Gouden Carolus Tripel

Brewed by Brouwerij Het Anker
Style: Abbey Tripel
Mechelen, Belgium

One of my favorite tripels. I have had it many times on draft at the Sharp Edge in Pittsburgh and numerous times via the bottle at home. Sampled from an 11.2 oz brown bottle this beer pours a nice clear golden color with a large white head. The aroma is strong spiciness with a bit of fruit. A strong peppery spicy flavor with some sweetness and tartness added follows. Thick on the tongue. Mild spiciness lingers on the palate. A marvelous Triple and a world classic.

wow! what a aroma, fresh peaches, citrus, hops, just perfect for the style. Perfect appearance, very thick head, pure golden colour! Taste is explosive, this is Golden Monkey on steroids after a night out! Very easy, but oh so good, perfect mixture of sweetness, yeast, malt and hops. WHERE THE HELL ARE THE 9% ABV ???? In my eyes, this is the definition of a triple, I´m very surprised that the top raters havent rated this higher, this beats Victory, Allagash, and Westmalle by a long shot. A gold of a beer!

Pours yellow golden honey w/ a huge spritzy froth leaving a small puddle of golden nectar at the top. Aroma is fresh w/ hops and sharp malt. Medium to full nectar w/ ample residual effers w/ a few streams of champagne bubbles. Flavors are rich and slightly fruity w/ banana gum, pine, honey, sharp malt. Complex and well balanced. Not too fruity. Slight alcohol on the finish w/ perfect bittering. Connoisseurs choice!

**UPDATE: 10-13-06: ADD a few crystals of clear Belgian Candi sugar to the glass- the result is a very sweet treat!** Iv’e been a devotee of this Triple for several years now, and it never disappoints! Good marshmallow, butterscotch (not diacettyl!) bouquet, excellent head retention, (Brussels lace). Take special care to serve this between 50 - 60 degrees F. Serve in a Trappist goblet. I am one of those weirdos that would pair this with almost any food. Now- to tap into my "mixologist" side- to create a "Kicked Up" Triple, pour a 11.2 Fl Oz. bottle into a trappist goblet, and then.... add a 1/2 shot of Yukon Jack Canadian Liquor. The high alcohol does NOT dissipate the head of the beer and adds to the sweetness (and strength!) It compliments the taste wonderfully! Dont go overboard with the Yukon Jack- use it in the following proprotions: for every 11.2 Oz., use a half a shot of Yukon Jack. Now you do the math to set the proportions for the amount of this Triple you are drinking. It’s great warming drink for the Winter that is soon approaching.

Pours a very hazy dark yellow orange color with a medium amount of froathy white head. Aroma is very sweet and fruity, passion fruit, grapefruit, and banana. Flavor is very smooth and sweet, honey and banana and apple and orange. Finish is dry but still sweet and nectary. Overall, an alltime favorite. Wish i had more.

Bottle: Poured a golden hazy beer with a huge head with perfect retention. Aroma is quite complex with a mix of yeast, hops, malts and something sweet like some orange. Taste is just incredible with a perfect mix between sweetness (this beer gotta have some candi sugar in it) and the hops. Alcohol is not noticeable at all, which is great when you have a 9% ABV beer. Overall, this is just wonderful, probably one the best discovery from my recent trip to Belgium.

Caged and corked 750 pours a solid golden yellow and stands in the glass with a mightly glow like that of lava. Huge dense cap of firm white foam floats ever so loftily to the height of about two inches with ease. Keeps about a half inch of it always sitting. Mega impressive. Light streams are noticeable along the glass edge within the golden glow of color. Lacing is delicately patched in moderate splotches. A looker of an ale. Aroma is medium or so in tone with a grassy edged citrus of tangerine, pineapple, and dullish lemon. Little perks of peppery spice and bubble gum esters makes for some fun notings on the nose as it warms. Caramel becomes a bit more evident as well. Taste is firm and solid with a wonderfully thick caramel loaded malt thats completely laced with all sorts of fun citrusy spices and yeast play. Mild, dullish flavors that last and last are what makes this quite spectacular. The caramel totally backs up this floral spiced citrus thats super dulled with a slimming after thickness in a plummy orange marmalade and lemon/pineapple jam. Sugary and darkly sweet and totally yummy. Nice little mixing yeasty spice and grab with a complexing feel and thick play and the palate. So, along with that, this has the perfect body and feel for a Triple. At least the way I favor them. Thick, smooth, and fairly beefy with malt. Great lasting flavors and finish with a slender side to its spice and citrus thats quite sugary thick and playful just like the candy it simulates. The caramel is divine in this stuff. Lovely. Warm. Tasty and lengthy. The 9% is barely evident as it warms gradually throughout each sip adding to its sippable, yummifingly yummyness. Drinkable to the point of easy going sipping with an intriguing pull for more after each one of those sips. A Solid F*ckin’ Tripel ! Side note: Served at 50 degrees F. and only got better as it warmed, around 56 - 58. Perfect.

Hazy gold colour with a massive, frothy head. Sweet, spicy evocative aroma. Taste of pear and melon, fresh and delightful, with a background citric orange sourness and a slight bitter finish. Outstanding.