Maredsous 10 Tripel

http://www.maredsousbieres.be/

Brewed by Maredsous (Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat)
Style: Abbey Tripel/Pale Belgian Ale
Denée, Belgium.

Maredsous is the name given to both the abbey beer and the Benedictine abbey, found near Denée, in the province of Namur in southern Belgium. Founded in 1872, Maredsous Abbey was one of the first Belgian abbeys to re-establish its links with the country’s rich monastic past, after the destruction of the French Revolution (1789-1799) where many abbey and monastic communities were wiped off the map.

The Abbey still stands and has a number of monks who live the lifestyle dictated to them by St Benedict, ‘ora et labora’ (pray and work). Nestled in a beautiful forest, the abbey is a bit of a tourist attraction and cultural retreat theses days. Visitors like to marvel at the Gothic church, walk in the gardens or do some schooling in the creative arts on offer. The Bible Centre has over 400,000 books, manuscripts and other important artifacts all relating to the monastic and spiritual way of life. But if that doesn’t take your fancy you can always have a beer and cheese tasting tour. I know which activity I would choose!

The Abbey have three beers: A Maredsous Blonde (blonde ale, 6% ABV), a Maredsous Brune (dubbel, 8% ABV), and a Maredsous Triple (trippel, 10% ABV). Its tripel ale is recognized as a Certified Belgian Abbey Beer by the Union of Belgian Brewers.

Unlike the Trappists though, this abbey no longer has a brewery within its walls: Belgian brewery giant Duvel Moortgat, best known for its iconic Duvel (which I liked a lot albeit it was quite strong!), have got a license from the monks of the Maredsous Abbey to produce their trio of beers, the Blonde, Brune, and Tripel ale. They have done this since 1963 so its not a new thing for them, and so they cant be accused for jumping on the craze for Belgian abbey beers, I guess! But it must be said that the recipe comes from those of the original Benedictine beers, passed down over the centuries, in case of any doubt! And in keeping with the wishes of the monks, a large proportion of the profits made from any beer sales must be passed onto various charities.

Review: 330ml, a nice stubby brown bottle of Maredsous 10 Tripel: ABV.10% vol

Really dig the small brown bottle and the label, looks lovely. Simple enough but well designed and appealing. The beer is bottle conditioned as well, all adding to the appeal.

Has on the label it is an “extra strong beer”. Well it is a Tripel, so ok, lets see!

On pour we get a nice frothy white head and an orange coloured beer. The head is great, pretty big and very frothy, perhaps too much so. This all leaves some good lacing.

Colour goes cloudy, very cloudy. Head maintains. Decent enough on the eye.

Found the aroma was very strong on the nose, a fruity smell that was piercing and intense but a very particular fruit, banana I guess, is a nice smell, pleasant.

Taste, get the “particular” taste of a tripel straight away, a bit sour and hits you at the start.
Typical Belgian taste. Very hoppy and sweet.

Nice, I like it, very tasty. Has all the typical tastes, very clearly the coriander, cloves, the malts and fruits, particularly banana.

I know as a tripel its meant to hide the alcohol content but fuck me I found it a very strong beer, and its just as well I only had the two small bottles or I’d be well drunk after a few.

Strong and yeasty but it is well balanced, tasty and easy enough to drink.

Not bad for the style, but that style, a tripel Belgian with high alcohol content and full of great flavours, yeah! A good clean beer with a full bodied taste, didn’t have a head the next day! I will return!