Abbaye des Rocs Triple Impériale

Brewed by Brasserie de l’Abbaye des Rocs
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Montignies-sur-Roc, Belgium

8/19/2008: Whoah, I almost lost this one on the counter after opening it as well. The beer starting foaming up and out of the bottle right after the cap was popped off. Luckily I had a glass ready this time and only lost a drop or two... Brasserie des Rocs Triple Impériale Belgian Special Dark Ale has an opaque, deep chesnut color with reddish hues. There is a beautiful rise of bubbles to the surface to create a dense, lofty, and rich honey-colored head. The aroma boasts fruity rich caramel, dark fruits, a touch of chocolate, and sugary raw honey. Wow, what a great flavor. It is sweet and rich and packed full of complexities that are hard to even identify individually. There is definitely a lot of sweet, perfectly caramelized malts and candi sugar, cooked fruits including dates and raisins, light molasses, dark honey, a touch of vanilla, and a substantial port-like quality. So good! The body is thick and sticky. This is a very impressive beer

1 pint 9.4 fl. oz. bottle (10% Alc./Vol.; Best before end 2008) from ross via trade. Thanks buddy! Rating #494 for this beer...

Sour citrus hops raisons and dates. The malt is mostly grainy, almost wheaty. Smells like wheat and lemon. Soapy yeast. Hops are the strongest flavor.

33 cl, bbe 2009. Hazy, dark red-brown color. Huge, bubbly head lasts forever with a nice meringue of lace. Unexpected aroma similar to a big American Strong: earthy molasses, orange-grapefruit, caramel, cocoa, light vanilla-oak and coffee. Flavor is a great mix of the same with some additional notes of raisin, brown sugar, whiskey, and more oak and caramel. Medium body is just a little too frothy, but well-dried and tingly with alcohol.

Bouteille 330ml, courtoisie de Hogtownharry. Dee couleur rouge-brune et voilée. Nez de levures fruitées (raisins, prunes, agrumes, petites notes de dates, de pommes et de bananes), malté de caramel toffee sucré aux notes rôties, léger de sucre bonbon et de pain avec des notes de chocolat, d’épices (cannelle, clou de girofle), de houblon herbeux et d’alcool doux. Ronde-moyenne en bouche avec un pétillement moyen et une texture crémeuse. Goût de levures fruitées (raisins aux notes vineuses, moyen de prunes, léger d’agrumes, notes de dates et de cerises, traces de pommes et de bananes) accompagné d’un moyen goût épicé (clou de girofle, léger de cannelle) lors de l’entrée en bouche auquel se rajoute un goût malté de caramel toffee assez sucré et aux notes rôties, léger de sucre brun, de sucre bonbon, de pain et avec des notes de chocolat noir puis en finale on note également la présence d’un léger goût d’alcool un peu réchauffant ainsi qu’une moyenne amertume de houblon herbeux et de levures épicées (petites notes de poivre doux) aux notes boisées et terreuses. Post-goût long et aux notes sèches, moyennement amer de houblon herbeux, de levures fruitées (moût de raisins vineux et de prunes, notes de zest d’agrumes et de moût de cerises) avec un léger goût d’alcool.

Pours an orange/brown with lots of floaters and a thin head. Sweet candy sugar, raisin, plum, orange citrus, cherries, brown bananas, honey, and biscuits. The carbonation keeps the beer from being to heavy. Lightly sweet and quite complex. The alcohol is well hidden.

11.2 oz bottle. This first time I bought this beer it was in a 750 ml bottle and it erupted upon opening. To be fair i gave it a second chance coming from the smaller bottle. Moderate malt notes of roasted, nutty and caramel, light hop and yeast notes of herbs and earth, with date and wine in the background. Head is large, frothy, off-white with some peices in it, has good lacing and is fully lasting. It looked like an ice cream float each time I took a sip. Color is hazy, but sparkling, brown. Flavor is lightly sweet and moderately acidic to start and finishes lightly sweet, acidic and bitter. Palate is medium, oily, and has a lively carbonation. The chunks in this beer are a bit frightening, but beyond that it’s an excellent Belgian Strong.

33cl, exclusive brew, from De Hopduvel Gent, very complex, balanced, hazy, small head, very good brew, the best beer of Abbaye des Rocs, drink cold

Bottle at Kulminator, Antwerp. Pours dark brown with a medium lasting beige head. Aroma is quite sour with dark fruits as the dominating note. Flavour is spicy with dark berries and cane sugar.