Blitzen Xmas Ale
Steamworks Brewing Company

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tripels - especially ones branded for Christmas release - ought to have a big, snowy cap for a head that leaves icicle-like lacing as it sinks. Steamworks Blitzen, unfortunately, does not match that description. Not only is it utterly flat but its clear, radiant and glossy golden tone looks awfully summery for a winter seasonal.

The aroma is more what I had in mind. Forward and fragrant, it has warming spice and hearty maltiness, with an overarching mulled cider quality to it. It certainly works for me, but it's truthfully nothing special for a tripel, especially since both candi sugar and alcohol are plainly apparent.

Better examples of the style (like those of Trappist and top-notch Belgian producers) exhibit more complexity and fewer ripples in the flavour profile. It's not that this lacks in spicy, peppery phenols, or orchard and citrus fruits, or farmhouse graininess - it does not. The thing is it tastes more like a rough Belgian Strong Pale than a refined Tripel.

This is again owing to the fact that sugar and the 9% alcohol are too prevalent. But just as a stew is always better the next day, after individual components have had time to make flavour babies together, Blitzen could improve in time if its sweet, spicy, and herbal qualities meld together.

I'm not normally a proponent of aging beers but it seems it's that or this is simply a more coarse and crude tripel than I care for. Once again, Steamworks does not short-change us on flavour - there's no lack of apple, pear, ginger, chamomile, peppery phenols, straw, bread, honeyed grains - but what they couldn't provide was the fullness and finesse of the style's best.

Incredible brew for its strength! Very palatable, great aroma, very drinkable. My only slight would be that it has a wine-y like finish... But that is expected from the high percentile! Enjoy

 

 

 

Not my style.

Label and website say this is a Tripel. It tastes like a Tripel. Aromatic and phenolic.

Brewer says this is make with Pilsner malt and Fuggles and Sterling hops. It's just slightly bitter and tastes more of yeast than hops. But it's a nice balance, with the sugar making this mellow and smooth, and the hops adding a different floral note.

A better than average Tripel. This 2014 version is 9.0%. Pleasant fruity tang. From the BC Liquor Store in Ladner.

A: Light amber, thin head, slight lacing
S: Nice yeast aroma, slightly fruity, strong alcohol
T: robust malt flavour, well balanced, not much hop presence, yeasty notes with some slight fruity flavours, strong alcohol presence
M: Medium body, perfect amount of carbonation for the style, fairly dry finish
O: Very tasty, really well balanced, you definetely get some of the pilsner malt, I was expecting it to be a little on the sweet side but much to my surprise it was well attenuated and had a dry finish. Quite complex flavour profile, get the nice yeast notes you'd expect from a belgian-style ale, easily the best beer I've had from Steamworks.