As I have been through my own discovery of all the beer out there I, as you have our will, have gone through phases of what I can't get enough of. From hefeweisen to IPA to stouts and porters, but when I first had a true trappist that was the end of my search.
A true trappist has remarkable flavors and each unique to its monastery. There are only eight breweries in the world that can brew authentic trappist beer, and to be authentic it can only be touched by the trappist monks of the monastery.
All of that being said tonight I am trying one I never have before, by westmalle, their ale tripel. At 9.5% alcohol, it has a suggested serving temp of 45-50°F With an amazing, rich, orange-amber color, and highly citrus with a little bit of spice in the aroma, I decide its time to dig in.
As with most beer I like to take my first sip cool from the fridge and let it warm up, I find that you get different flavors and more appreciation for those subtle notes as it warms. The main flavor I get when it's cold is a tangerine like citrus with an earthy bite and after taste. As it warms the citrus becomes more subtle and the spicy and earthy flavors really start to come out. The thing I love about trappists is that as it flows across your tongue and hits the different taste buds it has different flavors, and has complexity beyond my understanding, And I love that I can't quite ever put my finger on what every flavor is. And the after taste is amazing.
This is a beer I would definitely recommend to others, but not as something to be paired with and meal or dessert. This, along with most trappist style ales, is a beer to be enjoyed all on its own.
-Chas
No comments:
Post a Comment