Karl Strauss 20th Anniversary Bourbon-Aged Trippel

Brewed by Karl Strauss Brewing Company
Style: Abbey Tripel
San Diego, California USA

On tap @ Karl Strauss. Poured a hazy rusty brown color with a one finger thick beige head. Great nose of bourbon, vanilla, oak and a bit of Triple fruitiness. Flavor was just right on the bourbon, not too much or too little, just right.

On tap @ O’Brien’s Pub: Poured with a thick creamy whip cream style of serving head and color was a dark mahogany with brown tint. Aromas boasted strong alcohol content as well as a deep sweetness of malt base. The flavor was an incredible rich and sweet taste of vanilla and cream paired with an underlining taste of oak and bourbon.

On Tap at O’Brien’s. Pours with a hazy amber body and a small, off-white head. Aroma of bourbon, candi sugar, wood, pear, and spice. Taste is bourbon, and strong, with oak, vanilla, candi sugar, pear, caramel and a bit of spice. If you like barrel aged beers, which I do, then this is very good. Syrupy mouthfeel, light carbonation.

On tap at O’Brien’s (San Diego, CA). Karl Strauss does a Belgian?!?! A hazy golden orange with almost no head. Aroma is kind of weak with the bourbon barrel predominant. The bourbon barrel continues into the taste which is a mellow and malty with some hints of fruit. Smooth finish and the high alcohol content is almost undetectable. A good beer, and impressive for what may be Karl Strauss’ first attempt at a Belgian. But the barrel aging seems to have made this just a little mellow for my taste -- I like my tripels bright and lively.

On tap at OBriens. Katie ordered a glass of this stuff without a taster, so at first I was quite skeptical (I mean, come on, a barrel-aged beer from Strauss?) I thought wrong. This stuff is really damn good. Im not sure I can think of another barrel-aged Tripel Ive had. Aroma is sweet potpourri with light fruits and some nice oak barrel. The whiskey is hidden here, but comes out firmly in the flavor; along with nuances of pear and ginger spice, with lots of vanilla. Finishes with noticeable oak wood and more bourbon. Alcohol heat is well-maintained. Nice!

on draft at beachwood bbq hazy dark gold pour with a one fingered head, this beer melds the trippel style with the bourbon barrel nicely. the fruitiness of the trippel begins the flavors but smoothly slides into the oakiness and vanilla of the barrel aging.

On tap. Poured a nice golden orange with a medium white head. Aroma was a nice blend of apple, wheat, bourbon, wood and fruit. Flavor had a nice array of flavors. The aging added complexity and depth, without overpowering the flavor with boozy tones. Wheat, banana, wood/bourbon, with a nice blend of sweetness and fruit. Good stuff.

On tap at Hamiltons. Hazy golden orange. Sweet fruit caramel and bourbon aroma and taste with nice vanilla and oak flavors.