Barrel Aged Belgian Tripel
Ravens Brewing Company

Poured into a Fremont small snifter. Pours a medium golden amber with a thin white head that dissipates to patches with equally patchy lacing. Aroma of sweet malt, apple and white wine with a hints of oak and light stone fruit. Flavor is semi-sweet candi malt, apple, white wine and light coriander. Finishes semi-dry with nice estery apple, white wine and spicy bitterness. Medium bodied with light creaminess. Wasn't sure what to expect here; tripels are one of my favorite styles, but wine barrel aging is not always to my taste. I was hoping for the best because this beer is presented very nicely with great label graphics and seems like a cool brewery. Not to worry, my first experience with a barreled tripel is very positive. The white wine flavors meld very nicely with the apple and faint light stone fruit flavors in the yeast and in the middle of the taste there is a brief estery apple flavor like in the best fresh ciders, but it does not dominate. While not exactly a traditional tripel, it hits all the right notes and frankly my first tentative sip resulted in "nice". There is a traditional spiciness to it that tests mildly like coriander or even faint clove, but balances the white wine notes to bring it back to tripel territory. Not getting much oak, but there is a little. This was very tasty and I'm really glad I tried it. I hope to try more from this British Columbia brewery. Sadly, the last beer from my visit to Abbotsford a month or so ago, and although almost everything I bought was quite good, this is a great finish.