Weyerbacher Merry Monks' Belgian Style Golden Ale

Let me start off by saying that I have been to Belgium and tasted some mighty fine beers. I am glad to see that some American breweries are stepping up to the Belgian's plate. But I haven't ever tasted trippels from this side of the ocean that measure up. Fortunately this offering doesn't over-reach by going for the archetypal Belgian. It is a manageable ale with a beautiful honey-golden hue and a distinctly, though not overwhelmingly, sweet Belgian nose. The flavor is a somewhat toned-down version of a trippel, still full flavored and with a rich, lingering sweetness. One more thing it has in common with its Belgian mentor: nice and strong, at 9.3% abv. Pretty pricey but about par for the course with Belgians, around $2 for a single 12 oz bottle.