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    Saturday 17 November 2007

    Duvel Triple Hop - Bugger The Expense


    Before today, the most money I'd ever spent on a bottle of beer was £8.99 for a 2003 release of Dogfish Head World Wide Stout. It was well worth it even though the bottle was only 355ml worth of liquid. But that liquid was 23% ABV wonderful Imperial Stout, and when I drank it on July 4th 2004, I loved it to bits, and of course immediately regretted that it was the only bottle I had.

    Today though I spent £12.95 on Duvel Triple Hop. This is a 750 ml bottle, and the beer is 9.5% ABV, so arguably it is better value for money than the DFH, but of course, until I taste it I won't know that for sure. Triple Hop has three different hops: Saaz, Styrian Goldings, and Amarillo, which are used at different times of the mash which impart a much hoppier flavour than the regular Duvel. It is reckoned to age well and could possibly still be improving in 20 years time.

    Just 1500 bottles have been produced, and, it is said, there will be no more, although this might hopefully change if it is proven to be a massive success.

    I have no idea when I will get round to drinking my bottle and doubt very much I will buy any more, so it may well be saved for a special occasion many years from now. If anyone else does try it in the meantime I would be interested to hear what you think.

    It is a lot of money to pay for a beer but it's a beer I would hate to miss out on, and it is nearly Christmas!

    4 comments:

    Kieran Haslett-Moore said...

    Have they really hopped the mash? or was it three different stages of the boil?

    Mark Edwards said...

    Sorry Kieran.

    My lack of brewing experience rears its ugly head again. The piece I was reading said three stages of the "brew" which isn't of course the same.

    By the way I do make a fine cup of tea!!

    Kieran Haslett-Moore said...

    I just wanted to check, because edgy US brewers like Dogfishhead do hop the mash.

    Good stuff.

    I hope it lives up to expectations.

    Anonymous said...

    "Bugger The Expense" - I like the attitude. Sometimes that's the approach you have to take with beer.