Great Divide Orabelle

Great Divide Rumble IPAHoppy Boston tripel month continues with a trip out West. I don’t get many chances to take beer-cations, especially with my family obligations, but my wife and I try to squeeze in an occasional brewery visit when we are traveling. One of our favorite examples was a trip to Denver a couple of years ago, we went for a wedding but made it a long weekend so we could spend some time in the city. We were staying right in downtown Denver, so we were within walking distance of a series of breweries. One of our favorites from the trip was Great Divide Brewing, we had an entertaining tour and tasted a number of their offerings. I focus most of my drinking and writing on New England beers now, but every time I drink a Great Divide beer I think of that trip. Great Divide’s late winter/early spring seasonal is Orabelle, a Belgian style tripel. Orabelle is brewed with barley, wheat, oats and rye and fermented with two different yeast strains after addition of orange peel and coriander. The spice additions are interesting, they are more traditional for a Belgian witbier than a tripel. Great Divide Orabelle is available from January through March on draft and in 12 oz. bottles and cans.

Great Divide OrabelleGreat Divide Orabelle pours a hazy light orange with a minimal white head. The scent is mostly Belgian yeast, fruity and spicy. The yeast leads the flavor too, notes of apricot, clove and pear. The adjuncts add some complexity, you get hints of orange and coriander that complement the yeasty esters. There is also a full malt profile, notes of biscuit, toasted whole grain bread, honey and a dash of rye. There are minimal hops, just enough to keep the malts in check. Orabelle is medium bodied and smooth, you get just a touch of late booziness which isn’t shocking at 8.3% ABV. The finish is dry with some lingering yeast and spice flavors. Orabelle is a tasty version of a Belgian tripel, the added spices and diverse malt bill add complexity but everything works in harmony. Hoppy Boston score: 4.25/5.

Previous Great Divide Reviews:

Hoppy Boston goes to Denver, Great Divide Rumble IPA

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