Velvet Rooster Tripel by TallGrass Brewing
Tallgrass Brewing
Company is releasing the industry's first canned Belgian-style Tripel under
the auspicious name of "Velvet Rooster." Velvet Rooster began shipping this
week in 4-packs of 16-ounce cans and in kegs. "Andrew Hood, our head brewer,
put together this amazing brew as his first test batch when he came to
Tallgrass. I tasted it and wanted to can it that day," said Tallgrass
founder Jeff Gill. "Traditionally, Belgian-style Tripels take themselves
very seriously, but we just couldn't do that. We had to give it our
Tallgrass-twist, and Velvet Rooster was born."
Velvet Rooster is in the Trappist tradition of Belgian Tripels with sweet tones
gently hiding its strong alcohol bite (8.5% ABV). The beer pours a golden straw
color and is topped with a lofty pure white head that unveils the beer's strong
floral and fruit aromas. The taste is clean but complex, starting with hints of
fruit and sweet malt, with just a touch of candy sweetness at the end. The
beer's Champagne-like effervescence provides a crisp offset to its sweet finish.
According to www.Craftcans.com, a website dedicated to promoting craft beer in
cans, Velvet Rooster is the first of its kind. "As far as I know, Tallgrass's
Velvet Rooster is the first canned Tripel in the world," said Craftcans.com
co-founder Russ Phillips. "Tripels are usually in serious looking bottles with
stuffy names. I wonder what the Trappist Monks would think of their heritage in
a 16-ounce can with a psychedelic rooster on it?"
The Tallgrass website (www.tallgrassbeer.com) playfully says of their latest
creation,"It is smooth and carefully crafted, like a fine velvet painting."
In association with National Craft Beer Week in May, Tallgrass gave the public a
limited preview of the brew. Velvet Rooster was a featured craft beer at select
Old Chicago Restaurants in the Midwest. This small sampling left many people
asking when they could take home a can of this amazing brew. The answer is now.
Tallgrass Brewing Company
Tallgrass Brewing Company was started in Manhattan, Kansas, in 2007, by
homebrewer/ex-geologist Jeff Gill and his wife Tricia. Tallgrass's products
include Velvet Rooster, Ale, IPA, Buffalo Sweat Stout, Halcyon Unfiltered Wheat,
and Oasis. Tallgrass declared its "Canifesto" in May of 2010 and began
exclusively using cans for its non-draft product. Tallgrass is now distributed
in 15 states.
