Houblon Chouffe Dobbelen IPA Tripel
More than a few months ago, a buddy of mine mentioned a beer he had just had from Brasserie d’Achouffe. He raved on about it, touting it as probably his new favorite beer. Having had the brewery’s McChouffe and LaChouffe products, I kept a sharp eye out for the IPA Tripel that he had spoken so highly of. A good deal of time passed without any luck finding it — anywhere.
Finally, through sheer will power and a great deal of dumb luck, I happened to stumble into the last bottle at a shop last month.
Appearance
The Houblon pours a golden yellow that’s cloudy with light sediment. The head was small and off white in color.
Aroma
I’m pretty sure Pavlov’s dog would have been proud of my response upon opening up the bottle. The drool ran rampant at the smell of the hops and citrus in the aroma. There is also a nice yeastiness.
Taste
I honestly doubted my friend’s purported existence of this beer. I’m glad that I finally found it as it tastes superb. All the classic elements of a tripel and an IPA are present. It’s nicely hoppy leaving a slight stickiness on the lips. A subtle spice is left on the tongue in the finish.
Overall
I can see why my buddy said that this might be his new favorite beer. It’s beyond excellent. It’s refreshing, warming and lively. The Houblon has just the right amount of complexity and a smooth bitterness that makes you want to keep drinking. I need to find another bottle.
Rating: 4.5/5