NOTES: Draft @ Monk’s Cafe
STYLE: Tripel
ABV: 8.4%
APPEARANCE: Cloudy orange-gold
HEAD: Pure white, loosely frothy head, fades in a respectable amount of time
LACING: Minimal
NOSE: Very nice, but very problematic nose. If this were a Biere de Garde, like Jolly Pumpkin’s Oro de Calabaza, I’d give it high marks. It has the classic Biere de Garde spice and funky mustiness. But as a Tripel, it should have big, fruity esters and a noticeable yeast aroma and it just doesn’t. Definitely not representative of the style.
TASTE: In keeping with the nose, the taste is mostly citric acidity, astringency, and lots of clove, coriander, and other spices. Some bitterness from the booze in the finish and plenty of pale malt sweetness in the middle. None of the banana/fruit flavors you expect from a Tripel.
MOUTHFEEL: Lighter than medium-bodied. Should be fuller than it is. OK carbonation, but not enough to create a real effervescent effect.
DRINKABILITY: Not great. I thought it was an interesting brew, but it does a disservice to the style and isn’t particularly well-balanced. Lots of good ideas in this one, but it just didn’t come together.
RATING: 2.5 Hops
ALEHEADS 