St. Bernardus Tripel Abbey Ale 25.4 oz

Belgian Golden Strong Abbey Tripel

Brewed by: St. Bernardus Brewery
Country: Belgium
Style: Tripel
Color: Gold

ABV: 8.0%
Ratebeer.com rating: 98
BeerAdvocate.com rating: 94

St. Bernardus Tripel is an abbey style tripel that pours a golden color with a small white head and expressive carbonation.

Top fermented and bottle conditioned, the brew boasts aromas of citrus, clove, yeast and bread, candy sugar, banana and peach.

Taste follows the nose and opens sweet with notes of mango, orange and lemon-zest followed by fruit and balancing notes of spice and hop bitterness.

The mouthfeel is light to medium bodied with an 8.0% ABV present but not overpowering; the finish is long, slightly bitter, warming and dry.

Food Pairings

Despite its strength, it makes a good aperitif; or try it with asparagus, artichokes or salads.

Pair with tabbouleh, hummus, baba ganoush or similar dishes from the Balkans, Armenia or the Eastern Mediterranean.

This Tripel style beer pairs well with pork and is also well-suited to pungent cheeses such as Gorgonzola and Limburger and sharp cheeses such as Blue and Cheddar.

Brewery Information:

The St. Bernardus Brewery was founded in 1946 by Evarist Deconinck. When the Trappist monks of the St. Sixtus Monastery in Westvleteren, Belgium decided that brewing and promotional efforts had become a serious distraction from religious and contemplative activities, they granted Deconinck a license to brew and distribute Trappistine beers based on the monastery's recipe.

That arrangement continued for decades, but in 1992, when it was decreed that only beers brewed within the walls of a monastery under direct control of the monks could be called Trappist beers, St. Bernardus launched its own brand of abbey beers to huge success.

Today, the brewery distributes award winning ales to more than two dozen countries including the United States, Canada, Brazil, Australia and Japan.