Yes, today, Satan

Duvel's Tripel Hop IPA range is a fun bunch of beers, and I like that the brewery has resisted the urge to fire out new ones every couple of months. No need. The Citra and Cashmere regulars are plenty to enjoy. At the same time, I don't object to them being joined by Tripel Hop Krush, although I notice it is somewhat weaker than its 9.5% ABV siblings, and indeed regular Duvel, as it's only 8.4% ABV.

In the glass it's pale and hazy, as Duvel tends to be, and the dry-hopping doesn't leap out in the aroma, though there's a hint of tropical fruit in with the more typical Belgian fruit esters. The flavour mixes those two sides deftly. While it may be weaker in alcohol, it still tastes plenty strong, the warm fluffy malt mattress forming a firm base for all that follows. Krush's tropical candy effect lands on the palate simultaneously with a harder old-world hop bitterness and the white pepper and peachy apricot of an unmistakable Belgian fermentation. It's a contrast, but there's no clash, and it's neither a New England dessert IPA nor a sternly powerful Belgian thumper, but does show the good elements of both.  

I don't think it's quite as bright and bold as the other two in the series -- especially Cashmere -- but it belongs, bringing exactly the right mix of Belgian strong golden ale and American IPA. This used to be the future of beer, and now it's pleasingly retro. Either is fine with me, and I'm happy to wait for a few years with these three before a fourth version is created.