Chouffe Houblon Dobbelen IPA Tripel

750ml bottle. the pour is reminiscent of a belgian tripel. big over-foamy head and a rich golden-amber hue. aromas of bitter green hops overwhelms me. also, peach, mango, some passion fruit bleeds through as well. it’s very aromatic, and even contains some light floral notes. the taste is smooth, fruity, but well balanced and not overly hopped. the finish is ultimately creamy vanilla and green, tight hops. the journey there is quite a deep one. i’ve thoroughly enjoyed this ale. it’s nothing short of phenomenal. grab one, it’s worth it.

On tap at The Hop Leaf in Chicago. Man, I love that place! But I digress... The Chouffe Houblon Dobbelen IPA Tripel is a wonderful hybrid of the old and the new. - Old as in the contrasting interpretations of English IPA’s, new being the big-is-better mentality that drives the double IPA style. Add the over-the-top fruitiness of Belgian yeast, and here you go. Pours a deep golden orange, with a mountain of head. A dry yet fruity nose is followed with a soft, creamy mouth feel, with the ample hops biting at the tongue. The alcohol, while evident, doesn’t overwhelm. Far less in-your- face than your typical Impy IPA, the flavor profile skews more toward a well hopped Tripel. A lovely drop indeed.

Pale golden body, medium head. Light floral aromas with strong hop presence. Spicy mouthfeel with notes of citrus. Alcohol/ residual sugar evident. Finishes with a huge blast of hops and spice.

Pours hazy golden with a nice and tall creamy head. Aroma is malty and spicy. Lots of hops in the nose. Very nice mouthfeel. Taste is malty, caramel, yeast and fruity. Very spicy, hopped and warmig end.

Draft at Redlight Redlight. Fairly clear, pale golden body with nice carbonation. Moderate white head with excellent retention and thick lacing that coats the entire glass. The aroma is lightly fruity and hoppy. Muted orange citrus smells show through, accompanied by ample citrus hops and a light, creamy malt base. The flavor is surprisingly hoppy, though sufficiently fruity. Its really a near perfect blend of two distinct styles, as its name suggests (IPA and Abbey Tripel). Citrus hops piggyback on a light and refreshing fruity body. Medium body. Smooth and easy to drink. Refreshing, even at 9% ABV. A very interesting brew, for sure.

Looks very promising, with a golden hazy body, large rocky head, and dense lacing. Musky, yet fruity & citric aroma, with yeast, vanilla, but most of all, alot of hops. Excellent integration of bready malt and spicy hops in the taste, exceptionally well-balanced. The finish keeps shifting from dry to sweet to fruity to musky, impressive. Quite alot of CO2, but not too much, it carries the body well. This didn’t dissappoint - luckily, as I had to pay loads of cash for a bottle of this stuff (this brew is meant for export to the USA only, so it’ll be very hard to find / very expensive in Europa). Impressive.

Bottle. Pours golden, with some sediment, and a huge, frothy white head. Hops are at the forefront of the aroma, with some yeast and spice. Citric hops dominate the taste with spice, yeast and malt in the background. Interesting interpretation of the style.

Pours with a frothy head and a light, cloudy amber. Flavor range from caramel to pears to yeast. While complex, this tripel is not as sweet as most but more bitter. Best paired with washed rind cheeses as a dessert course.