Belgian Tripel
By The Numbers
- OG = 1.065 to 1.095
- FG = 1.013 to 1.020
- IBU = 20 to 35
- SRM = 3.5 to 6
Belgian tripel is a pale to deep gold beer with good clarity. Head retention is good and long lasting with intricate Belgian lace, except in the higher-alcohol versions, in which the alcohol can affect the head. The aroma is well-balanced and complex with malt, citrus-like fruity esters and a mild to moderate clove-spice character. Hop aroma is moderate to little with no diacetyl. The flavor is crisp and moderately fruity. Malty sweetness is balanced by mild hop bitterness
and high carbonation to provide a dry finish and sweet aftertaste. Some examples have a clove-like spiciness. There will be a subtle to apparent alcohol presence depending on the strength of the beer. The use of candi sugar gives it a medium body, though it appears to be light. Warming alcohol and high carbonation does not disturb the smoothness of a tripel.
This style was developed by the monks from the abbey of Westmalle,
which dates back to 1794. Their tripel is a classic, copied by many
breweries. By Belgian law, only beer brewed at a Trappist monastery may be called a Trappist beer. All other commercial reproductions must be called “abbey beers.”
Our recipe is in the vein of Westmalle. It has a creamy head with
crystalline sheets of Belgian lace. The color is a brilliant gold with
orange highlights. The complex aroma is redolent of spicy Saaz hops and aromatic malt, leading to a lively palate with notes of spicy hops,
orange fruit, malt and a subtle alcohol suggestion. The finish is light
with restrained hops. Tripels are at their best 3 to 6 months after
fermentation is complete.
Commercial Beers to Try
The classic is Westmalle, but there are many more. A few of our
favorites are: Bosteels Tripel Karmeliet, a very complex, creamy
tripel; a lovely spicy version called Bruges Tripel; the Corsendonk
Abbey Pale (Agnus Dei); and Tripel Petrus, a darker example with a
sweet palate.
Hops, Malt, Yeast and Adjuncts
Many varieties of hops can be used in tripels. Czech Saaz and
Styrian Goldings are popular, along with the German Tettnanger. English Fuggles have also been used.
Pale pilsner malts, Belgian two-row pale malts, Belgian aromatic and biscuit malts are the typical malts used in this style. Yeast plays a very distinctive role with strains that are alcohol
tolerant and impart some spiciness to the beer. Some strains that work quite well are: Belgian Abbey and Belgian Abbey II (Wyeast 1214 and 1762), Trappist High Gravity (Wyeast 3787) and Belgian Strong Ale yeast (Wyeast 1388).
Clear candi sugar is added, giving a smoothness to the beer and
adding undertones of alcohol. You can also use small amounts of spices, such as coriander, grains of paradise and sweet or bitter Curacao
orange peel.
Serving Suggestions
Serve at 50° F in a Belgian chalice glass with lobster and
asparagus crepes bathed in a delicate sauce of shallots, cream and
tripel.
Classic Belgian Tripel
5 gallons
OG = 1.084 to 1.086; FG = 1.017 to 1.019; IBU = 25
Ingredients
- 4 oz. Belgian aromatic malt
- 3 oz. Belgian biscuit malt
- 8.5 lb. Muntons extra light dry malt extract (DME )
- 1.5 lb. Belgian clear candi sugar
- 7 AAU of Styrian Goldings bittering hops (1.5 oz. at 4.7% alpha acid)
- 2.5 AAU Styrian Goldings flavor hops (0.5 oz. at 5% alpha acid)
- 1 tsp. Irish moss
- 1 AAU Czech Saaz aroma hops(0.25 oz. at 4% alpha acid)
- 1 pt. starter of Belgian Strong Ale yeast (Wyeast 1388) or Abbey Ale yeast (White Labs WLP530)
- 1 cup corn sugar for priming
Step by Step
Bring one gallon of water to 155° F, add crushed grain and hold for
30 minutes at 150° F. Strain the grain into the brewpot and sparge with
one gallon of 170° F water. Add the dry malt, candi sugar and bittering
hops. Bring the total volume in the brewpot to 3.5 gallons.
Boil for 45 minutes then add the flavor hops and Irish moss. Boil for
13 minutes and add the aroma hops. Boil for 2 more minutes then remove
pot from stove.
Cool wort for 15 minutes. Strain into the primary fermenter and add
water to obtain 5-1/8 gallons. Add yeast when wort has cooled to below
80° F. Oxygenate-aerate well. Ferment at 70° to 72° F for 7 days.
Rack into secondary (glass carboy). Ferment until target gravity is
reached and beer is clear (approximately 5 weeks). Prime and bottle.
Carbonate at 70° to 72° F for 3 to 4 weeks. Store at cellar temperature.
Partial-Mash Option
Mash 2.75 lb. Belgian two-row pilsner malt and the
specialty grains in 1 gallon water at 150° F for 90 minutes. Sparge
with 2 gallons water at 168° F. Follow the extract recipe, omitting 2
lb. of Muntons extra-light dry malt extract from the boil.
All-Grain Option
Mash 13.75 lb. Belgian two-row pilsner malt and the
specialty grains in 3.5 gallons of water at 150° F for 90 minutes.
Sparge with 6 gallons of water at 168° F. The total boil time
is approximately 150 minutes. Add 5 AAU of Styrian Goldings (bittering
hop) for the last 90 minutes of the boil. Then add flavor hops and
Irish moss for the last 15 minutes of the boil and add the aroma hops
for the last 2 minutes.
If you don’t happen to have the capacity to mash this amount of grain, omit 5 lbs. of the German pilsner malt and add 3 lb. Muntons extra-light dried malt extract (DME)
to the boil.
You will then need only 2.5 gallons of water for the mash and 5 gallons of sparge water. This will also reduce your boil time to approximately 90 minutes.
