Brasserie Des Rocs Triple Impériale

In the Western Belgian province of Hainaut, practically a stone's throw from the French border, lies a small village called Montignies-sur-Rocs, home to Brasserie des Rocs. Founded in 1979, the full name - Brasserie de l'Abbaye des Rocs - was inspired by the landmark 12th century Abbey ruins in the surrounding area.

Brewed in the “Methode Traditionelle des Annes 1900” (we'll tackle this a bit later), Triple Impériale is unfiltered, unpastuerized, double fermented, and bottle conditioned. European hop varietals and as many as seven different types of malts make up an intensely layered flavor profile, rich with dark fruit and spice.

Not for the faint of heart, this is a brew so rich with coagulated proteins and yeast sediment, it can accurately be described as 'chunky.' The most bizarre thing, however, is the peculiar video featured on the brewer's website. [Video after the jump] It is narrated in first person from the perspective of the beer. Yes, that's right, "We are now in the place where I am being brewed and flavored." Honestly, it's worth seeing for yourself:

Admittedly, the video is decently informative and nicely paced. I'll keep this posted until I'm asked to take it down. The way I see it, free advertising for the beer and the production company...

A Closer Look

Triple Impériale's named hops varietals include the following: Hallertau (German mild aroma hop found typically in lagers), Styrian (Slovenian low alpha, moderate aroma hop, almost identical to English Fuggles), and Brewer's Gold (German aromatic bittering hop created in England prior to 1920, now found mostly in Southern Germany). Regarding some finer details of the beer's ingredients, however, the brewer's website leaves a number of questions unanswered.

They talk of seven different malts being used, but they don't name them, nor specify which brews they are referring to. SpecialtyBeer.com (the website of U.S. importer D&V International), does get into some specifics, mentioning Pale and Munich malts by name, and implies multiple others are used. Even more, SpecialtyBeer.com brings us the foreboding brewer's warning:

Brasserie des Rocs does not filter their ales at any stage of production. Their ales contain all the yeast, proteins and other natural ingredients, which with time create totally harmless visible sediment in the bottle... ...This is a very traditional way of brewing and is called “Methode Traditionelle des Annes 1900” (traditional method of the 1900’s). The brewery suggests pouring the beer very slowly into the glass leaving approximately one inch of beer in the bottle. If necessary a strainer can be used as well.

As if the words 'a strainer can be used' are not telling enough, we truly were not prepared for the brew that awaited us.

Experience

Triple Impériale pours a deep ruby-brown with ample tan head. The aroma is full of sweet malt and dark cherry, and the taste is fruit forward - think sweet figs, dates, prunes perhaps - but yeasty, spicy, and distinctly Belgian (as referred to by the aroma and esters of the yeast). As for the mouthfeel: lightly to moderately carbonated, full, and, as mentioned, chunky. You don't often get to (or want to) say the words, "This is the chunkiest beer I've ever had."

I think at the time I tasted the Triple Impériale, I was more or less at a loss for anything else to say. My wife and I were taken aback, as we are now wholly familiar with bottle-conditioned beers, but have never had a brew so full or solids (or semi-solids as it were). The congealed proteins present in this beer are of a delicate nature, and although they aren't solid enough to 'chew,' they are certainly noticeable in the glass and on the swallow... like partially set Jell-O in 90% liquid.

You may be thinking, "Clearly, he didn't read the instructions. This whole mess could have been avoided with a slow, careful pour." Please realize I pondered this thought for a long while. Initially, I was a bit upset with myself for botching an elementary task such as pouring a beer. We tried a stainer, it wasn't fine enough. We tried a coffee filter, it destroys the beer- don't do it. And so... we simply had to embrace the chunks.

The investigation, however, was far from over. I read dozens of reviews for this beer; some were appalled, others didn't even mention the chunks. Could it be that some experienced such a perfect pour, their beer was absolutely devoid of the very proteins and solids that even the brewer acknowledges? Please allow me to be the candid voice of reason for a moment.

I don't care how accustomed to chunky beer or traditional brewing methods one may be, or how advanced a palate one may claim; the floating yeast particles and proteins are bold enough in this beer, not to be ignored. If anything, they should be mentioned in the mouthfeel and discussed as a supplementary element to this beverage, whether an improvement or a detraction from the overall experience.

And then I found this, a discussion thread on Beer Advocate about this very subject. It turns out people are talking indeed, and I was actually relieved. I'll spare you the thirty or so posts, and sum it all up.

• Some claim the yeast is supposed to stay 'in the bottle,' most who have sampled the Brasserie Des Rocs brews commiserate that it is unavoidable, and their brews are 'the worst' for this sort of sediment.


• Some said it was due to age, others argued the coagulation forms after only a couple of months.


• Some loved the yeast particles, saying they improve the flavor of the beer, others used a filter and said it had minimal impact.


• Many learned to love and embrace the chunks.

And so it seemed our in-house experience and discussion was but a microcosm of the larger, collective experience. As we continued to sip on the beer, I began to enjoy it - a lot - but my wife could not get past the mouthfeel. Textural interaction with food and beverage is, after all, hugely influential to the overall experience. One thing we both agreed on was that filtering the beer came at a cost- diminished carbonation, body, and complexity.

Final Thoughts

In the end, I enjoyed this beer so much that even had it poured without yeasty proteins, it would have been proudly featured on this site. The intense flavors are there, the alcohol is nicely subdued by a complicated and delicious malty camouflage, and the beer is undoubtedly crafted with a carefully selected roster of ingredients.

In my opinion, this brew is best served slightly under room temperature, and (for best complexity) enjoyed unfiltered. Perhaps the right kind of filter (cheesecloth?) can make this beer easier on the more sensitive palate, but let's be honest- that's a lot to ask of a beer drinker. I say go unfiltered or don't go at all.

Unfortunately, that may make this beer less approachable than a number of others. Perhaps I can recommend you split one with an adventurous friend, it may just be worth the conversation. I would describe this as a challenging but immensely rewarding experience.

Belgium - 10% ABV

Brasserie de Rocs [website]

Belgian Strong Dark Ale