Chimay Triple / Blanche (White)

Although I’ve only had a few Tripel’s this one stands out as my favorite. To describe this in one word would be Balance. Great look, nose, and taste.

Pours a orange color, slightly hazy, topped with a thick off-white foamy head. Slightly creamy head. Aroma is fruity banana with some yeast and vanilla. The flavor is citrusy with a mix of fruits, banana, grapefruit, and orange. Somewhat of a tart, winey, sour presence. Overall this is quite good with a complex mix of flavors while being even quite refreshing.

Bottle poured into Chimay glass. Pours cloudy yellow amber with thick white head. Nice spicy aroma, proper taste. Great beer.

11.2 oz bottle. Pour nicely into my glass. Wonderful appearance. Chuncky murk that smells of spice and subtle fruit. Nice carbonation. An earthy flavor. Wonderful! 1 of my top 3 ales!

I find that the Chimay ales have a distinctive, spicy aroma that I find quite agreeable. Colour is cloudy amber with a nice, billowing white head that settles down to a 1 finger height and eventually all but disappears. Moderately carbonated, but with a very bitter finish, which is the one thing that for me prevents it from getting a higher score. (Next part written after 15-20 minutes) - OK, as emarkd below says, let this one warm up a bit and the bitterness begins to settle. Very true! I’ll bump my score up from 16 to 17.

11.2 oz brown bottle served in a Chimay Chalice. Bottle conditioned. Poured a hazy gold with a big white head. Lots of carbonation. Sweet carmalized sugar aroma and a little spice. Medium bodied lots of sweetness. Light clove flavor. Spicy, slightly funky finish. A little earthy. Alcohol isn’t evident. Solid beer.

750 mL bottle. Highly carbonated - cork and suds flew out of there like champagne! Poured into a snifter. Orange in color, slightly hazy. Huge pale head. Aroma is very grainy, like fresh bread, with just a touch of sourness in the background. Also earthy with just a little fruity component, but I can’t identify it. Taste was more hoppy and bitter than I expected and the alcohol was very pronounced, but after warming a bit it became much smoother and better balanced. It coats the inside of my mouth and leaves a nice lingering bitterness. Let this one warm a bit and it’s great.


UPDATE: I finally got some real Chimay glasses and had some of this beer on hand. I have to say that the proper glassware made a great difference in an already great beer. The etching in the bottom keeps that fine head throughout the short life of the glass and the open top really brings out the brighter flavors in the aroma. The flowery hops and yeasty sourness really come forward to compliment the grainy parts. This is definitely the way to enjoy this beer!

Large bottle, hazy orange pour in the customary Chimay glass with distinctive head and lacing. NIce pleasant aroma. Subtly sweet on the pallet with touch of hops with grains and a distinctive yeast character. Some bitterness and alc. bite but well balanced overall.