New Belgium Trippel Beer
A Colorado Brewer's Adaptation of a Classic Beer
Colorado's New Belgium Brewing has rapidly gained a reputation for producing quality beers with a strong European influence, and their Trippel continues that tradition.
From: New Belgium Brewing, Fort Collins CO
Style: Belgian Style Ale
Trippel is a Belgian-style ale, made with European Saaz hops and a Belgian yeast strain. The beer is bottle conditioned; that is, live yeast remains in the bottle, so the beer continues to develop. This also gives Trippel a nice, consistent carbonation, with a steady rising of fine bubbles throughout.
The beer poured a clear gold, with a big foamy white head. The head cleared fairly rapidly, but left a beautiful lacing on the goblet. If a beer can be described as beautiful, Trippel deserves the description.
The aroma is wonderful and complex. There’s definitely a fruity aroma, nectarines or peaches, with a suggestion of citrus. It is saved from excessive sweetness by the a spicy, herbal hop that tickles the nose, along with a hint of a bready yeast aroma.
The flavor is as complex as the aroma would have you expect, and no one flavor stands out. The initial taste is fruity but not overly sweet, banana and apricot, and is well balanced by the hops, slightly herbal and almost grassy. There’s a sweet and slightly nutty malt flavor. Trippel ends very clean and slightly dry.
The mouthfeel of New Belgium Trippel adds to the enjoyment of this beer. It’s both bubbly and fizzy, medium body and surprisingly smooth, almost creamy. That smoothness partially covers the bite that would normally be expected from the higher than average alcohol content (7.8% ABV), and makes New Belgium Trippel a very drinkable beer.
The intensity of this beer makes it suitable either to pair with food or as a stand-alone beverage. Trippel would be a good choice with Mediterranean food. It would also be an excellent choice with sharp or pungent cheeses, such as bleu, cheddar, gorgonzola or limburger.
The complex flavors and aromas of Trippel are best appreciated served in a wide-mouthed glass such as a snifter or goblet rather than the traditional pint glass or mug. Recommended serving temperature is 45-50 degrees.
All in all, New Belgium Trippel is not a duplicate of a Belgian ale, and probably wouldn’t be confused with one. But it is an excellent adaptation of the Belgian style, and is an outstanding beer.
