La Trappe Tripel

La Trappe hits you with this creamy, almost oily mouthfeel that coats your whole mouth. There's honey and dried fruit—apricot especially—but it never gets cloying because the carbonation and that subtle spice kick in at the end. You taste the Belgian yeast doing its thing, all fruity esters and a faint peppery warmth. It's the kind of beer that tastes better the longer you sit with it.

Real Ale Devil's Backbone

Real Ale Devil's Backbone leads with a sharper, more assertive bitterness that doesn't fade fast. There's stone fruit—peach and plum—but it's pushed to the background by herbal, slightly grassy hop notes that linger on your tongue. The body is leaner than La Trappe, more snappy. This one demands attention; it won't fade into background drinking.