Brewed by Brasserie d’Achouffe (Moortgat) in the style of an Abbey Tripel and they do that in Achouffe, Belgium
330ml bottle of a 9%ABV beer, in NZ thats 2.34 standard drinks, 59 IBUS, and 270 calories.
59 IBU is somewhat more than a Stout and a skerrick less than a IPA.
This is very highly rated
A unique marriage between the English tradition of IPAs, the new American revolution of Imperial IPAs and the classic Belgian way of brewing. Houblon Chouffe, although very much hopped as it is, showcases the unique balance between a very strong IPA and a very special Belgian Tripel exclusively created for this ale (Big malty body, distinct dryness, expressive estery fruitiness). - IBU: 59, Original Gravity: 1092
So, I know it's early for me on a Saturday, but I was beer free on Friday for a thing, and so I've made myself a dispensation.
Familiar fruity type aroma on opening, slightly sour. Orange golden poor with a small head, which is persistent, aroma settles to a sweeter flatter note.
I thought that this tasted more sour than hop bitter. I enjoyed the nice malt though but this isn't enough to carry it to a long finish. Nice mouthfeel though, great lacing and the head is still in order.You can tell it's a Belgium beer, that's not in question, the take on an IPA is something else, it certainly elevates the profile away from the malts into the bitterness.
It isn't a bad beer to start with.
I would though have enjoyed this more with some food accompaniment to accentuate it and help it shine more.
The pdubyah-o-meter rates this in its arbitrary way, as it does, and this time it stops at 7 on the scale of things. 7 is good but this doesn't rock my boat or lead me to thinking that "why didn't they think of this before?" thinking.
As it warms in the glass it does get somewhat harsher on the finish, and all in all a mixed bag.
A bit like the music for this, which today is on vinyl machine behind me, and the album being flipped is "New Orleans Funk - 1960-74" This is one of the arbitrarily chosen tracks.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvRd8DiZ7Mc&w=480&h=360]
ABBEY TRIPEL
Like other abbey ales, Tripels are strong, yeasty-malty beers. But they are also pale, and have a notable hop profile. Hop bitterness may be higher than a typical abbey ale, up to 35IBUs. But the finish is where the hops really shine, as tripels should finish fairly dry. Otherwise, maltiness is still essential to the style, and the assertive yeast note typical of all abbey ales will be more apparent in tripels, since they do not have the rich dark malts to distract the palate. Alcohol flavours feature more prominently in Tripels that in just about any other style.
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