Serve in a goblet at 7-10 °C
What it tastes like
Tripel is the strong golden ale of the Belgian abbey tradition, brought to its modern form at Westmalle in the 1930s. It looks like a pale lager and carries the strength of a fortified wine, which is exactly why it catches people out. The trick is sugar. Brewers add plain white or candi sugar to a pale malt base, and the yeast turns it into alcohol without leaving body behind. The result is a beer that sits around 8 to 9 percent but finishes dry and almost crisp.
The flavour is mostly yeast and malt in balance. Expect banana, pear and orange from the esters, a peppery, clove-like spice, soft honeyed malt and a firm but quiet bitterness from noble hops. Alcohol shows as a gentle warmth, never as solvent or heat. A hot, boozy tripel usually means fermentation ran away without temperature control. A good one is lively, bottle conditioned and dangerous in the most polite way.
Style profile
- Look
- Deep yellow to rich gold, bright to slightly hazy from bottle conditioning, with a dense, long-lasting white head.
- Aroma and flavour
- Spicy phenols and pear, banana and orange esters over soft, honeyed pale malt. A light herbal hop note and gentle alcohol warmth.
- Mouthfeel
- Medium-light body for its strength, high carbonation, and a dry, slightly bitter finish with a little warmth.
- Ingredients
- Pilsner malt, a good share of white or candi sugar, noble hops such as Saaz or Styrian Golding, and a Belgian abbey yeast.
In India
Tripel is a beer to treat with respect in Indian heat. It is strong, and a cold, fizzy glass on a hot afternoon goes down faster than its alcohol deserves, so pour it in small measures. It travels reasonably well because of its strength, but bottles left in a hot godown lose their freshness and turn honeyed and dull. Goa has a packaged example, and Bengaluru brewpubs pour one now and then. It suits a slow dinner or a wedding toast better than a session.
At the Indian table
Food pairings contributed by Anuradha Rao
- Hyderabadi chicken dum biryaniThe beer's carbonation and dry finish clear the ghee, and its spice meets the whole garam masala.
- Malai koftaRich, creamy gravy is cut by the bubbles, while the honeyed malt sits comfortably with the cashew.
- Aged goudaNutty, crystalline cheese and a strong golden ale share a sweetness without either taking over.
- Kaju katliThe beer's dryness stops the sweet from cloying, and the cashew picks up the soft malt.
Brewed in India
Want the long read? Belgian tripel