Barrel of Monks Brewing - Three Fates

Per Bill McFee, Owner and Brewmaster – “The name Three Fates references both the mythological Fates (aka Morai) which are a group of three Greek goddesses that assign individual destinies to mortals at birth, as well as the three friends that started the brewery.

At Barrel of Monks, we consider the Tripel to be the quintessential Belgian beer. Three Fates was the first beer we brewed when formulating recipes for our fledgling brewery, back in 2013 and 2014. We brewed this beer no less than 20 times prior to opening, largely in search of the yeast strain that would give us the flavor profile we were looking for. The malt bill and hops are pretty straightforward when brewing a Tripel, but the yeast strain totally makes Belgian beer. There are many Belgian yeast strains to choose from, however we settled on a fairly obscure strain that gave us just the right profile of phenolic spiciness and fruity esters, creating a totally unique Tripel that is easy drinking and yet full of flavor.”

This featured beer is a timeless Belgian-style blonde ale brewed to showcase floral notes, zesty yeast aromas, and stone fruit accents that draw you in to an end result that’s aromatic, fruity, and superbly drinkable. Barrel of Monks Three Fates Tripel is in very low distribution outside of their local area in Boca Raton, Florida (just a couple hundred cases a year), with 750ml bottles only being offered in the Rare Beer Club and the Barrel of Monks taproom.

Three Fates pours a golden amber color, capped by dense white foam that’s very well retained. As we lean close to the opening of our glasses we breathe in aromatics of stone fruit and pear blossoms, clove, white pepper, and honeyed brioche. After another swirl in the glass more pronounced aromas abound with notes of caramel, floral hops, and tangerine citrus, with hints of bublegum. The bouquet is centered and pronounced, washing over our olfactory senses and preparing our palates for the rich flavors to follow.

Barrel of Monks Three Fates exhibits instantly recognizable flavors of ripe stone fruit such as peach, apricot, and yellow plums, with bright tangerine citrus notes closely following. After a sip or two, the spice notes come forward with gentle notes of clove and white pepper, followed by bready malt flavors with hints of caramel and honey. There are many layers to this Tripel ale as the Belgian yeast bring in even more flavors of sweet spiced apples, traces of bubblegum, and white grapes. That honeyed malt flavor is prominent throughout, delivering a lively sweetness at its core, complemented by the yeast’s hints of white pepper and delicate clove undertones. It boasts a robust malt-driven character that is nicely balanced by the yeast, resulting in an unexpectedly dry aromatic profile. The balance of hop bitterness and grip on the palate adds to the complexity of this delicious Belgian-style Tripel.

The Barrel of Monks Three Fates exhibits a medium-plus to full bodied mouthfeel, with a vibrant, effervescent mousse consisting of tightly packed bubbles. The finish is drawn out, long and smooth, with each flavor tapering off and leaving the palate clean and dry. This exceptional tripel has a lot going on, increasingly so as this warms up. The generosity of flavors in this beer build up over time, and are best enjoyed in the upper part of the optimal temperature range for drinking, around 49° to 52° fahrenheit. Three Fates shows the exceptional quality and craftsmanship of the brewers at Barrel of Monks and we’re happy to feature this outstanding beer in the Rare Beer Club.

Barrel of Monks Three Fates is bottle conditioned, which will give this a bit more longevity in the cellar. Its ABV is average for Tripel ales at 9%, with plenty of room for additional maturity from cellaring time. We recommend popping open a bottle every three to six months or so to make sure they’re still heading in the right direction. For food pairing we look towards grilled pork tenderloin, lamb skewers, fire roasted vegetables, and cheeses such as Saint-Honoré brie, Appenzeller, and Bleu d’Auvergne. For dessert, peach cobbler and Dutch apple pie sound great to us, as do lemon tarts and sticky toffee pudding.

Barrel of Monks Brewing in Boca Raton, Florida was founded by a small group of good friends who wanted to follow the less-frequented path of creating a U.S. brewery focusing exclusively on making Belgian-style beers. We’ve been really excited by all of the Barrel of Monks beers that we’ve been able to sample thus far, and this month we chose their Three Fates as one of our two featured offerings. We think this delicious Belgian-style tripel is a perfect way to introduce this unique brewery to newer Rare Beer Club members. Long-time Rare Beer Club members might remember their excellent Abbey Terno dubbel that we featured a couple years ago.

The South Florida brewery opened in 2015, after the founding members had spent time in Belgium traveling about and learning how their favorite Belgian beers were created. Today the four “monks” at the brewery consist of: Bill McFee, a trained brewmaster who oversees recipe design and brewery processes; Keith DeLoach, an entrepreneur and general wealth of knowledge; Matthew Saady, a scientist who oversees lab activities such as yeast management, quality control, and yeast strain development; and Kevin Abbott, the director of operations who oversees the brewery’s sales, production, and staffing. Together they’ve worked to build one of the most beloved up-and-coming breweries in Florida—highlighting the craftsmanship and wide range of brewery offerings first developed in Belgium. The brewery is partnered up with Odd Breed Wild Ales in Pompano Beach, Florida, which focuses more on (as you may have guessed…) wild ales of all varieties: from traditional Belgian-style farmhouse offerings to more American takes on these beers using a wide range of fruit and barrel combinations.

You can visit Barrel of Monks’ Boca Raton location seven days a week. It features a range of Belgian-style releases, a decidated food truck by Cheffrey Eats, and a bunch of special events throughout the year (though you’re going to just miss their Celebrity Cornhole Tournament this July; there’s always next year). Brewery tours are offered Wednesday evenings as well as Saturday and Sunday afternoons; you can check the brewery’s website at barrelofmonks.com to find out about their latest tour availability, upcoming events, and new beers on tap.