A few months ago I did some house and cat sitting for friends who vacationed to Europe. My payment came in the form of beer bought in Belgium and I could not have been happier. One of the brews purchased was this beauty from d’Achouffe brewery. It is a hoppy Tripel (or an IPA with Tripel qualities) that found its way from Europe to my glass.
Pouring something close to Duvel, it dispensed very clear and straw gold. If you saw it in a pint glass you would probably think it was a Macro. However, the head quickly rolled into a creamy egg-shell which head that easily floated and laced. Compared to Chimay White it was not as orange, lacking some sugars and darker malts. This was fine by me as the light Pils malt base would allow me to focus on the yeast and hop profile of this beer.
The aroma was very vibrant similar to most Belgian Tripel beers. Great grassy and herbal hop notes sprang up from the glass to give a bit of a punch. Hits of lemon, lime, lemon grass, white pepper, spicy orange, and a light breadiness melted together to form a wonderful aroma. The yeast was very noticeable as it should be lending some of those great qualities just mentioned.
The taste was a tab more bitter than I expected. A yeasty light banana flavor greeted each sip which quickly followed by a peppery, spicy middle that had a hint of booze to it. The hops added some layers of spiciness as they had a drying, herbal, grassy effect on the palate. The finish was dry, bitter and clean. Not until the aftertaste was the bready pils malt present on the back half of each sip. The yeast however was lively throughout. I’d would say this states up to any Tripel out there. The more than sufficient hopping, creamy mouthfeel, and spicy yeast make this a winner.