Alesmith Mikkeller Stone Belgian Style Tripel Ale

Brewed by Stone Brewing Co.
Style: Abbey Tripel
Escondido, California USA

Pours like hazy, apricot nectar from the 12oz. bottle into a snifter: An inviting nose of apricot, peach, yeast, and dough, with some spice notes of a Tripel. Tastes similar, with more sour and a heavily dry spice ladden flavor. Light to medium bodied. Drinkability: Take it or leave it. I prefer to leave it. Rebuy: Probably not. #231 on 29112009, DG.

Bottle. Pale, cloudy and a bit orange coloured liquid. A really nice, rich and fruity aroma with floral hop notes. Taste doesn’t really live up to the aroma, but it’s still rich and with real fruity hops, some yeast and citrus. Nice.

Bouteille de 12 oz obtenue via Importations Privées Bièropholie. Arôme: Odeur de caramel et de pamplemousse. Apparence: La couleur est blonde légèrement voilée avec une faible densité de bulle. Présence d’un mince col mousseux et d’une fine dentelle sur le verre. Saveur: Goût de pamplemousse avec une pointe de mangue et de caramel. Durée moyenne de l’arrière goût. Palette: Le corps est moyen avec une texture légèrement minérale. Moyenne effervescence en bouche. Présence d’agrumes en arrrière goût. (Rating #2762)

Serving date: 2009-03-17. Served in tulip. Best before: 2010-10-22. Golden yellow, somewhat cloudy. 3 finger off-white, slightly uneven and airy head that settles a little too fast. Minimal lacings. A fresh smell with a nice blend of sweet and semi-tart aromas. Plenty of fruit (clementine, banana). Some yeast, dry earth and just a hint of toffee. Plenty of clean and distinct hop flavors, mostly fresh fruity (grapefruit, clementine, banana, mango). Some hey, earth and tobacco. Very restrained yeast character. The malts (caramel-like) are also on the weak side. A faint note of bubblegum. The finish is rather bitter and dry, and has a slight alcoholic twang (spicy). Some pine-needles and planting soil. Medium body, lighter than expected. The carbonation is somewhat lively and tickling. This one came out a bit weird to me. Don’t get me wrong, it’s quite tasty, but is rather far away from ordinary tripel territory. It’s distinct hop character (grapefruits, pine etc) makes it reminiscent of an American pale ale or IPA, rather than a tripel. In addition, most tripels boast way bigger yeast aromas than this one does. I like it when belgian style ales are not as clean and tidy as this one is. Serving type: bottle (Copy of old Beer Advocate review)

355ml bottle from Wine Emporium in Brisbane. Pours hazy gold with a negligible white head and lacing. Aromas of caramel, honey, oranges, yeasts, alcohol and light hops. Tastes like a orangey Belgian Tripel with added hops that provide a soft dry spicy bitter finish. It is medium bodied with a smooth syrupy mouthfeel and lowish carbonation. Enjoyable but lacks the complexity of flavours of the best Abbey Tripels in my opinion.

12oz bottle
8.7% ABV
I tried this beer on November 13, 2009 at ’The Beerbistro’ in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The beer poured a hazy translucent gold colour with a thin white head, and detectable yeast. The aroma was combination of yeast, spice, and bready malt. The mouthfeel was medium bodied with medium carbonation. The flavour was malt, some citrus and licorice tones, and some leather. I was expecting a WHOLE lot more.

Tasted 11/12/09. 12oz bottle. Mildly hazy with a golden hue. Bubbled white head. Aromas of apples and orange citrus with a slightly nutty note. Medium bodied with a lot of citrus flavors. Sticky malt profile. Chewy with a honeyish note. Odd citrus and an odd heat. Good.

Brown bottle, 12 ounces, via Importations Privées Bièropholie (merci Hughes!), savoured on November 10 2009; eye: golden with straw reflections, clear, no effervescence, tiny sheet of off-white head, no lacing; nose: yeast, fruity, alcohol, pine, light perfumy, citrusy; mouth: yeast, orange, alcohol, pine, hops, citrusy, dry and a bit short finale in alcohol, medium body, not much carbonation, a bit thin, light astringency, mildly bitter; overall: I was expecting more FRANÇAIS Bouteille brune, 12 onces, via Importations Privées Bièropholie (merci Hughes!), savourée le 10 novembre 2009; œil : dorée avec des reflets paille, claire, pas d’effervescence, petit anneau de mousse blanc cassé, pas de dentelle; nez : levure, fruité, alcool, pin, léger parfumé, citrique; bouche : levure, orange, alcool, pin, houblon, citrique, finale sèche et un peu courte en alcool, corps moyen, peu carbonatée, un peu mince, légère astringence, moyennement amère; en résumé : je m’attendais à plus