Alesmith Mikkeller Stone Belgian Style Tripel Ale

Formerly brewed at Stone Brewing Co.
Style: Abbey Tripel
Escondido, California USA

Actually not a blow-away beer. Tasting this on the heels of the superior Cali-Belgique. The standard-setter in this style is of course the Affligem or the St. Bernardus, both of which are fully nutty and cloudy. This Tripel-type is clear or close and relies considerably more on spice. It’s tasty but not strong on flavor or distinctive in the way that Cali-Belgique is very distinctive.

Aroma is of spicies, with notes of peach. The body is thin and appearance is just yellow. The flavor is very spicy too with notes of perhaps flowers. A very nice triple.

12 fl. oz. bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 8.7%. Golden colour, big white head. Lovely aroma of Belgian yeast, fruity esters, spices and floral and fruity hops. The flavour is spicy and yeasty with a sweet and fruity body, and a distinct hoppy bitterness in the finish. Only drawback is that the alcohol is not particularly well hidden, so if you get drunk on this beer, you understand why. Still a beer I’ll be happy to drink again!

Hazy pale yellow color with a small white head. Aroma of grainy malts, spices and lemon. Flavor of sweet malts, spices, citrus and hops.

Name: Stone Mikkeller AleSmith
Date: January 26, 2009
Mode: Draft
Source: Taco Mac, Metro
Appearance: hazy light orange, fine white head, spidery lace
Aroma: sweet malt aroma, fruity esters, spicyness, touch of citrus orange
Flavor: sweet candy malt flavor, lots of sweet orange, nice spicyness, plenty of hops with a citrus touch, light balancing bitterness
Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 15/20
Rating: 3.6/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: **4

Pours pale yellow almost without head. Looks thin, had it not been for it’s intransparancy, I would have thought pilsner. Smells very bitter, and I think IPA, but the taste is fruity and tripelish. Very goold beer, but I see this as an experiment rather than a commercial beer. Nice encounter, but will not rebuy. As it warms up, a little more head forms when poured, but never to point of being like a triple I think I get used to the bitterness, and in this way I discover more nuances. There is actually some complexity to it. Very low carbonation compared with "normal" tripels. Wow over time it really opens, and reveals more and more. I might actually reconsider and rebuy. Yes, I will. Really good beer. Soft, strong and complex.

Bottled at Tre små rum. Golden with a brief, white head. Sweet and sourish aroma. Grassy and yeasty flavour with orange-peel. Warming alco-feel.

Bottle. Fruity, spicy aroma. Golden amber colour with small white head. Bitter flavour. Difficult to specify any specific flavour or ingredient.