Val Dieu Tripel
Review Date 1/13/2005
Try?
Re-buy?
When’s the last
time you enjoyed an abbey ale? Today? Yesterday? Last month? Never? If you
answered the latter, then you’re really missing out. Abbey and trappist
ales are a rare breed of brew that usually come from Belgium or the
Netherlands. These beers are brewed or were supposedly formulated in
monasteries, a fact that ought to give American tee-totaling bible thumpers
something to consider.
Abbey de Val Dieu is not a trappist, or true monastic beer. That means it isn’t actually brewed by monks, though the brewery claims that it is brewed according to an old monastic recipe. The abbey of Val-Dieu dates back to 1216, making it almost as old as I am.
There are quite a few abbey ales on the market these days, many of them brewed under contract or by agreement by large brewing concerns. Most of these are very good, indeed. Val Dieu beers are brewed on an actual abbey property in a small artisinal brewhouse.
The beer is sold in 11.2 ounce and 750ml bottles. I always prefer the latter. There’s just something about those large corked bottles that makes them special to me, and they’re perfect for sharing with a friend after a hearty meal.
Abbaye de Val Dieu Tripel pours to a pale golden color tinged with a
touch of orange. A light and spritzy head formation forms on a gentle pour,
and the nose is full of wonderfully exotic Belgian yeast notes.
The palate is surprisingly light bodied for a beer of such strength (9% alcohol by volume), although there’s a luxuriant sweet richness here and a smooth and creamy mouthfeel. You’ll also find lots of fruit: a hint of apple, stronger notes of pear, and a suggestion of pineapple. There are also notes of licorice and spicy yeast flavors, too.
In the finish, the yeasty notes really stand out with a funky herbal flair. And of course, there’s a lingering alcohol warmth left on the tongue after sipping. Still, Val Dieu Tripel is deceptively drinkable. You can easily catch yourself drinking more of this beer than you thought you did, and before you know it, your bottle will be gone. It’s that good.
If you like, you can swirl around the yeast in the bottom of the bottle and pour into your (preferably wide-mouthed) glass for extra flavor. The yeast is good for you, too. All in all, this is a very complex and spicy Belgian ale. They say in heaven there is no beer. But I’m convinced in beers like this there is a bit of heaven.
Abbey de Val Dieu is not a trappist, or true monastic beer. That means it isn’t actually brewed by monks, though the brewery claims that it is brewed according to an old monastic recipe. The abbey of Val-Dieu dates back to 1216, making it almost as old as I am.
There are quite a few abbey ales on the market these days, many of them brewed under contract or by agreement by large brewing concerns. Most of these are very good, indeed. Val Dieu beers are brewed on an actual abbey property in a small artisinal brewhouse.
The beer is sold in 11.2 ounce and 750ml bottles. I always prefer the latter. There’s just something about those large corked bottles that makes them special to me, and they’re perfect for sharing with a friend after a hearty meal.
Abbaye de Val Dieu Tripel pours to a pale golden color tinged with a
touch of orange. A light and spritzy head formation forms on a gentle pour,
and the nose is full of wonderfully exotic Belgian yeast notes. The palate is surprisingly light bodied for a beer of such strength (9% alcohol by volume), although there’s a luxuriant sweet richness here and a smooth and creamy mouthfeel. You’ll also find lots of fruit: a hint of apple, stronger notes of pear, and a suggestion of pineapple. There are also notes of licorice and spicy yeast flavors, too.
In the finish, the yeasty notes really stand out with a funky herbal flair. And of course, there’s a lingering alcohol warmth left on the tongue after sipping. Still, Val Dieu Tripel is deceptively drinkable. You can easily catch yourself drinking more of this beer than you thought you did, and before you know it, your bottle will be gone. It’s that good.
If you like, you can swirl around the yeast in the bottom of the bottle and pour into your (preferably wide-mouthed) glass for extra flavor. The yeast is good for you, too. All in all, this is a very complex and spicy Belgian ale. They say in heaven there is no beer. But I’m convinced in beers like this there is a bit of heaven.
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
(D)=Draft
