Grimbergen Tripel | Brouwerij Alken-Maes
Brewed by:
Brouwerij Alken-Maes
Belgium | website
Style: Tripel
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 9.00%
Availability: Year-round
Notes / Commercial Description:
No notes at this time.
Added by stcules on 06-13-2002
Reviews: 59 | Ratings: 156
Reviews by stoutman:
More User Reviews:
3.9/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
33 cl bottle, a bit past the best by date of 9/2012 but refrigerated since purchase. Served in a tulip glass. Pours crystal clear, yellow-gold, with lots of barely visible fine carbonation. It is and topped by a durable, semi-creamy white head.
Aroma: yeast-fruity-malty, rather typical for style if a bit subdued and, thankfully, without so much banana or clove as some. Some musty/yeasty aromatics are not appealing.
Taste: slightly spicy and nicely fruity. Excellent tart/sweet balance.
M: surprisingly full body; very smooth; very good lively carbonation; slightly dry, particularly in the finish.
O: excellent example of the style, and reassuring that this Belgian brew remains intact after, apparently, a brewery takeover by Heineken. Very high drinkability.
★ 773 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
33 cl bottle, a bit past the best by date of 9/2012 but refrigerated since purchase. Served in a tulip glass. Pours crystal clear, yellow-gold, with lots of barely visible fine carbonation. It is and topped by a durable, semi-creamy white head.
Aroma: yeast-fruity-malty, rather typical for style if a bit subdued and, thankfully, without so much banana or clove as some. Some musty/yeasty aromatics are not appealing.
Taste: slightly spicy and nicely fruity. Excellent tart/sweet balance.
M: surprisingly full body; very smooth; very good lively carbonation; slightly dry, particularly in the finish.
O: excellent example of the style, and reassuring that this Belgian brew remains intact after, apparently, a brewery takeover by Heineken. Very high drinkability.
★ 773 characters
3.68/5 rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A - Like a blond pilsener, white head and all.
S - Fresh citrus hops, a little pine and some sweetness.
T - Coriander, sweet and bitter in the finish.
M - A beautiful mouth feeling, fresh and light to medium carbonation, light sticky and bitter in the finish.
O - A nice, fresh tasting triple for now and then in the sun - delightful!
★ 338 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A - Like a blond pilsener, white head and all.
S - Fresh citrus hops, a little pine and some sweetness.
T - Coriander, sweet and bitter in the finish.
M - A beautiful mouth feeling, fresh and light to medium carbonation, light sticky and bitter in the finish.
O - A nice, fresh tasting triple for now and then in the sun - delightful!
★ 338 characters
4.03/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A smooth balanced triple that went excellently with heavy stew. Not strongly yeasty, it was not too hoppy, nor too spicey, which was appreciated by the tongue. Warming and clean finish. Orange, clove, honey fruit, wine-like taste, mellow. Take notice, my fellows, this is Underated.
★ 282 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A smooth balanced triple that went excellently with heavy stew. Not strongly yeasty, it was not too hoppy, nor too spicey, which was appreciated by the tongue. Warming and clean finish. Orange, clove, honey fruit, wine-like taste, mellow. Take notice, my fellows, this is Underated.
★ 282 characters
3.53/5 rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A: Out of control head, moderate carbonation, light gold.
S: Yeast and malt are well blended. Very hefeweizen-esque. Lemony rind on the top.
T: Alcohol is apparent but not overt, actually quite masked for the ABV. Very neutral triple. Yeast and malt are well blended in the taste as well. Warm.
M: Astringent, lightly carbonated, smooth
D: Ok. Not outstanding but decent, standard.
★ 385 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A: Out of control head, moderate carbonation, light gold.
S: Yeast and malt are well blended. Very hefeweizen-esque. Lemony rind on the top.
T: Alcohol is apparent but not overt, actually quite masked for the ABV. Very neutral triple. Yeast and malt are well blended in the taste as well. Warm.
M: Astringent, lightly carbonated, smooth
D: Ok. Not outstanding but decent, standard.
★ 385 characters
3.47/5 rDev -8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
The head is white and not so nice, too rough. But it evolves to a solid cream head and it doesn’t decrease.
A golden cloudy beer with streams of bubbles running through.
The scent could be described is rather mellow. Sweet hops, malt, carrots.
Taste is soft for a tripel, fresh hops sticking out with strong malt. Sort of vegetable taste (potato and carrot). Yeast in the background.
Aftertaste is the continuation of the yeast and malt. Resembles a mozzarella and olive oil sandwich.
Good to poor down once and again, but not worldshocking.
★ 554 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
The head is white and not so nice, too rough. But it evolves to a solid cream head and it doesn’t decrease.
A golden cloudy beer with streams of bubbles running through.
The scent could be described is rather mellow. Sweet hops, malt, carrots.
Taste is soft for a tripel, fresh hops sticking out with strong malt. Sort of vegetable taste (potato and carrot). Yeast in the background.
Aftertaste is the continuation of the yeast and malt. Resembles a mozzarella and olive oil sandwich.
Good to poor down once and again, but not worldshocking.
★ 554 characters
4.65/5 rDev +22.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Okay, to start off, I am only rating this beer within the realm of the particular style: Tripel
If you like Tripels, you will like this one, full of flavour from the first sip of lacy head goodness to the last drop full of yeasty greatness. I have to say though that the mood or setting you are in will play a large roll in the rating, when I had this beer I was in a great mood sitting in a restaurant in Steenbergen, Holland. I had just had a delicious meal of beef medallions and white aspargus soup. This beer paired great with that meal by the way.
Unfortunately I didnt pour the beer, it was poured for me into the Grimbergen Tripel goblet glass. The head was nice and fluffy, a bit caramel off white color,. which stayed with the beer the entire time I enjoyed it. The smell was awesome, as I let the beer breathe for a few minutes whilst I just looked at it :) I dont like to use rate the smell with using particular fruit names, but this beer did have a nice mellow fruit smell to it, maybe a bit "citrusy" smell to it, but not in the taste. Which was great. Its very easy to drink and the aftertaste is mellow and smooth. Some tripels will hold too much of that alcohol taste even after you drink it, but this one was quite pleasent to drink. I liked it so much that I had 2 more after dinner sitting on the terrace watching all the cyclists ride by. Definately a great Tripel, and one that I would love to find more of when I return to Holland next year!
★ 1,469 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Okay, to start off, I am only rating this beer within the realm of the particular style: Tripel
If you like Tripels, you will like this one, full of flavour from the first sip of lacy head goodness to the last drop full of yeasty greatness. I have to say though that the mood or setting you are in will play a large roll in the rating, when I had this beer I was in a great mood sitting in a restaurant in Steenbergen, Holland. I had just had a delicious meal of beef medallions and white aspargus soup. This beer paired great with that meal by the way.
Unfortunately I didnt pour the beer, it was poured for me into the Grimbergen Tripel goblet glass. The head was nice and fluffy, a bit caramel off white color,. which stayed with the beer the entire time I enjoyed it. The smell was awesome, as I let the beer breathe for a few minutes whilst I just looked at it :) I dont like to use rate the smell with using particular fruit names, but this beer did have a nice mellow fruit smell to it, maybe a bit "citrusy" smell to it, but not in the taste. Which was great. Its very easy to drink and the aftertaste is mellow and smooth. Some tripels will hold too much of that alcohol taste even after you drink it, but this one was quite pleasent to drink. I liked it so much that I had 2 more after dinner sitting on the terrace watching all the cyclists ride by. Definately a great Tripel, and one that I would love to find more of when I return to Holland next year!
★ 1,469 characters
3.27/5 rDev -13.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
Appearance: Clear and golden, with a nice, thick and full head, just the way a tripel should look like.
Smell: I wouldn't call it a smell, or an aroma, but more of a vapor that envelops the nose, almost like solvent or paint thinner, but with a melon type sweetness somewhere in there.
Taste: Yeasty, with a warm alcohol aura and residual sweetness. I enjoyed it, but didn't go head over heels for it.
★ 407 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
Appearance: Clear and golden, with a nice, thick and full head, just the way a tripel should look like.
Smell: I wouldn't call it a smell, or an aroma, but more of a vapor that envelops the nose, almost like solvent or paint thinner, but with a melon type sweetness somewhere in there.
Taste: Yeasty, with a warm alcohol aura and residual sweetness. I enjoyed it, but didn't go head over heels for it.
★ 407 characters
4.05/5 rDev +6.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
3.18/5 rDev -16.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Yellow color beer. It is golden. Massive head. Sticky. Aroma is fruity and floral. Medium intensity. Taste is fruity... Apple? Refreshing. Nice triple. It isn't complex but so easy to drink. Again a good introductory beer... But not something for the people in search of huge sensation. A good one. Nothing more, nothing less.
★ 326 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Yellow color beer. It is golden. Massive head. Sticky. Aroma is fruity and floral. Medium intensity. Taste is fruity... Apple? Refreshing. Nice triple. It isn't complex but so easy to drink. Again a good introductory beer... But not something for the people in search of huge sensation. A good one. Nothing more, nothing less.
★ 326 characters
3.97/5 rDev +4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
This is a clear golden coloured triple, with little carbonation but a fluffy head.
The smell is rather floral with some herbs, I guess soft hops.
The taste is rather sweet and malty. The hops are only mildly bitter, which makes this a very drinkable mainstream triple. It's alcohol is not dominant, adding to the mouthfeel.
This is pretty good stuff. I'd recommend it.
★ 368 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
This is a clear golden coloured triple, with little carbonation but a fluffy head.
The smell is rather floral with some herbs, I guess soft hops.
The taste is rather sweet and malty. The hops are only mildly bitter, which makes this a very drinkable mainstream triple. It's alcohol is not dominant, adding to the mouthfeel.
This is pretty good stuff. I'd recommend it.
★ 368 characters
4.58/5 rDev +20.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
Appearance: Crystal clear. Super white head. Wonderful lacing. Excellent
Smell: near perfect to style aromas. no hops, all malt and candi sugar.
Taste: Light, refreshing. lemony with slight candi sugar.
Mouthfeel: Medium-light bodied. Very effervescent. perfect mouthfeel
Overall: one of the best tripel's I've had. Will look for it again.
★ 345 characters
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
Appearance: Crystal clear. Super white head. Wonderful lacing. Excellent
Smell: near perfect to style aromas. no hops, all malt and candi sugar.
Taste: Light, refreshing. lemony with slight candi sugar.
Mouthfeel: Medium-light bodied. Very effervescent. perfect mouthfeel
Overall: one of the best tripel's I've had. Will look for it again.
★ 345 characters
Grimbergen Tripel from Brouwerij Alken-Maes
3.79
out of 5
based on 156 ratings.
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
Orange/golden brown, somewhat hazy brown color. Huge head, doesn't stay too long, though. Yeasty aroma. Somewhat sweet palate. Spicy flavour with faint notes of peat or is it wood? The alcohol lurks in the background but never gets too dominant. Dee-licious!! I could drink this again!
★ 285 characters