Chouffe Houblon Dobbelen IPA Tripel

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

75cl bottle from World of Beer (Largo, FL). Rated on 6/3/08. Pours a cloudy, golden yellow with thick frothy white head. Good head retention. Smells of juniper, spice, flowers, grapefruit, hops, musty apple. Taste if decidedly citrus with notes of grapefruit, sweet malt and many hints of honey. Very complex character to this beer. We noted a slight spicy-tart-sourness in the middle as the beer moves to the back of the mouth. Medium-bodied with a slightly bitter, hoppy finish. Interesting and complex tripel.

750 ml bottle acquired via trade. Pours out an insane amount of foamy white head. Every pour fills about 70% foam. A light orange color. The aroma is pretty light; lots of rich malts and some spices. The flavor is interesting; like a Belgian Strong Ale combined with a IPA. Lots of spices, yeast, and some citrus, but also a bitter hop finish. The alcohol is fairly light, and the mouthfeel is very creamy and full. Quite nice, but not amazing.

This beer really tests the idea of categorization. I mean this is a DIPA/Tripel, why is it listed only under one of the categories. I mean, I poured it into a wine glass and it had the head of a Duvel but with a murky golden body that one could not see through. The aroma was definitly the essence of what this beer was going for. A hoppy (citrus, grapefruit, pine) aroma with that belgian sweetness of a tripel. However the hops dominate while the tripel sits in the background, playing second fiddle. The taste however is too DIPA, I feel no tripel flavors except the lighter body for a high alcohol beer, which I figure is thanks to the candi sugar. There is no bitterness, again thanks to the belgian aspect of this beer. I could see some people thinking this is an abomination, in a way just messing up two good syles of beer. I however see this as a drinkable beer but short of the greatness it was going for. Oh, those tricky little chouffe’s are at it again. Maybe next they will make a smoked quadrupel, I’d be down. i would take the mad bitch over this anyday. In the end I just feel cheated, I would rather drink a good Tripel or a good DIPA. The sad thing is the Urthel Hop-it is even worse.

Draught at Milltown. Pours a hazy golden with a very nice meringue-like white head and nice lacing througout. Real Belgians on draught are always a treat for the eyes. Nose is earthy, with some citrus hops, and bit of lemon tartness. Flavor is dry and bitter with a bit of sweetness from the tripel, but lacking a bit when compared with the nose. Smooth, bitter finish. Nice stuff that I think I enjoyed more on draught.

On tap at Papago. Pours hazy peach with a thin white head. The nose is spicy yeast, malt and floral hops. The taste is floral hops, yeast, faint bubblegum and sweet citrus with some alcohol in the finish. Medium semi-creamy mouth feel. Decent stuff.

From a capped 750 ml. green bottle with a blurb on back that lists the hops, sampled after a few hours in the refrigerator in a La Chouffe snifter glass. Poured a semi-hazy yellowish, light orangey golden with a frothy, foamy white head, good retention, settled into a rocky, creamy lacing, fair amount of ringed laced sticking. Aromas of floral, herbal, earthy citrusy hops, earthy, lightly musty yeast and a subtle sweet Belgian pale malts. Good active carbonation and a crisp, slick, dry, carbonated smooth light bodied mouthfeel. Great hoppy taste, herbal, dry leafy, spicy, a light hint of sour citrus, grainy, dry, sweet biscuity malts with a trace of sugar, a subtle, balanced earthy musty yeastiness, the alcohol is well masked, but also warming in the palate, and a dry, crisp, spicy, leafy, citric and sweet malty finish. Another excellent brew from one of my favorite Belgian breweries, easy, smooth, dangerously quaffable drinkability, a must try.

Pours light golden with a nice foamy white head. Aroma of citrus, floral hops, and mellow yeasty esters of banana and melons. Taste is sweet and yeasty, notes of honey and fruity esters. Hop flavor is present, but not overpowering. Not sure I’d call this an IPA, but this is enjoyable nonetheless. Mouthfeel is medium/heavy bodied with a slight resinous quality with lush Belgian carbonation. Quite nice!

Bottle. Pours a hazy orange with quite a bit of a pillowy head. Aromas are a little dusty and reveal a little bit of tartness and funk. Flavor is interesting... almost like a sweet orange and apricot flavors with some sour and bitter stuff around the edges. Alcohol is detectable, but doesn’t really interfere or take center stage at any time.