Kasteelbier Tripel Blonde 11%

Brewed by Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck
Style: Abbey Tripel
Ingelmunster, Belgium

In a chilled mug...Deep gold with a white, quickly disappearing head. Moderate aroma of sweet corn, alcohol, and a fruit difficult to pin down. Grape perhaps? Taste is ever so slightlyl spiced, very sweet and full of alcohol. Too sweet. Not enough character to balance the sweet or the alcohol. Wait...the 11% just kicked in, telling me this beer is not so disappointing after all! But I’ll stay with my sober assessment.

Poured a golden color with nice head good lacing. Aroma was of bananas and yeast coriander and other spices. Flavor was much the same but alcohol jumped out very warm.

Nice initial head, good retention, over top of a golden body with some cloudiness. The aroma was of apples, bananas, yeast, and some spicy coriander notes. The flavor was apples, strong bananas, and some strong spicing (but not overdone). Alcohol wasn’t hiding, a touch too strong, otherwise a standard tripel flavor profile (not bad, not good). Mouthfeel was well carbonated.

Could be deficiencies of the bottle, but this is the weakest Tripel I think I’ve ever tried. Pretty much average and flat and indistinct. Barely a whiff of aroma, little froth, only slightly cloudy, some unexciting flavor with Tripel-y kind of seasoning, and a little oily on the palate. Didn’t do much for me. For a beer, and not for a Tripel per se, this experience was most average.

Beer at home. Very high alcohol content which is not well hidden, but surprisingly drinkable. Nice ale. Quite spicy.

Pours a two finger white head that fades quickly leaving a little lace. Clear pale amber color. Good carbonation and medium bodied. Sour apricot nose. Starts sweet and sour but malty, some lemon, smooth. Finish is clean, warming. High ABV stays hidden. Nice triple. Best before Mar 2008. $3.99 for a 330ml bottle from John’s Grocery Iowa City, Ia.

Bottle from Super Saver. Turbid medium gold pour, with bready malty, citric, slight fruity, and hoppy aroma and flavor. The taste starts a bit hot and stays that way, whch detracts a bit from the overall enjoyment. As it warms, more fruity notes emerge, but this one is a hot bomb.

Clear gold blond coloured with some very light carbonation and a small diminishing white head. Powerfull sweet malty and yeasty aroma, light alcoholic. Full creamy texture, Finish is strong, light bitter, and sweet alcoholic with a warmer mouthfeel. Lasts long. Strong and good beer.