Val-Dieu Triple

Brewed by Brasserie de l’Abbaye du Val-Dieu
Style: Abbey Tripel
Aubel, Belgium

Great head/lacing. There some grassy aromas present that I wasn’t necessarily expecting, but don’t find unpleasant. Taste is less sweet and less bitter than I was expecting...watered down almost. The sweetness seems to be all candi sugar though. Nice spices too. Body is a bit small for a 9% beer. The bottom line is: not a stellar example of a tripel...but quite quaffable.

I have to agree with some of the previous ratings. This is a little thin, in body and aroma, also in the mouthfeel. Has some nice spiciness that is defintely better when it warms. Otherwise, there is a bit of an apple skin, lead pencil taste going on in the finish.

Bottle A little thin maltwise considering what the style makes you expect. Pours a big white head on a hazy yellow body. candi sugar and Belgian spicines crowds out any malt.

2008-07-04, bottle at Le Carolus, Paris, 7-5-7-3-15=37
Hazy golden color; big thick head. The aroma is soft, malty, a bit spicy; freshly cut wood. Good flavor, very sweet for a Triple, with a very light fruity touch and a very light trace of Belgian yeast; the sweetness and light spices produce an impression of liquorice. Almost missing bitterness. Not a typical one, but good.

2004-05-26, 7-5-8-4-14=38
Golden color; nice and persistent perlage, supporting a rocky foam cap, generous. Nice Tripel aroma, delicate spices and lemon zest. Reasonably good malty body, maybe not really dry and spicy as expected; with some sweet orange peel. The hopping shows quite late…

[On tap, Udine 2004] I’m going to be the highest rater for this beer, but I really liked this one and I saved it for my 200th rating! Poured in its proper Val du Dieu glass, looks magnificent, golden and shiny, with a perfectly white, fine, creamy, and eternally lasting head. Rather weak fruity aroma; the taste is an explosion of fresh fruit (apricot, orange, grapes), yeast, subtle hops. Medium to full body. White wine-like, tasty, crisp, very easy to drink, hides the 9% ABV extremely well. Even my girlfriend liked it.

330mL bottle, 05.20.04 Pours bright, pale yellowish golden; fluffy white head, quite lasting; very fine lace, though ample. Aromas of orange/citrus, clove, barnyard, green apple. Flavors of pear, sugar, honey; buttermilk-like in a sort of creamy though sour way. Simple, not much depth to flavor or palate, which is mostly lightly creamy though tingly in its carbonation. As beer warms, the sourness comes more to the forefront. I don’t really smell or taste the high ABV. As tripels go, this one is unspectacular.

Hazy golden hue with fuffy head and very good lace. The aroma has notes of lemongrass and orange rind, hay and wheat, dusty yeast esters, mild bitters and cardamom. The taste starts with a twangy and bittersweet note. Some undertones of spice, fruit, and yeast. Very earthy tasting on the finish. The mouthfeel is lively and astrengent. Not like most tripels, lacks the punch I was expecting, somewhat "dumbed down", an average beer.

Aroma is citrus, hops, little smoked. Hazy, yellow color, white head, good lace. Sweet, little bitter, fruity, little apple. Medium body, little alcohol burn in the very end.