Trappist

With this bottle of La Trappe Isid'or I will have had at least one beer from each of the seven Trappist brewers. This is a fact that just now dawned on me... I probably should have built this event up a bit more, but there's really no pomp and definitely no circumstance. This bottle of Isid'or has been sitting in a cupboard for about two and a half months. I meant to get to it sooner because I'd never had it, not because it would complete some Trappist drinking achievement... Oh well, I'm glad to finally say I've had a beer from all of the Trappist brewers even if it were something I almost overlooked.

Rochefort 10 is a very, very special beer. This beer is almost as highly regarded among internet beer geeks as the legendary Westvleteren 12, but is far easier to obtain. I held off on drinking this beer for the longest time, in fact this is the first bottle I've had in the United State. I didn't abstain from the Rochefort 10 because I don't like Quads or I don't like Trappist beers, quite the opposite... I love both. I'd known for at least a year that I was going to spend some time in Belgium last year and I couldn't resist putting a visit to Westvleteren on my list... and since I'd waited this long to try Rochefort 10, I might as well do a side-by-side with Westy. Needless to say, I had a great time in Belgium...

Westmalle ranks right up there with Orval and Chimay as far as Trappist mindshare in the average craft beer drinker goes. Trappist beers are held in high regard, and for good reason. They're high quality beers with unique characteristics. Westmalle's Tripel is a spicier take on the Tripel style that packs a lot of alcohol and yeasty funk into an outwardly modest looking beer. I poured this Tripel into a tulip glass and noticed a couple things that were worth mentioning right off the bat. The color of this beer is a little lighter than I was expecting, this made sense when I went in and got a good whiff...

When I bought this Chimay sampler a few months ago I didn't really plan ahead as far how I was going to drink these three bottles. I ended inadvertently drinking them in the most american way possible, which would be Red, White and finally Blue... I started off with the Red because it is the Chimay I see most widely distributed. I drank the White next because it was the end of summer and I was wanting something a bit "lighter" ...like I said, I didn't do much research ahead of time. That left me with a bottle of Chimay Blue which I was a hesitant to open up, at least until I was ready for a nearly double digit ABV beer. I recently went to the grand opening of a new liquor store in town and they had all of their beers sorted in order by rating, from highest to lowest. I couldn't help but notice that Chimay's Blue garnered a 100 point score, ranking right up there (at least according to this liquor store) with Nøgne Ø #100 and Old Rasputin. Since I recently drank an Old Rasputin, I figured the time was right to finally crack open the Chimay Blue that's been waiting so patiently for me.

Chimay is one of those brands that carries a bit of cachet. The name exemplifies Belgian beer for a lot of people. For many, Chimay's Dubbel defines the genre. For the most part there is good reason Chimay is held in such high regard. They do make some fabulous beers... but no one is perfect. Not all Chimay beers are home runs, and the White is more of a grounder to 2nd base. I was a bit disappointed in the Chimay White, I was hoping for a more balanced Tripel that showcased it's sourness. The White is more bitter than I was expecting. There is still a bit of good Belgian sour in this beer, just not as much as the aroma would suggest. This beer smells like a Wit that has just been loaded up with Brettanomyces. The flavor really falls short...

If you're a fan of Belgian beers then you probably know all about Chimay's Red. Chimay is the only Trappist ale available to most people and the Red label dubbel is their entry level beer at ONLY 7% alcohol. The wide availability of Chimay may lead some to conclude that this is the Budweiser of Belgian beers, but that certainly isn't the case. Chimay, and more specifically their Red label beer, is a great example of the Trappist genre. Chimay's Red is a strong but well balanced Belgian Dubbel that had a sweet and maltly taste up front and finishes smooth and creamy. It is, in so many ways, a perfect example of the style. As the younger brother of the Tripel, the Dubbel is still a big beer. It has strong flavors but is able to remain sweet and smooth. For anyone who has been intimidated by Tripels or Quadrupels in the past, you should really pick up a bottle of Chimay's Red.