Tripel Karmeliet
Brouwerij Bosteels

A big, billowing, white meringue lasts an eternity. The almost clear straw gold beer explodes with tiny carbonation. Ample lacing coats the interior walls of a Tripel Karmeliet tulip glass.

Light funkiness, similar to dried hay, is followed by succulent kiwi and honeydew. This beer warms to reveal highly floral qualities and adds spicing of white pepper and coriander. Late in the session, peach skin is revealed.

Fresh apples mixed with myriad spices. Sourdough adds to a fine balance between sweetness and sourness. A subtle, yet lingering finish brings out a hint of bitterness. Warmth blossoms spices and bready flavors.

The alcohol is completely concealed. Exuberant carbonation thins this beer to a medium body. The texture is that of cotton.

Tripel Karmeliet would make a fantastic pairing with boisterous conversation and hors d ’oeuvres, or a flavorful meal.

 

 

Copenhagen 21/11 2016. 75 cl bottle from Meny, Østerfælled Torv Kbh Ø. Some rural scene with women farming printed directly on the bottle.

Pours slightly hazy pale yellow with an unstable and bubbly white head. Settles as a 0,5 cm thick layer of foam just covering the surface of the beer. Moderate lacing.

Aroma of Belgian yeast, sweet banana and citric fruit with a slightly metallic touch.

Fairly strong carbonation and slightly thick texture. Lightly tingling texture.

Flavor has a sweet lemonade touch followed by a fruity sourness and bitterness. Aftertaste is a little sweet with sour overtones.

Immensely nice tripel.

*archived rating*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first time (as a young man) I had this at Belgo in Camden, I remember thinking that this was the best beer ever. And then in subsequent years, I went off it.

Now I am critically reviewing it after many more years of tasty beverage consumption.

Firstly, I love the bottle. Great design, colours, and they even write an English translation..! How thoughtful of them.

Proper head. Almost Duvel like. So much head in fact that it even came out of the top of the bottle before I even poured it. Lots and lots of life and effervescence. Beautiful colour. Head stays in the glass comfortably for about 5 minutes.

The 3 grains give it a complex aroma. Tripel in more ways than one. Banana, cloves, nutmeg, coriander, cinnamon, oaty grain. Really spicy, kind of Christmassy.

Taste is similar to the aroma. Mega creamy, complex malt tastes, wheat is very noticable and the banananeyness dominates with the spices, with a dry hoppy citrus finish. It's a phenonimal beer for sure. Did I spell that right? Maybe ; ) It's not particularly light drinking and it does have a slightly strong banananeyness and the malt is rather heavy in comparison with the hops...and the alcohol has a certain brandyness flavour which I am not a fan of, but this is common in Belgian tripels...but not West Coast IPA's of a similar strength.

It's missing the flavor of competitors, such as Duvel. This has a balanced taste, though simply not as much flavor as Duvel/Chouffe/Tremens/Chimay Blanc.

Needs more fruitiness or bitterness, and less bubbyleyedness and bananayness.

It's great occasionally but I wouldn't want to drink another one now, I'm instead going to choose a pilsner as my taste buds need to chill out a bit ; )

Good taste and smell of banana, but a little thinner mouthfeel than I’d like. Overall, a very good tripel.

It is world class. Unibroue and westmalle have no business being higher than this.