North East Beer Review

Another bargain beer today and this one is brewed by Lidl. I have had previous experience with the bargain beers of Lidl whether it’s their Wheat Beer called Patronus and the Lager called Perlanbacher Pilsner. Often they aren’t amazing but for the money you pay, they offer a service which is definitely worth the money you pay. So today, I am covering new Lidl Forbel Tripel. During the course of the review I will cover the history of the beer and its brewing, the pour, the taste and aroma and finally my verdict. Cheers.

A Supermarket and Brewery collaborate

Forbel Tripel is a Belgian Style Blonde Tripel which is brewed exclusively for Lidl. The brew was launched in 2025, and I think according to ChatGPT was brewed in a collaboration Brouwerij De Brabandere which is a Belgian brewery which spans across five generations. Although, the address on the bottle points to building related to Lidl Belgium.

The beer was launched around Belgian National Day on 21 July, with Lidl positioning Forbel as a beer that showcased Belgian brewing tradition while remaining affordable and accessible to supermarket shoppers. It became available in Lidl stores in Belgium from 26 June 2025. Forbel is brewed using three different grains – barley, wheat and oats. Lidl describes the resulting beer as a rich and refreshing Tripel, with a subtle spiced character and a soft malt sweetness. The intention was to create something recognisably Belgian while giving the beer its own identity. 

At 8.4%, Forbel sits at the higher end of the Tripel, and the beer is not simply a generic Lidl beer. The collaboration with De Brabandere gives it a connection to an established Belgian brewing tradition. This makes Forbel an interesting example of how supermarkets are increasingly working with established breweries to produce exclusive beers aimed at bringing more specialist styles to a wider audience. This brew cost around £1.49 and offers a brilliant experience for the price.

A bright golden to amber colour

Forbel Tripel pours a golden to orange colour which has a bright and slightly hazy appearance. This pour offers a foamy white head which lasts throughout the drinking experience. Thus, leaving a decent degree of lacing down the glass. The carbonation is relatively lively with a consistent stream of bubbles travelling up the glass. Overall, a bright and lively pour which is inviting.

A flavour profile awash with malty and fruity flavours

Aroma

The aromatics of Forbel is incredibly fruity and malty at the same time. There is a noticeable fruity sweetness which is reminiscent of orange, banana and maybe apricot. There is the typical Belgian yeast character which gives a slight spice to light herbal nature. A touch of grain offers an extra aromatic edge. Overall, the aroma is well controlled and isn’t particularly intense.

Taste

From the first sip, a notable soft malt sweetness accompanies a banana to almost orange and apricot flavour. A sweet orange flavour follow the typical Belgian blonde spice. A gentle herbal to clove note gives this the Belgian Blonde or Tripel build. At 8.4%, the brew is quite easy drinking and approachable with the mouthfeel being quite smooth and soft. Due to the alcohol percentage, the brew is relatively warm and slightly warm. The finish is long and dry with a lingering banana to citrusy bitterness. Overall, for its percentage Forbel Tripel is genuinely approaching with its smooth nature. The rich and fruity nature offers an authentic Tripel feel.

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Time for my verdict

To conclude, I am probably not the best reviewer to be performing a review on Tripel, however I do love a bargain brew so I thought stuff it… lets review it. Despite not being a frequent Belgian beer drinker I still fought this was quite nice for the £1.49 price tag. I honestly think there aren’t many better supermarkets for budget beers than Lidl. I really enjoyed this despite not being particularly knowledgeable about Belgian Tripels. Overall, I rate this a decent 4 out of 5.

Where did I purchase this beer?

I bought this beer from my local Lidl here in the UK.

Thanks for reading my beer review. If you enjoyed my review of Forbel Tripel, you will love my review of Tsingtao 1903.