Chouffe Houblon Dobbelen IPA Tripel

Brewed by Brasserie d’Achouffe (Moortgat)
Style: Abbey Tripel
Achouffe, Belgium

Sampled from draught at Zythos Beer Festival 2006.
Hazy golden colored, tall foamy white head. Fresh aroma dominated by hop with some hay and fruit. Extremely hoppy hayish flavor with a rancid bide on the tongue. Definately different and quite extreme but I’ll prefer a good American IPA over this any day!

Man they weren’t kidding with the head on this thing. Huge puffy clouds of foam, forming all sorts of flocculant formations. I’ve never seen chunks so big stick to the side of the glass. It’s like it forms marshmallows when you pour. Awesome. Aroma is lightly hoppy, kind of thin but balanced and pleasant. The taste really shines, with the saaz adding a great finish to the spicy, alcoholic trippel taste. I don’t really notice the american hops at all (amarillo, tomahawk, as stated on the bottle), but the saaz are strong and add a nice dimension.

I’ll be honest, here. The taste and aroma of the beer, while very good, are not the best in the world, but still, to me, this is what beer is all about. Beautiful, experimental, fun. Everything I read about this beer when it came out just screamed "find me!," from the new, hybrid style, to the crazy long and ridiculous name, to the unbelievable photos of the head I saw. I’m thrilled I finally got to try one. This beer was an experience indeed.

Clear light golden color with a thin white head. Sweet floral aroma. Light floral hops bittering, with an overall sweetness

[1463-20080531] Bottle. Mild yeast grains aroma. Hazy, light orange brown body with a long-lasting foamy white head. Mild sour yeast flavour is not sour but trying to be. Medium body. Repeatable, pleasant.
(Post-Mondial Tasting)

Bottle shared with the regular crew on Canada Day ’06. Lovely hazy yellow, huge white head. Dominant aroma of yeast, spice and a lot of hops. What an interesting taste - tons of bitterness, yet everything else is alike a Triple - tons of alcohol and yeast. Very spicy. Very complex and a joy to drink, what an interesting beer.

Bottle: Thanks Anthony. Beautiful cloudy golden pour with a fluffy huge off white head. Beautiful aroma of fresh dry bread crust, orange peel, spicy phenols, and white pepper. Fluffy feel with a dry flavor. Spicy, citric hops balance with a yeasty spiciness and dry bread crust like malt nuances. Complex and balanced. A very nice example.

Bottle: Aroma is very floral with a light citrus presence and moderate spice. Pours a cloudy gold with a huge white head with excellent retention and lacing. Flavor is floral with a moderate citrus presence and light spice. Finishes with a well balanced citrus hoppiness. I would never have guessed this to be 9% as the alcohol is well hidden. Comes across like a combination of a Belgian Wit and an IPA. Very nice.

Appearance: Pours a hazy, pale yellow body with a full, foamy, white head that’s rather meringue-like. Smell: Pale malts, some doughy qualities, freshly-squeezed lemons, and spice with a perfumy waft of alcohol and a distant note of apple. Taste: Pale malts, a tad biscuity, followed by a blast of sweetened lemon juice. Very mild banana, light spicing. Piney, citrusy hops with a medium-high bitterness balances the sugary qualities. Crisp, hoppy finish. Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Moderate carbonation. Drinkability: Way to really jazz up the tired, old tripel style, guys!