Fallen Friar
BridgePort Brewing Co. / Brewpub

Fallen FriarFallen Friar
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From:
BridgePort Brewing Co. / Brewpub
 
Oregon, United States
Style:
Tripel
ABV:
8.2%
Score:
85
Avg:
3.77 | pDev: 11.94%
Reviews:
37
Ratings:
42
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Oct 23, 2018
Added:
Feb 09, 2009
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  1
Released February 2009.

Fallen Friar is a traditional Belgian-Style Tripel ale made with 10% Malted White Wheat. We use two traditional German Hops to create a subtle Noble hop character, then we ferment with a specially selected strain of Belgian yeast called Ardennes. The result is a rich golden colored Belgian-style beer with a soft malt background and beautifully fruity flavors. The German hops add a subtle yeast distinct European hop character to this powerfully sippable beer.

HOPS: Saaz
MALT: pale malt, wheat malt

IBU 12 | OG 17.5 | FG 2.6
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 3.75 by OKCNittany from Oklahoma

Oct 23, 2018
Photo of stevoj
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho

3.63/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Bomber from Boise Co-op. Dark golden, with sudden high head, which rapidly dissipates. First knock, the style needs to hold a big head. Aroma is in the ballpark, yeast, cloves. Taste carries these notes forward, sweet, slightly savory. Slick mouthfeel. Peppery finish.
Mar 28, 2018
Photo of constantine_272
Reviewed by constantine_272 from Oregon

3.39/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Dank looking orange with haze and low carb and low head. Nothing to see here. Candy sugar and bread yeast on the nose finishing with a little cheese funk. Disappointing on the taste. Notes of apple juice and one yeast are one note. A heavy handed use of sugar is not overly sweet, but just tastes too obvious and doesn't integrate well. The body is too thin and too flat. There are good aspects that are overshadowed such as the drinkability for the ABV and the clean yeast profile. This beer just lacks the necessary depth. Sorry, it's a bad imitation of one of my favorite styles.
Dec 16, 2017
Photo of mactrail
Reviewed by mactrail from Washington

3.83/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Clear golden amber with plenty of foam in the Het Kapittel chalice. Warm, wheaty, Malt-O-Meal flavor but with a tangy finish. Fruity with dried pear. Creamy, smooth, sweet, fruity. Rich like sugar cookie dough. Overall this is a really clean and well-made Belgian style brew. From the 22 oz bottle purchased at Malt & Vine in Redmond, Wash.
Sep 08, 2017
Photo of Whiteweasel
Reviewed by Whiteweasel from Ohio

4.18/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured from a bomber, drank from a seidel.

A: Deeply hazy orange; the most appetizing amber orange. Little lacing, a solid head that dissipates quickly. Active froth on the top.

S: Sweet fermented apricot and blood orange, flanked by moderate esters and clean wheat. Green grape, cotton candy, and tropical fruit.

T: Restrained banana and clove come through here, Belgian yeast, and with a little bit of kiwifruit as it warms. Maybe a little hint of golden syrup. Not a huge amount of depth beyond the standard wheat and banana/clove, but perfectly balanced and no off flavors at all. What it does, it does very well.

M: Aggressive carbonation for the style, and a strong booziness. Thick and full, not overly alcoholic, over sweet, or overly malty; very satisfying to drink.

Overall: A very delicious beer. I'm surprised that it was brewed in Portland rather than Belgium. They nailed the style and brewed something worthy of their inspiration.
Jun 23, 2017
Photo of hreb
Reviewed by hreb from Washington

3.98/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
2017 edition of Fallen Friar, 22oz bottle with yellow and white on red labeling.

Straw yellow and nearly clear, with a beautiful white head, this looks quite nice in my Belgian tulip glass. Aroma is yeasty and sweet -- very appropriate for a Tripel. Flavor is between a Belgian Blond and a Tripel, crisp, and just a little bit funky. Green apple, grass, a bit of sourness and very subdued hop bitterness. Great mouthfeel. Surprisingly decent and authentic to the style.
Apr 13, 2017
 
Rated: 3.75 by Birdlegs from Washington

Apr 13, 2017
 
Rated: 3.33 by SamuelMiller from Montana

Apr 06, 2017
 
Rated: 3.44 by Keepnitrl from Washington

Apr 02, 2017
 
Rated: 3 by t0rin0 from California

Sep 02, 2012
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Reviewed by ptykozoon from California

2.71/5  rDev -28.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pour reveals a light pilsner yellow color, a few islands here and there.

Earth, floral notes, manure (yes, it literally smells like dirt).

Interesting aforementioned earth flavors contrast with honey, sweet tarts and caramel.

Medium carbonation, light bodied.

Not my cup of tea. I heard this is a bit better with a sour kick to it.
Oct 23, 2011
Photo of brentk56
Reviewed by brentk56 from North Carolina

3.92/5  rDev +4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Appearance: Pours a very hazy honey color with a modest head that fades away rather quickly leaving vague strands of lace

Smell: Spice cake, with an underlying fruity character

Taste: Spice cake, up front, with a range a fruit flavors (banana, apple and pear) developing by mid-palate; gentle fruit and spice flavors linger into the finish

Mouthfeel: Medium body with gentle carbonation

Overall: A fair enough stab at the style and certainly enjoyable; just not bold enough though that could be a function of the age as it has sat in my cellar for a few years

Thanks, Douglas88, for the opportunity
Oct 21, 2011
Photo of dragonWhale
Reviewed by dragonWhale from New York

4.39/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
won this at FredFest this past year and have been a little wary to drink it since I haven't been overly impressed by their big beer series brews or whatever they're calling them. However, it IS Wood Aged Weekend, and It Must be done!

a yellow orange with plenty of fizz comes tumbling into my chalice erupting with vinous character and some other fruity esters providing depth and nuance, a little spiciness as well serving as background noise. surprising that this has so much going on in its favor, it got me really excited for the beer at hand.
it sports those flavors well, mingling together in fruity harmony, only slightly sweet, attenuated really well, the fruit and spice notes tingling my tongue and the sides of my mouth. finishes delectably, I wish there were more of this around.
Nov 12, 2010
Photo of woosterbill
Reviewed by woosterbill from Kentucky

3.79/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Bomber into a Weyerbacher tulip; sampled at a tasting.

A: Hazy orange-yellow body with a thin, fleeting white head that leaves a bit of lace. Ok.

S: Lots of yeast, plenty of vinous character, and some fruit - apple and pear. Enjoyable.

T: Sweet + tart fruity flavors are initial, with plenty of toasty malt backing things up. Quite nice.

M: Slick medium body with light, but noticeable carbonation.

D: Not bad at all, but not something I'm dying to drink in large quantities.

Notes: This was a solid, but generally unimpressive tripel. Thanks to Matt for bringing it back from Portland - it's always a treat to get to try something completely unheard of; it's pleasantly mind-boggling just how much good beer there is out there.

Cheers!
Oct 07, 2010
Photo of brokensail
Reviewed by brokensail from California

3.97/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A: The pour is a light golden color with a slight haze and a nice white head that dies away somewhat quickly.

S: The nose is fairly yeasty, which I was a bit surprised by. A touch of funk and oak along with some fruity pear, apple, and citrus notes.

T: The flavor is nicely sweet like you might expect from a tripel with a touch of dryness from the Brett and oak barrel. Apples, citrus, and mild spice provide some more of the tripel character.

M: We'll call this one medium in body with a moderate but lively carbonation.

D: A pretty nice beer. The partial barrel aging and spiking of Brett really added a little something different to this one that I enjoyed.
Aug 30, 2010
Photo of Gobzilla
Reviewed by Gobzilla from California

3.95/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Poured a golden hazy yellowish orange with a finger of head and left a little lacing sticking to the glass. The nose had a nice tripel type aroma with the belgian yeast leading the way alongside pear, coriander, slight banana, and malty notes. Upfront on the taste was pretty sweet as well with really no boozy bite but consisted of belgian yeast, banana, various spices, coriander, malts, pear, and apple. The brew was medium body with a moderate amount of carbonation that had a sweet but spicy silky finish. It drank pretty good and was a decent tripel offering from bridgeport. Glad I got the chance to try this beer.
Aug 30, 2010
Photo of BBThunderbolt
Reviewed by BBThunderbolt from Kiribati

2.42/5  rDev -35.8%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2
Served in straight pint glass. Poured a pale gold color with no head or retention. The aroma had most of the components you'd expect, but in very subdued form. I have to say the same thing about the taste, just meh. The body was typical for the style, a happy medium between light and heavy. Drinkabilty was merely OK.

This is the first beer from Bridgeport that has let me down. This brewery will rarely thrill you, but is always solid. Until this. No reason to try this except to add it to your list.
Feb 25, 2010
Photo of tpd975
Reviewed by tpd975 from Florida

3.65/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A: Pours a nice golden hue with tones of copper. Nice foamy white head. Little retention or lace.

S: Aromas of citrus and yeast. Subtle notes of oak and vanilla from the barrel.

T: Apple up front with a twist of citrus. The yeast is noticable with hints of spice. Slight notes from the barrel, more vanilla than oak.

M: Medium in body, moderate carbonation.

D: Good, a solid beer.
Nov 01, 2009
Photo of BuckeyeNation
Reviewed by BuckeyeNation from Iowa

3.65/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Precisely midway between orange and amber. Lemon colored highlights appear along the edges, while fine bubble streams ascend within. The ivory colored crown lacks character and isn't exactly plastering the glass with sticky lace.

The aroma can't hold a candle to a true Belgian tripel. Having said that, it has most of what it needs and is pleasant enough. Sweet orchard fruit leads the way, followed by a pinch of clove and a modest amount of musky-grassy hoppiness. Specifics include German Hallertau and Czech Saaz, for those who care.

BridgePort Fallen Friar is pretty good beer, but it just doesn't measure up in the areas that count. For starters, it needs a more estery yeast strain. The usual ground clove and white pepper spiciness is minimal and there isn't much depth or complexity to be had.

I'm not sure what aging 35% of the beer in oak barrels that had previously held Pinot Noir was supposed to accomplish. Strangely enough, some vinousness is noted, but it's white grape-like, not red grape-like. Similar to an oaky Chardonnay. As with most tripels, pears and apples are also members of the flavor profile.

The mouthfeel is at least medium-full and has soft and gentle carbonation. Since that's a combination that I like, a good score will be awarded. Attention style sticklers... it feels nothing like good Belgian beer.

BridgePort did a good job with Supris (a Belgian-style pale ale), so I thought they'd come through with Fallen Friar as well. In the end, I feel like I've been too hard on a beer that I'm enjoying quite a bit. A few well-chosen tweaks might turn this American tripel into something to be reckoned with.
Oct 22, 2009
Photo of sprucetip
Reviewed by sprucetip from Alaska

3.23/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
From notes. On tap at brewpub in Portland. Hazy, yellow/golden, minimal head fades fast. Active. SMELL very little. Some fruity esters and a bit yeasty, but not too much. TASTE belgian yeasty, slightly tart fruity, some malty sweetness, bit of hops, drying finish. FEEL overyly carbonated and fizzy, which is a distraction. Finishes dry. OVERALL 1/2 pint was plenty, for me. I understand why Bridgeport is not known for Belgians.
Oct 09, 2009
Fallen Friar from BridgePort Brewing Co. / Brewpub
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 42 ratings