Bornem Triple

Brewed by Brouwerij Van Steenberge
Style: Abbey Tripel
Ertvelde, Belgium

I haven’t gotten the yeast in yet, as with all the van Steenberge beers I’ve tried this one produces a voluminous head with its massive carbonation. This one is light and sudsy. Without the yeast, the beer is crystal clear in the glass, a pale golden color virtually indistinguishable from a pale lager. Aroma is weird and vegetal, with a cooked peas note, along with some herbal and spicy hops. One of these days I’ll get to drink some but it may take upwards of a week for the head to subside. OK, so the yeast is in and the head is down. The aroma has changed somewhat to lightly sulfuric cattiness. Beer is appropriately cloudy. Flavor is actually better than the aroma, with a fluffy sugary sweetness that isn’t overly raw or grainy, although there are elements of that. The finish is somewhat fuselly and phenolic but its mild. The sweetness tends to grow gently the more I drink. Some hoppy bitterness in the finish is just right for balancing.

oh, it is really fizzy!!! when you uncap the bottle should be very careful! enormous white head, fruit sourish aroma, i had my first sip and you know it was undrinkable cause it was so high carbonated, but then after i waited for a while it would be ok with that. White wine- like rather sourish flavour, bitter fruity aftertaste. in spite of its strength it have smooth, unusual flavour! very interesting experience!

33cl bottle from ABC Liquors (North Tampa). Pours a clear deep golden with a thin white head that dissipates rapidly. Smellls of grass, straw, yeast, bread with a faint sweetness of plum. Very little to the flavor of this beer -- it starts out with hints of nuts, pear and banana and then finishes with watery slight bitterness. Middle of the road for a Belgian tripel -- drinkable but not our favorite.

Rated under the marketing alias of "Old Buccaneer Reserve". Acquired bottle from Brussels distributor via direct-to-home shipment. Poured slightly hazy gold with moderate head. Rustic nose of pears, caramel, toasted nuts, cut grass, alcohol. Fruity, mildly spicy, sweet but not cloying on the front. Nutty with a mild hop bite on the back. Maple and walnut become prominent as the serving warms toward room temp. A very pleasant ale by any name.

11.2 oz bottle. Pours a slightly hazy yellow with a thick white head. Aroma is yeast, with banana, spice. Flavor is okay, but it’s a little dry for my tastes. It was alright, but that’s only because I’ve been shying away from tripels lately.

750ml bottle: Deep golden pour with a thick, lace inducing head. The nose is pretty quiet for the style. The doughy malt and esthery yeast are there, you just have to dig to get to them. Everything comes alive in the body though with a great balance of honey, straw and earthy malt mixed with lots of banana, apple, pear esthers. Some mild vanilla and caramel sticks to the back of the tongue on the way down. Drinks nice and easy for a big beer and is complex enough to keep you on your toes. Another good one from Bornem.

Apple, strawberry, and lemon bouquet. Clear amber, thick white head, and streams of carbonation. Cidery, slightly dry. Over carbonated. It’s ok, but I have notcied a lack or originality withthis brewer.

Very much a doughy aroma, along with yeastiness and bananas. Yellow with thick fluffy white head. It’s hard to imagine 9 % alcohol in this, very well hidden. Very sharp, bubbly palate, a bit hoppy in the background. Nice.