Hello fellow craft beer enthusiasts!!!  For today’s review I’m going to be drinking a Westmalle Trappist Ale Tripel produced by the Brouwerij Westmalle (Adbij der Trappisten van Westmalle) located in Malle, Belgium.

Before I even get to the review I’m going to go ahead and state that this is a great brew.  One that I’ve had a few times before, but have never given a proper review.

Let’s see if we can find any info on this beer from the website, trappistwestmalle.be.

Westmalle Tripel is a clear, golden yellow Trappist beer that undergoes a secondary fermentation in the bottle (9,5% alcohol). It is a complex beer with a fruity aroma and a nice nuanced hop scent. It is soft and creamy in the mouth, with a bitter touch carried by the fruity aroma. An exceptional beer, with a great deal of finesse and elegance. And with a splendid long aftertaste.

Now we are talking!!!

This beer stands in at a hefty 9.5% ABV and it comes in a 25.4 oz. bottle.

The Tripel began as a cloudy, orange/dull yellow color that cleared up nicely as the brew started to warm.  The head was white, semi-creamy and soft.  It had a very nice size with decent retention and some adequate lacing left behind after each sip. 

The aroma revealed hints of white grapes and citrusy lemons.  Only a mild touch of sourness was detected along with a more revealing hint of bread and Belgian yeast.  A worthwhile pepper spice added some more complexity along with some herbs and sugars.  A very, very nice nose on this beer.

The taste was both a sweet sugar and sour mix.  Sweet, fruity grapes with a slightly tart lemon savor.  Supplementary white wine characteristics with splashes of alcohol mingled super well with the peppery spice.  The flavor had a facet similar to a well made Pale Ale.  A slight bit of hoppiness with a sturdy punch of bitterness.  As the brew warmed, the yeast and breadiness really started to come forward and complete this well rounded, evenly balanced and complex taste.  Man, this thing tasted nice.

The mouthfeel was medium, crisp, snappy, refreshing (nearly thirst quenching) and very dry with a minute sharpness.  The carbonation was spot on.  A soothing and smooth warmth was felt as I swallowed, which in turn left a suitable amount of flavor behind on the palate.

What can I say?  This is a great beer.  It’s a certified classic in my opinion.  One that should be enjoyed several times throughout the year.  The drinkability is rather high considering the above average ABV, however this brew could also be enjoyed as a sipper on most occasions.  The Westmalle Tripel is most definitely a brew that I will continue to pick up on a regular basis.  If you have not tried it, I would highly recommend that you do so.  I don’t think that you will be disappointed.

What do you guys think of the Westmalle Trappist Ale Tripel????  Do you like it????

Please feel free to leave a comment or let me know via Twitter (@BeerApprentice & @shrews824) or Google+ (Scott Shrewsberry).

Thanks for reading everyone.  I really appreciate it.  Until next time.

Cheers.

Score:  4.35 out of 5
Grade:  A