Heavy Seas Letter Of Marque 2012 (Tripel Wit)
Heavy Seas Beer

 

 

 

Poured from a 22 oz. bottle to a Heavy Seas pint glass. Served above 58 º Fahrenheit.

(Appearance) Pours a crisp frothy golden white head over a mildly hazy golden amber body. Clarity is moderate with plenty of light pulpy sediment in suspension. Retention is slightly above average, lacing is light and spotty. 3.5

(Smell) Heavy aromas of pale cracker malt and a touch of biscuit with a fluffy wheat malt and . Very strong phenols and slighter esters in the aroma here, big floral notes, bright spices and some creeping funk amidst a puff of alcohol. Dated aroma. 3.25

(Taste) Very similar to the aroma, fluffy wheat, cracker and biscuity malts with a profound syrupy sweetness, fairly dense on the palate. Notes of sweet orange syrup, honey syrup and a soft coriander add a touch of complexity but don't balance the flavor all that well, contributing to the sweetness factor. Chamomile is incredibly distinctive and bold in the flavor. Overall it has a very nectar-like sweetness with not a lot of balance to round it out. Very flavorful, but not very well balanced. 3.5

(Mouthfeel) Texture is smooth, syrupy and peppery. Carbonation is moderate, adding a slight fluffiness to the mouthfeel while preserving the flavor and body. The body is heavy for the style, medium/heavy overall. Balance is sweet over bitter and phenolic with a prevailing syrupy sweetness. Alcohol presence is medium, a bit easier to pull out than desirable. 3.25

(Overall) 2012's Letter of Marque winner is a very heavily bodied Tripel, certainly boozy and malty as expected, but lacking enough balance from the spice and bittering agents to justify keeping it as strong. I would expect anybody to find better Tripel representatives out there that can provide equal flavor with much higher drinkability and balance. This one just doesn't do it for me. 3.25

Heavy Seas Beer's
Letter Of Marque 2012: Tripel Wit Style
3.38/5.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

poured from a brown 22 oz. bottle. Has a cloudy dark golden color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is of fruits, malts, some yeast. Taste is fruity, malts, some spice, a touch of alcohol is present, just a bit of sweetness. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall is a solid beer.

22 ounce bottle into chalice, 2012 bottling. Pours moderately cloudy golden amber color with a 1 finger foamy white head with good retention, that reduces to a thin lace that lingers. Slight spotty lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big pear, apple, orange peel, chamomile, brown sugar, honey, biscuit, clove, light pepper, floral, and herbal earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance of fruity/spicy esters with malt and spice notes. Taste of apple, pear, orange zest, chamomile, brown sugar, honey, biscuit, clove, light pepper, floral, and herbal earthiness. Lingering notes of light fruits, citrus, chamomile, clove, honey, brown sugar, biscuit, light pepper, and herbal earthiness on the finish for a while. Damn nice balance and complexity of spicing with fruity/spicy ester flavors; with very balanced malt sweetness and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Medium carbonation and medium-full bodied; with a slick and slightly syrupy mouthfeel that is very nice. Alcohol is well hidden with only a small warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is an excellent spiced Tripel style. Great balance and complexity of spice/ester flavors with malt sweetness; and quite smooth to sip on. Really enjoyed this one.