I’ve been a big fan of Brouwerij Het Anker’s Grand Cru d’Or – Grand Cru Of The Emperor for several years now. It was the first beer that my wife and I celebrated with when she was finally able to enjoy a beer after the birth of our daughter. Not only is it tasty, but it’s got that added sentimental appeal. I’ve also got a bottle of brewery’s Noel in storage for next winter (I’m hoping that the cellar temperature maintains during the summer’s hotter months).
All that said, I had not happened upon the brewery’s tripel until just recently. Needless to say I was more than just a little excited to try it.
Appearance
The beer poured a hazy gold into a Duvel glass. The head was large and fluffy — pillow like, even.
Aroma
The sizable head caused the nose to be a bit subtle, but I caught some pear, banana and citrus fruits. It doesn’t smell overly sweet like some of its competitors in this genre. There’s a bit of a spice to it that I only found out later was clove.
Taste
Wow. This could very well be the best tripel I’ve ever tasted (no offense Westmalle, St. Bernardus, Kasteel, etc). It’s refreshingly fruity and crisp with a suitable amount of sweet malts to compliment the banana and other fruits. It’s got a slight hop and spice finish that leaves the mouth tingling and ready for more of this heavenly beer.
Overall
Having only the 12 ounce bottle for my sampling, I really, really wished I had found a larger bottle. This was one tasty brew that I will definitely be keeping my eyes peeled for in the future. I love Belgian tripels and this is a shining example of what a tripel should be.
Rating: 4.5/5
