Brewer: Central City Brewing, Vancouver, BC
Style: Belgian Tripel
ABV: 9.5%
IBU: 35
Description: The third installment in Central City’s The Hobbit series, this beer is appropriately made in the Belgian Tripel-style and is named in honor of the third film’s chief protagonist.
Tasting Notes: I was quite torn by this beer. On the one hand, like every beer in this series, it’s endorsing movies I don’t like, and it all seems a bit crass and consumerish. On the other, it’s nice to see a Canadian brewery snagging a lucrative cross-promotion like this. And above all, the beer itself is quite good! A strong malt base, some coarseness, the notes of candi sugar and Belgian yeast, and a good alcoholic punch. Definitely comparable to some of the better Tripels I’ve had in recent years.
Appearance: Deep golden, clear, good foam retention and carbonation
Nose: Rich malt, sugar, yeast, honey, floral bouquet
Taste: Strong malt, candi sugar, yeast, coarse finish, alcoholic bite
Aftertaste: Lingering coarse malt, alcohol and yeast flavor
Overall: 8.5/10
