I must admit, I'm a huge fan of Belgian and Belgian-style beers. From Chimay to Fin du Monde to Hoegaarden, there are quite a range of delicious, unfiltered ales perfect for a summer day or a warm spring evening. Orval Trappiste is a perennial favorite. And so I'm always on the lookout for new Belgian beers to try.
This is one such beer, made by East Haven, CT-based Overshores Brewing Company. I had never heard of it when I lived in Connecticut, but determined to sample a local beer, I grabbed this from my hometown Whole Foods in Glastonbury, Conn. As you can see, it's a 22 oz. bomber topped with a muselet cork labelled "Tripel Brun" and weighing in at 9.5% ABV. It cost $12.99.
According to their website, the Tripel Brun is made with "Caramel and Munich malts with our Belgian base malt and Belgian yeast." And so having read this, I assume that it's a moderately-strong Belgian ale, similar to the Chimay Cinq-Cents.
But the visual and olfactory clues tell another story. The eye is a pale brownish-red, but relatively clear with lots of bubbles and very little head. Lots of fizz, which is certainly something I was not expecting.
The beer smells of sugar, strong malts, and sugar with a significant apple cider aroma. Nice! Dan and I are definitely intrigued.
The beer is a rusty red when candled - not entirely translucent, either. The taste is also unexpected - but delicious. There's a Belgian taste for sure, but the beer is way maltier than expected. It's also fizzy and light, but with good strong sweet flavors. It's really not like anything I've tried before.
In conclusion, this was a great find with a delicious, unexpected taste that carries very well. It's sweet, bready flavors and apple cider notes make for a delicious fall beer. Plus, the alcohol content holds flavors well too, so I'd surely be happy having this again and again.
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