October 25, 2012 - BeerMistress

“A contemporary rendition of a traditional Belgian Trippel.” In the words of the bottle, I think I’m in love.  But wait, let’s not jump to conclusions.  We all know by now not judge a book by its cover nor a beer by its label.  But in this case, it’s Green Flash Brewing Company in San Diego, California.  And Green Flash is expertly labeled, logoed, and crafted.  So all of my spider senses tell me to trust the brewer’s intuition.  Let’s find out, shall we?

 

I picked up this bottle because of a new found appreciation for Green Flash Brewing Company.  Their summer, crisp, hoppy West Coast IPA and Palate Wrecker started to appear at some of my favorite watering holes, and since being won over by the deliciousness, I’ve begun to seek out other Green Flash Beers.  I adore Belgian beers.

 

There is something about the craft, the balance, the care that is put into their creation that just speaks to my palate.  The fact that this beer is from one of my currently leading breweries and in one of my favorite styles make it an easy buy.  Add to it the 91 score on RateBeer.com, and it’s a no brainer.

 

The trippel pours a light amber, cloudy color with a small, lacy head that dissipates quickly.  I see the sparkling bubbles, and on this record high temperature October day, I am excited to take a sip!

 

Green Flash’s Trippel smells a mild, citrus sour.  Does that make any sense?  I’d call it an orange pith, not a truly strong, pickling citrus like a lemon or lime, but there’s still a definitive orange or pink grapefruit.  It smells light, effervescent and refreshing…

 

And thankfully, it tastes the same!  It’s definitely got the bitter, pith taste (a little more lime than anything else) but also the classic trippel spice and a little sweetness.  For being 9.7% ABV, it’s got a smooth, mild flavor that I find very

pleasant and accommodating.

 

I think that what I respect most out of this beer is that, as a Belgian style beer lover, it tastes like it was recently imported from Belgium.  Nothing about it says America, West Coast, or Microbrew.  It has “trappist” style beer written all over it, but at an affordable price.  This beer has a spicy, almost chai or black tea quality to it which adds to its refreshment.

 

It may have only scored an 83 on Beer Advocate, but it has a full body, complete finish, and pleasant flavors

all around. In case you are torn, if you’re rating on the Beer Mistress’s scale, let’s go with one major, toothy smile and an extra pour of delicious.