Tallgrass Releases Craft Beer’s First Belgian-style Tripel In A Can

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.

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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.