La Rulles Triple

La Rulles Triple, Biere de Gaume, had been staring at me for months.  The dark label, with the elfin guy in desperate need of a dentist holding an illuminated glass in one hand and a bottle of beer in the other, was hard to miss.  It had been tucked on the shelf with other Belgian beers at The Olive Tree Market for months.  I have wanted to try this beer since Jay at Hedonist Jive reviewed it last summer.  When I saw it on sale for $9.99 last month, I had to buy it. 

This beer poured a cloudy orange.  It is a spicy, aggressive, no nonsense tripel.  La Rulles' modest smell belies a complex taste.  It is a dry beer, and the Belgian yeast flavor immediately jumps out.  It is a sweet beer, but it is also has a harshness to it, especially in the aftertaste.  I tend to like my tripels on the mellow side.  La Rulles is not mellow.  I am not exactly saying I didn't like this tripel, but I don't think I'll be rushing out to buy another.  This is not an easy drinking beer, and not a beer for someone looking for an entry level Belgian beer experience.