Draught at the BeerTemple in Amsterdam. Probably the last remnants of this highly acclaimed experiment, and one of the brewers, present at the premises because of the transcendent Carnivale Brettanomyces festival, told me it will not be repeated any time soon, so I’m feeling lucky to still have had a taste of this. Apparently an oak-aged tripel made in Australia and shipped to Norway in an attempt to assess how it changes over that time - clearly inspired by the - partially mythical - stories surrounding the origins of IPA. Bears a creamy, dense, snow white head over a deep, hazy, peachy golden robe. Truly astonishing aroma of a whole array of fine things: old manzanilla, calvados, sweet white wine, oak, artisanal bitter honey, overripe pear, pineapple, orange peel... Candied sweet, but refined and not cloying in the onset, bit liqueurish even, pineapple, passionfruit, white grapes, banana, lightly oily mouthfeel, sherry-like oxidation adding a layer of complexity, gradually drying finish of fruity and spicy hops, lingering but delicious malt sweetness, the persisting old sherry flavour and warming liqueurish alcohol. Absolutely wonderful and by far the best tripel I ever had, but it’s hard (and unfair) to compare this with the non-wood-aged ones which are produced in the regular way, of course.

Bottle sample @ Leuven Beer Innovation 2015, shared with the RB Belgian crew. Gusher. Cuivrée, col fin blanc-cassé. Arôme fruité noir sur notes de barrique, rétro malt caramel, pâle sucre candy. Rétro superbe de boisé, Porto Palais est fruité, cerise, figue et date, léger boisé de barrique avec une pointe épicée du chêne et un renforcement de la barrique qui laisse place à des notes plus tanniques de vin rouge type Porto. Le tout présente une belle note de sucre résiduel.