Geisen Haus is a wonderful place: good food, cool atmosphere and always a tasty beer to try. I recently went there for grub and tossed my beer card on the table, saying, “Just give me the next beer on the list.” According to my card, that was #30. I wasn’t too concerned about the specific beer — I’ve had my card since 2006 and am still working on filling it up. In fact many of the beers have changed and I had to re-drink a few to get caught up. Why? To enjoy the beer, of course! (Also, you get a nifty personalized G.H. stein.) As for the #30 brew: Soon a large bottle, not unlike a wine bottle, arrived. My initial thought was, “Crap, this 30 is going to cost me $30!” Then I read the words Affligem Tripel. My wince turned to a huge smile and I promptly began to remove the sealed cork from this 750-ml. bottle. This is one I have wanted to try and although it was not $30, the price of this brew might have prevented me from purchasing it. Thanks to the Geisen Haus beer card and that mysterious #30, I was happily sampling this 9.5% abv. Abbey Tripel for the first time. Affligem pours a crystal-clear orange, with plenty of golden highlights shining through in the glass. The slightly dirty white head rises up to just short of 3 fingers, but disappears with alarming rapidity. Slight lacing on the glass. The smell is amazing, as I would expect from a tripel. Sugar-soaked stone fruits and clove spiciness greet my nose, with a hint of alcoholic presence. The flavor profile largely follows the blueprint laid out by the aroma. There’s some bitterness mid-palate, nothing approaching an IPA in intensity, but enough to break up the sweet front end and allow for a transition to the clove aftertaste. There is a pleasant warming sensation from the alcohol that radiates out from my tongue with every sip. The body is crisp and light, which may seem odd but is appropriate for this brew. This is a smooth big beer, easy to drink and very flavorful, available at one of my favorite places to eat, drink and be drunk. Definitely a must-try, if not a regular indulgence. I only hope that the next 30 beers on my card don’t take me six more years to finish.