Eight Or Better
Publican House Brewery
- From:
- Publican House Brewery
- Ontario, Canada
- Style:
- Belgian Tripel
- ABV:
- 8.1%
- Score:
- 86
- Avg:
- 3.72 | pDev: 12.1%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 6
- Status:
- Inactive
- Rated:
- Jun 17, 2018
- Added:
- Jun 11, 2010
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 1
SCORE
86
Very Good
86
Very Good
Eight or Better is the newest beer in our line-up. Sold in 1.9 litre growlers, and 750ml bottles. 8.1% alcohol, it is a Belgium style trippel made with Abbey Malt and two row malted barley. Hops include Sazz, EKG and Perle all of which are sourced from Europe. The yeast was acquired from White Labs and is used by two traditional Trappist Breweries.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by taxandbeerguy from Canada (ON)
3.88/5 rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.88/5 rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
750 ml bottle served cold into a tulip. An LCBO purchase for $10.95 CDN. Best before 4 /12 /2018. This appears to be back after a long hiatus.
Appearance - A rich dark gold / near amber colored beer is poured. A decadent finger and a half of white head sits on top looking frothy and sticky and such. Small curtains of lacing linger on the sides of the glass. Lots of haze.
Smell - Fairly grainy with subtle suggestions of fruit and yeast. Peaches and plums the most likely suspects but a powdery doughy aroma is most prominent.
Taste - Close to the nose, with a gooey, powdery and bready concoction.Some peach and plum mixed with the bitterness and plenty of booze too. Middling bitterness that is highlighted mid-sip. Pretty damn good overall.
Mouthfeel - Smooth, creamy and rich, carbonation is fairly high, but dialed back compared to others in the style.
Overall - Really pleasantly surprised as I'm enjoying this tripel quite a bit more than I thought I would. Certainly worth a tipple or two or a share with a fellow fan of good beers.
Dec 18, 2017Appearance - A rich dark gold / near amber colored beer is poured. A decadent finger and a half of white head sits on top looking frothy and sticky and such. Small curtains of lacing linger on the sides of the glass. Lots of haze.
Smell - Fairly grainy with subtle suggestions of fruit and yeast. Peaches and plums the most likely suspects but a powdery doughy aroma is most prominent.
Taste - Close to the nose, with a gooey, powdery and bready concoction.Some peach and plum mixed with the bitterness and plenty of booze too. Middling bitterness that is highlighted mid-sip. Pretty damn good overall.
Mouthfeel - Smooth, creamy and rich, carbonation is fairly high, but dialed back compared to others in the style.
Overall - Really pleasantly surprised as I'm enjoying this tripel quite a bit more than I thought I would. Certainly worth a tipple or two or a share with a fellow fan of good beers.
Reviewed by Electros from Canada (ON)
4.03/5 rDev +8.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.03/5 rDev +8.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
A - A nice light amber.
S - Alchol. Not much else.
T - This is very true to the Belgian style. Very nice malt flavour, the only thing that detracts it it is strong in the taste of ABV. There is nothing masking it...
M - Very smooth on the tongue.
O - Not to bad, would buy again. 750 ml fresh from the brewery.
Jan 27, 2013S - Alchol. Not much else.
T - This is very true to the Belgian style. Very nice malt flavour, the only thing that detracts it it is strong in the taste of ABV. There is nothing masking it...
M - Very smooth on the tongue.
O - Not to bad, would buy again. 750 ml fresh from the brewery.
Reviewed by grub from Canada (ON)
2.85/5 rDev -23.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
2.85/5 rDev -23.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
750ml bottle purchased at the brewery this summer. sampled oct 2/2010.
pours crystal clear orangey red with a small off white head. the head drops quickly and leaves only a few spots of lace. the colour is nice, but looks more like a dubbel than the expected yellow of a tripel.
aroma is nice. decidedly belgian, but again more dubbel than tripel. caramel and toffee. candied dark fruit - date and fig. bit of plum. lovely belgian yeasty spice. phenolic. touch of alcohol sting.
taste is ok. the tripel shows itself a little more here, but still overshadowed by dubbel. date, raisin, and plum. nice belgian yeasty spice. alcohol. whole wheat bread. cracker. hint of biscuit. nice tripel hop profile. medium-low bitterness level.
mouthfeel is nice. medium body. medium carbonation level.
drinkability is ok. a typical mediocre north american attempt at a belgian beer. too much malt. too much body. too dark. too much dark fruit. it'd be a mediocre dubbel and is an even worse tripel. about the only thing it gets right is the yeast, but there's more to belgian beer than belgian yeast.
Oct 03, 2010pours crystal clear orangey red with a small off white head. the head drops quickly and leaves only a few spots of lace. the colour is nice, but looks more like a dubbel than the expected yellow of a tripel.
aroma is nice. decidedly belgian, but again more dubbel than tripel. caramel and toffee. candied dark fruit - date and fig. bit of plum. lovely belgian yeasty spice. phenolic. touch of alcohol sting.
taste is ok. the tripel shows itself a little more here, but still overshadowed by dubbel. date, raisin, and plum. nice belgian yeasty spice. alcohol. whole wheat bread. cracker. hint of biscuit. nice tripel hop profile. medium-low bitterness level.
mouthfeel is nice. medium body. medium carbonation level.
drinkability is ok. a typical mediocre north american attempt at a belgian beer. too much malt. too much body. too dark. too much dark fruit. it'd be a mediocre dubbel and is an even worse tripel. about the only thing it gets right is the yeast, but there's more to belgian beer than belgian yeast.
Reviewed by Viggo from Canada (ON)
3.15/5 rDev -15.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.15/5 rDev -15.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
750 ml bottle, thanks to grub for sharing.
Pours a crystal clear orange/amber, medium sized off white head forms and settles down to a medium ring around the glass and a thin layer, some lace chunks stick to the side of the glass, good retention, looks nice, although dark for a tripel.
Smell is neat, sweet and spicy, very malty, some honey/caramel sugary character, some alcohol, bananas, a bit of clove, some biscuit, very clean, not a lot of fruitiness.
Taste is similar, very sweet and slightly bland, sugary, almost a touch of smokiness, honey, a bit of banana, very sharp middle, a bit of acidic orange peel, boozy, bland.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied with medium carbonation, some warmth from the alcohol, very sharp, slightly metallic. Not sure what to think of this. No where near a tripel. Thanks Russ!
Oct 03, 2010Pours a crystal clear orange/amber, medium sized off white head forms and settles down to a medium ring around the glass and a thin layer, some lace chunks stick to the side of the glass, good retention, looks nice, although dark for a tripel.
Smell is neat, sweet and spicy, very malty, some honey/caramel sugary character, some alcohol, bananas, a bit of clove, some biscuit, very clean, not a lot of fruitiness.
Taste is similar, very sweet and slightly bland, sugary, almost a touch of smokiness, honey, a bit of banana, very sharp middle, a bit of acidic orange peel, boozy, bland.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied with medium carbonation, some warmth from the alcohol, very sharp, slightly metallic. Not sure what to think of this. No where near a tripel. Thanks Russ!
Reviewed by Sammy from Canada (ON)
3.57/5 rDev -4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
3.57/5 rDev -4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
On-tap at Volo. Peachy-yeasty colour, a little yeast topping. Aromas, and some taste of barleywine. Yeast was not in the face. Average mouthfeel. which is below par for the style. Not getting a triple, but still reasonably tasty, a little fruity. Nice effort from a newer place venturing into a Belgium.
Jun 12, 2010Reviewed by bobsy from Canada (ON)
3.6/5 rDev -3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
3.6/5 rDev -3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Snifter at Volo.
This is the newest beer from Publican House and is described by the brewery as follows: "8.1% alcohol, it is a Belgium style trippel made with Abbey Malt and two row malted barley. Hops include Sazz, EKG and Perle all of which are sourced from Europe. The yeast was acquired from White Labs and is used by two traditional Trappist Breweries."
Hazy blend of orange and brown with a sparse white head that left a few spots of lace on the glass. Mildly sweet, spicy aroma mixes with dry grains and light alcohol. Flavour is okay. I just came back from drinking some world-class tripels at Mondial, so I found this one a little flat in comparison. Really, though, that's an unfair comparison, and this is a decent tripel with no obvious defects and no real exceptional elements. It ticks the requirements for the style, but does not have any real defining characteristics other than the fact that it sometimes seems to drift into dubbel territory. Reasonably fruity flavour with a dry spicy finish. A touch of brown sugar and mild alcohol, though its well-hidden for its weight. Medium body with a low carbonation.
An interesting addition to the province's repertoire of beers. Off the top of my head only Mill Street have done a tripel so far, and this is a very competent rendition, which comfortably sits in the mid-tier.
Jun 11, 2010This is the newest beer from Publican House and is described by the brewery as follows: "8.1% alcohol, it is a Belgium style trippel made with Abbey Malt and two row malted barley. Hops include Sazz, EKG and Perle all of which are sourced from Europe. The yeast was acquired from White Labs and is used by two traditional Trappist Breweries."
Hazy blend of orange and brown with a sparse white head that left a few spots of lace on the glass. Mildly sweet, spicy aroma mixes with dry grains and light alcohol. Flavour is okay. I just came back from drinking some world-class tripels at Mondial, so I found this one a little flat in comparison. Really, though, that's an unfair comparison, and this is a decent tripel with no obvious defects and no real exceptional elements. It ticks the requirements for the style, but does not have any real defining characteristics other than the fact that it sometimes seems to drift into dubbel territory. Reasonably fruity flavour with a dry spicy finish. A touch of brown sugar and mild alcohol, though its well-hidden for its weight. Medium body with a low carbonation.
An interesting addition to the province's repertoire of beers. Off the top of my head only Mill Street have done a tripel so far, and this is a very competent rendition, which comfortably sits in the mid-tier.
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