A topic of interest. Based on my numerous (yikes!) starts and posts in WBAYDN, I adore them. If I’m going to be informal, my near favorite "yellow beers". I was drinking Gouden Carolus Tripel earlier and it stands out, like many Belgians of the likes as outstandingly delicious, well crafted and balanced. Based on BA ratings, the Holy Grail of the style is De Garre and a visit to Brugge likely would hook you up with this one. On this overwhelmingly American community, I noticed Unibroue and their La Fin du Monde also was a banger. I also tried it, even back then in Montreal and enjoyed it a lot but doesn’t quite topple the Chimay, Westmalle, Tripel Karmeliet or St Bernardus Tripel IMO. What are your preferred Belgian Tripels? Depending on availability in your state, country? Price and budget might be an object too, as I gathered all those even as singles would be about 6-7 bucks across the Atlantic Ocean. Cheers.
Fun thread, @Shanex ! I have reviewed 26 of the top 100 tripels on BA, and De Garre comes out on top. Tripel Karmeliet, St. Bernardus Tripel, Don De Dieu (from Unibroue), and La Rullés Triple (Bière De Gaume) are all top ones for me. La Fin Du Monde is also great, but doesn't reach the status of the true Belgians. Of my list, only Tripel Karmeliet, St. Bernardus Tripel, and La Fin Du Monde are readily available. De Garre has been on tap at a Belgian bar nearby, but haven't seen it in a while.
New Belgium Honey Orange Tripel https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/192/279353/?ba=liteon163#lists The one beer I have if I’m only having one beer. New Belgium Tripel https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/192/1054/?ba=liteon163#lists The Tripel I keep at home for when I don’t want the one listed above. Voodoo Brewing Voodoo Love Child https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/13371/31546/?ba=liteon163#lists And when neither of the first two are what I want. I’ve only got 9 on my list here, but I’m sure I have more on Untappd. But I put the “best” or “best known” here.
I've said before that Chimay white is my all-time favorite beer, and still holds. But, La Fin du Monde is still the best Tripel I've had.
Easily one of my all time favorite styles and one of the first that really got me into beer. I definitely gravitate towards Belgian producers and some of the classics, but certainly a few non European ones have made an impression on me. Personal top rated favorites for me: La Buteuse - Calvados Barrel Aged (definitely an outlier but really exceptional) - Canada Gouden Carolus Tripel - Het Anker - Belgium (I have probably drunk my weight 100 times over of this stuff) Oud Beersel Bersalis Tripel - Brouwerij Oud Beersel - Belgium Black Tulip - New Holland - United States Guldenberg - Brouwerij De Ranke Desert Select Ale Tripel - Moab Brewing - United States Trignac XII - Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck N.V. - Belgium St. Feuillien Triple - Brasserie St. Feuillien - Belgium
Never had the pleasure of the De Garre, but I'm a big fan of the Carolus Tripel. It isn't all that common anymore, but it's at least distributed a little. It's the best one I've had. Karmeliet and St. B's are common and still really great. While they dance all around the Tripel style but never really shoot for a traditional one, I love most of the Gulden Draak line.
Whenever I see my ratings are a lot lower than the general consensus here, I assume I need to revisit the brew in question or I got a bad one. I’m not sure which one it was for La Fin du Monde, but maybe I should try again since I gave it a 2.5.
I’m big fan of Chimay White. I’d probably give it a slight edge over La Fin du Monte, but I need to compare these two head-to-head (and in the process waste myself for the evening) to conclusively decide. Best domestic Tripel is New Belgium’s Tripel. Cheers!
This is a style I wish I saw more. Allagash Tripel might be the last I had. Interesting somewhat related factoid. At some point in the past I read Victory’s Golden Monkey was one of the only examples of the style that made it into mainstream drinkers glasses in the US. Apparently it became popular at college bars and similar venues for a while. The light color and 9.5% abv probably helped.
OMG, Black Tulip! I used to drink a lot of this back in the day. I wish they would make this and Pilgrim's Dole (not a tripel) again but, sadly, NH is trash now.
For me Westmalle Trappist Tripel is my favorite (oddly enough, Westmalle makes my favorite Dubbel). Chimay White, Allagash Curieux, Achel Tripel, Don De Dieu, Guldenberg are also excellent. I don't drink Tripels as often as I did 10 or so years ago, but always enjoy them when I do, mainly sticking with the ones mentioned above. I re-introduced myself to Allagash Tripel last night and enjoyed it a great deal. Based on this I may need to drink Tripels more often.
I agree with you here. Belgian brewed Tripels are indeed excellent versions of this style. Unfortunately in the US these beers are very, very pricey. My favorite of this bunch is Westmalle Tripel. Having stated that the commercially brewed Tripel I drink the most is Victory Golden Monkey which is very good - excellent. While not exactly at the same 'level' as the Belgian brewed versions it is a joy to drink and waaay more economically priced. Cheers!
Westmalle is my favorite, bottle and I had it on tap in Belgium. I was so excited I had two. I had De Garre in Portugal, never seen it here at home. It was good, can’t say the best. Would love to try it again. Not seen Allagash in a bit and I did have Karmeliet once(2012..large green bottle) and remember it being quite good. A local that’s pretty good, not amazing is Victory Golden Monkey. It’s the original Monkey and still the best Monkey. Love Tripel but do not drink it as much as i would like to. $ keeps it from my glass. Enjoy
One of my favorite styles, though Belgian imports seem to have gotten scarcer and more expensive in the last few years. De Garre is my highest rated, I also liked La Fin du Monde, Westmalle, St. Bernardus, Allagash, and Karmeliet. I can easily find the first four, but haven't seen Allagash or Karmeliet in several years.
Some that I've enjoyed: La Fin Du Monde (My gateway into this hobby) St Bernardus Tripel Van De Garre Gouden Caroulus Val Dieu Tripel De Ranke Guldenberg
Westmalle and La Fin Du Monde are my top-rated Tripels, but I don't think I've ever had a bad one. While on vacation last year I found a surprisingly good one from a small-batch Indiana brewery: Taxman Exemption. I rated this right up there alongside the aforementioned. I found it in a liquor store near Indianapolis for $10 (4/12). I'll be trying to hunt down some Westmalle tomorrow. Thanks to @Shanex for opening this can of worms.
Westmalle is my highest rated also. My favorites are De Garre (just had on tap in Melbourne, FL), Tripel Karmeliet, and Augustijn. Is it just me or is Belgian Tripel > American Tripel an across-the-board truth? Over the years I've enjoyed a handful of Allagashes, Golden Monkeys, Merry Monks, 668s, New Belgiums, etc. but they are almost a completely different style (more belgian pale strong usually) than classic tripel taste. Don't get me started on Curieux (ew) Can you name an American-made tripel style that is better than any of the trappist tripels?
Triple Karmeliet was the first beer I reviewed here. At the time, I said it was very good, but not in my top few for the style — but it definitely is. Triple Karmeliet, Westmalle and La Fin Du Monde are three you can’t go wrong with. For a change of pace, I’ve also very much enjoyed DDC’s Herbe à Détourne as a Citra-hopped weirdo.
