Gouden Carolus Tripel

Sampled from 750ml bottle. Hazy and golden hued. White head. Floral and caramel nose. Sticky and honeyish. Touch bready. Lively effervescence. Medium to full bodied. Dry palate. Floral yeasty flavors. Good bitter finish.

Pours into the chalice a hazy golden-orange color. Produces a beautiful thick, dense pillow-like head with superb retention. An intricate lacing pattern of foam adheres to the sides of the glass. The nose is a bit muted, but with pleasant fruity notes of pineapple, banana, vanilla wafer cookies and honey in the forefront. A faint touch of yeast, light malts, spice and perfume linger in the background. Mouthfeel is perfectly balanced between the velvety smooth and creamy texture of a big beer and the expected tingle of CO2 from a Belgian Ale. Flavor profile a bit more assertive than the aroma. Starts out with a fruity, malty sweetness; very much like the nose. Then gradually moves into a slight peppery, spicy alcohol presentation and finally finishes with a somewhat surprising, but slightly astringent moderately bitter hoppy finish. All in all a solid Triple save for the slightly distracting finish. I’d definitely go back for more.

Bottle (expired 17-12-2005) at home - Thanks jeppe. Unclear amber - white head. Aroma: Sweetness, fruity, yeasty, light honey, flowery. Taste: Sweetness, flowery, dusty, honey, ryebread, elderflowers, light fruity, light light alcholic mouthburn. Nice.

11,2 oz bottle. Served in a Delirium Tremens tulip glass. Aroma of pale malts and saaz hops. Bright golden beer with a thick creamy white head and sheets of lacing. Flavor is sweet pale malts and booze to start, fading to a hoppy presence with a mildly bitter finish. I love triples. Smooth, sweet, alcoholic and hoppy. Fruity and peppery, and a strong yeastiness. This one looks good and tastes good. A world class beer from a brewery that deserves its high reputation.

Brown bottle, 33 cl, best before 28.08.09, savoured on June 7 2007; eye: golden, lightly hazy, voluminous white head that falls but remains throughout the tasting, good lacing, slight effervescence; nose: apple, yeast, fruity, banana, alcohol, lime; mouth: in that order, quite carbonated, creamy, lightly fruity, pepper from the alcohol, light vanilla, hops, malt, long finale where the pepper of the alcohol becomes quite present, a bit dry, mildly sweet, lightly bitter, medium body, a bit thin, creamy and alcoholic texture; overall: fine FRANÇAIS Bouteille brune, 33 cl, meilleure avant 28.08.09, savourée le 7 juin 2007; œil : dorée, légèrement voilée, mousse blanche abondante qui tombe mais demeure, bonne dentelle, très légère effervescence; nez : pomme, levure, fruitée, banane, alcool, lime; bouche : dans cet ordre, pas mal carbonatée, crémeuse, léger fruité, poivre de l’alcool, légère vanille, houblon, malt, longue finale où le poivre de l’alcool devient très présent, un peu sèche, moyennement sucrée, légèrement amère, corps moyen, un peu mince, texture crémeuse et alcoolique; en résumé : bien

Hazy straw colour with white head. Apricot, peach nose with some hints of yeast. Fruity flavour, with belgian yeast. Some hints of vanilla. Slight spicy finish with a dry note.

On tap at the Yardhouse in San Diego. Nice deep golden appearance with a light vanilla head on it. Very fruity aroma, thick with Belgian yeast and lots of banana, pear and strong alcohol in the aroma. Flavor reminds me somewhat of Gulden Draak, although lighter and fluffier. Sweet malty flavor with peppery spice and a good hops finish. Palate is quite carbonated, yet smoothed by the dry alcohol finish.

75cl bottle. Freebie at Hotel Carolus, My favourite brewery does not disappoint! Loads of vanilla, coriander, grains and orange in aroma and taste. It’s full of flavour, but quite subtle. Lacking the harshness of other tripels. The best I’ve had to date.