Allagash Tripel
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The Allagash beers have been a pleasure, and I may have saved the best for last when I opened up the Allagash Tripel this evening.
Allagash Tripel poured a pale gold. Perhaps the goblet was too wide-mouthed for the beer, as it produced only a thin white head. My initial pour was very clear, but I added yeast from the bottle and the beer became very hazy and opaque.
The aroma was herbal and yeasty, filled with tropical fruit — but the most compelling quality of this beer is its complex taste.
Allagash Tripel is dominated by an herbal bitterness through and through. It’s a peppery, bitter bomb with a touch of Belgian yeast and just enough tart fruitiness to hold everything together. I can taste some candy sugar, but it’s really not registering as sweet on my tongue, turned medicinal under the influence of its flavor cohorts.
Drink slowly and savor; this is a delightful beer. And at 9% ABV, pacing yourself is a good thing.
From the Allagash website:
This golden hued ale is marked by passion fruit and herbal notes in the aroma, with subtle suggestions of banana and honey surfacing from its deep and complex palate. The Tripel’s finish is remarkably long and soothing.
Of the Tripel’s I’ve enjoyed so far this year, Allagash clearly stands out as unique — the tangy fruit and strong herbal hops are quite unlike even the pleasantly bitter Westmalle Tripel. But it’s not nearly as refreshing as those with a touch more sweetness — in that regard, my favorite is still Chimay White.
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2 Comments
June 1st, 2009 at 3:05 pm
hmmm, it looks like orange gold for me but anyway this one really looks good, yup because of it’s sweetness taste and followed by the spiciness of some pepper. Have a great beer day ahead buddy, cheers!
June 1st, 2009 at 8:31 pm
Don, the yeast darkened it up quite a bit, but point taken — indeed, lots of orange in the color!