Brewery Description: Lupulus is a blonde ale with an alcohol proof of 8,5 %, refermented in champagne bottles and in casks. The choice not to filter the beer, as well as not to pasteurize it ensures its taste and aromatic quality.

The use of hops in considerable quantities, gives this liquid gold a freshness and an incomparable bouquet. Store this beer, as it ought to be, next to your beloved Grand-Cru and serve at a temperature between 8 and 12°C (46,4 and 53,6°F). You’ll be delighted!

Before moving onto the Imperial Stouts and Barleywines that I paired with dessert this past Thanksgiving I decided to open this bold yet refreshing Abbey Tripel to enjoy with my turkey, stuffing, and plethora of other side dishes…Having heard that one of the brewers of this beer helped design the recipes for the now famous Brasserie D’achouffe, I decided to drink it out of my D’achouffe glass (similar to a Duvel glass). It poured a cloudy pale straw color with a pillowy white head (from bottle conditioning). Though it dissipated after my first few sips, it left behind an attractive amount of lacing.

Being that it’s name was inspired my latin name for hops I was curious to smell and then taste Lupulus’s hop character. On the nose I picked up grassy lemony hops along with spicy dry yeast notes and a hint of sweet bready malt. This followed into the taste with a bit of lemony and earthy hop flavor and bitterness upfront and a sweet bready finish that is common in many Belgian Tripels…In fact while sneakily typing tasting notes on my phone during the meal, I described Lupulus’s flavor profile as “a mixture of Tripel and Saison characteristics.”

In the end it was the finish of this beer that made it a great pairing for the bold flavors of my Thanksgiving meal. While seemingly refreshing upfront, the bold flavors and alcohol heft in the finish helped this beer remain assertive yet not overpowering as I enjoyed my food. Rating: 8/10 – a tasty versatile Tripel that can be enjoyed year-round.

For more information on the availability of this beer in the US please visit the Artisanal Imports website.