Stoudt's Triple (Belgian Abbey-Style Ale)
Appearance This one poured a brownish-orange in color and lacked the killer head that typifies the style. Smell The aromas of fruit, alcohol, and medicine cabinet give this one an exciting nose to smell. The fruits are summer salad like cherries, oranges, and especially melon. I can pick up some yeast in there as well, although the hops are hard to find. It is very spicy though. Taste Pow! The fruity nose will draw you in, but then as The Thing used to say in my old Fantastic Four comic books . . . Its clobberin time! The alcohol here dominates the flavor profile. Me likes, but then again Im a drunk. The summer fruits are here as well but they are just squashed in a Godzilla meets Bambi kind of way. Mouthfeel This one is thin for a Tripel, a far cry from medium-bodied even, with a non-stinging but huge alcohol hit from beginning to end. Drunkability Alcoholics and surgeons will appreciate this high-octane barrel of booze, but most aficionados of the style will cry foul. For all those people who say they have to lay off beer for a few days because they have a cold . . . drink this!