For a beer that is as renowned as the Tripel de Garre, it isn’t that known well outside of Belgian beer circles. And that’s because until recently there was only one place that you could try this beer.
I had been to Bruges at least half a dozen times before I found this bar. It is a historical three-story bar discreetly tucked away at the end of a little lane. I’d walked past the laneway many times, never noticing the entrance. You almost have to turn sideways to get into the entrance it is that inconspicuous.
But once in the bar, you are welcomed with an awesome beer menu from which to choose. But there is one reason everybody wants to find this bar and that is their house beer, to which you are restricted to no more than three!
A glorious big tripel of 11% ABV, it is worthy reward for your efforts.
It pours dark gold with a thick white foam that lasts all the way to the end of the beer. The flavour is full of sweet pale malts, and over-ripe fruits. Banana and peach most prominently, with some Belgian candi sugar and a nice spiciness from the yeast.
It is smooth, rich and absolutely delicious. I haven’t had one for many years, but I’m glad to say it is as good as I remember it.
by Brasserie de l'Abbaye des Rocs
A tasty Belgian style blond ale from the always reliable Abbaye des Rocs
by Brasserie de l'Abbaye des Rocs
A dark tripel, full of fruit and malt sweetness, and enough hop bitterness to match
by Brouwerij der Trappistenabdij de Achelse Kluis
A smooth, full-flavoured classic triple style beer from the Achel Trappist monastery
A Belgian tripel with coriander, candi sugar and curacao
A brewery label which has done the rounds of Belgium, this is their classic Belgian Tripel
A Farmhouse Tripel is one of the new offerings from Alvinne, but it isn't exactly traditional
A little sweet, a little sour, lots of body and complexity
A very drinkable tripel style Grand Cru from Van Steenberge
A Belgian tripel made at Brouwerij Huyghe for this lambic brewery
The spring seasonal beer from Kerkom, a lot like a sweet saison/tripel mash-up featuring honey and pear
by Brouwerij Palm (Swinkels Family Brewers)
A tripel known as 'The Beer of Bruges'; though no longer brewed within the city walls.
An organic tripel, which also is gluten free thanks to an enzyme which removes the gluten during the brewing process
Is it a Blonde or is it a Tripel? Either way, it is big and tasty!
This beer screams Belgium - from the squat bottle to the monastic label, and the quintessential Belgian tripel style ale inside
by Brouwerij Corsendonk (at Brasserie Du Bocq)
A full-bodied blonde tripel, a lively beer with a herbal bouquet and hoppy aftertaste.
This beer is the Petrus Tripel, with Amarillo and Cascade added, plus 15% foederbier
The 'Mad Bitch' is an insanely good tripel from De Dolle Brouwers
A beer slightly out of the box, somwehere between a big Belgian blond and a tripel style. And it's sugar free!
The 'Tripel of Antwerp' is a quintessential Belgian Tripel
This beer is known as the most bitter Tripel style beer in all of Belgium!
An old-style Belgian tripel with early fruit and malt sweetness, giving way to a sustained dry, herbal bitterness
The iconic pink elephants adorn this delicious tripel which utilises three different years in a triple fermentation process
De Molen's take on a Belgian Tripel style - lots of sweet malt and generous hop bitterness
A fantastic rich and creamy triple style ale, made from three grains - wheat, barley and rye
A Belgian tripel that is tasty, well balanced and easy drinking
A special Tripel brewed by Van Steenberge for an annual gourmet degustation
A traditional Belgian Tripel, as all good Belgian breweries have in their range
One of our favourite Belgian triples from Brouwerij Het Anker
A Guten Free, Organic beer that sits somewhere between a tripel and farmhouse ale
A brilliant variation to the normal tripel style; a crisp, dry delicious ale with a strong hop aroma and flavour.
A big strong tripel style ale, with a sweet malt body, peppery spice and a big alcohol kick
A self-styled Baltic Tripel from this crafty German brewery
This tripel from the Kasteel brewery is big, rich, sweet and a little savoury.
by Bierbrouwerij De Koningshoeven
Traditional tripel style beer from the famous La Trappe Trappist Monastery in The Netherlands
The biggest and best beer of the Leffe range - a 9% tripel style ale.
A big Belgian Tripel from one of Belgium's big family brewer groups in Duvel-Moortgat
by Mokke Bier
Quite an interesting beer from Mokke that we'll nominally label as a red tripel style
A typical Belgian tripel from one of Belgium's Traditional Family Brewers
The Postel Tripel is a stock-standard Belgian style Tripel brewed at the Affligem Brewery, for the Heineken-owned Alken-Maes group
The first new beer from Rochefort in over 60 years is this delightful Tripel
Rochefort's first light coloured beer in almost a century is this beautiful tripel
The Hobby Brewers have taken their successful Tripel recipe and upsized it for this Grand Cru...then left it lying about in some Cognac barrels for a while
This is the annual winter (rum barrel aged for 2020) version of Het Nest's signature tripel
A classic tripel from one of our favourite little breweries in Belgium
An Abbey Ale in the classic Trappist tripel style - a perfect balance between bitter and sweet.
A classic Belgian Tripel, often held out as an example of the style
An abbey style Belgian Tripel from Bruges De Halve Maan brewery
The Strafe Hendrik Tripel is refermented with a wild Brettanomyces yeast
The Straffe Hendrik Tripel which has been refermented with a wild Brettanomyces yeast strain
Once a year the Straffe Hendrik Tripel is bottle fermented with a wild Brettanomyces yeast strain
A Tripel style beer brewed by Brouwerij Haacht under the Tongerlo label
The world-renowned three-grain tripel, still brewed to a centuries-old recipe.
by Brouwerij Omer Vander Ghinste (Bockor)
A true to style Belgian Tripel which was awarded World's Best Tripel at the 2018 World Beer Cup
The 2022 Magma variant is finished with a wine yeast
A tasty beer that is somewhere between a Belgian Tripel and Strong Pale Ale
An uncomplicated but delicious tripel using only two hops and one malt
The 'second' tripel from the St Bernardus brewery is less well known, but still delicious
by Abdij Der Trappisten Van Westmalle
Known as the 'Mother of All Tripels' - this is the benchmark for all tripels.
A typical Belgian Tripel from one of Belgium's old family breweries
by Trappistenbrouwerij De Kievit
A tripel style beer from the 9th official Trappist Monastery
A fruity malt backbone, a spicy hop bite and a hint of vanilla
The newest beer for the Augustijn label - a rich, smooth balance of roasted malt and sweet stone fruits
A very drinkable tripel style Grand Cru from Van Steenberge
A classic Belgian dubbel brewed by Brouwerij Van Steenberge
A special Tripel brewed by Van Steenberge for an annual gourmet degustation
The unique dark tripel from Brouwerij Van Steenberge, named after the 'Golden Dragon' of Gent.
The new addition to the Gulden Draak label - a rich and boozy quadruple
The Brewmaster is Gulden Draak's classic dark tripel aged in various whiskey barrels
A beer dedicated to the original brewmaster, the Gulden Draak Quadrupel has been aged in whiskey barrels
Really this is more a cross between a Belgian Quadrupel and an Imperial Stout
The classic Gulden Draak has had smoked malt added to it
A tasty beer somewhere between a Belgian Dubbel style and a Belgian Strong Dark Ale
A classic strong pale ale from one of Belgium's old family breweries.
A variation on the acclaimed Piraat strong blond ale, this time with four different hops added at three separate times during the beer-making process
