We introduced the St Idesbald beers when we included the Rousse Amber back in the April pack. Despite Brouwerij Huyghe being such a well-known label in Belgium, the St Idesbald beers are really hard to find.
I think in my many visits to Belgium, I first saw the beer on a menu in the Cambrinus bar in Bruges (they stock 400+ different beers). And the second time was at Delirium Bar in Brussels. (Again no wonder as it is Huyghe’s own bar which offers over 3,000 different beers!)
I don’t know why they were so elusive, as I think they are very solid beers. As you’d expect from a brewery of Huyghe’s renown.
This is their tripel, and it pretty much ticks every box on the tripel must-do list.
It has a clear, golden body with a fluffy white foam. Aroma is full of classic Belgian yeast character – banana and spice, with a sweet malt backbone. And that’s what it tastes like as well. A little sweet caramel malt at the start, balanced out by some earthy hops and the fruity, spicy yeast character that gives the beer a lingering dry, prickly finish.