Chicagoist's "Beer of the Week:" Tripel Karmeliet

It's common knowledge that the four basic ingredients in brewing beer are malted grain, hops, yeast and water. Most breweries tend to stick to variations of a grain: e.g. barley; wheat; rice if you're Anheuser-Busch or Miller. Belgium's Bosteels Brewery utilizes a 310-year-old recipe for Tripel Karmeliet using wheat, barley and oats in the brewing. The result is a smooth and sweet Belgian Golden ale that can appeal to both serious beer drinkers and folks looking for something cool to drink on a humid day (rare as they've been this summer).

Tripel Karmeliet also benefits greatly from secondary fermentation, giving it some nice carbonation and a creamy head of foam upon pouring. The nose of the beer is redolent of spices and grass. Those spices also dominate on the palate, along with all that sweet oat and wheat malt. Bosteels makes amazing beers for food and Tripel Karmeliet is no exception. Need we say more that you can get this at Hopleaf? Another place to buy Tripel Karmeliet retail would be Taste Food & Wine in Rogers Park (1506 W. Jarvis, 773-761-3663).