of foam in the center of the top of the beer. Aroma has notes of grain, pear, apple, some honey, and a light belgian-like yeast note.

Taste is dominated with rustic, harsh grain notes. Beyond that there are hints of pear, apple and white grape with a very strong clove/all sipce note on the back end that actually is a bit much. There is a strong alcohol flavor and burn to this as well that is kind of unpleasant. Feel is medium bodied, pretty smooth, but with a lively carbonation.

Overall this was not great. The grain note was harsh and the alcohol burn was unpleasant. I wouldn't drink this one again
Mar 27, 2022
 
Rated: 4 by khargro2 from Tennessee

Mar 09, 2022
 
Rated: 3.67 by Blazer22 from Colorado

Feb 03, 2022
Photo of lastmango
Reviewed by lastmango from Pennsylvania

3.66/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Poured a light hazy straw with a half finger hazy head dissipating to none. Little lacing. Nose of unripe bananas and pepper. Bananas, clove, yeasty bread and pepper on the finish. Medium-light body and fizzy carbonation with a dry finish. Overall, the beer seemed to be out of balance when compared to some other Tripels.
Feb 02, 2022
Photo of harrypowers
Reviewed by harrypowers from Massachusetts

3.94/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a slightly hazy golden color with a small head and light lacing.

Smells of bread and slightly dank hops.

Tastes of yeasty bread, sweet malt, with a bit orange peel, apple and spice. It has a slightly bitter and boozy warm finish.

Medium body with light carbonation. Smooth, clean mouthfeel.

This brew is reasonably true to the tripel style. It's a bit heavier, sweeter and hoppier.
Jan 31, 2022
 
Rated: 3.89 by kds2437 from Texas

Jan 21, 2022
 
Rated: 3.5 by TMoney2591 from Illinois

Jan 17, 2022
St. Vrain from Left Hand Brewing Company
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 320 ratings