I often wonder why I do these reviews. Perhaps these thoughts are validation for my slacking off. Any beer that is released in Victoria people will buy and it is not like there is a tonne of them. There are just enough to give us something new every weekend; which is perfect. If there are no local releases then there are scads of Vancouver beers and other imports. Yes I called Vancouver beers imports: we are on an island.  Your local CBAW is not like Everything Wine where the selection is mind numbingly vast. Bottleworks and Belmont Station are like that. You really don't need an insiders guide to sort through the vast selection of beers at your local. So why do you read my crappy-prick-like beer reviews? Perhaps you want to confirm that you think a beer is good? You don't need a beer reviewer to tell you that. A good beer is one that you like, simple! Whether a beer meets the flavour profile for a BJCP style without faults, that is another story. Perhaps you read beer reviews to see if the expert reviewer picked up the same flavours you did. I always skip to the tasting section of Taps, All About Beer, Beer Connoisseur and Beer West first for this reason. Yes, I do read all these magazines cover to cover. Often your flavour sensations will differ from an expert reviews. Perhaps you want to avoid a totally shitty beer release. This is a valid point. Luckily, it is rare that we get a truly crappy bomber release in this town. It might have a few issues, in my opinion, but it will rarely be undrinkable. We already know which breweries release bombers of inconsistent quality and tend to avoid all releases, unless it sounds really interesting. So why do we read beer reviews? I don't know. If you do, please leave your comments below.

I must act fast and review this beer. It is known that blogs cannot be too long or people loose interest.

The Heretic (Driftwood) = 8/10 


Ok, so we have a Belgian style triple in this bottle. We, or at least I, expect certain things from a triple. The nose should have a vague spicy smell (phenols) with pepper and a slight fruitiness. There should be no alcohol nor hops on the nose. Each sip should be low in alcohol perception and only medium in body with lots of carbonation. A difficult task considering the high alcohol content. The taste should be soft but deep with flavours of lemons, spicy yeast, crackers and pears. It should not linger but only provide a pleasing alcohol warmth and bitterness that could be either hops or peppery phenols. Yup, the Heretic delivers on all these points. I did notice a slight green apple taste, but it was minor. Bonus points for using local malts.

Glassware: A chalice is the perfect choice here. Some might use a snifter, but often this concentrates the already massive head.

Food pairings: All things wash rind cheese but not the blues nor Stiltons. Seafood would be a good choice, especially if there is a lemon sauce involved. Want it for dessert? Picture this with a lemon meringue pie.

Taste +4
Aftertaste +1
Alcohol Content +1 8%ABV
Value +1
Appearance +1 (always great art and reasonable good description of beer flavour)

I still feel bad for chasing Brendan out of town. But this town was only big enough for one opinionated beer blogger, and my ego often swells to fill the room. As a treat after my Black IPA beer school, Lon from the Strath brought over a fresh bottle of La Trappe Tripel. This is the second Koningshoeven Trappist Ale you can get in Victoria; I have seen the quadrupel from time to time. Check out Cook Street Liquor for possible availability of the quad.
Anyways back to the tripel. Apparently it will be on tap at Clive's Classic Lounge later this year. Other great tripels include the elusive Chimay white, Westmalle and La Fin Du Monde.

La Trappe Tripel = 8/10

Ratebeer 3.57 95th percentile
Beer Advocate B+

Once you've tasted one tripel you have tasted them all; the difference is the execution. The nose is perfect: sweet with pit fruits, apricots, spicy yeast and grapenut cereal. A glorious and dry spiciness hits you first, then the malts are released. Sugared sultana raisins mix well with the slight caramel, yeast and bready malts. The ending is dry with peppery hops and spicy yeast leaving almost as much burn as the alcohol. It must be the yeast. You could unleash this yeast on barrel aged breast milk and make it taste good.

Thanks to Shawn for the great floor show. Where else in town can you get a bottle of beer sabred?

Taste +4
Aftertaste +1
Alcohol Content +1 8%
Value +1
Appearance +1


Westmalle Tripel and Beer Bottle Headshots
Tripel Karmeliet
St. Bernardus Tripel

This is good; I am on a roll. There has been more progress with my ticking habit than has been made in months. While in Toronto, friends of ours took us to Bier Markt. The only reason to visit this place is to drink tonnes of expensive imported beers. Bring lots of cash because the prices are not cheap. Also, underdress and flash your wedding band; this bar could also be called meat markt.

Maredsous 10 (Tripel) = 7/10

Ratebeer 3.64 97th percentile
Beer Advocate B+


Now I have had my share of tripels and this one was above average. They all kinda smell the same: spicy with apricots and nail polish. How they differ is the mouthfeel and taste. This one was particularly creamy and oddly effervescent. The alcohol burn was pleasantly well hidden. It did creep out to enhance the light fruits, apricots, peaches and cloves that bounced out of the sip. Sadly it didn't last long; lots of carbonation cleaned everything off nicely.

Taste +4
Aftertaste +1
Alcohol Content +1 10%
Value 0 (Don't ask what this beer cost me)
Appearance +1

St. Bernardus Tripel
Westmalle Triple and the Beer Bottle Headshot
Augustijn

This was a welcome surprise at Veneto Lounge. I was preparing for the standard offerings of draft beer, so this was a welcome surprise.

Central City Tripel = 6/10

Ratebeer 3.13 47th percentile
Beer Advocate B+

The nose was spot on for an abbey: faint apricots, passion fruit and sweet. A creamy, full-medium mouthfeel carried a good amount of alcohol tingle. With no draft list in front of me the ABV was unknown, but you could tell the beer meant business. There was more fruitiness than expected. Lots of sweet apricots, guava, tropical fruits came in a smooth but warming package. The ending was good and dry with a tongue coating of floral hops. I found it a little sweet, but still enjoyable.

Taste +2
Aftertaste +1
Alcohol Content +1 9%
Value +1 (free beer always rates high)
Appearance +1

Scuttlebutt Tripel 7
GIB Jolly Abbott 2009
St. Bernardus Tripel

A big thanks goes out to Dave from beerinBC.com for calling my attention to this brew. I love ordering random beers; it's like a Forest Gump kinda thing. You all can quietly recite that famous line to yourselves.

Vicardin = 10/10
Ratebeer 3.52 94th percentile
Beer Advocate B

This is a new one to me. It is a mix of gueuze lambic and Belgian triple - I like it! I feel like singing a Hannah Montana song. The nose was unmistakably lambic, but the yeast, apricots sweetness added by the triple gave it a new twist. At the start you were graced with a very creamy, medium-full and highly carbonated mouthfeel. Anyone who have tried a gueuze and a lambic can probably guess the flavours. They were almost overwhelming: tart lemons, apricots, peaches, leather glove, barnyard and a spicy/sweet hop finish. The wet blanket and herbal hops never really went away. One of the most unique beers so far.

Taste +5
Aftertaste +2
Alcohol Content +1 7%
Value +1
Appearance +1

Mort Subite Gueuze
St. Bernardus Tripel
Augustijn

New Belgium Trippel

Ratebeer 3.62 93rd percentile
Beer Advocate B+

I am about to tell you about the coolest restaurant in Seattle, Cyberdogs. The Misses marked this as a must visit vegetarian restaurant. This place is small with very little seating. But the gourmet veggie hot dogs with custom toppings were amazing. They even had a great beer selection. I plan to make this a regular stop whenever I am in Seattle.

Taste +5
The nose was hard to get through the neck of a bottle. I did notice a vague sweetness with apricots, citrus and yeast. It reminded me a lot of Orval. Each sip was very smooth with fresh, pale fruits, spices (coriander), yeast and citrus.

Aftertaste +1

It was slightly warming with a citrus and yeasty dry ending.
Alcohol Content +1 7.8%

You would never know it.

Value +1

Delicious. Definitely will buy again.

Ingame Enhancement +1

As you can see in the photo, I played a little old school Ms. Pac Man.

Overall 9/10

A great Belgian trippel that does not have to cross and ocean. It was sweet, dry, fruity and strong.

Phillips Surly Blonde
St. Bernardus Tripel
Tripel Karmeliet

It is not often I argue with the awarding of a Nobel Peace Prize, but in this case I must. Over at Improbable Research, a group of Swiss researchers won a satirical IG Nobel Peace Prize for studying whether it is better to be hit over the head with an empty or full beer bottle. If they read the article in the April 2009 issue of the Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine, it would be clear that this was good science. In this case the researchers set out to determine whether full or empty beer bottles are sturdier and if they can withstand the force required to fracture the human skull. It turns out that empty bottles are stronger than full bottles and both are capable of fracturing certain areas of the human skull. At events where fights might break out (weddings) beer bottles can be formidable weapons and their availability should be restricted. The researchers explained that full beer bottles break easier due to internal pressure from carbonation and that beer is an incompressible fluid. Any force to a full beer bottle can increase pressure within the bottle and aid in its destruction. In case you were wondering, they used one half litre Feldschlosschen Original (pale lager) for this experiment. It was not known if they drank the beer in order to obtain empty bottles.

Westmalle Triple

Ratebeer 3.81 98th percentile
Beer Advocate A

I gotta start reviewing crappy beers, so that people don't think I like everythin g. This bottle will never be broken over anyone's head.

Taste +4

Before the glass gets to my nose I know it will be good. The nose is earthy, with dried fruit (apricots), spices and bread. Every sip is sweet and dry but very good. The alcohol warmth carries the same nose flavours all the way down. The bottle looks familiar, but I just can't put my fat finger on it. Perhaps I am just a bit tired.

Aftertaste +2

The alcohol provides a lot of warmth and kicks of a long residual coating of sweet apricots, yeast and grains. There is a delayed alcohol and yeast bite.

Alcohol Content +1 9.5%

The taste is not noticed but the warmth is appreciated.
Value +1

Any Trappist Ale is a good ale.

Ingame Enhancement +1

Still sick with the H1N1. It really isn't so bad. Drinking too many of these, that would be bad.

Overall 9/10

A very nice sweet, dry and strong Belgian Triple. Delicious.

Other Triples
St. Bernardus Tripel
Karmeliet
Phillips Surly Blonde

Augustijn
Belgian Triple

Ratebeer 3.38 80th percentile
Beer Advocate B+

Taste +3

A normal pour produced a huge frothy head that never left. The smell is slightly spicy, phenolic with light fruits (apricots and oranges). The taste is oddly smooth and easy drinking for a strong beer. While heavy on the carbonation, the spices, yeast, bread and apricots flavours do not get overpowered. If I could compare it to something it would be apricot jam.

Aftertaste +1

At the end there is a slight cooling sensation with a lingering of fireweed honey. It was like sucking on a peach cream popsicle.

Alcohol Content +1 8%

Beware of the smooth taste.

Value 0

It was a very nice beer and I appreciate the style. The brew just didn't move me.

Ingame Enhancement 0

No game, just rest.

Overall 5/10

This really is a nice beer, especially if you like a Belgian triple. For some reason it just didn't grab me. The taste was a little mellow for a strong Belgian.

St. Bernardus
Orval
Karmeliet

Scuttlebutt Tripel 7
Abbey Style Tripel

Ratebeer 3.11 47th percentile
Beer Advocate B-

Taste +4

You know what? After a while beer styles really start to taste the same. This makes me very happy, because this is a great beer in a great style. The nose is bready with light berry fruits; although it is a bit watery. A little bubbly hits the tongue and spreads the toffee, apricots and light peach all over the place. This is enhanced with a hearty dose of alcohol tingle.

Aftertaste +1

You would expect a medium weight taste like this to last for a while; oddly the finish is dry and lasts about 20 seconds. It is quite tart, like an apricot cider.

Alcohol Content +1 9%

Just the way it should be

Value +1

This was a good Belgian triple. I would get it again; it can be had for a domestic price.

Ingame Enhancement +1

Any night Meterman comes over and drinks beer is a good night. Yes, I did this to bump the score up.

Overall 8/10

A solid, domestic Abbey Style Triple. Sure to please the converted and will not offend the purist.

Jolly Abbott GIB
Karmeliet
St. Bernardus Triple

St. Bernardus Tripel

Ratebeer 3.79 97th percentile
Beer Advocate A-

Taste +4

Apricots, citrus and yeast hit your nose before the glass even gets close. You could tell this one was a Belgian. The taste gives a strong dose of alcohol, citrus, peaches and a spicy malt sweetness. Very similar in taste to Karmeliet.

Aftertaste +1

It finishes dry and clean. Only the slight alcohol warming, yeast and sweet malt remains.

Alcohol Content +1 8%

Yup its a trippel alright. You can taste and smell it.

Value 0

It was nice but nothing supergreat, I would probably get the Karmeliet instead.

Ingame Enhancement 0

Again sampled at the hotel near Disneyland. It is a small world after all.
Overall 6/10

It was a good beer, but there are better examples in this category. If you can't find this one, grab a Fin Du Monde. They are very similar.

This is one of those Belgian white beers that you seem to find almost everywhere;both in liquor stores and cold beer and wines. I'm a easy sell for an overpriced imported beer with a nice label. Does this really make me an pretentious beer snob? Perhaps you shouldn't answer that. I know the image shows this beer in a brandy snifter, which is not the correct glass for this beer. The glassware selection at the CLAN ARC lounge currently does not include a Trappist Style Tulip glass. This is more evidence in favour of the beer snob.. I'll be quiet now.

Tripel Karmeliet

Beer Advocate A-
Rate Beer 3.9 98th percentile

Taste +4

At first pouring there was a generous white, fluffy head that quickly dissipated. The nose was sweet like yeast and fresh bread; maybe a little honey. The flavour was classically triple Belgian beer: bright tasting, with lots of citrus fruit bite, green apple and pineapple. There was an above average amount of fizz, but this is normal for a bottle fermented beer. Overall a quite sweet beer.

Aftertaste +1

The citrus tang slowly faded to leave a clean residual sweetness.

Alcohol +1 8.4%

The alcohol was hidden very well behind the pineapple and fruit flavours.

Value 0

This was not a cheap beer at $3.25 for 330ml. It was sure good though.

Ingame Enhancement 0

Meh, Sunday had no game tonight, folded baby clothes instead.

Overall 6/10

I liked this beer. Enough said. If you want to find something similar pick up a La Fin Du Monde by Unibroue; this one is a Clan ARC favourite.

This is one of our favourite brew, but we are usually too busy drinking it to give it a proper review. Brewed by a handful crazy guys in Esquimalt; this amber ale is sure to please.

Taste +4
This is sure a belgian-style; big flavours of berries and fruit over a heavy wheat base. It does a great job at hiding the heavy alcohol content. This is not for the light beer crowd.

After taste +1

A nice lingering tastes of dried fruits. It leaves a light coating on the tongue.

Alcohol Content +1

At 9.1% this beer is a slap to the face. But it is very hard to taste the alcohol content. Be very careful with this one; it is easy to drink a few very quickly. Then the next thing you know, you can't feel your forearms.

Value +1

I love the 650ml high alcohol content beer. It costs around $5 and it shares very well.

In-game enhancement -1

With a drop of over 100 points the alcohol content pushed my passed relaxed into the stupid range.
On a bright note I did deliver a nice headshot to Meterman across the train map. No haxs were used.

Overall rating 6 out of 10

I always have one of these in my fridge at all times. If I ever need a quick get me f'ed up beer; this is one a grab. Full of hard to describe flavours; if this were the only beer on my deserted island I would be a happy man. Had it been for a better night of fragging; this amber ale might have scored higher.