Trignac | Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck N.V.
Brewed by:
Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck N.V.
Belgium
vanhonsebrouck.be
Style: Tripel
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 12.00%
Availability: Summer
Notes / Commercial Description:
Kasteel Tripel matured in Cognac casks from Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck
Added by BobZ on 08-23-2013
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Ratings: 58 | Reviews: 19
Reviews by BobZ:
4.33/5 rDev +3.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
750ml 25.4 Oz. bottle. Poured into a Duvel tulip. Big thanks to sleuthdog for this generous gift.
Appearance: Cloudy golden yellow with a nice rich and billowy head with excellent lacing.
Smell: Sweet with citrus (lemon) and the cognac is noticeable.
Taste: Very nice citrusy sweetness up front with a cognac twist. The cognac barrel does not overpower the classic Kasteel tripel flavors, it just blends in adding a new dimension to the flavor. A slight amount of hoppy bitterness on the finish & all-in-all a very tasty tripel. The alcohol is completely masked.
Mouthfeel: Very smooth, creamy, and clean on the palate.
Overall: Excellent take on the Tripel style, I really enjoyed the added dimension provided by the cognac barrel. A delicious and highly drinkable beer.
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look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
750ml 25.4 Oz. bottle. Poured into a Duvel tulip. Big thanks to sleuthdog for this generous gift.
Appearance: Cloudy golden yellow with a nice rich and billowy head with excellent lacing.
Smell: Sweet with citrus (lemon) and the cognac is noticeable.
Taste: Very nice citrusy sweetness up front with a cognac twist. The cognac barrel does not overpower the classic Kasteel tripel flavors, it just blends in adding a new dimension to the flavor. A slight amount of hoppy bitterness on the finish & all-in-all a very tasty tripel. The alcohol is completely masked.
Mouthfeel: Very smooth, creamy, and clean on the palate.
Overall: Excellent take on the Tripel style, I really enjoyed the added dimension provided by the cognac barrel. A delicious and highly drinkable beer.
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More User Reviews:
3.32/5 rDev -20.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
CBC bottle share.
A: Cloudy golden color with a thin white head.
S: Smells of apples, yeast and lemon. A bit of wood and warming cognac.
T: Yeast esters are the main thing I could find. A bit of oak, tiny bit of cognac and light lemon tartness.
M: Medium/full bodied, light carbonation. Boozy finish.
O: Decent. Have to admit that I'm not a fan of tripels though. I was hoping for more but there was barely any cognac.
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look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
CBC bottle share.
A: Cloudy golden color with a thin white head.
S: Smells of apples, yeast and lemon. A bit of wood and warming cognac.
T: Yeast esters are the main thing I could find. A bit of oak, tiny bit of cognac and light lemon tartness.
M: Medium/full bodied, light carbonation. Boozy finish.
O: Decent. Have to admit that I'm not a fan of tripels though. I was hoping for more but there was barely any cognac.
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4.25/5 rDev +1.4%
Pours a hazy orange, thin white head develops. Smells like a boozy tripel, Belgian yeast, white wine, touch of wood. Taste is powerful, booze isn't well hidden. After you get past the heat though, it really is nice. The cognac notes work well. Glad I had a chance at this, it is unique...and that in itself makes it worth trying!
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Pours a hazy orange, thin white head develops. Smells like a boozy tripel, Belgian yeast, white wine, touch of wood. Taste is powerful, booze isn't well hidden. After you get past the heat though, it really is nice. The cognac notes work well. Glad I had a chance at this, it is unique...and that in itself makes it worth trying!
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4.53/5 rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Poured from the bottle into a tulip glass. Vintage 2013, bottled Jan 22nd 2013. No. 13749/30000.
Deep and slightly cloudy, but with a micro fine rising bubbles through the body of a real nice brass orange. Middle column of carbonation rising nicely as well, meets a somewhat shampoo like head, off white in color. Settles to a thin puck that is creamy and always populated while standing. Kind of a neat looking tripel.
Wow this aroma is spectacular. Woody notes and phenols following with a big sweet but soft grape and brandy warmth. Floral notes and big qualities of oak surround as well. This is making my mouth water. Just amazing bouquet, complete with complexity, hints of the base spirit, and wonderful oaky round aromas all over.
Palate goes for more simple but still winning it. Rich malt sweetness coming in with excellent champagne crispness and dryness. Mid palate is full of wonderful delicate fruit qualities, white grapes, Asian pear, and maybe just a hint of peach. Playful finish, lots of carbonation and a prickly fizz going down, controlled with boozy warmth. Light bodied but still has some malt density and sucrose sweetness that isn't overbearing. Soft hints of honey, and strudel sweet pastry. Chewy, full, rich, luscious, and grand.
This is a winner, I don't think I am a fan of the regular base beer, but this in Cognac at this stage is a real winner.
1,395 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Poured from the bottle into a tulip glass. Vintage 2013, bottled Jan 22nd 2013. No. 13749/30000.
Deep and slightly cloudy, but with a micro fine rising bubbles through the body of a real nice brass orange. Middle column of carbonation rising nicely as well, meets a somewhat shampoo like head, off white in color. Settles to a thin puck that is creamy and always populated while standing. Kind of a neat looking tripel.
Wow this aroma is spectacular. Woody notes and phenols following with a big sweet but soft grape and brandy warmth. Floral notes and big qualities of oak surround as well. This is making my mouth water. Just amazing bouquet, complete with complexity, hints of the base spirit, and wonderful oaky round aromas all over.
Palate goes for more simple but still winning it. Rich malt sweetness coming in with excellent champagne crispness and dryness. Mid palate is full of wonderful delicate fruit qualities, white grapes, Asian pear, and maybe just a hint of peach. Playful finish, lots of carbonation and a prickly fizz going down, controlled with boozy warmth. Light bodied but still has some malt density and sucrose sweetness that isn't overbearing. Soft hints of honey, and strudel sweet pastry. Chewy, full, rich, luscious, and grand.
This is a winner, I don't think I am a fan of the regular base beer, but this in Cognac at this stage is a real winner.
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3.96/5 rDev -5.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
2013 vintage
Pours a bubbly fizzy small head that fades quickly, semi hazy orangeish color with an iced tea brown haze
Nose smells a little stale and oxidized, papery, then that fades to a sweet aged Belgian golden malt, sweet candi sugar, into fruity esters candied apple, pear, citrus, white raisin, a bit of a sweet fruity cognac, faint phenols and alcohol
Taste starts also with a little oxidation but not much, into sweet Belgian blonde malts, candi sugar, a bit syrupy sweet, quickly into tingly warming alcohol, a little phenol note, fruity esters kicking in with candied apple and pear again, a little citrus, cognac soaked white raisin candy, fair sweet fruity cognac notes but not a ton, peppery phenol notes late, sweet sticky a little dry, touch more oxidation late, lingering citrus, candied fruit.
Mouth is med to heavier bod, a bit syrupy, fizzy carbonation, tingly warming alcohol
Overall not bad, decent tripel although a bit of oxidation, nice aged malt, cognac was there but not much maybe due to age, enjoyable but wouldn't get it again for the price (although this was half off).
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look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
2013 vintage
Pours a bubbly fizzy small head that fades quickly, semi hazy orangeish color with an iced tea brown haze
Nose smells a little stale and oxidized, papery, then that fades to a sweet aged Belgian golden malt, sweet candi sugar, into fruity esters candied apple, pear, citrus, white raisin, a bit of a sweet fruity cognac, faint phenols and alcohol
Taste starts also with a little oxidation but not much, into sweet Belgian blonde malts, candi sugar, a bit syrupy sweet, quickly into tingly warming alcohol, a little phenol note, fruity esters kicking in with candied apple and pear again, a little citrus, cognac soaked white raisin candy, fair sweet fruity cognac notes but not a ton, peppery phenol notes late, sweet sticky a little dry, touch more oxidation late, lingering citrus, candied fruit.
Mouth is med to heavier bod, a bit syrupy, fizzy carbonation, tingly warming alcohol
Overall not bad, decent tripel although a bit of oxidation, nice aged malt, cognac was there but not much maybe due to age, enjoyable but wouldn't get it again for the price (although this was half off).
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3.82/5 rDev -8.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
4.32/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
4.5/5 rDev +7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Pours a deep gold color. Low power but very nice nose---the signature yeasty aroma tells you that no fakery is going on ehre.
Small sips reveals a bit of heat, but a typical 1/4 to 1/2 ounce drink hides the heat and makes for a terrific well balanced cognac-based experience. One has to suspect that letting one of these sit for a year unopened would make for a very good treat.
Throw a Kasteel Tripel in a cognac barrel and this is what you get. Well, I'm sure it's not that simple, but it can't be too far off. This is actually a cut above their tripel, so I suspect some degree of TLC was given to bring this to market.
This is most memorable untried beer I have tasted in quite a while. Yes, try this!
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look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Pours a deep gold color. Low power but very nice nose---the signature yeasty aroma tells you that no fakery is going on ehre.
Small sips reveals a bit of heat, but a typical 1/4 to 1/2 ounce drink hides the heat and makes for a terrific well balanced cognac-based experience. One has to suspect that letting one of these sit for a year unopened would make for a very good treat.
Throw a Kasteel Tripel in a cognac barrel and this is what you get. Well, I'm sure it's not that simple, but it can't be too far off. This is actually a cut above their tripel, so I suspect some degree of TLC was given to bring this to market.
This is most memorable untried beer I have tasted in quite a while. Yes, try this!
708 characters
4.16/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Triple aged in cognac casks makes this triple a treat for me. Pours your standard Belgium large head with a deep golden color. The aroma is nice, the cognac is subtle here but recognizable. The taste was good with a nice cognac finish. Overall I think this is a good offering but the $33.00 dollar price tag and limited availability make this a brew hard to seek out. I was happy to try and move on.
Bottom Line: Original attempt by Brouwerij that is worth drinking.
467 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Triple aged in cognac casks makes this triple a treat for me. Pours your standard Belgium large head with a deep golden color. The aroma is nice, the cognac is subtle here but recognizable. The taste was good with a nice cognac finish. Overall I think this is a good offering but the $33.00 dollar price tag and limited availability make this a brew hard to seek out. I was happy to try and move on.
Bottom Line: Original attempt by Brouwerij that is worth drinking.
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3.96/5 rDev -5.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Poured from 750ml bottle into Chimay goblets.
L-Pale pumpkin gold, very thin head, no retention.
S-Sweet apricot/peach, yeast funk, slightly musty.
T-Starts like a normal tripel, orange peel and coriander, moving to a bright peach, fading to a woody malt flavor.
F-Very effervescent upfront, quickly overtaken by the alcohol. Not heat, but you can feel it. The barrel aging really smooths out the heat, cleansing the palate between sips.
As a tripel, it's well balanced and flavorful. The cognac barrels add abv, but not a ton of flavors other than the palate cleansing woody notes. Overall quite pleasant.
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look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Poured from 750ml bottle into Chimay goblets.
L-Pale pumpkin gold, very thin head, no retention.
S-Sweet apricot/peach, yeast funk, slightly musty.
T-Starts like a normal tripel, orange peel and coriander, moving to a bright peach, fading to a woody malt flavor.
F-Very effervescent upfront, quickly overtaken by the alcohol. Not heat, but you can feel it. The barrel aging really smooths out the heat, cleansing the palate between sips.
As a tripel, it's well balanced and flavorful. The cognac barrels add abv, but not a ton of flavors other than the palate cleansing woody notes. Overall quite pleasant.
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4.04/5 rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Sample from the bottle at beer meets wood last weekend.
Dark yellow with a hint of hazy and a large long lasting bubbly white head. Light sweet honey maltiness offset with bits of fruit earthy spicy yeast notes and that deep grape cognac flavor. A sipper for sure but damn tasty.
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Sample from the bottle at beer meets wood last weekend.
Dark yellow with a hint of hazy and a large long lasting bubbly white head. Light sweet honey maltiness offset with bits of fruit earthy spicy yeast notes and that deep grape cognac flavor. A sipper for sure but damn tasty.
279 characters
4.25/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Beautifully woven of spent cognac barrels and authentic Belgian tripel ale, Kasteel's "grand cru" of a beer is spicy, sweet, fruity, savory and uniquely vinous.
Cleverly named Trignac XII pours with a turbulent foggy gold color while its exuberant carbonation races to fuel and sprite and frothy cap. As the ale pop, a bursting aromatic display is ripe with orchard fruit and citrus with a peppery chardonnay counterpart, and then pulled together with honey and fresh baking bread. Its supple sweetness bounces off the tongue as the carbonation erupts like pop rocks on the palate.
The ale blossoms across the middle palate as the carbonation swells and then relaxes to reward the senses with bright fruity esters of spiced pear, nectarine, lemon, white grape and cantaloupe. With a balance of white pepper, light clove, vanilla and floral, botanical hops; the beer's complexities seem unyielding. Soft bittering power of grassy hops and the delicate and powdery wood spices offset the fleeting honey sweetness, the beer's cognac influences grow with a playful wine-like acidity and a strong peppery booze flavor.
Though seemingly fuller from residual sweetness but then lighter from the its champagne-like zest, the ale ends up medium bodied with that militant carbonation highlighting the cognac spice, wood tannins, peppery yeast spices and the ale's more vinous tang. It's a short finish with fortified wine and pepper extending briefly in a vinous afterglow.
1,466 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Beautifully woven of spent cognac barrels and authentic Belgian tripel ale, Kasteel's "grand cru" of a beer is spicy, sweet, fruity, savory and uniquely vinous.
Cleverly named Trignac XII pours with a turbulent foggy gold color while its exuberant carbonation races to fuel and sprite and frothy cap. As the ale pop, a bursting aromatic display is ripe with orchard fruit and citrus with a peppery chardonnay counterpart, and then pulled together with honey and fresh baking bread. Its supple sweetness bounces off the tongue as the carbonation erupts like pop rocks on the palate.
The ale blossoms across the middle palate as the carbonation swells and then relaxes to reward the senses with bright fruity esters of spiced pear, nectarine, lemon, white grape and cantaloupe. With a balance of white pepper, light clove, vanilla and floral, botanical hops; the beer's complexities seem unyielding. Soft bittering power of grassy hops and the delicate and powdery wood spices offset the fleeting honey sweetness, the beer's cognac influences grow with a playful wine-like acidity and a strong peppery booze flavor.
Though seemingly fuller from residual sweetness but then lighter from the its champagne-like zest, the ale ends up medium bodied with that militant carbonation highlighting the cognac spice, wood tannins, peppery yeast spices and the ale's more vinous tang. It's a short finish with fortified wine and pepper extending briefly in a vinous afterglow.
1,466 characters
3.92/5 rDev -6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Bottled in May 2012.
Appearance is much like any other tripel, except perhaps a bit darker. Aroma is barely detectable, but what is there is pleasant enough. Sipping reveals a robust mouthfeel relative to the style (but not too thick), and good complexity of flavor, with apple, raisin, and spice notes. 12% ABV is completely masked.
It's hard to review a $33 beer without either having unrealistic expectations, or trying to justify the expenditure, and I won't buy it (or any other beer) often at that price -- but I'm glad I bought it once. A great twist on the style.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Bottled in May 2012.
Appearance is much like any other tripel, except perhaps a bit darker. Aroma is barely detectable, but what is there is pleasant enough. Sipping reveals a robust mouthfeel relative to the style (but not too thick), and good complexity of flavor, with apple, raisin, and spice notes. 12% ABV is completely masked.
It's hard to review a $33 beer without either having unrealistic expectations, or trying to justify the expenditure, and I won't buy it (or any other beer) often at that price -- but I'm glad I bought it once. A great twist on the style.
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4.2/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
750 ml bottle into chalice, bottled on 1/22/2013. Pours slightly hazy bright golden orange color with a 1 finger fairly dense off white head with good retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty lacing clings on the glass, with a good amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of big apricot, pear, apple, white grape, lemon/orange zest, light banana, pepper, clove, candi sugar, honey, oak, light vanilla, herbal, and yeast earthiness. Very nice aromas with good balance and complexity of fruity/spicy yeast, oak barrel, and pale malt notes; with good strength. Taste of big apricot, pear, apple, white grape, lemon/orange zest, light banana, pepper, clove, candi sugar, honey, oak, light vanilla, herbal, and yeast earthiness. Good amount of earthy herbal/yeast spiciness on the finish; with lingering notes of apricot, pear, apple, white grape, lemon/orange zest, light banana, pepper, clove, candi sugar, honey, oak, vanilla, and herbal/yeast earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Fantastic complexity and robustness of fruity/spicy yeast, oak barrel, and pale malt notes; with a great yeast/yeast/oak balance and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Medium-high carbonation and medium bodied; with a very smooth, crisp, and slightly creamy/prickly mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is fairly well hidden with a light-moderate warming lingering after the finish. Overall this is an awesome barrel aged tripel style. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/spicy yeast, oak barrel, and pale malt flavors; and very smooth to sip on for the huge ABV. A highly enjoyable offering.
1,643 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
750 ml bottle into chalice, bottled on 1/22/2013. Pours slightly hazy bright golden orange color with a 1 finger fairly dense off white head with good retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty lacing clings on the glass, with a good amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of big apricot, pear, apple, white grape, lemon/orange zest, light banana, pepper, clove, candi sugar, honey, oak, light vanilla, herbal, and yeast earthiness. Very nice aromas with good balance and complexity of fruity/spicy yeast, oak barrel, and pale malt notes; with good strength. Taste of big apricot, pear, apple, white grape, lemon/orange zest, light banana, pepper, clove, candi sugar, honey, oak, light vanilla, herbal, and yeast earthiness. Good amount of earthy herbal/yeast spiciness on the finish; with lingering notes of apricot, pear, apple, white grape, lemon/orange zest, light banana, pepper, clove, candi sugar, honey, oak, vanilla, and herbal/yeast earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Fantastic complexity and robustness of fruity/spicy yeast, oak barrel, and pale malt notes; with a great yeast/yeast/oak balance and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Medium-high carbonation and medium bodied; with a very smooth, crisp, and slightly creamy/prickly mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is fairly well hidden with a light-moderate warming lingering after the finish. Overall this is an awesome barrel aged tripel style. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/spicy yeast, oak barrel, and pale malt flavors; and very smooth to sip on for the huge ABV. A highly enjoyable offering.
1,643 characters
Trignac from Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck N.V.
Beer rating:
4.19 out of
5 with
58 ratings
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