Lips Of Faith - La Folie - New Belgium Brewing

rdobens

Tennessee

2.29/5  rDev -46.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

I had my growler filled after a recommendation from other member of my local growler club. Having thoroughly enjoyed the other Lips of Faith brews I had tried I really wanted to like this beer. I just could not get my palate into the sour mash. This was my first sour mash beer experience, maybe if I have a few more and become accustom to the flavors I will revisit this beer and re-evaluate.

Serving type: growler

03-08-2013 00:28:08 | More by rdobens

BlackBelt5112203

South Carolina

3.93/5  rDev -8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

32 oz growler poured into a New Belgium globe at fridge-cellar temperature.

L – Ruby brown color with a 0.5-finger tan bubbly head that rapidly dissipates to a ring of bubbles that surround the edge of the glass throughout. A tiny bit of patchy lacing. Some haze but clear enough to appreciate a good amount of bubbles.

S – Red wine, cherries, vinegar, some oak, and maybe some caramel. As the beer warms, certainly more malt becomes apparent with more caramel, chocolate, and plum notes.

T – Tart right off the bat with sour cherries and grapes. Finishes slightly bittersweet with some apple, raspberry, and oak notes. Again, as the beer warms, the sweetness balances out the sourness better with caramel, chocolate, and dark fruit notes.

F – Thin-bodied with good carbonation, a puckering mouthfeel, and a sour and slightly dry finish. Again, as the beer warms, it gains more body and the sweetness makes the sourness more manageable.

O – I really like this beer, and so it pains me to give it anything less than a 4. However, it possesses the misfortune of belonging to a style of beers that can be some of the most brilliantly complex beers in the world. Regardless of the score, this is a very good beer and a fantastic introduction to sours. In fact, it was the very beer that got me hooked on them. This is a very tasty, drinkable, and approachable sour beer.

Serving type: growler

12-02-2012 21:07:12 | More by BlackBelt5112203

libbey

British Indian Ocean Territory

4.4/5  rDev +3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

64oz growler split with friends. Poured into a snifter.

A: The beer pours a murky dark amber/brown with a minimal cap of head that settles quickly leaving a thin trail of spotty lacing.

S: The smell is of musty tart cherries intermingling with layers of oak and funk.

T: The taste follows the nose with a a big blast of super tart dark fruit on the font end with a nice dry oaky finish. Flavor is fairly bright with fruit and very sour.

M: Overall mouthfeel is well carbonated and carries this medium bodied bruin brown perfectly. Finish is dry with oak and funk lingering on the pallet.

O: Overall this is an exceptional sour from New Belgium and one that I never pass on when I see. World Class pursue accordingly.

Serving type: growler

09-09-2012 23:19:30 | More by libbey

doopydoogle

Tennessee

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

A- Brown, almost black, with a thin head

S - Sour raisins, currants, black cherries, kombucha, chocolate, raspberry, woodiness, wild mushrooms, mineral

T - Zesty front with lingering tones of malt, berries, and dark fruit. Some apple tones come through with a lingering meatiness almost. There's good acidity and the beer has many layers to its flavor. There's a bit off woody smokiness as well

M - Vibrant acidity and a good mouthcoating.

O - A good outing for the style

Serving type: growler

11-03-2011 00:07:07 | More by doopydoogle

clintyeastwood

South Carolina

2.98/5  rDev -30.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Poured with the appearance of dirty rootbeer with a cranberry tinge. Had a thin beige head.

Aromas of red-wine vinegar, underlying sweet smell, over-ripe raspberries? underlying smell of mop water.

Strong balsamic vinegar. tastes of sweet tarts, faint taste of mildew & wet wood.

Mouthfeel is slick & pungent.

Overall, an interesting beer, especially if you enjoy flavors of vinegar. You may find yourself craving a glass of this, as I did after my initial tasting. However, it did seem more of an inital fancy and I found myself boring quickly and had a hard time getting though the growler I had purchased.

Serving type: growler

06-26-2011 01:06:04 | More by clintyeastwood

Wetpaperbag

Washington

3.4/5  rDev -20.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A- Hazy orange red color with a good amount of fluffy tan head that stuck around for a while.

S- Cherry, dried fruit, brown ale earthyness, acrid acid with a touch of creaminess.

T- The taste isn't bad, it is sour and kinda made my eye twitch a bit. My teeth are feeling it a bit too, but doable. Reminds me of a cherry warhead. A kinda synthetic cherry taste.

M- Other then eating away at my teeth a bit I have a feeling after polishing off the growler my insides are going to hate me.

D- Good, but see mouthfeel above.

Serving type: growler

01-21-2011 05:15:42 | More by Wetpaperbag

PEBKAC

New York

4.15/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Big Tex goes out of his way & surprises me for my birthday with a goodie. 32 ounces all for me. :D

I think I've tasted some dregs from a bottle once, but I'm feeling like this is a really good time to be a little selfish.

Poured into my favorite Ommegang Anniversary glass.

The glass flips open & I get showered with lovely, vinous mist. 7 out of 10 out of shape beer geeks prefer this to being in the clubhouse after winning the Pennant I bet. :P

It slowly gurgles out the bottle the color of dry blood, settling in the glass a murky oiled brown leather with edges of bourbon. An inch of frosted, slightly orange, coffee creamer head impedes my movement for just a bit.

Smell is all about over-ripe cherry juice & perceived strawberry tartness. To a lesser extent, apple skins, butter, soil, & sweet table wine. Musk. The trail end is just slightly bready.

Taste is vinegary of course but with a lot of soft white wine fruitiness. Lots of palate drying wood, & sour green apple esters. A bit of leather. Salivating pitty apricot tartness & bitter grapefruit rind. Paper dry finish. I consider funky notes a tossup on whether they work or not. This right here doesn't exhibit any barnyard or off-kilter aspects. If it's just done really well, I don't think it needs that quality to be effective. They certainly have the experience & modern equipment to mimic & refine something old world.

Light to mild acetone harshness. Carbonation is just barely there, but I think it works. So dry.

Okay, here's where I say all this negative stuff because I'm such a downer & everyone rakes me for it: The alcohol is noticeable through the fruit notes; eventual cottonmouth; price; heartburn... okay, I'm reaching. It's a very good beer with insignificant faults.

Thank you Blake, may the winds shift a little more in you favor.

:)

Serving type: growler

06-02-2009 03:49:19 | More by PEBKAC

BigJTrucker

Oregon

4.55/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

This 2L Growler was filled with 2005 La Folie @ Bier Stein, Eugene, OR aproximately 12 hours ago.

Upon popping open my flip top growler i am immediately struck by a strong sour aroma, reminiscent of the last gueze i remember having. Man, i've been enjoying sour beers lately so this is already off to a good start.

It pours into my NBB Abbey glass a deep copper color, with a very thin head that settles fairly quickly. ***EDIT: a second, more vigorous pour produced a 3/4" head that last about 30 seconds***

Smell is clearly sour, with some fruity sweetness tucked in back that reminds me of apple cider, maybe even with some cranberries.

Taste is "mouthpuckeringly" sour to start, hints of bitter apple, cranberries, the expected oak flavors seem to be a bit more muted in this 2 year old edition than i would've expected.

Mouthfeel is a complex jumble of smooth,sweet,fizzy, dry,sticky Very interesting but in a good way.

If you are a fan of sour beers, this one hits the spot. fairly low abv make this a somewhat sessionable beer. I will certainly have another glass of this tonight. I Would really like to get my hand on some bottles and put a few more years on it to see it further develop.

Serving type: growler

12-14-2007 11:50:40 | More by BigJTrucker

andyfrancis

California

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

2013 bottle

Short brown head erupted quickly and dissipated as quickly as it came, leaving a placid, cloudy reddish brown glass.

Wow, no doubting its sourness on the nose. That acquired vinegary delicious funk. Almost like bleu cheese just before it hits your lips.

Oh my god. So good. Just a great blend of sour with a sweet fruit back and funky bite. Every sip makes me want to take another.

Incredibly smooth and easy drinking for a sour. Has that astringent bite and finishes clean.

Not quite as good, but in the same ballpark as the Russian River sours and my favorite of the Lips of Faith series, Eric's Ale. Will definitely have this again.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2013 22:29:56 | More by andyfrancis

brewandbbq

New Hampshire

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

22oz bottle from 2013.

Pours dark mahogany with a thin, tan head. A mostly placid surface with occasional dots of lacing throughout the glass.

Aromatics lead off with balsamic-drizzled apples and worstershire. Hints of cider and wet leather follow though.

Medium bodied with an prickly but oily mouthfeel. Slightly waxy.

Vinegar-soaked apples and soured fruit starts the palate. Meaty undertones with hints of cherries and cider vinegar follow thorough.

Finishes with a lingering sourness and deep fruit undertones.

Great beer but the carbonation is a bit light for the style and this beer definitely deserves to go back into a cork and caged 750.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2013 01:01:04 | More by brewandbbq

Andonato

Texas

4.06/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Deep amber in color, tan head, mild carbonation.
Aromas of tart green apples, vinegar, brett, sour lemon
On the palate a wave of mouth puckering intensity. The tart green apple comes through, as well as the brett, vinegar, a fruitiness is detected along with sweet malt and oak. As I sip, my jowl is watering like crazy! Love that!
Medium light body with a nice smooth mouthfeel
Overall a great sour. Perhaps a bit too sour for my tastes, although I see the appeal to any sour fans. Rodenbach Grand Cru is more my preferred sour but to any hardcore sour seekers, I would highly recommend it

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2013 06:22:19 | More by Andonato

merc7186

New York

4.36/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Bomber into snifter.

A: Brownish/Red Hue, Passes Mild Light, Off White Head, Some Lacing

S: Apple Cider Vinegar, Oakey, Sour Mash

T: Sour Cherries, Apricots, Sour Mash

M: Decent Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Semi Sour

Overall, pretty solid brown sour ale, astringent but not over bearing.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2013 02:37:57 | More by merc7186

phishsihq

Colorado

4.83/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Brewed in the tradition of a Flander Oud Bruin, the 2011 vintage pours a hazy, deep mahogany with red highlights around the edges. A quickly disappearing cap of light brown foam dies down to provide a solid amount of lacing. Powerful aromas of balsamic vinegar erupts from the glass and is joined with hints of oakiness and green apple. The nose of this brew leads the mouth to begin salivating in anticipation of the sourness awaiting the drinker! Some will complain that this beer tastes like vinegar, and we urge those people to take another sip. The depth of flavors provided in a sip of La Folie include tart cherries, oak, Brettanomyces, and green apple. All of these amazing sour flavors swirl over a base of light malt that provides enough sweetness to help reign in a touch of the sourness. Dry in the finish, La Folie is medium-light in body with a moderate level of carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2013 00:19:01 | More by phishsihq

Siriusfisherman

Montana

4.51/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

L: Deep, mahogany red, clear on first pour, but the yeast/bacteria on the bottom made the second pour a little hazy. Nice head at first, but dissipates quickly leaving just a soupy ring and minimal lacing.

A: Big sourness, nice cherry aroma, along with other stone fruits like peach and plum. Some sweet malt is noticeable as well, accentuating the fruitiness. Very intense.

T/M: Big sourness up front, moving into puckering cherry and peach, perfect balance from sweet maltiness as well as some spicy yeast (or bacteria?) character. Mouthfeel is modestly textured, and is cut out by a souring, dry finish.

Overall, one of the best sours I have tasted. Great complexity from the bacteria/yeast character, giving a nice Stonefruit quality. Malt balances just about perfectly and the finish is dry and quenching. Amazed that New Belgium produced such an incredible sour, I am guessing they had help.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2013 05:11:45 | More by Siriusfisherman

BrianJohnson

South Carolina

4.74/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Nice dark color on the pour with only a bit of head and pretty much no lacing down the glass as you drink it. The smell was obviously a sour ale - very pungent and clearly it was going to be a sour. I was a bit suprised though, because I kind of expected the brown, dark color to lend a new taste to the sours that I know and love. I didn't notice any difference in the taste. I expected it to have the coffee / chocolate / dark malt taste, judging by the color, but I didn't notice anything really different from many of the other sours I've had. Either way, this was a very enjoyable beer which I will definitely purchase every time I see it.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2013 23:27:52 | More by BrianJohnson

bnes09

Illinois

3.26/5  rDev -23.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Nice ruby brown color. Weak soda-like head on the pour with zero retention and almost no lacing. I anticipate that the lack of head is expected with this style.

Dark fruit aroma of prune and black cherry juice. Sweet character overall.

Some dark fruit ester notes and mild spices up front (e.g. ginger and nutmeg). Then the aggressive lactic and citric acid sourness dominates the palate, eliminating all other flavors. Finishes on the spicy end with lingering tartness. If I let it sit on my tongue for more than a second or two, the aggressively sour flavor reminds me of stomach acid. My recommendation, drink it quickly.

Light to medium bodied with a sharp, aggressive carbonation. Bone dry in the finish while leaving sticky sugars on the lips.

This may be a good example of the style but its just not my thing. I'm disappointed too because I really enjoyed Monk's cafe.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2013 03:50:33 | More by bnes09

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