Tripel beer

Tripel beer

The “tripel” beer has its origins in the abbeys.

At the time when the monks brewed their own beers, they produced four beers: table beer, double, triple and occasionally quadruple beers.

Each style was a multiple of three to express the alcohol level of the beer. The different styles were actually a benchmark for consumers. The company being very hierarchical, kept the best products for the highest social strata.

Strong ales like the triple were reserved for large events or important members of the clergy and their visitors. Stronger in alcohol, they were also better designed, as the monks allowed more time for them when brewing. Because the longer the mashing, the more sugars are present in the must; part of this sugar will then be transformed into alcohol during fermentation.

Even though everyone thinks that triples are all blondes and doubles are all brunettes, this prejudice was born when the Westmalle Tripel was released. After this event, breweries started making doubles which were brown and triples which were blonde. But it has never been officially decreed that color was a binding factor, nor an obligation for the triple beer appellation.

There are still a few examples of beers that do not respect this rule. The Strubbe Brewery brews a double beer which is amber in color, and a triple beer which is brown; proof that color is not a legislated characteristic.