Tripel brewed by the young microbrewery Le Fou Du Roi, but commissioned by a group of winegrowers located nearby - apparently these guys' interest indeed crosses over to beer as well... Snow white, thick and foamy, uneven-bubbled, cobweb-lacing head on a near clear, deep yellow golden beer with a true 'storm' of swirling sparkling throughout, supporting the head. Aroma of freshly baked 'pistolets' or croissants, chamomile, straw, coriander powder, young 'jenever', banana peel, haystack, jute rope, unripe peach, radish peel, poppy seed. Very spritzy onset (as expected from the appearance), lots of stinging carbon dioxide but small-bubbled and therefore tolerable; fruity aspects of halfripe banana, pear and ripe apricot, sweetish, even briefly turning to apricot jam; slick white-bready and cereally malts, spiced by the obligatory coriander seed but not overly so. Light phenolic clove (4-vinyl-guaiacol) and gentle but spicy hop bitterness finish things off, warmed by a non-disturbing glow of 'jenever'-like alcohol. Utterly stereotypical, textbook tripel - the formula never gets old here in Belgium apparently - but admittedly very well executed from a technical viewpoint. Have a point for that.

Hazy blond tripel, white foam. Medium sweet, malty, some hoppy bitterness in the finish.

33cl bottle from Comptoir des Fagnes beer store in Couvin. F: medium, white, almost good retention. C: pale gold, light hazy. A: sweet malty, sweet herbal like cactus may be, lime touch, sugary. T: medium malty base, lime, lemonade like but not so sweet, bit mint, higher carbonation, not such disaster almost refreshing for me.

33cl bottle from Comptoir des Fagnes beer store in Couvin. F: medium, pale tanned, long lasting. C: dark brown, coppery hue against the light, yeasty debris. A: malty, bit chocolate, caramel, mellow dark fruits, dates, dried fruits. T: medium to full malty base, bit chocolate, caramel, leaves, bit toffee, toast touch, dry on the palate, bit cocoa, decent harmonic bitterness, medium to high carbonation, better than expected, enjoyed.

33cl bottle from Rob the Gourmets’ Market in Brussels. F: big, off-white, good retention. C: amber, hazy. A: malty, mellow fruity, bit orange peels, bready, bit honey, bit alcohol. T: medium to full malty base, fruity, bready, bit banana, spicy, bit alcohol touch, dry bit harsh bitterness, medium to high carbonation, blonde from this Galipette was more enjoyable than this, easy forgettable beer.

33cl bottle from Rob the Gourmets’ Market in Brussels. F: huge, creamy, white, long lasting. C: blonde to pale gold, hazy. A: malty, nice mellow fruity, honey, spicy, bit bready. T: medium malty base, fruity, banana, red apples peels, spicy, dry on the palate, bit yeasty, decent harmonic bitterness, bit higher carbonation yet nice balanced for the style, enjoyed for sure.

The tripel in this series, with thick, egg-white, very moussy, foamy, papery lacing head and initially clear, 'metallic' orangey old gold robe, misty and deeper peach-hued with sediment. Aroma of ripe banana, peach, sweetbread, moist white pepper, cooked potatoes, coriander seed, dried orange peel, young 'jenever', honey, apple juice. Fruity, crisp onset, clear banana ester, sweet red apple, dried apricot, sweetish but not overly so, fizzy and very minerally carbonation, smooth and bit glueish mouthfeel. Clean bread crumb-like maltiness, thinly caramelly as well, very clear dusty-spicy coriander seed, leading towards a more deep, rooty, peppery hop bitterness enhanced by astringent, heating, much too obvious wodka-like alcohol, becoming unpleasantly wry in the end. Another cliché Belgian tripel, working fine in its basic flavour components but insufficiently hiding its hefty alcohol content. Enjoyable as such, but too boozy and not very exciting.

The blonde in this series of regional Hainaut beers from a new microbrewery, with a hare in its logo. Thick, off-white, moussy, papery lacing head, lightly hazy, pure straw blonde robe with warmer golden hue and lively sparkling. Aroma of freshly cut ripe apples, moist white pepper, wet grass, white bread, dusty old coriander seed, cold potato mash, brown soap, carrot juice, tomato purée, flour, chewing gum, jute. Estery onset, touch of banana with very light bubblegum effect, notes of peach and red apple, very fizzy carbonation coarsening an otherwise smooth and lean mouthfeel. Bread crumb-like and bit soapy maltiness, sweetish with ongoing fruity esters, spicy coriander and light phenolic notes in the finish alongside a floral, bit grassy hoppiness, mellow but still adequately bittering, even if that subtle bubblegummy effect from the onset rears it head again in the very end. Very classically made, stereotypical Belgian blonde, but within its style limits, technically well executed and easy to drink.