Scuttlebutt Brewing Company Jalapeno Tripel 7 Tripel at 9% ABV | 23 IBU (C$9.49 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, packaged on 1-May-2017, acquired 4-Aug-2017, reviewed 7-Aug-2017)
Appearance: slightly hazy pale amber with two fingers of fluffy white head, good retention and spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: green jalapeño, grainy pale malt, hint of fruit and floral. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, moderate spicy heat. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry warming and spicy finish. (3/5)
I was pretty leery about getting this in the first place, and I cringed when the first jalapeño aroma hit after uncapping. Ignoring for the moment that particular elephant in the room, the first sip told me this is a sweet Tripel, which is really not what I was hoping for. (As far as I’m concerned, the dryer the better when it comes to Tripels.) So, fair to say, this thing started off with two strikes against it. But then, it kind of held its own. The really surprising thing about this beer is the disconnect between the aroma and flavour: the nose is utterly dominated by green jalapeño, but there’s relatively little lingering heat on the tongue. That’s not to say none, mind you, but it’s reasonably well balanced, and plays well with the ABV warming to give a pleasant finish overall. It’s still too sweet, but ends up being a surprisingly approachable sipper. (14/20)
7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
