Tripel Karmeliet

Brewed by Brouwerij Bosteels
Style: Abbey Tripel
Buggenhout, Belgium

Bottled. The 3rd to last beer in my (rather simple) quest to rate all the top 50 most rated beers. This was one I passed up for far too long, merely because it was so readily available but slightly pricey. However, a $4 Belgian that was way too expensive a few years ago is now not a bad deal at all.

This pours initially a very clear gold with a nice, large bubbled head that fades pretty fast. An addition of the yeast (which was deemed critical after my first smell and sip) made it quite cloudy and nice, with some lacing that lasts in the glass and minor, actively rising carbonation.

The aroma is at first fruity and sweet, highlighting strawberry and pomegranate, and transitions to a more herbal, woodsy profile as the beer breathes and warms. While mostly licorice and alcohol when still, agitation provides a welcome complexity. However, the nose is a bit too sweet to me and lacking in a forward, doughy yeast that I always hope for in the best tripels.

The flavor is calm and inviting, displaying a mild sweatiness through with notes of egg, thyme, and mild tropical fruits. The carbonation is quite low and rather soft; I could do with a bit more here. There is a short, sweet finish, which leaves a bit of sugar on the lips, but there is a lack of complexity that I find disappointing.

In the end, I must say this one was a disappointment. Tripels to me are a theoretically fantastic style, yet I can find so few examples that truly impress me. With the very high rating on this one I expected an undiscovered (to me) gem that I’d been passing up for way too long, but instead was let down by a fairly straight-forward, too sweet (marginally) beer that differs little from most else out there. Guess I’ll have to keep looking.

Great beer! Golden color, with fruits -strawberry?- and carmelized sugar. Not overly sweet or sticky, but very nicely balanced. A tripel to rival Chimay as my favorite.

Very lively beer, lot of things to look at. white foam, lots of it. Has that pale tripel look.Very complicated and interesting flavor, slightly bitter finish but with some white chocolate?

Bottle (green bottle, really?). Pours golden with a big foamy white head. Sweet sugar taste with apples and floral notes. Best tripel I’ve tried to date.

apple, then leather, hay and hops and a rather sweet taste with enough bitterness that has more lenght then intensity

Good tripel. Sweeter than most if my memory serves me right. Big head, and easy to drink. Right up there with Unibroue and Westmalle.

750 mL bottle. Golden pour with a huge white fluffy head. Aroma of malt, grass and bread. Medium body with a taste of bread, Belgian yeast, slight hops and malt. Great dry finish.

Bottle. Pours a cloudy light orange with big fluffy off-white head. Aroma is very nice, some spice, citrus peel, a little funky, some barnyard, lemon grass, some grassy hoppiness, earthy, light malt, faint banana, a little alcohol spice. Flavor is very crisp and the same as what I mentioned above with faint tang. Mouth feel is light-medium body, very high fizzy carbonation....Overall, this beer is incredibly tasty and very easy to drink....Would be refreshing during the summer and will warm you up during the winter....A perfect all season beer!