Beer Primer Tripels

Beer Primer has spent a lot of time marveling at how Belgians have mastered beer-making, like we did covering Belgian dubbels a couple of weeks back. Those brews pack a little more kick but are balanced. One more notch up are tripels, which get a second round of fermentation once they’ve been bottled. Don’t let the little flecks of yeast floating in a glass of tripels freak you out: That’s just the aftermath of the double-dose of yeast fermentation, which makes for a stronger beer. Like other Belgian beers, you might not notice the amount of alcohol until you’re a couple of bottles in.

That holds especially true for Tripel Karmeliet, widely regarded in the beer world as one of the best tripels around. Part of its magic is how well the beer masks its 8.4 percent alcohol content—it's like when a good bottle of wine ages in its bottle, becoming less harsh and more smooth and nuanced. Something else to throw drinkers off: While most of the other strong beers profiled in Beer Primer are dark in color, the Tripel Karmeliet looks more like an easy-sipping hefeweizen in the glass. The nose is subtle, with mild hints of fruit and roses. The taste is equally nuanced, marked most by apple, pear, and orange peel flavors, with a pinch of clove as is goes down. The mild heat from the alcohol is also present on the finish, but not enough to make you think, "Man, I should slow down.”

Where to find it: The Publican

Try it with: Acorn edition pork shoulder ($20). The lemon zest in the gremolata pulls out the citrus in the Karmeliet, which has the body to match the pork.