Your Favorite Tripels

Never tasted a better one than St. Bernardus Tripel, even some barrel aged craft exclusives couldn't tip it. Chouffe Houblon is getting close, but that's more of an IPA than tripel I think. Any must-have USA tripels out there?

 

Slightly off topic, but what is the difference between a Belgian Strong Pale Ale and a Tripel?

 

Modern triples find their origin in Westmalle triple which popularized the style in 1950s. Many modern triples are basically beers which aim to be similar to Westmalle triple. There is no clear-cut definition of it like with most Belgian styles. Triples are golden and generally aim at some bitterness, spices coupled with some clear yeast profile and balanced with some sweetness. Whilst Belgian Strong Pale Ales – once again not really a clear-cut style can be said to fall into two different categories. Either imitations of Duvel or abandoning the concept of spicy yeast, spices, some bitterness coupled with light sweetness in favour of other concepts like pure sweetness or occasionally overt bitterness sans the balance and focus on spices.

That is for Belgian beers – American triples are even vaguer and are basically whatever the brewer thinks a triple is.

 

I thought Orabelle (Great Divide) was rather tasty, but it's not in season right now, so you'll have to wait for it to come back around.

Boulevard's Long Strange Tripel is very good in my eyes, and while far from what people might consider a "traditional" tripel, the Tide And Its Takers by Anchorage Brewing is fantastic. It's a tripel with Brett and aged in Chardonnay barrels. Good stuff.

 

Such a tough call, and. Love the style... One of the few Belgians that I think N. American brewers have started to figure out quite well!

1. Karmeliet
2. La Fin du Monde
3. Long Strange Tripel
4. Chimay
5. Westmalle

 

last week, fucked around, and got a tripel dubbel

 

Surprised that no nods have been given to Russian River's Damnation Batch 23, unless I missed it. I bought a bunch of them a few years ago, and I still have one aging. I remember them being really great.​

 

Unibroue La Fin du Monde
Westmalle Tripel
Bosteels Tripel Karmeliet
Allagash Tripel
Chimay Tripel