Viking Brewing Abby Normal

Brewed by Viking Brewing Company
Style: Abbey Tripel
Dallas, Wisconsin USA

(12oz bottle, thanks nuplastikk) Large beige head atop lightly hazed dark copper body. Aroma is medium sweet, caramel, some apple, raisin, light spice. Taste is moderately sweet, apple, brown sugar, caramel. Light-medium body, some effervescence.

12oz bottle acquired in trade with footbalm (thanks!). Poured a deep brown color with a smaller sized off white head (quite a dark color for a tripel). Some larger floaters. Aromas of earthiness, fruity, caramel, burnt brown sugar, and very light spices in the background. Tastes of caramel, green apples, grapes, dark fruits, and some spices. A unique take on the tripel style (I would have guessed this was something else vs. a Tripel).

(Bottle) Pours a medium brown body with an average-sized off-white head. Aroma of raisins, pear, white grapes, and lots of Granny Smith apples. Flavor is fruity (mostly apples) and malt. Dry finish.

Dark brown with a thin off-white head. Brown sugary aroma with a touch of smoke, soap, and faint Belgian yeast. Sugary body has a touch of acidity and caramel. This needs some more balance, a fuller body, and less soapy flavor.

Deep dark copper with a somewhat foamy tan head. Aroma of light pear syrup, raspberries and oak. Light apple and pear flavors along with a dry oak finish. Quite light bodied. A touch of acidity, much like light wine vinegar. Lacks the body for the style and a bit too acidic. Capped and saved the remainder for what will be an extraordinary ale/oil salad dressing.

12 oz bottle, from Blue Max in Burnsville, MN (Dec 2005. Deep molasses, somewhat thin-looking with lots of small bubbles creeping up the glass towards the smallish, lasting wisp of tan head....caramelized/baked apples, brown sugar and banana in the overtly sweet nose, berries and cream, quite lovely....the body is quite sweet at first, sticky but not syrupy, somewhat lactic/sour (growing towards the finish), with doughy yeast prominent, and a sort of cottony quality to the drying mouthfeel at the end, not enough to ruin it but a bit problematic....anise & grapy flavors throughout....above average for this brewer and drinkable enough, though not necessarily something I’d seek out again.

At the GHBF: Ruby hued with a small tan head and some lace. The aroma has notes of green apple and toasted buttery malts, honey and some candi sugars, and dusty yeast esters. The taste starts with even more apple overtones. I never had a beer with this much fruity character that wasn’t actually a fruit beer! Minor bitters and malt makes it balanced. There is a slight, that’s SLIGHT vegetable undertone that does distract away from the main flavors. The feel is lively not aggressive. This is NOT A DUBBEL, a Single or just a Belgian Ale. I am rating it against those styles. This is so unique that I like it.

Picked up bottle at Blue Max and shared with Brewfiend. Pours a burnt amber brown with a fast dissolving white head. Aroma of sour apples, pears, sweet raisins, and sugar taffy. Taste is sweet, average blend with a lot of carbonation. Finish is of a sour apples and dry.