Lips Of Faith - La Folie - New Belgium Brewing

standardcherry

Massachusetts

4.34/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

2013 22oz bottle.

A: Brown/red-ish color with a quickly receding brown head.
S: Super fruity and sweet. Sour cherries, raspberries and maybe a bit of citrus too. Has almost a "jam" aroma. Vinegar and oak in the finish.
T: Opens up pretty tart. Well balanced with the fruity sweetness. Very big fruity taste - sour cherries, orange - followed by a bit of funk. Not too sour, very pleasant. Big oak and slight vinegary taste as it warmed up. Finishes dry.
M: A bit thin and it could have used more carbonation.
O: Great take on the style, I would gladly buy tons of this if it was available. Thanks for this one Tom, glad I was able to try it!

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 06:17:47 | More by standardcherry

Avagadro

New Jersey

3.71/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Bottled April 6, 2009; Consumed May 12, 2013. 1-3 years in oak plus four years in the bottle makes this a blend of beers 5-7 years old. Served in a Duvel glass.

A: Dark brown in color, with mahogany highlights when held to the light. A few shades darker than a traditional oude bruin, but it's not off putting. A frothy head forms upon pouring, but fades quickly. Lacing is present, but lazy.

S: Aroma is a bit faint, but what is there is pleasant; Pedro Ximenez, balsamic, and vanilla blend together elegantly in the bouquet.

T: Saying that this is sour is an understatement. The puckering acidity masks all of the delicious vinous flavors that make an oude bruin so delicious. Big sour in the front, with only wisps of port, caramel, and vanilla in the back. It's tasty, but I can't help but wonder if this beer would have been more balanced if consumed at an earlier date.

M: Very light and dry, which is good, but without any effervescence the beer seems lifeless.

O: A well made beer, but I feel like I may have help on to this one a bit too long. This is my first encounter with this beer, so I may be wrong, but I have to imagine the sourness has been amplified by its years of aging. If you want a really sour beer, go ahead and age it, but if balance is your forte, drink it sooner.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 21:08:34 | More by Avagadro

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

4.43/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

2011 vintage 650ml bottle poured into tulip 10/5/13 thanks Rutager for yet another bottle

A brown with a hint of red, enough clarity to almost see the other side of the glass under the foam, two fingers sit for a few sips and leaves no lace

S burnt brown sugar, tart cherries, unripe strawberries and sour apple, vinous notes, some oak but its mellow, sweet and sour sauce with a hint of vinegar and teriyaki, a little funk works wonders, smells bang on for the style

T slightly more oak but other then that the smell follows through in the mouth and that's a good thing

M sour and acidic, not too heavy with decent carbonation, has a nice pucker to it and its quite slick after the fact, I want to say its dry but I get a little sweetness on the finish but not much

O very well made brew going on here, nails the style and I could drink another bomber or three with no worries

I'm wondering what Old Belgium or the true OB (Original Belgian) would have to say about this one? I'm guessing the OB would just say "respect" and bump fists with this "New" comer

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 04:52:03 | More by wordemupg

MattSweatshirt

Texas

4.03/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours out a deep reddish brown with a quickly receding light brown head. 3.5

The aroma hits with cherries and just this big fruitiness that comes off a little like strawberries and raspberries. Some sweetness in there matches well with the fruit. Vinegar and the wood barrel.

Slightly sweet and fairly tart. Delivers a largely fruity taste like the aroma indicated. Lots of cherry and more red fruits and tart green apple, vinegar, wood.

Medium bodied with medium carbonation. The tartness is nice and after the initial sour shock lends itself to a great sippability. Finishes a little dry.

Definitely worth a try if you like sours.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 06:04:20 | More by MattSweatshirt

WillCarrera

Illinois

4.34/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

22 oz bottle, bottled on 12/02/12, poured into a snifter.

A- Pours a slightly hazy brown color. Produces a thin layer of off-white head that recedes to a collar.

S- Lots of tart acidity, nice blend of lactic and acetic, some funk, oak, some sweet cherry aroma. This smells pretty damn nice.

T- Very tart, the tartness is great btw, moves into a bit of funk and light cherry towards the center and a huge, very dry, oaky, tannic finish. The fruit is subtle here, which I really like, it accents the sourness really nicely without being overbearing.

M- Medium-bodied, smooth feel, bone dry.

O- This actually surprised me. I'm not a huge fan of Oud Bruins, but this is actually a really tasty beer. The tartness is done really well and the cherry is in just the right amount. One of the more impressive American sours I've had recently.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 03:22:57 | More by WillCarrera

secondtooth

Indiana

4.34/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Pours a cloudy, sudsy amber. Thin head, and little noticeable lace.

Nose says sour fruit, and funky yeastiness. Unusual and exceptional.

Taste is very much sour fruit and funky, yeasty, musty sweet and sour-ness. What a unique flavor profile! This one is strong and quite acidic -- assertively sour and astringent, with a lingering taste on the palate. Enjoyable and impressive, even if the $15.99 price tag is a little hard on the wallet.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 23:34:32 | More by secondtooth

kaseydad

California

4.21/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

2013 vintage...7% abv

Pours a murky brown with a fairly decent cream colored head but is like a distant visiting cousin....doesn't go away. Volumes up when agitated.

The aroma is very much oak. Decent whiffs of vinegar, raspberry, floral, and blood orange.

The sour is there in the taste but enjoyable. Not as sour as the label would have you believe, but definitely drinkable. As it warms the sour lessens and the true magic happens. Big and oaky with a firing of sourness on the swallow. Bitter. Slight grapefruit/orange rind. Sour cherries. Funk. A tad salivation on the buds but not much.

Nicely carbonated.

Overall I dug this. There are many other sour browns out there, but this was enjoyable and nary a palate wrecker. It's got the flavor and the right amount of sour to compliment the overall end product. Not a huge fan of some of the NB beers, but this one was well made and worth seeking out.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 01:18:52 | More by kaseydad

trxxpaxxs

New York

4.01/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Big thanks to FTowne for this bottle... 2013 vintage...

A: Pours a deep murky brown with reds around the edges. There is one full finger of light khaki colored head that seems to fade very quickly. What is left of the foam is only a thin ring of tiny bubbles along the edges of the glass.

S: The nose is sour cherries, grape skin, cider vinegar, mild raspberry, and lacto. Damn this smells sour.

T: Wow. This beer starts out and finishes the same way. TART! I get sweet fruits right up front, but it instantly changes to tart and sour. Berries and vinegar are all over the place. The finish is puckering and drying.

M: Medium bodied beer. It starts out tart and biting, get fruity in the middle, and back to tart. The flavors destroy the palate and overwhelm it.

O: This is a super sour beer. It’s good, but it’s not my favorite for the style. I am happy to have tried it, but it’s not something I’d personally seek out again.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 20:11:45 | More by trxxpaxxs

M_C_Hampton

Georgia

4.34/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A: poured from a 22 oz bottle into a snifter, brown with a short tan head that vanishes leaving little, lacing, cloudy

S: sour cherries, acetic acid, pickles, that mouth watering throat closing vinegar smell

T: mouth turning sour, astringent, cider vinegar, tart, dry, oak, wood, earthy, sour cherry, sour apple, sour

M: thinner with good carbonation, lasting sour taste

O: it is sour in every sense of the word, in America we do it big and this is bolder than it's typical Belgian inspiration

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 00:50:22 | More by M_C_Hampton

deadonhisfeet

Kentucky

3.83/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

2012 edition reviewed on April 28, 2013. Poured from a bottle into a Duvel tulip. The beer pours brown with a hint of ruby red, fairly clear, and sports about a half finger of khaki head that dies off very quickly, leaving a thin layer of foam. The nose has some nice fruity malt aromas of plums, figs, and dark cherries. There is also a faint vanilla-like oaky note.

Light to medium body and a sharp, tart flavor. There are a few sweet notes here on the front of the tongue, but the sour notes truly dominate. After a very brief vanilla and caramel-like note, big cherry and lemon notes rush in and scour the palate. The mouth dries out in back, leaving a red wine-like tannic feel that makes the beer very appetizing. Very sour, but doesn't get very high marks in the complexity department.

Not really an Oud Bruin, as it lacks the maltiness of that style. More in the tradition of a Flanders Red Ale in flavor profile. Not the most sour beer I've had, but a tart, unbalanced, acidic beer that American fans of sour beers should enjoy. It's good, but I probably won't buy it again. Goudenband is cheaper than what I paid for this.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 17:14:20 | More by deadonhisfeet

Lognar

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

2013 Vintage. I managed to snag it for $8.49.

Pours a reddish, light cola color with a finger or so of vanilla head.

The nose is sour fruits - grapes and dark fruits. Green apple and lime tartness. Very wine-like. A bit of sweetness too.

The taste is really sour, tart, and acidic - just like a Cry Baby sour candy really, except the taste is vinegar sourness as opposed to chemical, artificial sourness. Starts out with a sharp tartness that blends to an even acidic sourness. The bite is acidic vinegar that moves from the front of the mouth to the back. It's mostly sour, but there is a bit of malt sweetness to it as well. Seriously though this is really really tart, vinegary sour.

The mouthfeel is crisp, medium bodied and with lots of carbonation.

Overall this was not for me. It was just too much vinegar acidity. It was a very complex in its varying flavors, but just too sour for more than half a glass. Definitely a sipper too.

This was my first sour, but not my last. I think I just need to steer clear of the vinegar, acetic sours.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2013 00:42:05 | More by Lognar

chugalug06

Colorado

4.3/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Deep roasty and dark red brew with burnt straw colored foamy head. Missing lacing.

Tart green apple, pear, peach, lime, acid. Bitter.

Oily, and bitter. Limey, peach, apple, lingering well placed flavors, moderate carbonation, some well hidden ginger and cinnamon. Flaming early tartness with mellow smooth bubbly finish.

Recommended, but at $15-18/22oz it's a bit hard to swallow. Bring back the C&C, New Belgium!!!!

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2013 03:04:52 | More by chugalug06

GRG1313

California

4.35/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

2013 offering.

Pours dark copper with red/cranberry tones. A fast fading light khaki head.

Nose of cooked cherries with hints of cocoa and light tart apple vinegar. Mouthfeel is clean and crisp; very well balanced and with perfect tart/sour character.

Flavor profile is tart cooked pie cherries with a "brown ale" undertone. There are hints of cocoa and cooked stone fruit, all with the tart character prevailing.

This is a very drinkable beer with a nice clean, tart finish that leaves you salivating a bit and wanting more.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2013 23:17:14 | More by GRG1313

Maxwell

Massachusetts

3.66/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

2013 Vintage

The beer pours a dark candied brown, and sits in the glass as almost purpling brown with only a ring of sand-dune-colored bubbles as a head. The beer’s body is beautifully ruby colored in the light, and hazy with proteins and such, there is even a nice steady stream of miniscule bubbles working their way to the top of the beer. The beer leaves a lacing of splotchy bubbles that almost look like a crooked willow tree on my glass. The lacing is sticky and dry, but not dominant on the glass. On the nose, the beer smells nicely green apple tart with malic acid and funky with hints of malt vinegar. There are slight hints of oak, and definite cherry leather scents in the funk, though it does tend more towards the barnyard side of things. As I stick my nose in it more, I almost get a toasty note within the funk, which I assume is coming from the barrels, and which also hints at a molasses scent in the malts. On the tongue, the beer tastes hugely acidic and with only a light touch of sweet sugar and fruit and a lingering hint of salt in the aftertaste. Flavors begin as puckering green apple, which grows into slight malt vinegar and green apple flavors. The tartness is a little oppressive on the taste buds, but there are light hints of cherry and light cleaning solution on the finish of the beer. The aftertaste mellows the beer out considerably and brings some lovely caramel malts into the tart cherry flavor alongside a less pleasant flavor that moves from appleskins to green apple and also shows hints of bitter tannin from the barrels the beer aged in. In the mouth, the beer feels medium light in body, but attacks the tongue oppressively with carbonation, washing away any sweetness that may have helped balance out the big tart flavors of the beer. The mouth is left puckering and a little burnt from carbonation, and wet from the spittle trying to neutralize the acid of the beer. Overall, this beer, like many American wild ales, is a little unbalanced in terms of acidity. It has some lovely complexities that get drowned in the harsh acidity of the beer. Perhaps with age the acid will mellow and the brettanomyces that I assume are in this beer will become more dominant, but right now I think the beer is a little too rough and acidic for my tastes, though certainly complex and well crafted. Maybe I got an off bottle.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2013 21:53:03 | More by Maxwell

sommersb

Tennessee

4.29/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Tasted On: 04-17-2013
Freshness: 2013 Vintage
Packaging: 22 oz. brown bottle, pry-cap
Glassware: Teku
Purchased: Single from Midtown, Nashville

Pours a cloudy, dark sienna color, brown with red hints. The head is off-white and sits a couple of fingers high. Lacing is very good with a good bit of head retention as well.

Aromas have a real "pow" moment of sourness, with resemblances to sour cherries and green apples. Other smells include a woody/oak character and then fruity grapes, which give it a wine-like bouquet.

The taste is both tart and sour, like in a sour cherry, and has elements of both sweetness and sourness. Strong flavors of green apple and wine bring acidity to the picture. Bitterness is very low.

The mouthfeel is sharp with a high carbonation level. Medium-bodied, it finishes somewhat dry and with mouth-puckering sourness.

Overall, this is one of only a few beers I've had in this style, but it seems to be a well-made and enjoyable sour ale.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2013 01:57:05 | More by sommersb

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

4.4/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

22oz bottle. 2012 vintage. Pours a deep clear ruby with a foamy off-white head. This maintains some robust ringing, leaving back thick sudsy swathes of lacing. Smells of oak and dark vinous character, with some acidic notes that singe the nose a bit at first. Some light backing sugars fill out the back of the nose. The taste is oak and wine with a somewhat heady sourness to the profile that puckers the tongue a bit but overall isn’t too overbearing. Sugars emerge more and more as this warms, helping even the flavors out. Dry and oaky on the finish with some lingering sweetness. The feel is medium with a sharp creaminess to the carbonation that blows up a bit in the mouth yet is undercut by some tannic slickness that helps keep this smooth. Alcohol feels right about where it should be. A little aggressive at first with the flavors, this balances out beautifully as things warm and develops into a tremendous example of a Flanders Red. One of the best from New Belgium and a great overall sour.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2013 18:47:59 | More by Kegatron

FondueVoodoo

British Columbia (Canada)

3.93/5  rDev -8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2013 edition
Thanks to lazarus25 for making the beer appear North of the 49th Parallel.

A:Topped with 2 fingers creamy fingers of cafe au late mircofoam, the brew pours a deep chestnut, and when held to the light, glows with a tawny shine.

S: Juicy and sweet, the first scent is of dried sour cherries, with malts and sweet toffee. With a swirl of the glass whafts of the sour come through hinting at red wine vinegar with some bretta yeast and finished with some mineral notes

T: Puckering and savoury with the sour flavour and a dry tart rhubard rounding out the end. Plenty of tannins, and a dry notes - similar to the skins of grapes, some sour fruits mixed with tannins and puckering dryness.

M: Crisp and clean and finishes extra dry. This is definitely a drink for the brewmaster who enjoys powerful tannins and tart pucker.

O: A stand allow drink that can really hold it's own. Would be compliment and contrast a grilled steak topped with sweet caramelized onions and blue cheese, like a big juicy red wine. A sipper for the strong willed who enjoy a complex drink.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 02:29:36 | More by FondueVoodoo

zac16125

South Carolina

4.33/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

22oz bottle into a snifter
Vintage 2013

A: Pours a dark mahogany with some nice reddish hues when held to light. 1 finger width of tan head builds then fades almost immediately. Leaves a fair amount of lacing.

S: Sweet dark fruits with notes of cherry, currants, and fig. A musty aroma, hints of alcohol, faint oak barrel characters, caramel/toffee and tart lactic acidity. Nice aroma, fairly complex.

T: Much more sour than the nose implied! Puckeringly sour with notes of tart cherry and sour citrus. I also get apple cider vinegar, sweet dark malts, and oak (although it is mostly hidden by the tartness but it is there). Really great degree of sourness.

M/D: Lighter side of medium bodied, with a heavy carbonation and a puckering sourness. Drinkability is very good. Real nice mouthfeel.

O: Overall, a very good beer. Nice to see an affordable, obtainable sour sitting on the shelves. I will no doubt have this again in the future. Hands down the best New Belgium offering I have had to date.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2013 21:23:34 | More by zac16125

Braz

Washington

3.99/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Purchased at BevMo. 2013 is year on label. Very tart yeasty smell. Typical of style I've found. Slightly champagne like. Color is rich opague brown, with a frothy cream colored head. Flavor is very good. Sour and tart. Fruit is tough to differentiate. Strawberry I'd say. Very nice. Mouthfeel is good also, bubbly with a semi dry finish. This is a really good beer. New Belgium can be hit or miss with me but this one's a hit. The reason for a lower overall score is this is hard for me to finish. I almost got heartburn towards the end from the sourness.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 06:31:26 | More by Braz

pmarlowe

California

4.28/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2013 release. Tulip glass.

A: Pours brown with excellent clarity and a bit of tannish head. Lots of chaotic lacing and very good lacing.

S: Loads of fresh strawberry, raisin and plum, black cherry, some oak and undertones of spice.

T: Clean flavors. Again, lots of strawberry, a bit of oak, mild lactic sourness, strawberry pop rocks, with some caramel malt on a long sour finish.

M: Medium body and medium-high carbonation.

O: Tasty, nice complexity, and very drinkable. Lots of fruit which fades in favor of the oak as it warms.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2013 05:08:58 | More by pmarlowe

SportsandJorts

Michigan

4.44/5  rDev +4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Type: Bomber
Glass: snifter
Additional: 2013 bottle

Appearance: A brownish/red color. Almost opaque. A finger or so of a tan head that leaves a lacing

Smell: tart tart fruits and oak.

Taste: a bit like a very tart green apple, good oak presence, some sweeter malt notes. pretty complex and strongly tart

Mouthfeel: absolutely not stickyness, just a nice smooth, lighter body and a bit of a warming sensation. wouldn't as for anything differently

Overall: this is a tasty and well done beer. a tad on the pricey side, but what sour isn't. i would pick it up again in the future

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2013 14:41:40 | More by SportsandJorts

HuskyinPDX

Washington

4.1/5  rDev -4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2013 Vintage opened on 3.13.13

A - Pours a very dark amber-brown with a foamy dark tan head with great retention.

S - Funky, tart, woody, cherry, dark fruit.

T - Super sour, woody, cherry, some fruit.

D - Good carbonation with a medium body.

O - Super tart and funky. Lots of barrel. Good beer, if you love the pucker.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 04:39:58 | More by HuskyinPDX

jasoncheb

Virginia

4.19/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A: Nice reddish hue, with a nice 1 finger tan head on vigorous pour. Great lacing once the head subsides.

S: Instant hit of excellent sour notes, oak, and some background vinegar.

T: Exactly what you want to experience in a great sour. Instant pucker, which lasts...fading into its original brown ale flavors.

M: Like taking in a sweet tart for the first time. Great carbonation, with a a very good balance of sour flavors.

O: Great sour brown ale for the pricepoint. Really happy with this offering from New Belgium. If you are looking for a very forward sour, this is certainly one to try.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 23:28:13 | More by jasoncheb

webmanspidey

Michigan

4.26/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Bomber poured into a snifter. It is a medium muddy brown color. Smell is very sour, acidic, and full of vinegar and lemon. Taste is very sour with strong lemon and acidic flavors. Extremely tart and sour, but very tasty. Definitely one that will be enjoyed by sour lovers.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 03:01:27 | More by webmanspidey

NODAK

Tennessee

4.36/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The aroma here is lovely. Certainly bright and acidic...enough to make my mouth water just from the smell alone. Definitely a fruity note there, particularly of tart cherries. Yum.

Pours a deep mahogany in my glass. Head wasn't much to write home about, though that could be my fault admittedly.

Taste is initially sharply tart....reminicisent of vinegar and sucking on a lemon wedge. However, the fruity aspect then comes through that was noticed on the nose. Again, perhaps a cherry influence there....pleasant. The woodsy nature imparted by the oak barrels is also perceptible. Finishes quite obviously tart, but not quite as much as that initial hit was....it's pleasant.

Really enjoyed it, though at 16 bucks a bottle I'd be hesitant to buy any beer at that price very often.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 01:02:11 | More by NODAK