One Devil of a Heavenly Beer
Aug 28 '04
The Bottom Line Who says Christians don't drink beer?
When I moved from Rhode Island to Georgia, I truly regretted leaving behind the wonderful diversity of beer that was available in the northeastern portion of the country. Rome, Georgia had slim pickings for beer, but I wasn’t far from Atlanta, and there were plenty of choices there. Still, none of them had over 6% alcohol by volume, thanks to Georgia’s archaic beer law.
On July 1st of 2004, that law changed, and since then beers of all colors, styles, and flavors have flooded into the state. As a beer lover, I am hard-presses to keep up with them all, though I am doing my best. Hey, it’s my duty after all.
The latest gem I’ve come across is Maredsous Triple, a Belgian abbey ale brewed not by monks but rather under license by the Moortgat concern, makers of the infamous Duvel. Now, Maredsous is in fact made up of Benedictine monks. The beer is even packaged in those same little stubby 330cl bottles Duvel is sold in.
That being the case, I find a certain inconsistency in their beer being bottled by a company whose most famous product is named after the devil. Still, I suppose we can’t have the one without the other. And so it goes.
Maredsous Tripel is a bit more formidable than your average example of the style. Most Tripels have an alcohol content of about 9% by volume. Maredsous clocks in at 10%. Yes, they do indeed go that extra mile.
Maredsous Tripel pours to a golden brown color with a huge thick and creamy head formation. A generous does of Brussels lace follows the beer down the glass as you sip. The nose is slightly toasty and very yeasty.
On the palate, the beer is full of rich and toasty malt flavors at first, then yields to a touch of fruit, hints of rock candy, and a complex and spicy dose of Belgian yeasty flavors. In the finish, there is a remarkable dryness and a wonderfully warm alcohol finish.
This is a formidable beer indeed, and one that would be very welcome on a cold winter’s eve. Still, it’s satisfying as well in the midst of summer. Would I join a monastery to enjoy it? I think not. Fortunately, I don’t have to, and neither do you.
EPINIONS CRITERIA:
Overall Rating: Four and one half stars
Beer Rating: Better than most
Weight: Full Body
Flavor: Balanced, Dry
Complexity: Complex
Price: $2.99 per 11.2 ounce bottle
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