Blackberry Farm Tripel
Blackberry Farm’s Classic Saison was an outstanding beer and a surprise, to tell you the truth. I really didn’t expect much from it and it was with that same bit of skepticism that I approached this bottle of their Tripel (brewed in 2016) that just recently showed up on local shelves. Was that tasty saison a one hit wonder? After sipping on this 8% ABV Belgian-style tripel back in December, I can wholeheartedly say, “no, no it was not.” Blackberry Farm have once again shown that they know how to craft a world-class beer that rivals many of those held highly as examples of how a certain style should present itself.
This Tripel may be the best American-made example of the style that I’ve encountered in my many years of drinking craft beer. That sounds like a pretty grand statement, but I assure you while many other Belgian-style tripels that I’ve had from U.S. brewers have been decent, this is the only one that seems right. It’s got a rustic, authentic character behind the grain, distant fruit, yeast and touch of honey and spices. Perhaps it’s the additional age of this particular bottle that has aided in the overall experience, or perhaps it’s just flat out, that good — I’d have to find a more fresh bottle to make a complete determination.
Blackberry Farm Tripel is right up there with some of the best examples of the style that I’ve enjoyed through the years. It hits just about all the right marks for a high quality tripel. I would have to say that maybe two beers from a brewery isn’t enough to cement a complete opinion on their ability to make great beer, but given that both this and their Classic Saison were damn impressive, this Tennessee company is well on its way. I can’t wait to cross paths with this tripel again or anything else from the brewery in the future.