Infinite Wisdom Tripel

Belgian Tripel | Seasonal | United States

By Mike Castagno

Judges Rating: 84
Aroma: 20
Appearance: 5
Flavor: 36
Mouthfeel: 7
Overall Impression: 16

With a Tripel, you are looking for a dry finish with a rocky head, moderate creaminess and a good balance between spicy phenols and fruity esters. In this example, isovaleric acid (sweaty) is prominent in the beginning with strong sulfur notes to follow. These issues dissipate over time. After a few seconds the head fades away completely and a couple of minutes later the Belgian yeast character makes an appearance. Asian pear, apricot, orange and banana are among the esters noted and they balance well with a peppery spice note. The bitterness of this beer is aggressively astringent, like the white part of a watermelon rind or red grape skins. A moderate floral hop character is noted as well as some minerality on the finish and a gentle warming sensation midway through the beer. The astringency becomes more tolerable as you get about half way through the beer, and the fruit and spice carry the beer nicely the rest of the way.