Tripel
Brouwerij Hof Ten Dormaal

 

 

750 ml bottle into a tulip snifter. Had 3/8/23.

Pours a slightly golden yellow, mostly clear, with a one and a quarter inch foamy head with good retention and a good amount of foamy lacing. Active carbonation. Aromas of banana- at first then fades, wheat, malt, white grape, white pepper, Belgian yeast, cloves, other spices, a hint of smoke. Has a somewhat herbal aroma. Flavors of wheat, Belgian yeast, malt, cloves, white pepper, other spices, some white grape. Tastes herbal and a little smoky. Smooth, a very good lighter medium body, well carbonated on the high side.

Fairly classic, but the stronger herbal hops and smokiness really add a nice twist. The yeast seems to present differently, too. Thought this was very enjoyable.

From Rare Beer Club's Belgian Bliss dozen bombers.
The Club's writeup gives 1&1/3 page to describe the micro; interesting how they can be totally integrated in the farm-to-brewhouse "grow your own" movement and still survive small.) The Club's review of Dormaal's Tripel -- particularly its Pairing and Aging Notes -- cannot be improved on by me.

But to relate my Pairing... I thought a pesto/pasta with shots of lemon would complement the style's fruit/herb profile. It did. This Tripel cut through the oil and dry cheese and the herbs acted like they were cousins from a functional family. The Club's reviewer recommended creamy cheeses. Since I had none, I thought: "What about ice cream?" And the thought proved closer to true than I might have guessed.

Also, I'm awed by StonedTrippin's review. I read through a block of 20 lines of copy contained by only five sentences... (and then BA's software probably cut him off at the maximum Character Count.) All good. Although I'm glad I don't write in a stream of consciousness as mine would end up short.

What I like about Dormaal is their intense double tradition: first is to the farmland as their source for ingredients, an estate from the 13th Century; and second, their commitment to the traditional Belgian styles, the purity of which seems to get lost the more those styles grow in North America... copying a possible sign of success, but also possibly not.

Anyhow, Tripel was a treat and I'm tempted to buy another... or at least try Dormaal's saisons. A Votre Sante' and Op Wu Gezondheid !

750 ml bottle from Rare Beer Club. Pours deep golden with tall, long-lasting, foamy white head, nice lacing. Aroma is wheat malt, spices, herbal hops, funky yeast and ripe fruit. Body is full, creamy and crisp. Belgian yeast, spices, wheat malt, herbal hops and ripe fruit fill the mouth. Finish is long and spicy. Nice brew.

 

really fun selection from the rare beer club here, i feel like these guys used to come around a little more, but i have not seen much of their stuff in the states in recent years, one of the more intriguing and beguiling belgian breweries, i was so stoked to receive this, last night felt like a good time to pop it open. this is immediately impressively bottle conditioned, just what i want in a belgian beer, especially one in this style, huge two inches of puffy white head rising up right away and staying the whole drink, even after the liquid is gone there is head in my glass. its never quite clear, wheaty looking honey color to it, more haze in the bottom third of the bottle, wonderfully effervescent in look and then in mouthfeel too. the aroma here is more robust than expected, some light funk to this, almost even bacterial, but its not sour to drink, just some wild suggestions to an otherwise very estery belgian yeast profile, they have their own thing going on, and its awesome in this, just different enough to stand out, but it really drives the nose of this, white wine, green grape and pear, white pepper and coriander spiciness, and some sweetness left from the grain or the added sugar also apparent, fragrant enough to almost fill the room. the flavor follows the nose, vibrant from the yeast, different than any belgian ive ever had before, even their other beers, but also somewhat familiar, like its obviously belgian but also its unique to them, even to this beer, white sangria, clove, and then the sweetness in the malt, toffee almost, a nutty thing, hay and straw, grass too, tea, dried herbs and flowers, floral honey, and all washed away by the epic carbonation at the end of each sip, fuller and flush and expansive, creamy even, just fabulous. really fun beer, not as boozy and sugar rich as a lot of these, just weird enough to make my heart smile, this is a winner, makes me want to drink everything these guys have ever made...

 

 

Poured from 750 mL bottle into tulip.
A: Pours a slightly hazy orange-yellow hue with very active carbonation jets fueling a 2-3 inch billowy white head with excellent retention.
S: Clove, white pepper, sweet mildly funk malt, soft almond and peach.
T: Clove, spicy white pepper, almond biscotti, honey, and herbal mint.
M: Medium body. Full, rounded, and plush feel. Delicately sweet with mild herbal bitterness to balance. Hint of farmhouse funk. Lingers nicely on the palate.
D: A lovely example of style. Fresh, wonderful feel and good complexity lead this to be a nice summer evening brew.

Pours a semi clear amber with fine, soapy head.

Smell is yeasty and a bit tart. Notes of apples, pears, dried apricot and a hint of metal.

Taste is yeasty, fruity and a bit metallic. Notes of apples, pears, dried fruit and straw with a slight tartness in the back.

Mouthfeel is medium, smooth and well carbonated.

Overall, a nice Tripel, not super traditional.