Chimay is in the catalogue three times over as dark beers, which misrepresents the abbey: the tripel is a substantial part of what it makes and is a genuinely different proposition from Westmalle’s.
It is drier, more bitter and more obviously hopped than the Westmalle version, with a peppery finish where the other is rounder and more honeyed. Both are Trappist tripels made a few dozen miles apart, which makes them the cleanest available demonstration that the style is a construction rather than a recipe.
What it tastes like
Inherited from Tripel, because this beer sits within the normal range for it. BeerHQ’s comparative scale, not a measurement.
Why BeerHQ carries this beer
| Reason | Carried as a reference example of its style |
|---|---|
| Strength | 8% ABV — checked 2026-08-19. Strengths differ by market and change without announcement, so this is dated rather than absolute. |
| Record stability | Stable — this product has changed little and is not expected to. |
BeerHQ records no recipe, hop bill, malt bill, yeast strain, IBU or calorie figure for any commercial beer unless it is sourced. Nothing on this page is inferred from what the beer tastes like.
What is distinctive about it
- Drier and more bitter than the Westmalle reference, which makes the pair a useful comparison
- One of the small number of tripels brewed within a Trappist abbey
If you like Chimay Cinq Cents
Worked out from what this beer actually tastes like rather than from what its style typically does. Three kinds of move, because “what should I try next” is three different questions.
Closest to it
Very similar in structure and flavour. Safe ground rather than discovery.
Belgian golden strong ale — try Duvel or Duvel Tripel Hop
A close structural match for Chimay Cinq Cents — a likely fit if you want more of the same.
Different: slightly less bread & biscuit (low → none–trace).
May not suit: Very close to Chimay Cinq Cents; if you wanted a change, this is not it.
Saison — try Saison Dupont
A close structural match for Chimay Cinq Cents — a likely fit if you want more of the same.
Different: slightly less sweetness (low → none–trace).
May not suit: Very close to Chimay Cinq Cents; if you wanted a change, this is not it.
Belgian blond ale — try Leffe Blonde
A close structural match for Chimay Cinq Cents — a likely fit if you want more of the same.
Different: slightly less carbonation (very high → high).
May not suit: Very close to Chimay Cinq Cents; if you wanted a change, this is not it.
Similar, but different
Keeps what you probably like about it and changes one or two things. Usually the most useful answer.
Belgian single — try Chimay Dorée
Keeps most of what Chimay Cinq Cents does and shifts alcohol warmth.
Different: noticeably less alcohol warmth (moderate → none–trace).
May not suit: Noticeably less alcohol warmth than Chimay Cinq Cents.
Dubbel — try Westmalle Dubbel or Chimay Rouge
Keeps most of what Chimay Cinq Cents does and shifts malt intensity.
Different: noticeably more malt intensity (none–trace → moderate).
May not suit: Noticeably more malt intensity than Chimay Cinq Cents.
Belgian dark strong ale — try Chimay Blue or Rochefort 10
Keeps most of what Chimay Cinq Cents does and shifts malt intensity.
Different: much more malt intensity (none–trace → high).
May not suit: Noticeably more malt intensity than Chimay Cinq Cents.
A bigger jump
Genuinely different, but connected by something specific — the shared trait is named so you can judge whether the bridge holds.
Both carry real yeast fruitiness (esters), which is the thread to follow if that is what you like about Chimay Cinq Cents.
Different: noticeably less alcohol warmth (moderate → none–trace).
May not suit: Noticeably less alcohol warmth than Chimay Cinq Cents.
Kristallweizen — try Erdinger Kristall
Both carry real yeast fruitiness (esters), which is the thread to follow if that is what you like about Chimay Cinq Cents.
Different: noticeably less alcohol warmth (moderate → none–trace).
May not suit: Noticeably less alcohol warmth than Chimay Cinq Cents.
Weissbier — try Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier or Schneider Weisse Original
Both carry real yeast fruitiness (esters), which is the thread to follow if that is what you like about Chimay Cinq Cents.
Different: noticeably less alcohol warmth (moderate → none–trace).
May not suit: Noticeably less alcohol warmth than Chimay Cinq Cents.
Likely fits rather than promises. Taste varies, and a recommendation engine that claims certainty is claiming something it cannot know.
What to eat with it
Inherited from Tripel. BeerHQ does not duplicate pairings onto individual products unless the product genuinely differs from its style.
- Brie
High carbonation scrubs the butterfat off the palate and the tripel's pepper and fruit meet the mushroomy rind. One of the most reliable cheese pairings there is.
- Eggs Benedict
Two emulsions on one plate — butter held in yolk, poured over more yolk — and nothing in the dish cuts either. A tripel is dry, strongly carbonated and high enough in alcohol to shift fat that a lighter beer would slide over, which is the rare case where strength is doing useful work rather than dominating.
- Lobster
Butter is the deciding factor, and a dry, highly carbonated strong ale cuts it while matching the sweetness of the meat.
- Soft cheese
High carbonation and a dry finish cut straight through the butterfat, and the beer’s orchard-fruit esters lift the mushroomy note of a bloomy rind.
Keeping it
Tripel is typically at its best 6–36 months after packaging, and time is working for it rather than against it.
Rewards age. Given cool, dark, upright storage this develops depth most drinkers would call an improvement. Buy two and compare.
Derived from Tripel. See storage and freshness for the full model.
BeerHQ carries a small set of reference beers to anchor styles, not a catalogue. There is no rating here and there will not be one. Last reviewed 2026-08-19.