Chouffe Houblon Dobbelen IPA Tripel

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

New Beer in Town… Cost me $9.65 after tax

The beer pours a beautiful lightly hazy golden straw colored body and a massive pillow of frosty white head. The lacing is ridiculously solid! The aroma is yeasty, tart and doughy. Some sweet fruity mentions of pears and cantaloupe sneak in, but are followed by a strange fusel burn. The flavor is again, doughy and tart, biscuity, rather spicy, woody, but lingering candy sugar sweetness is always at hand. From this I can’t say that I am huge admirer of this beer, thus far. I could see how it would all come together without the sweetness… the herbal lemon-grassy-ness, the un-ripened banana, the cluttered suggestions of clove and grainy cracked wheat strangeness… I think I taste parsley??? If cobwebs had a flavor they would taste like this… musty… dank… powdery… I just can’t figure this beer out… Super dry, tart, lingering finish… Ummm… strangely, not my bag!

750 ml. bottle. Pours a clear pale gold producing one of the biggest, rockiest, and durable heads that I’ve ever seen. There was still 1/2 inch of foam and some sticky lace all over the glass 30 minutes later. Grain, honey, yeasty bread, orange, and spice combine for a heady aroma. Nice medium full body presents an intitial smoothness and lively carbonation which gives way to a little astringency. Rich light sweetness nicley balnced with a refreshing bitterness and some very spicy peppery hop flavors. Alcohol never really noticeable. I don’t know exactly what I was expecting with this, but it certainly proved to be exceptional

33cl bottle. Pours a hazy gold with a lasting, fluffy, white head that laces nicely. Just a touch of sediment in suspension. I imagine it’s easier to get a "cleaner" pour with the 750ml bottle. On the nose is a nice yeasty Belgian funk backed by citrus and noble hops. Lesser notes of peppery spice and light fruits hide out in the background. Medium-bodied and slick with very fine tongue-coating carbonation and a tight bitter finish. It possesses the dryness of a tripel with the bitter tongue-squeeze of an IPA at the end; quite nice. The flavor is a sweet, citric and yeasty tripel up front and subdued but well balance IPA finishing things off with a nice blend of sweet malt and both citric and earthy hops. This isn’t a west coast "in your face" hoppiness, but it is definitely here in full force. This is a hop-head’s kind of tripel. I happen to be a fan of both tripels and IPAs and would never have thought to blend the two styles. In this brew, however, it definitely works. My compliments to the brewmaster.

Draught at Ma Che Siete Venuti a Fà, Roma. September 08. I was stoked to find this on draught. Pours hazy golden with a creamy white head. Nice lacing around the glass. Great aroma of caramel malt, fruit, spices and a splendid floral nose. The flavour is extremely well balanced of malt and fruit, and the alcohol is well hidden. Smooth mouthfeel, very malty and enough bitterness as well, a richly complex Tripel.

Pours cloudy gold with nice big white head. Fruity Belgian nose with some hops. Flavor has a lot of fruit, with a bit of tropical hints. Nice and dry with a touch of hops.

From the tap, nice and clean. Nice hoppiness and alcohol bite. Nice fruit flavors. An interesting beer.

The aroma is a mixture of citrus, hops, vanilla, caramel, bread, and some spice. The color is a cloudy golden with a very nice head and lacing. The flavor has an earthiness that is balanced by a dry hoppiness. There is some fruitiness on the back of the palate.

Pleasantly crushed con Jakebra. What the fuck am I drinking? So misleading by the appearance. Looks like a cheap Heifeweizen. This is one of the most complexest beers I’ve ever tried. I don’t even know what to say about it. I am so impressed and confused and scared and overwhelmed. Just get this and try it. Absolutely blown away.