St. Vrain Tripel - Left Hand Brewing Company, Longmont

The St. Vrain Tripel is one of Left Hand's bomber sized specialty beer that seems to be a little harder to track down in my neck of the woods. I was finally able to get my hands on a bottle last week and have eagerly awaited its opening. After throwing the football around on a nice early spring Sunday afternoon, I figured this is as good a time as any to crack open the St. Vrain. What awaited was a golden bodied Tripel that smelled a little like funky oranges and begged to be consumed.

The flavor of the St. Vrain is a little different than what I was expecting, based on the aroma. It tastes a little more bitter and has a more noticeable malt component than the aroma would lead you to believe. The flavor is still really great, but it did throw me for a bit of a loop at first. About midway through each sip you're treated with a sweet orange and tart lemon twist that is blended in nicely with the rest of the flavors.

I do have to say that this Tripel is considerably more tame than I was expecting. That isn't to say it's doesn't taste good, it tastes exactly like a Belgian Tripel... which is intention. I was hoping for a little more innovation from the folks in Longmont, but this bottle certainly didn't disappoint. Whether you're a fan of traditional Tripels, or you're looking to expand into more Belgian styles, St. Vrains should be on your shopping list.