Piraat Triple Hop

In the second instalment of our four-part blog series, we present another heavyweight of Belgian beer- the Piraat Triple Hop amber IPA. This beer was inspired by the IPA culture in the United States. For the production of the Piraat Tripel Hop, the brewer added four additional hops to the original Piraat. The recipe is adjusted annually based on the availability of the hop varieties. Secondary fermentation in both the bottle and keg ensures a shelf life of several years with continued flavour evolution.

About Piraat Triple Hop (vansteenberge.com)

Colour: Amber
Alcohol by volume: 10.5%
Aroma: Very hoppy fruitness
Flavour: Hop bitter, slightly fruity
Finish: Very dry

The triple hop process (Globalbeer.com)

The brewers at brewery Van Steenberge had noticed the trend toward more hoppy beers worldwide and decided to experiment with the world famous Piraat Ale to produce a strong, rounded yet complex brew with defined hop character. The final result is Piraat Triple Hop! Using Piraat as the base offers the brew a full bodied sweet based from the caramelized malt blended with dry characteristics derived from the high levels of alcohol. The brewer then adds four different hops into the brew at 3 different occasions during the brewing process (Hence Triple Hop). The hops pitched are Saaz, Tetra and Aurora twice in the brewhouse and then Cascade is used to dry hop. The four styles of hop delivers a complex character which stands up to the great name of Piraat!

About IPA beer (Honestbrew.co.uk)

IPA stands for India Pale Ale, and is the most popular style of craft beer, capturing the hearts and taste buds of drinkers with bold, distinctive flavours. This style originated in the 1700s when Britons living in India, unable to brew in the hot conditions, would import beer with a higher alcohol and hop content, with both ingredients acting as preservatives.Anchor’s Liberty Ale is oft-cited as the first craft IPA, released in 1975, but there’s no fixed flavour profile, with different regions developing signature brewing styles. Traditional British IPAs tend to be the most bitter and malty, whereas West Coast IPAs are fruity, with medium bitterness and a crisp finish. The current star of the IPA scene, however, is the New England IPA, a smooth, juicy beer with minimal bitterness and an unfiltered, hazy appearance. Among the most popular modern IPAs in the UK are Brewdog’s Punk IPA and Thornbridge’s Jaipur.

About Van Steenberge Brewery

The Van Steenberge brewery is behind some of the most famous beers coming from Belgium including Baptist, Gulden Draak, Augustijn, Piraat, Monk’s Cafe and Bornem. They are all available from The Belgian Beer Shop.