Houblon Chouffe Dobbelen IPA Tripel
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Tasting Notes
The aroma leads with citrus peel, spicy herbal hops, and a yeast-driven waft of clove and mild banana that marks its Belgian DNA. On the palate, assertive hop bitterness mingles with stone fruit, white pepper, and a honeyed malt sweetness that keeps the hops from turning harsh. The body is full and slightly chewy, a natural result of the tripel malt bill underneath the IPA hopping. The finish is long, warming, and dry, with lingering bitterness and a faint spice note from the yeast.
About the Brewery
Achouffe is a Belgian craft brewery located in the Ardennes village of Achouffe, in the province of Luxembourg. Founded in 1982 by brothers-in-law Pierre Gobron and Chris Bauweraerts as a home-brewing project, it grew into one of Belgium's most recognizable independent operations before being acquired by Duvel Moortgat in 2006. The brewery is best known for its La Chouffe golden ale and its gnome branding, and it has been influential in pushing Belgian brewers toward more hop-forward experimentation.
Food Pairings
The beer's layered bitterness and spice work well with Thai green curry, where the hop character cuts through coconut richness while the yeast esters mirror lemongrass and galangal. Aged Gouda is a natural match because its caramel nuttiness plays off the malt sweetness without fighting the bitterness. A roast pork loin with fennel benefits from the beer's herbal hop notes bridging the anise in the seasoning. Strong washed-rind cheeses like Limburger handle the assertive ABV and bitterness without being overwhelmed.
Style Guide
Belgian IPA grafts the assertive hop bitterness and aroma of an American IPA onto a Belgian ale base, meaning the yeast contributes esters and phenols — fruity, spicy, sometimes slightly funky — that American IPAs deliberately suppress. When the underlying malt bill draws from a tripel tradition, as here, the ABV climbs and the body fills out considerably compared to a standard Belgian IPA. The style has no deep historical roots; it emerged in the early 2000s as Belgian brewers responded to the global IPA boom. What distinguishes it from a straight American IPA is that yeast character: the hops and the fermentation profile are in active conversation rather than the hops dominating alone.