 Stoudts Triple |
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Stoudts Triple |
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If you read my review of Bornem
Triple, then you know I was having a triple threat night. I had three
different triples in my beer fridge and decided to drink them in what we
beer enthusiasts like to call a flight. A flight is nothing
more than a series of beers in the same style, and it is very useful for
comparison purposes. In this case, the second beer in my flight was Stoudt’s Abbey Triple. This beer is brewed by the Stoudt’s Brewery in Adamstown, Pennsylvania. Stoudt’s has a much respected reputation among beer drinkers, or at least craft beer drinkers. So I was pretty sure that I was in for a treat here. Somehow, Stoudt’s Triple had always eluded me, although I think I’ve tried almost every other beer in the repertoire. Sampling the Stoudt’s after the Bornem was a good decision, because it allowed me to compare an American take on the style with a true Belgian version. Abbey ales, as you may recall, are based on a style perfected in monasteries. But Abbey ales, unlike trappist ales, are not actually brewed in a monastery. And you thought monks didn’t get to have any fun. Here’s what Stoudt’s says about the beer: Stoudt's Triple is a strong, full bodied Belgian-abbey Style ale. An authentic Belgian yeast strain is used in fermentation that contributes a rich array of spicy, phenolic, and fruit-like flavors and noticeable alcoholic warmth. Two row pilsener malt and malted red wheat contributes to the lingering sweetness which is balanced by a moderate addition of imported European hops. This unfiltered ale has an irresistible pale orange-colored hazy glow and an appealing thick mousse-like head. 9% abv. This is a strong one at 9%. One will get you two of most other styles, at least in strength. The label has changed slightly, and the beer is now sold in six-packs of 12-ounce bottles. I recall seeing it before only in 750ml bottles. Anyway, here’s what I think. Stoudt’s Triple pours to a deep orange amber color that was quite a bit darker than my bottle of Bornem. It formed a light creamy head on a gentle pour, and a fine layer of Brussels lace clung to the sides of my glass. In this case, I used a bowl-shaped Belgian ale glass for serving, and allowed to warm slightly before drinking. It’s a sin to drink your beer too cold, after all. The nose hinted at fruit. In the palate, I got a good dose of malt, some bubble-gum esters, a rich body and sweet rock-candy flavors. There were some fruity flavors but less than I got in the Bornem. Flavors more associated with Hefeweizen than triple, like the aforementioned bubble gum and also some banana were apparent too. The finish was pleasingly warm with alcohol, and should be at 9%. Overall, I liked this a lot. I peg it just a notch below the Bornem, but its still a very nice effort and well worth your time.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box. *Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer. (B)=Bottled, Canned (D)=Draft
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Rating
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