A Taste of Left Hand St. Vrain Tripel

Left Hand Brewing Co.
Longmont, CO (USA)

Preface: This bottle has been hiding in the back of a closet, in the dark and never more than 70F… how long it has been there I cannot tell you. The company site says it is a seasonal and other site notes also make it a seasonal but I have no idea when it was first brewed or if this is a latest edition of the brew. Nevertheless, the following are my notes. It is 9% avb and I intend to finish the bottle so wish me luck…


Appearance: This is bright golden, crystal clear, well carbonated brew. The head is fairly tight knit foam of fine and medium sized bubbles that are not long lasting. The Belgian lace is thin.


Aroma: The first impression is a steely grain sensation. Next comes a more metallic aroma with citric undertones. The lip to sip aromatics echo the previous.


Mouth feel: This is a relatively light feeling brew.

Flavor: The first flavors are slightly tutti-fruity and then there is a sugar candy flavor that steps in and takes over. The second impression is not substantially different from the first. Aspirating the last sip (taking a small sip and sucking in air through lips drawn together to give the beer an air-kiss) reveals no additional aromatics or flavors.


Finish: There is a rush out the door by these flavors, save a banana flavor that lingers for a while longer. In the end there is more than a trace of sugar.

Comments: If I didn’t know any better I would say this is a “high-test” wheat beer fermented with some Bavarian strain of yeast… but then I should know better.

I would prescribe this brew as a summer solace to be taken on the patio of a cafe in the shade of leafy trees just after a thunderstorm.


Left Hand Brewing Co.: http://www.lefthandbrewing.com/

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