What A Trip

Brewer-Allagash Brewing Company

Beer- Allagash Tripel Ale

Style- Tripel

ABV- 9.00%

Description- Allagash Tripel pours a hazy deep straw yellow color with vibrant white head that lingers long and leaves a very pleasant lacing on the glass.  The aroma is just what you would want and expect from a Tripel, notes of banana, clove, citrus, Belgian yeast, some spicing present with notes of malt dancing in the background.  Upon the first sip this beer makes itself known as being extremely well balanced.  The fruit tastes are up front with hints of banana, tangerine, passion fruit, and tart apple being the most pervasive which are quickly followed by sweet honey malts before the spicy herbal notes wash over the palate before a wonderful long dry finish.  The alcohol is extremely well hidden and one would not know the 9% ABV that is in this beer.  The carbonation is moderate and the mouthfeel is in the medium range which creates a wonderfully smooth drinkable beer.  Allagash Tripel Ale is an absolutely world class example of the style.

Food pairing – The complexities within Tripel make this beer a very interesting beer to pair with a wide variety of dishes.  This beer in particular makes a great match with richer meats and seafood.  Try pairing Tripel with a succulent roast pork dinner, the spicing and malt profile will add an extra layer to this hearty dish.  If you are more of a seafood fan, there is no better beer to pair with lobster than Allagash Tripel.  The lobster can be prepared any way that you like it; the beer will hold its own even against the creamiest of sauces.  The sweet malt bill also makes this a great beer for desserts, especially of the creamy persuasion, try pairing Tripel with a nice robust piece of cheesecake or crème brûlée.

The Final Word- Allagash consistently produced world class examples of any beer style and Tripel is no exception.  The Belgian Tripel style is extremely approachable style for those who are new to craft beer, or even beer for that matter.  The style itself is very easy drinking, smooth, and enjoyable and Allagash’s take on the style is all of that and more.  If you are lucky enough to live in an area where Allagash Tripel is distributed than you owe it to yourself to try this world class beer.  This is a beer that you bring out for company during the holidays to truly impress them with your taste in beer.  Just remember it is weighing in with 9% ABV so take your time to enjoy this one. 

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Where can I get it? -  Allagash Tripel is a year round brew from Allagash so you should be able to find it regardless of the season.  It is available in both 12 oz. bottles and 750mL bottles.  It is currently available at: La Bella via Brick- Phillipsburg, NJ; Trinity Lounge- Newton, NJ; California Pizza Kitchen- King of Prussia, PA; Bottle King- Hackettstown, NJ; and Shoprite Liquors- Stanhope, NJ