Kameleon Tripel

33cl bottle, vintage unknown
Consumed at Bier Circus, Brussels, May 2006
After having this at the cafe and putting down my rating, I had it a few more times around Brussels, but it never was as good as my first rating. There were different ages on the bottles, so I suspect I either had one that was damn near perfect (age, conditions, storage, temp), or the one I had, for some reason, had really dried out. Regardless, the dryness found in the first bottle is what makes me like this one so much. First taste is intensely dry, almost perfectly dry for a tripel... juicy, dry alcoholic string on the tongue. Fresh tasting, perfectly crafted, perfectly balanced between sweetness and dryness. Dry, dusty nose, raw, airy juicy scented. Great beer all around. Subsequent bottles have been more sweet, less dry, and had more of an old orange flavor, but I’m not letting that affect my rating so much.

Photograph of Bottle & Glass:
http://www.youforgotpoland.org/beer/KameleonTripel.jpg

Bottle, Bier Circus, Brussels, Nov 04. Head is initially huge, frothy, rocky, white, fully lasting. Body is hazy dark yellow, bottle conditioned. Aroma is lightly malty (toasted grain), moderately hoppy (herbs, lemon), moderately yeasty (barnyard, horseblanket), with notes of clove, licorice, and band-aid. Flavor is moderately sweet, moderately acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly sweet, moderately acidic, moderately bitter. Medium body, velvety texture, lively carbonation., lightly alcoholic. Whew, this was one of the best beers I had on my Nov ’04 trip to Belgium, and I hadn’t ever heard of den Hopperd before (my friend ordered it, and I stole it after catching a whiff!). Total surprise. Lots of wild yeast character, with a fresh bright hop nose, nice phenols, balanced very well, and overall just a joy to behold, smell, and drink.

Bottle 33 cl (bio Planet). This is the second time ill taste this beer. Dark golden color. Tall, full, frothy and white head unclean. Hoppy, dry with a bitterness. Moderately sweet finish. Very well balanced beer. I even love it more then the first time I tasted it.

Somewhat spicy/ fruit malt. Incredible finish, smooths out and lingers with flavor. Could have more complexity in the flavor, but a pleasant surprise as it was recommended to me by the bartender in a local bar in Brussels--Le Bier Circus (quite possible my new favorite place on earth).

33 cl bottle, bottled on? Pale blond, very hazy with a lot of yeast particles and an abundant and rather stable head. Sweet alcohol aroma with hops and apricot. Yet very dry in the mouth, hop, citrus fruits clearly present in the flavour; some resemblance to lambiek is also there. Very refreshing and enlivening. Those Dutch guys must have drunk a spoiled batch.