27 February 2023. At Huzaar, Ghent. Cheers to the quiz crew!

A: hazy golden, small, white head.
A: ripe plum, pear, banana, sweat, cheese, cookies.
T: sweet apple, pear & banana, biscuit, cereal.
F: bitter grassy hops, yellow fruit, sour citrus, warming jenever-like alcohol.
P: medium body, oily texture, soft carbonation.
Correct Tripel, not much more.

@ Vonk, Riksingen. Hazy golden colour, white foam. Light sweet with lots of bitter hops. Very hoppy but also balanced. Not bad!

Tripel made by graduated zythologists (not necessarily impressed yet) previously made at Proef but now at Varenbroek. From a 75 cl luxury bottle, stylish and carefully designed. Very thick and frothy, beaten egg-like, cobweb-lacing, dense, egg-white head over a hazy bright yellow blonde beer with warmer peachy tinge. Aroma of mushed banana, raw pineapple, margarine, white bread dough, celery, wild flowers, cheese spread, green melon, mashed potato, nectarine, ripe gooseberries, honey. Relatively (for a Belgian tripel, that is) ’clean’ fruitiness in the mouth, notable banana but not the over-the-top bubblegum effect found in many other sweeter tripels, ripe nectarine sweetness, orangey touch, some faint sourishness but the sweetness prevails; softish, elegant carbonation, fluffy, soft, lean and still ’filling’ mouthfeel. Pleasantly creamy, slightly soapy middle, malt sweet with a honeyish sweetness on top of it, very creamy and even a tad buttery, gently and gradually drying finish with hints of grassy and floral hops, lingering gooseberry-like sourishness, some bready yeastiness as the bottle is emptied and a glow of warming, yet subtle wodka-like alcohol; the sweetness and creaminess remain. My expectations were not too high for this one but I have to admit that this is a much better tripel than expected, sweet without descending into a bubblegum caricature, clean and neat, carefully made at a technically high level and bearing some personality thanks to its creaminess and butteriness, which you’ll either like or not. Pleasantly surprised.

Bottle. Delicés & Caprices, Brussels. Cloudy gold. Good, lasting, white head. Spicy, fruity hop. Soft, sweet grain. Taste is light bitter. Sweetness on the lips. Soft, smooth mouthfeel. Spicy hop throughout. Short, sweet finish. Light bitter close.