Chimay Tripel (White)
Cinq Cents looks like a big ol' glass of carbonated apple juice. The pearl-white head is big and incredibly persistent. Ten minutes in and we're still looking at a quarter inch of foam. Copious lacing. The smell is faintly reminiscent of spiced apples. There's also a bit of soapiness. Pretty nice. Flavor is your usual clove-like spiciness -- and again -- hints of apples. Hop bitterness is more assertive than the norm for tripels. Finishes with a medicinal bite. Mouthfeel benefits from exceptional carbonation, a nice body and a wicked dry finish. No doubt, Cinq Cents is a damn good tripel. This bottle is fairly fresh (Sept. '08), so I'm sure that an older bottle would be a bit more mellow. That said, this is still a fantastic beer. I just wish that trappist beer didn't come at such a premium, as I've found that I generally enjoy the non-trappist options just a little bit more. It helps that they're a little easier on the wallet. Just saying.