Redhook Tripel

Brewed by Redhook Brewery
Style: Abbey Tripel
Woodinville, Washington USA

Bottle from Bev 4 Less: Poured a crisp brass/ copper color with little to almost no head formation. Nose detected was an appetizing combination of spicy yeast that allowed for hints to banana, clove and bubblegum which could of fooled me for a German hefeweizen. The flavor is gentle with smooth slightly spiced Belgian yeast that has a bold flavor of clove and background of pepper and lime.

Poured from a 22oz into a pint glass. Much less carbonation then I expect from a Triple. Aroma is sweet and fruity. A little banana and clove in the nose. In the taste, I get a big vanilla presence. Fairly unique for triple, but still pretty good. A little bit of warming alcohol and followed by a mild dry finish. Overall a decent limited release from Redhook. Might do better after a few months in the cellar since this one was pretty green (bottled on 5/21/09).

Presentation: It was poured from a 1 pint 6oz or 650ml brown bottle into a chalice. A born on date of May 21 09 is printed on the bottle. (Sampled on 7-1-2009) Appearance: The body has a beautiful light orange amber color with very good clarity. A small creamy off whit head forms on top but quickly fades out completely and makes for no lacing at all. Smell: The aroma has a heavy phenolic presence plastic band aid, clove, fruity esters and a solvent like alcohol. Taste/Mouth Feel: There is a harsh warming alcohol up front and wrapped around estery/fruity yeast notes with descent leafy hop bitterness in the background. Overall it is fairly sweet with a little more of the hop bitterness coming out in the finish. The texture is very smooth with a nearly flat carbonation. Notes: This beer needs a lot more time to age as it is very raw when it is young. Also I think I got a bad bottle as far as the carbonation.

Bottled on: 5/21/09. Appearance: Pours a brilliant, orange-gold body with initially a full, foamy, off-white head, but it settles out surprisingly quickly. Smell: Sweet-scented aroma of wildflower honey sprinkled with sugar mixed with notes of white grapes and pears. Generous dose of cracked cloves. Some notable wafts of alcohol sting the nostrils. Taste: Pale, faintly bready malts with a blend of honey and candi sugar sweetness. Kick of clove spiciness. Touch of tangy pear fruitiness dipped in white wine. Subdued, earthy bitterness. Fairly phenolic with some band-aid undertones. Peppery alcohol precedes the semi-dry finish. Mouthfeel: Medium-plus body. Medium-plus carbonation. Drinkability: A passable American-born tripel and an admirable attempt from ole Redhook. The drinkability is okay, but I was beginning to weary near the bottom of the bottle.

22oz. Bottle: Aroma of Belgian yeast, marzipan, burnt sugar, slight vanilla, slight malts, and spices. Poured amber/orange in color with a small, white head that diminished but lasted around the edges. Clear. Slightly sparkling. Flavor is lightly sweet and lightly bitter. Tastes of slight alcohol, spices, burnt sugar, and Belgian yeast. Light to medium body. Oily lightly dry texture. Average carbonation. Burnt sugar, Belgian yeast, and slight spice finish is slightly sticky and lightly dry.

Bottle. Pours a hazy orange amber with a white head. Very present etoh latent bubblegum banana type esters. Sweet with candi sugars and some lighter spices subdued by sheer sweetness. EH.

A decent effort for for this brewer. The head rises and falls to nothing. Liquid gold in the glass with strong aromas. Good flavor and carbonation. It’s a malt bomb with balanced sweetness. It’s on the flabby side with not much structure.

Bubble gum aroma. Medium yellow colour with off-white soapy head. ABove average carbonation. Too much yeast up front and aggressively carbonation. Other than that, drinkable. Candi helped to disguise the high alcohol. Medium mouthfeel overall, some off-sournish in finish. A half pint is a lot.