Abbaye des Rocs Triple Impériale

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

750. Nougat-y brown body, big light tan head. Huge green apple nose with hints of cherry. Creamy, syrupy body with medium fizz (bubbly, but medium by strong belgian standards). Lots of fruit and sugary sweetness throughout the palate. Delicious, but YMMV given that I’m lukewarm on sweet/fizzy beer.

Surprisingly, I enjoyed this one even more than the Grand Cru. To me, the Grand Cru was amazing, but it was a bit thin, and lacked mouthfeel. This one poured a nice brownish/orange with a blossoming big tan head. Had a powerful aroma of dried fruits, and a light touch of yeast. Has a great, thick mouthfeel, better than that of the Grand Cru. There’s a smooth sweet fruityness with suggestions of sweet raisins, ripe dates, ripe plums and a chocolatey/banana-like flavor from the yeast. There’s a beautiful alcohol warmth on the way down with a sweet, toffee like finish. Candyish, with a maple/brown sugar like residue left on the lips. A great ale.

Pours a dirty brown with yeast floating around the body that leaves a thin tan head. The aroma is dark ripe fruit (plum, raisin, dates, figs) it has a spicy brown sugar sweetness....great nose! This brew starts tart, dark pale wheat malt with a creamy texture. A slight presence of alcohal but at 10% not very visable. This brew also has a funky, musty, smell as well. This brew is very enjoyable one that is an all night sipper.

Pours a three finger light brown head that fades slowly leaving some lace. Cloudy amber color. Medium carbonation and medium bodied. Caramel nose. Starts sweet with a molasses/caramel flavor, the high ABV is almost completely hidden, smooth finish. Nice triple. $4.20 for a 11.2oz bottle Liquids Solutions Tigard, Or.

Poured cloudy, fine white head. Aroma of caramel, malt, sweetness. Taste also with caramel, yeast, lots of malt, some spices at the end. Great mouthfeel, but definately syrupy, as expected. alcohol muted, very good.

Purchased at Starr’s in St. Louis. First time rating, several times sampled. Of the Rocs series I’ve tasted, I’m the least impressed with this one. Pours an overly carbonated rustic-brown hue. Notes of cherry and plum mixed with caramel and toffee. There’s not a great deal of complexity, and there’s an abudant presence of hops and alcohol on the finish, mixed with a disatisfying sourness. Not a winner in my mind, but still better than average. The excessive price is a real negative as well.

750ml bottle purchased at Whole Foods in NYC: Bottle is filled almost right to the top, ruby red in color with a nice thick (not overly airy and foamy) head, scents of cherry and maybe prunes, fruity flavored and yeasty. I’ll be buying more.

750ml capped bottle. Foams upon opening. Pours a rich opaque golden brown with a thin, yet consistent khaki and creamy head. Smells very fruity, sweet fruit. Spicy. Caramel and toffee. Alcohol very present in the body but not too hot, just warming. Fruity and rich. Toffee and vanilla. Mouth is rather dry in the finish. Very full mouth. Nice caramel and toffee. The richest triple I’ve ever had.