I had an interesting opportunity to taste a new beer that’s made by the highly respected Belgian brewery Brasserie d’Achouffe. It’s called Houblon Dobbelen IPA Tripel. I don't know what all those words mean, but I do know that you don’t often see the term IPA (India Pale Ale) on Belgian beers. Sure enough, this is an interesting hybrid--a Belgian company making a beer for the American market. It’s in the style of a tripel, which the name for a golden-hued, complex mellow style of Belgian beer. Throw in some extra, hyper aggressive hops, and you can start calling it an IPA in hopes of appealing to American fans of beers like the IPA from Racer 5.

Fans of west coast IPAs will love this beer—golden, rich and with a generous frothy head, and citrus, floral and wild musky aromas that are complex and beautiful.

Look for it at Whole Foods. In the meantime, here’s an interesting little report on its creation, A New Beer is Born.