Half Door Brewing Company's Belgian Tripel

I recently spent several days in San Diego for work.  It is not the first time that I have spent a significant amount of time in "America's Finest City."  The last time that I did this trip, I found a small brew pub just outside the Gas Lamp District. It was Half Door Brewing Company.  It was also the place that I would go to get away from my work.

Fast forward a few years, and, I found myself back in San Diego. I was not able to get back to Half Door Brewing Company until the last day of my trip.  I went up to the bar and perused the beer list.  It seemed that hazy IPAs dominated that list, with the North East IPA, Diamond Dress, Swole City, and Hoban House IPA at the top of the list.  Then there were the lagers, with the Bat Flip to the Moon Black Lager, Media Puerta Mexican Lager and the Summer Bock bringing up the rear of the list. There were a couple of individual styles, such as a Dry Irish Stout and a Red Ale. But, one beer caught my eye. It was neither a hazy IPA nor a lager. It was one of my favorite styles, namely the Belgian Tripel.

I have done several reviews of Belgian Tripel beers; and, as I took a few sips from this beer, I decided that I should do another, albeit quick review. The reason is simple: Half Door Brewing Company's Tripel is a very good example of the style. 

The beer poured a solid golden color with decent clarity. The golden beer was topped with a white foam that receded to the edges.  The aromas of the beer greeted the nose with some of the traditional elements of the Belgian style, with some clove, banana and slight hint of the hops used to brew the beer. As for the taste, the Tripe was very smooth, a nice balance of both hops and malts that provided the foundation for some citrus fruits and some of that banana elements from the aroma. The beer also gave slight hints of the fact that it comes with a 10.8% ABV, which is at the high end of the alcohol content that one would expect from a Belgian Tripel. 

In the end, Half Door Brewing Company's Tripel was a good way to end a work trip.  If you happen to find yourself in San Diego for work (or for play or if you just live there), you may want to make your way to Half Door Brewing ... if only to try the Tripel.

ENJOY!

The Sprecher Series ... The Tripel

It is the third step in the Belgian series.  There was the Enkel, which was surprisingly good.  And there was the dubbel.  I like dubbels.  The next one is the tripel.  Ordinarily, I like tripels.  However, this tripel was a slightly different story.

I think of this beer progression like a movie franchise.  The Enkel was a very good example of a patersbier, much like Star Wars: A New Hope was a very good first movie. (I don't consider the prequels to be the first of the Star Wars genre, because I don't like those movies.)  Then, there was the Dubbel, which was a very good sequel to the Enkel.

And then there is the Tripel.  But for my "Sprecher Series," I probably would not have written a review for this beer.  It is one of the more forgettable tripels that I have had tried recently.  I don't think that is the fault of the brewers.  There are a lot of good reviews for this beer on sites such as Ratebeer and Untappd.  I think the reason lies with this particular bottle of beer.  This particular bottle of the tripel was just not a good one.  

The Sprecher Tripel pours a dull yellowish-gold color, with little to no carbonation.  The flatness of the beer gave way to some banana elements in the aroma, which one would expect with a tripel.  That banana carried through with the taste, and was accompanied with some clove notes.  However, the most noticeable element was apple, which one would not expect with a tripel.  That apple was a little tart, which suggested that perhaps this particular bottle was the exception to what would otherwise be a very good progression of Belgian beer styles.  

I hope that I can get another bottle of the Tripel so that I can see if the flatness of this tripel was just an issue with the particular bottle that I had.  If I ever make my way back to Wisconsin, I will certainly look into buying one and doing an updated review.  Until then ... 

ENJOY!

A Head Trip

It is the beer with the "kaleidoscope eyes."  That fat-headed man, wearing a monk's robe, who adorns a label that asks you to "[p]icture yourself in a worn tie-died t-shirt" and "your head in the clouds."  All you see is "Belgian malt in the sky." You hear "somebody tells you to sip it quite slowly."  You oblige, and you experience, "spicy phenolics with yeast, fruit and clove.  Showering over your head."  The experience is such that, "you can't help but smile when it drifts past your nose."  You take another sip.  "The aroma so incredibly fine.  Complex fruit, hops, yeast and more clove.  A rich mouthfeel and a slightly sweet finish."

That is quite the description for a Belgian Tripel.  I could just see a bunch of Trappist Monks at Westmalle (where the style is said to have gained its popularity), strolling around the brewery wearing their tie-died Rassaphones, Stavrophores, and even Great Schemas.  All looking up in the Belgian sky while those spicy aromatic compounds rain down on their hooded heads.   

The Belgian Tripel style has its traditional characteristics. According to the Beer Judge Certification Program, a tripel should be deep yellow or deep gold, with aromatic fruity esters of pepper, cloves, and citrus or banana.  Those phenols find themselves in the taste of the tripel beer.  a combination of spicy, fruity, and alcohol notes.  The spice comes from pepper notes, the fruit comes from the banana or citrus elements, and the alcohol comes from, well the ABV, which can fall within the range of 7.5% to 9.5%.

The brewers at Fat Head's have created a Belgian-style Tripel that fits neatly within the BJCP guidelines and worthy of an award.  The Head Trip pours a mellow golden color, with a thin foam that sits like lazy clouds on a warm summer day.   The aroma of this beer speaks of malt, with some banana, clove and yeast.  As for the taste,  with a thin level of foam. Aromas of malt, some banana and clove, yeast.  Those phenols find themselves in the taste of the Head Trip. Clove, banana gum, allspice.

This beer is not available where I live, because Fat Head's does not distribute in my area.  However, if you happen to be in the Cleveland, Ohio area, or in another area where you see it sitting on the shelves, this beer is definitely worth a try.

ENJOY!

The Bornhem

The phrase "abbey ale" or "abbey-style ale" is meant to invoke a specific image.  One of trappist monks working in the brewery attached to a monastery, producing beer for both the soul and the stomach.  Of course, it is just an image.  Trappist beers come with a specific label indicating that it is an "Authentic Trappist Product."  To have that label, the beer must satisfy some rather specific requirements adopted in 1992, including one in which the beer is produced entirely within the walls of the monastery.  If the beer cannot meet that requirement, then it cannot be labeled as an authentic Trappist product.

So goes the story of the Bornem.  Originally, the beer was brewed by monks at the St. Bernard Abbey in the Belgian town of Bornem.  However, during the French Revolution, the monks fled to England.  They returned to monastery after the revolution was over, but their numbers dwindled.  Eventually, it reached the point that the monks lacked the manpower to brew the Bornem beers.  Thereafter, they licensed Brouwerij Van Steenberge to produce the beers.  In so doing, however, the monks lost the ability to label their beers as a trappist product.  Instead, the Bornem beers, like the Tripel (or "Triple"), became "Abbey Ales."

The Bornhem Tripel pours a golden color, with a thick cloud of foam.  That cloud quickly recedes, leaving much smaller puffy clouds gently resting on the surface of the beer.  The aromatic elements of this beer have the characteristic spiciness of a tripel, suggesting cloves, bananas and even a little bubble gum.  There is little to no hop aromas, which is to be expected given that a tripel is produced with three times as much malts as an ordinary beer.  As for the taste, once again the Bornem displays the classic attributes of a tripel ... bananas with a light malty or bready flavor, as well as some hints of the Belgian yeast.  There is some spice, such as a hint of pepper in the background, but nothing that even rises to the level of the other elements in the beer. Finally, there is a hint of booziness in the taste of the beer.  After all, the Bornem Tripel has an ABV of 9%.

When it comes to pairing the Bornem with food, the most common suggestion is to pair the tripel with a variety of cheeses.  Indeed, this beer will work well with most hard cheeses, except those that incorporate whole seeds (like cumin seeds), as well as soft and blue cheeses.  Another common suggestion is to enjoy this beer as a digestif after a nice meal.  

I was given this bottle by my father, so I don't know how much it costs.  I have to say that I have not seen it in any stores.  But, if you should happen to run across it, it might be worth a try.  

ENJOY!

Westmalle Tripel

There is always a story; you just have to look for it.  One of my goals with this blog is to learn those stories.  On this occasion, the story begins with a quote: living and acting, knowing and doing, experience and action, cannot be experienced without one another: the one makes the other possible.  Those are the words of the Westmalle Abbey -- also known as the Abdij Onze-Lieve-Vrouw van het Heilig Hart van Jezus or the Brouwerij der Trappisten van Westmalle.

According to the Oxford Companion of Beer, edited by Garrett Oliver, the abbey was founded in 1794 by several Cisterian monks.  The abbey started brewing beer in 1836 and it was selling beer to the public by 1856.  During that same year, the trappist monks brewed a beer that some consider to be the first "double" beer or "dubbel."  Using their knowledge and experience, which was developed over the succeeding decades, the trappist monks also brewed a beer in 1934 that was labelled as the first "triple" or "tripel." 

Recently, I bought a bottle of the Westmalle Tripel.  The recipe used to produce this beer is not the same as the original Tripel, as the monks reformulated the recipe in 1956.  Nevertheless, the monks produce the beer using the same ingredients: water, barley malts, liquid sugar, hops and yeast from the family of Saccharomyces Cerevisia.  The one difference between Westmalle and other brewers, including other trappist abbeys, is that the monks at Westmalle use only whole hop cones.  They do not use liquid hop extract or pellets to produce the beer. 

There is something to the adage that the first is the best.  In this case, the Westmalle Tripel poured a beautiful light golden color.  The beer is partial bottle conditioned and has a high level of carbonation, which results in a large thick foam when the beer i poured.  That foam eventually gives way, but it still coats the sides of the glass.

As the foam recedes, the Westmalle Tripel begins to exude the classic elements of a Tripel.  The aroma is full of bananas and cloves, with a few notes of bread and yeast.  The beer has those same banana flavors, but with a good balance of malt and hops throughout.  There was a little tartness or bitterness in the finish, which was a little surprising, but it did not take away from the beer at all.

When it comes to food pairing, Serious Eats has some suggestions for the Westmalle Tripel or, for that matter, any tripel.  These suggestions include foods in which basil is a primary component, ham and cheese, and "troublesome veggies" like asparagus.  I just enjoyed the beer by itself, which is always an option.

For the trappist monks, their lives and actions, experience and knowledge are all primarily focused upon their higher calling.  Brewing is an endeavor that they undertake only to support themselves (as opposed to making a profit).  Yet, the monks produce beer of far superior quality than anything produced by the corporate behemoths whose sole existence is to sell mass-produced beer intended to dominate the market.

If you want a good Belgian trappist tripel, the Westmalle is the perfect starting point.  Westmalle beers are generally available at beer and grocery stores.   If I recall correctly, a bottle sells for about $16.99.

ENJOY!   

Elysian Brewing Company Bête Blanche Tripel

Bête Blanche ... or "White Animal" ... is often the name that seemingly should be given to some mythical creature.  Or perhaps an albino animal.  Elysian Brewing Company gave that name to its Belgian Tripel.  The Washington-State craft brewer produces this beer as its spring seasonal, giving the impression of a beer used to awaken a beast long lulled into slumber by the winter ales and strong ales that are so prevalent during the cold, winter months. 

I have previously reviewed another one of Elysian Brewing's seasonal beers, its Night Owl Pumpkin Ale.  While perusing the craft beer selection at a local store with my dad, we decided to buy a bottle of the Bête Blanche to give it a try.  Given we both like Belgian tripel beers, and have tried many a tripel, we had some high expectations for this beer. 

Elysian Brewering Company uses pale malts, along with German Northern Brewer hops for bittering and Styrgian hops for aroma.  As with any tripel, the brewer uses Belgian candy sugar in the boil and Belgian ale yeast.

The Bête Blanche pours a hazy, cloudy yellowish-gold color, clearly what one expects with a tripel.  The aromatic elements include a little banana, candy sugar, and a hint of sweetness on the nose.  There is some spice, like coriander, also in the aroma.  As for taste, this beer follows the traditional Belgian tripel mold ... banana and clove. The finish is a bit dry, with a bitterness from the hops and a little pepper.

The ABV for the Bête Blanche is 7.5% and the IBU is 41.  As a seasonal, this beer is available only in the spring.  The beer is available at beer stores with large craft beer selections.  

ENJOY! 

The Savage Boleks' Drunk Monk Belgian Tripel

After the success of my first homebrew, I decided to try something different.  I purchased another Brewer's Best kit.  This time, I decided I would brew a Belgian Tripel.  But I also decided to give it my own twist.   I purchased some dried bitter orange peel, some cardamom seeds and some coriander seeds.  I thought the bitter orange peel would be a good compliment to the Belgian candy sugar.  I also thought that the cardamom and coriander would provide a pepper taste to the beer.  So, during the brewing process, I added the bitter orange peel and a couple tablespoons of cracked cardamom seed and cracked coriander seed.

The fermentation process for this beer was much more subdued.  That may have been due to the fact that I let the beer ferment in the basement, which was cooler than the dining room (where the Rascal King fermented).  I was a little concerned about whether the fermentation, but I continued anyway.

The beer was a success, more or less.  The beer pours a golden brown, without much of a head, because there was not as much carbonation as I would have liked.  The Drunk Monk definitely has a different taste, which I thought would occur.  The beer has a peppery taste.  The beer is like a debate, between the sweetness of the candy sugar and the pepper of the cardamom and coriander.  The pepper wins, which is just fine with me.

I served the beer at our BBQ and had several bottles available for anyone who wanted to try it.  All but one of the bottles were consumed well before the end of the night. So, I guess people liked the beer. 

The beer is supposed to have an ABV of about 9%.  As with the Rascal King, I think the ABV fell a little short.  That just gives me a goal for the next time I brew the beer.

Obviously, as a homebrew, the beer is not for sale and is not available in stores.  You will just have to wait for the next party, assuming there is any left.

ENJOY!

Green Peppercorn ... Tripel?

One of the most amazing things about the craft beer movement is the creativity of the brewmasters.  They don't limit themselves to the ingredients called for in the Reinheitsgebot (water, barley, hops and yeast).  And, more importantly, few ingredients are off limits.  Coffee, chestnuts, cardamom, saffron, and blueberries (just to name a few) have all found their way into different brews. The only limitation is the particular style of beer that the brewmaster intends to make.  After all, one would not expect coffee in a blond ale or blueberries in a stout. 

One such craft brewer, The Brewer's Art, has used green peppercorns to brew a smooth blond ale called, as one would expect, "Green Peppercorn Tripel."  Located in Baltimore, Maryland, The Brewer's Art is known for brewing Belgian-style beers.  One can go to its brewpub/restaurant and try one of the brewery's standards, such as the Ozzy, Resurrection and Proletary Ale.  The Brewer's Art also bottles its beer, relying upon a production facility in Pennsylvania. Yet, as with  many craft brewers, it is the special releases and seasonals that are truly noteworthy.

The Green Peppercorn Tripel pours with a very foamy head, which covers a golden ale.  Everything about this beer speaks of its namesake.  A sniff of the beer gives one a firm smell of cracked peppercorn.  Take a sip and the presence of the peppercorn is clearly up front.  All of the other tastes one would normally expect in a Belgian Tripel are far in the background.  It is definitely a beer worth trying for those who are as adventurous as the brewers.  

This beer is available at stores, like Whole Foods, for about $10.99 a bottle.

ENJOY.