Fancy Pants Sunday: Bosteels Tripel Karmeliet

When attending a holiday party, it’s simply good manners to show up with a gift in hand. Most people make do with a six-pack or a mediocre bottle of wine, but why not bring something your host will truly enjoy and appreciate — authentic beer recipe from 1679. Ho, ho, ho it’s Fancy Pants Sunday: Bosteels Tripel Karmeliet.

It’s common knowledge that the four basic ingredients in brewing beer are malted grain, hops, yeast and water. Most breweries tend to stick to variations of a grain: e.g. barley; wheat; rice if you’re Big Beer. Belgium’s Brouwerij Bostels utilizes a 340-year-old recipe for Tripel Karmeliet using wheat, barley and oats in the brewing. The result is a smooth and sweet Belgian golden ale that can appeal to both serious beer drinkers and folks looking for something cool to bring to a holiday party.

Tripel Karmeliet (8.4%) is still brewed to an authentic beer recipe from 1679 originating in the former Carmelite monastery in Dendermonde. The name Tripel Karmeliet refers both to its origin and its in-bottle refermentation. It benefits greatly from secondary fermentation, giving it some nice carbonation and a creamy head of foam upon pouring. The nose of the beer is redolent of spices and grass. Those spices also dominate on the palate, along with all that sweet oat and wheat malt. A restrained hop bitterness balances flavors of toffee and malt.

Fancy Pants Sunday: Bosteels Tripel Karmeliet is actually a gift box with four 11.2-ounce bottles and a stylish Karmeliet stemmed glass. Tulip shape not only helps trap the aroma, but also aids in maintaining a large head, creating a visual and olfactory sensation. Karmeliet logo and frosted fleur-de-lis band complement the elegant, curving shape of the glass.

You fancy Bosteels Tripel Karmeliet gift box.