hopIQ
ENDE
Build your DNASign in

Westmalle Tripel

Brouwerij der Trappisten van Westmalle
Belgium·Tripel·Rank 20 of 50 · The Best Belgian Ales
Tap to rate

The first Tripel ever brewed, made inside the abbey walls in 1934 – beer lovers call it the mother of all tripels. Clear golden, 9.5 %, with 38 bitterness units. The aroma brings ripe banana and a nuanced hop nose; the taste is soft and creamy, with a bitter touch carried by fruit, and the finish runs long and dry. Six European hop varieties, unpasteurised, refermented in the bottle.

ABV
9.5%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
SRM
golden6
PaceSipper

AWARDS

Gold · 2012
World Beer Cup 2012
Belgian-Style Tripel
★Gold — World Beer Cup 2012 (Belgian-Style Tripel)
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
What makes this beer itself
MaltHop
bananafruityhoppy
banana
fruity
hoppy
yeasty
spicy
bready
Aroma
The nose opens with prominent ripe banana and candied fruit notes, layered with delicate spice from phenolic compounds.
not found:juicy,caramel,clean,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Westmalle Tripel

◎ Appearance

Clear golden hue with bright transparency and excellent light transmission. A dense, persistent head forms and clings to the glass with fine lacing throughout the drink. The carbonation is evident but restrained, creating fine streams and a stable collar.

clear goldenpersistent headfine lacingwell-carbonated

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with prominent ripe banana and candied fruit notes, layered with delicate spice from phenolic compounds. A refined hop character emerges underneath—herbal and slightly floral—balanced by subtle honey and light yeast esters. The overall aromatics are elegant and fruit-forward rather than aggressive.

ripe bananaspice and phenolicsrefined hop characterhoney undertones

◐ Taste

The palate is soft and creamy at entry, with fruit sweetness and a gentle malt backbone. Mid-palate reveals integrated bitterness carried by stone fruit and subtle clove spice; the texture remains full without heaviness. A dry, warming alcohol note surfaces toward the conclusion, extending the complexity.

creamy mouthfeelintegrated bitternessstone fruit and spicedry warmth

◑ Finish

The finish is lengthy and progressively dries, with a lingering fruit and spice character that fades into a clean, slightly peppery aftertaste. The warmth of 9.5% ABV is present but never harsh or dominating.

long and dryfruit fadewarming alcohol
88
hopIQ score
Aroma
87
Taste
89
Appearance
88
Finish
87
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.

+ Sign in to add your tasting note

Food Pairing

What to eat with Westmalle Tripel

More from Brouwerij der Trappisten van Westmalle

Westmalle Dubbel
Westmalle Dubbel
Dubbel
7.0%·Noticeably bitter
Find matches →
Westmalle Duo
Westmalle Duo
Belgian Blonde Ale
7.2%·Noticeably bitter
Find matches →
Westmalle Extra
Westmalle Extra
Belgian Pale Ale
4.8%·Noticeably bitter
Find matches →

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 banana, creamy, dry character as Westmalle Tripel will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

FEATURED IN

Compare with another beer →