BridgePort’s Third Belgian: A Tripel, and One Hell of a Beer

Here’s more on the new BridgePort Fallen Friar Abbey Ale.

BridgePort, with the help of Green Bottling, bottled more than 600 cases of their latest Big Beer.  The Series has expanded Oregon’s Oldest Craft Brewery’s appeal by adding

inventiveness and innovation to their repertoire.  This time around, the beer, as we previously mentioned, is the Fallen Friar Belgian Abbey Ale.  The Friar is a 8.2% ABV Belgian Tripel aged with 35% in oak wine barrels.  After sharing a 22 ounce bottle of the beer with BridgePort brewmaster Karl Ockert and Green Bottling’s Mike Weksler, it was discovered by this beer lover that the beer is quite soft for the style.  Not as carbonic as many Belgian golden strong ales such as Duvell or Lucifer, the Fallen Friar held a soft pillowy white head atop a fruity and floral Hallertau-laced body.  Employing the same yeast strain as BridgePort’s first Belgian-styled release, the Supris, Fallen Friar masks its bold alcohol content superbly.  Among the brewery’s Big Beer Series from 2008 was the other Belgian-styled brew, Stumptown Tart.  This third Belgian is really something to experience.  You can get your hands on a bottle during the release party coming up on February 19 at the NW Portland location.  Visit www.bridgeportbrew.com for more details.