Tre Fontane Tripel
I don’t believe that I’ve encountered a Belgian-style tripel from Italy prior to this bottle from Tre Fontane. I’m pretty sure this is also the first brew I’ve ever had that utilized eucalyptus in its recipe, but that’s what we’ve got here with this 8.5% ABV beer. The label states that this particular ingredient is an “ancient ingredient” used from 1873.
The overall impression of this tripel is quite tea-like due to the eucalyptus. There’s a good bit of yeastiness with its light funkiness, herbal and floral notes, as well as distant fruits. The malt bill provides a solid backbone that supports everything nicely and provides bready notes and hints of caramel. The beer is nicely balanced with a medium body that finishes long with a light dryness and gentle warmth. The unique flavor echos for a while after each sip.
This is an interesting tripel with one hell of a unique flavor profile for the style. The additional use of eucalyptus may be traditional in the region where this particular beer is crafted, but it’s far from what I’e come to know as tradition when it comes to other examples of this style. This beer may be one to search out if you love Belgian-style ales and are looking for something a little bit different and unique.