Nov 5, 2012

Rock Art Brewery Golden Tripple

Last week, I mentioned the arrival of two bottles from Vermont’s Rock Art Brewery via my in-laws. The brewery’s Riddler was a decent enough Dubbel, but not great. Their 8% ABV Belgian Tripel, otherwise known as Golden Tripple, is the better of the two beers, but still not quite there in terms of competing with some of its contemporary peers.

While Golden Tripple may not fully stack up against the likes of St. Bernardus or even Maine’s Allagash Brewing, the beer does have a unique twist that I particularly enjoyed. The addition of ginger to the brewing process gives the beer a slightly medicinal/herbal quality that I though was a nice touch.

Appearance

Golden Tripple pours orangish amber in color with a small, but dense white head.

Aroma

Light fruits (apple, pear), yeast, light grains, subtle ginger and spices (coriander and clove perhaps) come together for a delicate and welcoming nose.

Taste

The herbal/spice character of this beer is apparent almost immediately as the ginger and clove arrive quickly with light Belgian yeast notes. Grains and malt form the backbone with a light sweetness to accompany the spices and years that transitions to a lightly hopped finish. The beer is medium bodied with a fairly crisp carbonation — making for a pretty drinkable brew despite the higher alcohol content.

Overall

I did enjoy the influence that the ginger had on this beer, but when all is said and done, it’s just missing something. It’s easy drinking despite its strength and has a decent flavor profile that I’m sure many folks with absolutely love, but it just didn’t feel complete to me. Oh, and on a side note that I meant to mention in my Riddler review… aren’t we past the whole “Extreme” thing now? Do we really need to go that route with our bottle labeling? Neither of these beers should be considered extreme in any fashion. They may have pushed the envelope in the distant past, but the moniker just makes it sort of foolish and dated. Rant done.

Rating: 3.5/5

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