Brouwerij 'Tij Zatte Tripel 8% (24 x 33cl) Netherlands
This was the first beer to come out of our vats, back in 1985, making it the Brouwerij ‘t IJ classic beer.
It is a ‘tripel’, the category reserved for the stronger blonde beers crafted in the Belgian tradition, and Zatte more than lives up to expectations.
It’s a full-bodied, golden beer with a scent of fresh fruit mingled here and there with a hint of grain.
The flavour is slightly sweet, ending with a fine, dry aftertaste. A delicious classic to be enjoyed in all seasons.
Apart from pure spring water, which is the main ingredient of beer, barley is the most important raw material. Barley must germinate for five days in the malt house, after which malt remains. The colour of the malt and as a consequence also of the beer is determined by the temperature. Duvel obtains its typical bitterness by adding various varieties of aromatic Slovenian and Czech hops. We use only exclusive hops that are renowned for their constant, outstanding quality.
Duvel ferments for the first time in tanks at 20 to 26°C. The brewer uses his own culture for this. The original yeast strain, which Albert Moortgat himself selected in the 1920’s, originates from Scotland. After maturing in storage tanks in which the beer is cooled down to -2°C, the drink is ready for bottling. Thanks to the addition of extra sugars and yeast, the beer ferments again in the bottle. This occurs in warm cellars (24°C) and takes two weeks.
Then the beer is moved to cold cellars, where it continues to mature and stabilize for a further six weeks. This extra long maturation period is unique and contributes to the refined flavour and pure taste of Duvel.
Thanks to its surprisingly high alcohol content (8.5 %), enormous head, fine effervescence and silky smooth feel in the mouth, Duvel stands out clearly from other Belgian beers.