The Belgian style “Tripel” is a tricky one to nail down, and in fact, the more you learn and read about Belgian styles of beer in general, and especially those of the “Trappist” variety, the more you learn that BJCP style guidelines are pretty stupid and useless outside of the hermetic world of Beer Competitions. The trick here is to brew creatively and personally, and if a brew you produce can fit into the tight guidelines (including the right range of color, correct amount of carbonation, presence of the right phenolics, etc.), submit it. Don’t let the style guidelines dictate what you make. There’s really no point, since you and your friends are going to be the ones drinking 98% of your beer.
Captain Lawrence doesn’t seem overly concerned with these kinds of guidelines, although the Xtra Gold does seem to sit well enough within the guidelines of what a Tripel is. It’s the same kind of “What is art?” or “What is noise?” argument that occupies graduate students endlessly but bores people who actual make or appreciate art, noise, or in this case, beer. The brewers at CL make no bones about the scientific means they use to produce beers of this quality, and why should they, considering Westmalle has a lab on site? The Xtra gold is a monster in a bottle, but I was lucky enough to get a counter-pressure filled growler from Bierkraft, at a cost cheaper than a normal 750ml bottle for more than twice the amount, so I’m writing here about the beer in that form.
Opening the growler produces both a satisfying sound and an enormously satisfying array of smells, with the very Belgian yeast smells being way up front. Some hops comes in after that, but this is all Belgian yeast when you pour and sniff, and as you continue to do so, working your way through a pint, so many awesome smells come out that it’s silly to try to pinpoint them — think bubble gum, tropical fruit, booze, etc. Just awesome. This is a highly carbonated beer that pours a beautiful clear golden color and has a massive white head with big bubbles that explode with aroma as you pour it. The mouthfeel is great, slightly heavy to match the intensity of the ABV and all of those aromas, and finishes with a pleasing bitter bite. Captain Lawrence and Sixpoint are both at the absolute top of their games right now in terms of producing Belgian Styled beers, and drinking this growler is making me want to crack a bottle open to see how different it tastes.
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