A good friend brought two surprise bottles to dinner last week—Allagash Tripel Reserve and Allagash White Ale, both in large (750ml) corked bottles. We started with the Tripel and poured it into two glasses (though after a couple tastes, I regretted sharing). A nice slow pour revealed a golden color and a lovely white head. The smell is of hops and fruit with some spice, as others have noted on BeerAdvocate. There is good carbonation here, and the head hangs around until just about the last sip.
The high alcohol content (9% ABV) is well hidden by the great flavor of this beer. It has none of the metallic finish that an IPA does, but it has wonderful hoppy bitterness offset by the fruit and malts. The carbonation makes this one go down quite easily and leaves the mouth feeling clean and tingly. I’ve not really explored Belgian ales much, but if this is any indication of what they have to offer, I’ll certainly be taking a closer look at the style. This one is great; quite a bit better than Allagash’s Double Ale (though, in fairness, I haven’t tried the Dubbel Reserve yet). My only concern for this beer is that it should probably not accompany a rich dinner as the flavors are somewhat delicate and might get lost. Allagash’s website recommends that one
[s]erve as an aperitif with crab cakes or an assertive cheese such as Roquefort or Stilton. The Tripel is particularly delightful with asparagus. Is also the perfect accompaniment to a fruit dessert or wonderful on its own as a digestif.
My Rating:
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