Beer of the Weekend #513: Westmalle Tripel
Another day, another beer — which happens to be among the most revered Belgian Trappist ales and the “mother of all tripels”: Westmalle Tripel, brewed by Brewery Der Trappisten van Westmalle of Westmalle, Belgium.
Serving type: 330 ml bottle. The “Best before end” date printed on the back label is “30/01/15.”
Appearance: Poured into a tulip. The color is cloudy gold. A careful, straight pour produced three fingers of massive, fluffy, white head, which dissipated slowly and unevenly, leaving trails of lacing along the glass.
Smell: Spicy Belgian yeast and funk tickle the nostrils first and are followed by scents of apple, strawberry, and lemon. Underneath, it is crisp and clean like a pilsner with hints of grassy hops. At times the lemon is pungent enough to remind me of dish soap (and washing dishes), but that effect does not last; perhaps it is due to the interplay of the funk, spice, and lemon. The spice mellows and blends well with the esters as the beer warms. It is a touch vinous, but thankfully not too much.
Taste: It has a creamy, full-bodied mouthfeel. The spice, along with a hint of funk, lemon, and alcohol, are prominent and linger on the tongue after each sip. Almost balancing the spice is the apple from the aroma. The flavor, however, lacks the pilsner-like undertones.
Drinkability: It’s good but a little spicy for my taste. I wish the esters were much more prominent.
Fun facts about Westmalle Tripel:
-Style: Tripel.
-Price: An arm and a leg. Or so it seems at $5.99/bottle at John’s Grocery in Iowa City (for a small bottle that is not even 12-ounces!).
-Alcohol content: 9.5 percent ABV.
-Nerdiness from the beer’s webpage:
The Quiet Man’s grade: B+.
Serving type: 330 ml bottle. The “Best before end” date printed on the back label is “30/01/15.”
Appearance: Poured into a tulip. The color is cloudy gold. A careful, straight pour produced three fingers of massive, fluffy, white head, which dissipated slowly and unevenly, leaving trails of lacing along the glass.
Smell: Spicy Belgian yeast and funk tickle the nostrils first and are followed by scents of apple, strawberry, and lemon. Underneath, it is crisp and clean like a pilsner with hints of grassy hops. At times the lemon is pungent enough to remind me of dish soap (and washing dishes), but that effect does not last; perhaps it is due to the interplay of the funk, spice, and lemon. The spice mellows and blends well with the esters as the beer warms. It is a touch vinous, but thankfully not too much.
Taste: It has a creamy, full-bodied mouthfeel. The spice, along with a hint of funk, lemon, and alcohol, are prominent and linger on the tongue after each sip. Almost balancing the spice is the apple from the aroma. The flavor, however, lacks the pilsner-like undertones.
Drinkability: It’s good but a little spicy for my taste. I wish the esters were much more prominent.
Fun facts about Westmalle Tripel:
-Style: Tripel.
-Price: An arm and a leg. Or so it seems at $5.99/bottle at John’s Grocery in Iowa City (for a small bottle that is not even 12-ounces!).
-Alcohol content: 9.5 percent ABV.
-Nerdiness from the beer’s webpage:
The Westmalle Tripel is indeed called the “mother of all tripels”. This type of beer was first brewed in Westmalle abbey in 1934 when the new brewing hall came into use. The current formula has stayed practically unchanged since 1956, thus more than 50 years.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B+.
