Tripel

BELGIAN TRIPEL

 

Trappist breweries have been producing beer for centuries. Abbey Ales, Dubbels, Golden Ales, and Belgian Strong Ales are staples of many ancient breweries, and the Tripel is quickly becoming another classic beer to add to the list. Very new for the region from which it derives, the Tripel was developed in 1934.

The brewery at Westmalle Abbey, outside of Antwerp, Belgium, began making its first batches of beer in 1836, but it wasn't for nearly 100 years that they developed their game changer. At 9.5% ABV, the Tripel was bigger and stronger than many of the other Trappist beers that were in production at the time. Legend has it that the monks at Westmalle brewed the Tripel to complete their "Holy Trinity" of beers: Single (5%), Dubbel (7%), and Tripel (9.5%). When demand grew for the Tripel, Westmalle had to adapt the recipe to fit the needs of the people, and that is the beer that is still in available today. Westmalle Tripel is considered the gold standard for the style, even though there are plenty of exceptional options available.

The Tripel has become one of the most popular styles of Belgian beer. Trappist brewers at Chimay and St. Bernardus have made excellent versions of the Tripel, as have non monkish breweries. Unibroue's La Fin Du Monde, Allagash Tripel, and Golden Monkey from Victory Brewing are all quality options as well, however they are not Trappist breweries. 

As for the beer itself, the name says it all. It's called a Tripel because it contains more ingredients than its smaller relatives. The Tripel is light in color and deceptively light in body, despite the higher than average alcohol content. That boozy quality shouldn't be tasted, however. The beer should be malt forward with a mild hop character and deceptive alcohol warmth. The Tripel is clear with heavy, almost effervescent carbonation and a long lasting white head. 

The malt flavor is at the forefront, but classic examples of the beer do not make the malt the star of the show. Many times Belgian Candi Sugar is added in generous portions to add a distinct spice and boost the alcohol percentage. Noble hop aromas and spiciness create a balanced aromatic with low IBU. Belgian yeast strains are preferred here for their phenolic qualities and inclination to highlight spice and malt flavors. 

Tripels are meant to be drinkable despite their power. Often bottle conditioned, they tend to age very well. Beers with higher alcohol percentages will always do well in a cellar for extended periods, and the Tripel is no exception. Some people will buy a bottle of a particular brand year after year as collectors items, as some of Tripels are among the best beers in the world. 

For such a complex beer, and the flavor notes are fairly complex, the recipe is often very simple. Copious amounts of base malt and light specialty malts are combined with low alpha acid hops for the base beer. The Candi Sugar adds no color but a lot of extra layers that, in our opinion, are crucial to making a Tripel.

OUR RECIPE

18 lbs Pilsen Malt
1 lb 20L Caramel Malt

3oz Saaz Hops

4 lb White Candi Sugar

BE-256 Dry Belgian Ale Yeast

1 tsp Irish Moss

Malts We Use

Pilsner Malt: Pilsner Malt is a classic base malt. Extremely light in color, it is a perfect tableau for beers with a lot of specialty malts. Pilsner Malt has a delicate flavor and is very clean, making it a perfect malt for crisp clear beers. Originally used in most lager styles, it takes its name from the Pilsen beers of Bohemia, where it was developed. 

20L Caramel Malt: This specialty malt will contribute not only a fair amount of sweetness, but also a beautiful color that makes this beer stand out from its cousins.20 is in the lower range of Caramel malt, which is milder in flavor and color than the darker versions with higher numbers.

Hops We Use

Saaz: Brewers in the Czech Republic have been using Saaz for over 700 years. It's a classic noble hop with a herbal spice and mellow bitterness. Saaz has a low Alpha Acid, making it one of the quintessential aromatic hops. 

Yeast We Use

BE-256: A high octane Belgian dry yeast strain, BE-256 is used for larger ales that require a stronger yeast. Fast acting and powerful, BE-256 develops balanced flavors and aromas, allowing the malts and hops to come through. 

Adjuncts Used

Candi Sugar: A traditional additive to Belgian Beers is Candi Sugar. Derived from beets, Candi Sugar adds sweet flavors and some color, but it's main job is to spike the ABV of a beer and in larger quantities dry out the finish. 

Irish Moss:We use Irish Moss as a clarifying agent. These negatively charged seaweed particles attract proteins and other free radicals in your boil kettle and drag them to the bottom once cooled, thereby removing haze from your final product. Whirlfloc tablets are another option for this process. Regardless of your preferred methods of clarity, it is important that beers of this style are clear. Lagering can do this as well, but most home brewers don't have that capability, so adding Irish Moss (or something similar) can work wonders for cleaning up the beer.