Tuesday 20 March 2012

Brouwerij Affligem / De Smedt Affligem Tripel

Good evening all. As some of you may know I've decided to make 2012 the year that I enjoy more Belgian beer, as many of them are considered the finest beers that the world has to offer. and frankly they're also pretty damn tasty. I carry these sentiments with me whenever I venture to the Utobeer market, meaning I usually manage to find something interesting from that region. Two weekends ago was no exception, and the next two reviews form a small part of the beers that I picked up. The first is Affligem Tripel, a Tripel from Brouwerij Affligem / De Smedt. Review after the pic....


Affligem Tripel (9.0% ABV) pours a golden colour with a very short-lived white head that dissipates to nothing in the glass. The aroma brings up a bit of spice and the characteristic phenols, with fruit, cloves and a caramel sweetness. The taste is phenolic and spicy, with honey, light fruit flavours, biscuit/buttery malt, bittering hops and a subtle puckering bitterness in the finish, accompanied by a grape/apple aftertaste. The sweetness does become rather cloying after a while, and does occasionally mask the other flavours. The mouthfeel is moderately thick with light carbonation. Be warned, rousing a head from this beer does require a fair bit of swirling! Overall, an average and unusually sweet Tripel that needs more carbonation to improve the mouthfeel and the body of the beer. This beer would serve as a good introduction to Belgian beers for someone wanting to get into the style, but beyond that most seasoned drinkers might be put off by the excessive sweetness. I wouldn't get it again, and personally I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

Until next time....

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