Lips Of Faith - Le Terroir - New Belgium Brewing

cokes

Wisconsin

4.35/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Misty, toasted golden bodied with a skim of off-white suds. Retention is modest, lacing a bit better.
The first few whiffs bring a toasted grain and mango-citric hopping. An earthiness quickly seeps in, adding woody notes. Then the sour tones arrive in full, with vinegar, pineapple juice, apple cider, Chardonnay, and tart mixed berries. Further on, it seems to shape-shift between its hoppy and sour persona each time the nose nears the glass. It's a varied and interesting nose, but it could be more explosive.
Sour grabs hold of the cheeks right away. Tart cherries, raspberries, and pineapple. Toasty malt act as a canvas, and collects the barrel notes as it goes along. The sourness dives into balsamic vinegar and iron-rich blood, then brightens towards under-ripe mangoes and papaya, as the hops enter the fray. They also bring pine and lemon peel, before being reabsorbed by the prevailing tartness.
Medium-full bodied, given spark by the tiny, persistent buzz of CO2. This, along with the kaleidoscopic array of flavors keeps it hugely drinkable and involving.
The Lips of Faith series is wildly inconsistant, but offerings like this keep me eagerly awaiting the next one.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2011 08:20:37 | More by cokes

PlinyBeMiney

California

5/5  rDev +15.7%

05-21-2013 07:00:55 | More by PlinyBeMiney

ShawnMH

Indiana

4.5/5  rDev +4.2%

05-19-2013 15:40:48 | More by ShawnMH

Blashawright

Texas

3.5/5  rDev -19%

05-16-2013 22:37:52 | More by Blashawright

Absolut

California

4.25/5  rDev -1.6%

05-14-2013 18:06:48 | More by Absolut

ObeMaltKinobee

California

3.75/5  rDev -13.2%

05-08-2013 07:33:19 | More by ObeMaltKinobee

cadaugherty

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +4.2%

05-07-2013 23:57:36 | More by cadaugherty

deadliest

Texas

4/5  rDev -7.4%

05-07-2013 01:25:02 | More by deadliest

groovy24

Wisconsin

4.5/5  rDev +4.2%

05-03-2013 02:47:25 | More by groovy24

Jordantb313

Colorado

4.25/5  rDev -1.6%

04-23-2013 03:17:04 | More by Jordantb313

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

4.4/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Bottle: Poured a clear light amber color ale with a nice large foamy head with good retention and some great lacing. Aroma of fruity notes of peaches and mango with light tart undertones is quite unique. Taste is quite unique with subtle fruity notes of mango and peaches with very nice fruity ester with some well balanced tart notes. Body is about average with good carbonation. It is a wonder the aroma that was created using hops; this is definitely a beer I will seek again.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2013 18:32:18 | More by Phyl21ca

Prospero

Colorado

4.75/5  rDev +10%

04-12-2013 17:16:23 | More by Prospero

BKotch

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +4.2%

04-09-2013 04:20:50 | More by BKotch

SourinQns

New York

4.5/5  rDev +4.2%

04-04-2013 03:08:08 | More by SourinQns

FullObs

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +4.2%

04-02-2013 21:12:56 | More by FullObs

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.29/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

This poured out as a slightly hazy copper orange color with a soapy white head. Very scattered lacing and thin retention. The smell of the beer is earthy, slightly tart, some cherry notes and oak. The taste of the beer is very tart, far more sour than all the other "sour" ales that New Belgium makes. There is more cherry in the flavor with some vinegar. The mouthfeel is pretty good, drinkable and light bodied nice carbonation. Overall this beer is good, the hops have faded but the sour notes are what seem to me as their peak. Really nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 22:11:19 | More by Knapp85

adkieffer

Washington

4.5/5  rDev +4.2%

03-22-2013 05:28:06 | More by adkieffer

gratefulbeerhead

Indiana

4.5/5  rDev +4.2%

03-19-2013 02:44:56 | More by gratefulbeerhead

jenray

Texas

3/5  rDev -30.6%

03-12-2013 14:11:00 | More by jenray

jvillefan

California

4.4/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: It has a bright golden orange and slightly hazy body with an ivory white one finger head that disappears quickly leaving traces around the top of the glass.

S: There is a sweet toffee and caramel aroma in the beginning. There is a follow up of some citrus followed by a very subtle sour/tart aroma.

T: There is both a sweet and a sour flavor in the front. It has caramel and sour apple flavors. It then transitions to a sour pine flavor and leaves a very dry finish. The flavor does not linger at all.

M: Nice thick silky body with very sharp carbonation.

O: Great sour. Not too hard to find and well worth getting if you get a chance.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 03:40:52 | More by jvillefan

match1112

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -1.6%

03-10-2013 19:43:58 | More by match1112

drbenderdo

Michigan

4.5/5  rDev +4.2%

03-05-2013 19:14:05 | More by drbenderdo

nzerbe

New York

4.5/5  rDev +4.2%

03-03-2013 23:47:26 | More by nzerbe

muskiesman

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +4.2%

02-25-2013 18:51:15 | More by muskiesman

birdsellam

Indiana

4/5  rDev -7.4%

02-11-2013 18:37:41 | More by birdsellam