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Curieux

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Curieux starts as the brewery's Tripel, which rests for about seven weeks in bourbon barrels and is then blended with a portion of the same beer fresh from the tank. First brewed in 2004, it has been part of the range ever since. The barrels lay vanilla, caramel, toasted oak and a hint of bourbon and coconut over the base beer's honey and light fruit. The alcohol warms without burning, the body is fuller than the base beer's, and the finish stays dry with lingering wood.

ABV
10.2%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter27 IBU
Malt-forward bitterness
SRM
golden5
PaceSipper

AWARDS

Bronze · 2008
World Beer Cup
★Bronze — World Beer Cup
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
What makes this beer itself
MaltHop
vanillacarameloak
vanilla
caramel
oak
honey
toasty
fruity
Aroma
The nose leads with bright honey and soft stone fruit notes from the base Tripel, immediately layered with vanilla, caramel, and toasted oak from the bourbon barrel aging.
also:spicy,bready
not found:hoppy,roasted,clean,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Curieux

◎ Appearance

Pale golden in color with excellent clarity and a fine, persistent head that leaves delicate lacing on the glass. The carbonation is moderate and well-integrated, creating a soft effervescence rather than aggressive bubbles. The beer presents a refined, luminous appearance typical of the style.

pale goldclearfine lacing

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with bright honey and soft stone fruit notes from the base Tripel, immediately layered with vanilla, caramel, and toasted oak from the bourbon barrel aging. A whisper of coconut and a hint of bourbon warmth round out the profile, creating an inviting, complex bouquet that is neither aggressive nor subtle.

honey, fruitvanilla, carameltoasted oakbourbon

◐ Taste

The palate opens with the base beer's honeyed sweetness and light fruit character, followed by the development of barrel-derived vanilla and caramel mid-palate. The 27 IBUs provide gentle, refined bitterness that balances without overwhelming the malt sweetness, while the 10.2% alcohol warms pleasantly without harshness. The body is noticeably fuller than the unbarrel-aged version, adding weight and complexity.

honeycaramel, vanillawarming alcoholdry-balanced

◑ Finish

The finish remains dry with lingering notes of wood and subtle oak tannins that extend the experience. The aftertaste is clean and warming, with the alcohol presence becoming more apparent as the beer fades.

drylingering oak
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
84
Taste
83
Appearance
80
Finish
79
Serve at 9–12°C

Serve at 10–13°C in a goblet. The yeast character and carbonation are the stars — cold would suppress both.

Goblet

The wide mouth and heavy base promote head formation and channel rich aromatics toward the nose. Traditional for Belgian strong ales.

Drink within 2 years. Some complexity develops with age but the yeast character is best relatively fresh.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Curieux

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About Tripel

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Tripel?

Tripels are strong Belgian ales with 8–10% ABV. Deceptively pale, they offer fruit esters, spicy yeast, sweet malt and a warming finish.

Finding a similar Tripel

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same vanilla, caramel, dry character as Curieux will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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