Van Steenberge Piraat Amber Ale 4pc Bundle

TASTING NOTES FROM THE CURATOR

Bittersweet and spicy on the nose, this is a copper-colored beer that warms you down to the core. Its complex, rich flavors are slightly sweet with a hoppy bitterness. Its aromas blend fresh bread, spices, and tropical fruit, and it gains its classification as a ‘Tripel’, a Belgian and Dutch term, in reference to the amount of malt used in the fermentation process—three times the usual malt amount, which results in a strong beer with an ABV above 9 percent.

PREPARATION OR PAIRINGS

Made for the cooler months, Tripel beers are great with game meats, from pheasant and quail to venison. The strength and sweetness in a Tripel Belgian makes it the perfect beer for a hearty ham sandwich. This beer also calls for stronger blue cheeses like Gorgonzola or washed-rind cheeses like Fromagerie Beillevaire’s Époisses or Munster. Baked fruit desserts like peach cobbler will go well with this forceful, golden brew.

BUILDING ON SUCCESS

After Van Steenberge’s success with the Gulden Draak Tripel, the first beer on their roster making use of the brewery’s signature wine yeast since 1986, they created the Piraat line with three different version, the bottle-and-keg original Piraat, a Tripel Hop version, and Piraat Red, the fruitiest of the trio. Van Steenberge continues to evolve and change, building on their strengths to create better and better beers.

Storage Instructions

Store beer bottles upright to prevent yeast rings from appearing. They must be kept in a cool, dark place at approximately 13°C. Don’t allow beer to be caught in bright light for long periods of time to prevent it from attaining a “skunky” taste.