Bornem Triple Abbey Ale - Brouwerij Van Steenberge, Ertvelde

About eight months ago I decided I needed to drink more Tripels. I went on a bit of a shopping spree and brought home several bottles of Belgian and American Tripels. I drank about half of them that first month and decided to change gears before I got burnt out. One of the bottles I'd picked up back then had gotten misplaced somewhere along the lines and ended up in a box in the basement. Here we are, several months later, and I've found that missing bottle of Bornem Tripel. The bottle doesn't have a "best by" date on it, and at 9% ABV I figure it'd hold up for a few months but I should probably drink it ASAP...

This bottle of Bornem Triple poured a hazy golden color, darkening slightly as it settles. This beer has a very persistent fluffy white head that has laced all the way down the interior of my glass. The aroma of this Tripel was a little different. There is a bit more musty dankness to this beer. It's also got some nice banana and pear sweet and tart fruitiness. That all carries through to the flavor as you start drinking this beer. You'll notice a bit of spice at first, it's quite subtle and a nice contrast to the sweet and tangy fruit flavors. The finish of this beer is a little rough as you get some high alcohol burn just as the beer leaves your palate.

All in all, I enjoyed this beer. It's a solid Tripel and I found no flaws in it. I also didn't really find anything too exciting in it either. I'd definitely drink another one of these as a nice lazy evening sipper, but I'd reach for a bottle of something else if I were looking for excitement.