Barley Johns Belgian Tripel

Brewed by Barley Johns Brew Pub
Style: Abbey Tripel
New Brighton, Minnesota USA

Draught at the brewpub. A bright gold beer. No head and little carbonation. Mild aroma with light spice and yeast. Flavor is just a little sweet, some coriander, and sweet malt with yeast. A little thin on the palate.

@ Barley John’s, on draught: I don’t know if I got a bottom of the barrel run, but the aroma was almost non-existence and the palate almost tasted flat. The flavor is similar to the other reviews. Distinctive Belgian candi taste and a hit of ethanol on the tail end. Sweet trickle aftertaste. A pleasant drink, but maybe not the right barrel.

Winterfest 2008. Gold color with yeasty aroma and plenty of spice. A little banana in the body that was otherwise sominated by an excellent yeast profile.

Pours lightly hazy and bright orange. Glassy. Aroma suggests a firm spiciness and rich sweetness; warm caramel, vanilla, almond and pancake batter provide a rich syrup of malt on the surface layer. Beneath, piles of floral, grassy hops and musty bubblegum yeasts lend thorough depth; cinnamon and melted brown sugar warm the back end. Pleasant and full. Flavors are similarly presented in balanced form, with tart green apple, banana, and cantaloupe being most dominant over bits of nutty flavored frostings and cake batters; lots of deep, subtle sweetness balanced by a light bitterness of hops and cloves. Alcohol licks a bit dry but remains underscored throughout, to an ideal degree of involvement and influence; palate is mildly abrasive with high carbonation, but becomes more gentle and nuanced with time. Finishes sweetly, calm and comfortable, with some fruity acidity, warmth and wateriness. A very pleasant and deftly made example all around.

On draught during the Winterfest 2008 in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota. Pours a semi-clear dirty golden brew with a thick off-white head that has some good retention and lacing. Aroma of heavy yeast, banana ester, cloves, a touch of candi sugar and some wheat malt. Taste is thick, full bodied quite sweet with a strong banana esters, yeast and candi sugar. Finish is sweet with a slight yeast and banana aftertaste that stays around after the finish. The alcohol warmth is a nice touch too.

Winterfest 2008
This had yeasty banana and clove esters. Pour was golden with a decent white head. Fairly true to style and a very nice beer.