New Belgium Trippel - Purposefully Different or Falling Short?

[Bassman2003]

I believe in drinking beer in country and giving it a chance to be its best. I also have been hearing more and more about the US becoming of a source for Belgian style brewing outside of Belgium.

I recently picked up a bottle of New Belgium Trippel to see how this long standing US brewery handled a Belgian standard. One of my favorite beers in the world in Trippel Karmeliet BTW.

To be blunt, I was not impressed. The overall flavor of this beer was not complex and basically all burnt sugar alcohol. The Belgian breweries are so good at "hiding" alcohol along with creating such complex flavors while being light, not heavy.

It makes me wonder if the brewery is making a choice to try and match a view of the American palette and purposefully making this beer taste this way or do they not have the expertise to match the great Belgian examples? They are named New Belgium. Shouldn't they be able to nail a trippel?

Sorry for this negative post but I guess I am expecting more from the mature US craft brewing industry. More power to you if you like this beer. I do not want to judge. Though after travelling to Belgium and having trippels at the source it is hard to like this attempt.

Peace.

 

[RPh_Guy]

I don't care for New Belgium's beers in general. Yes, their "trippel" is bad.


BTW ... Tripel Karmeliet is made by Anheuser-Busch InBev.

 

[Bassman2003]

I did not know InBev owned Bosteels. I hope they do not change anything. I have always thought this tripel had such great complexity. Especially when enjoyed in Brussels!

 

[Still Brewn]

I was just looking for a place to complaine about how bad their version of an oustanding and complex beer.
I just picked up a 6 the other day, to say it is falling short is an understatement. Bubble gum and had a gummy mouthfeel, I did not get any fruity esters or caramel flavors out of it. Tripel being one of my favorite beers to savor and if this were the first one I had ever tried it would be highly unlikely that I ever would sample another. Before trying this beer I had never experienced bubble gum in a beer and thought that maybe I just couldn't taste it in a poorly made beer.... definatly not the case. Now I have a 5 pack of beer that will sit there until I can pawn it off on someone. Maybe I should make a Tripel and have people sample them side by side.

 

[Still Brewn]

I'm glad I'm not the only one that thought it was garbage.

 

[toolboxdiver]

That is why American Craft Breweries can only hope to copy the style. These Trappist Monks have been doing Nothing but Praying and Making Beer for 100's of Years. Of Course their Beers are Phenominal. They have had Alot of Time to Perfect it. I once told my wife after having my 1st Chimay Tripel.
"You are lucky they don't allow GoGo Dancers in a Trappist Monistary. If they did I would leave you and become a Monk, just so I could learn to make this Beer."
It is that Good

 

[ramjam]

I know it is not the mentioned beer or style in that the op was talking about but, i tried sam adams bavarian lager recently and to me it was the same experience, way too sweet and fruity, the mouthfeel was thick and syrupy, nothing like a true bavarian lager in my opinion.