Lips Of Faith - Le Terroir - New Belgium Brewing

ggaughan

Pennsylvania

4.93/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Sampled on tap at Monk's Cafe for their New Belgium dinner. What treat this was after waiting to try it for so long. The beer poured a very hazy golden color with an off white head. The nose was a bit hot, maybe high abv but I don't believe the beer has a high abv. There was also a tart barny nose to this as well. The taste is hard to describe. A nice sharp, tart taste with some banana esters and citrus. Very very nice. For lack of a better work, I would compare this to RR Beatification which I happen to love. Although I also love La Folie, I would have to say this was my favorite NB beer of the night.

Serving type: on-tap

04-14-2007 03:04:41 | More by ggaughan

rudzud

Massachusetts

4.93/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Received in a trade, poured into my Duvel tulip.

A - Pours a crystal clear light gold orange hue with a big, big almost three finger fluffy white creamy head that leaves enormous side lacing and a very dense, thick blanket. Wonderful.

S - Woah, what is this aroma?! Very sour, some vinegar, definite tropical. Theres something else though. Maybe some peach, but not sure if the hops + barrel is making this aroma but its got a faint "I've smelled something like the before but have no clue what or where to begin". Its incredibly enjoyable and mysterious for me. Its really almost like a sweet and sour sauce...

T - WOAH is this tart, suddenly it just slams with sour. No vinegar, getting lots of sour peach, tropical, faint wine barrel, and more of that sweet and sour type flavor. The finish though, so distinctly armarillo. Its got a sour patch kid gummy flavour somewhere in the middle. Powedered sweet tarts and smarties. The hop finish is really cool with this. This flavour profile is intense. Worth noting again, sweet and sour sauce!

M - Mouthfeel is delicious nice and sour and tart with some light carbonation. The alcohol isnt noticeable at all. Wonderful.

O - Overall this beer exceeded all expectations. Cant believe it took this long to try it. Its unreal what west coast hops did to this sour, just unreal.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 01:24:50 | More by rudzud

mattvoid

Indiana

4.9/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

22 oz bottle poured into a tulip glass

appearance -- gold with hints of copper, and a large foamy head that stayed that way for awhile

smell -- fantastic! Pineapple, hints of toasted pine scents and little bits of mango in there too, and even in the smell the sourness can be detected

taste -- more complex than the smell but similar. Pineapple is again what seems to be predominant along with a mildly acrid pine taste, and mangoes and even peaches. The sourness is really strong though, almost like a sour candy and makes just taking a few sips tough, since you keep wanting more.

mouthfeel -- light to medium, but heavy carbonation

overall -- Great sour, probably the best of the lips of faith sours, and something i plan on getting often

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2011 23:36:18 | More by mattvoid

Mavajo

Georgia

4.85/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Wow, really amused by some of the recent reviews. Makes me wonder if we're drinking the same beer!

Pours a hazy golden/amber color with mild white head.

Nose is intense. It's this bizarre medley of typical sour funk, combined with juicy tropical fruit hops -- the hops definitely make a big appearance in the nose.

The nose was wonderful, but the taste brings it to a whole 'nother level. This is smack-you-in-the-mouth intense. Sourness is brutal, and the intensity is ratcheted up because of the dry-hopping. Take the intensity of a dry-hopped IPA and combine it with a mouth-watering sour, and that's what you got here. Loads of tropical fruitiness - citrus, tangerine, etc. Freaking phenomenal. It's really a tremendous interaction here - the sourness and tropical fruitiness play off of eachother and make one of the most epic tastes I've encountered yet in craft beer.

Mouthfeel is about what you would expect. No problems. Appropriate carbonation, etc.

La Terroir has instantly become one of my favorite sours. It sparked by interest, so I tried a La Folie a couple days later (I'd had one sitting in the fridge for ages, but never tried it). Let me tell you - La Terroir blows La Folie away. La Folie was such a disappointment for me after trying La Terroir. That's not a knock on La Folie - that's merely high praise for La Terroir.

Awesome, awesome sour. Might be my favorite American sour to date. Hell, might just be my favorite sour period. I managed to track down a store with more on the shelves and I stocked up. But considering the dry-hopping, I'm not sure if I should drink it all now or save it so that I can enjoy this goodness until the next release.

My advice: Ignore the bad reviews and give it a try. This is a fantastic sour, and it may just be an acquired taste for some.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2011 19:27:43 | More by Mavajo

eyeenjoybeer

Indiana

4.85/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This was poured into a pint glass.

I was able to find a couple of bottles in a shop that I don't frequent.

The appearance was golden with a white head.

The smell was citrus and grass with notes of vinegar creeping in. The hops were only peeking through in places, but the amarillo was definitely present.

The taste was lemon and amarillo hops up front followed by a great ascetic acid profile that ended with notes of blood orange and more lemon zest. The tartness and sourness in this beer are great. This beer tastes heavenly to me.

The mouthfeel was crisp and refreshing.

Overall, this is one of my favorite beers. The complexity, balance, price point, and availability make this beer tops.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2011 15:11:30 | More by eyeenjoybeer

fsvan

Tennessee

4.85/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Poured into a New Belgium globe.

A- Clear, beautiful golden orange. Minimal head. Minimal lacing.

S- Acidic sourness. Lots of citrus...lemon, orange. I think a good bit of this is from the dry hopping, but it blends seamlessly into the sour notes. Maybe a bit of malty bread, but just a touch. The sourness makes the mouth water. This is a fantastic smelling beer.

T- An initial sourness that makes the tip of the tongue tingle, and washes over the palate. Lemon and orange citrus in the middle. Finishes with a sour and dry end. There was more of a hop bite in the end when this was fresher, which I preferred, but it is still there, just tamed a bit. Alcohol is hidden beneath the massive sour/citrus flavors. This a not an introductory sour for the uninitiated.

M- Light and unbelievably easy to drink considering the sourness of it.

O- This is a fantastic beer, and my favorite New Belgium offering to date. I prefer it to both La Folie and Eric's Ale, which would be 2 and 3 in some order of NB offerings that I've had. Funny how a brewery that seems to be known as the 'Fat Tire guys' puts out such amazing sours (albeit with a few missess....*cough Vrieinden cough*). I don't know if there are plans to brew/bottle this in the future, but it'd be a damn shame if there weren't.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2011 02:07:35 | More by fsvan

TexIndy

Texas

4.83/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had during my recent trip to Denver to see my best friend. Great way to start the trip. Went straight from the airport to Falling Rock Taphouse for a few beers before dinner and when we walked in there was a poster announcing a special tapping of Le Terroir. Had to wait about 30 mins for the tapping which was agonizing as I've wanted to try this for years. The bar was kinda dark and the lightning not ideal so kinda hard to nail the color. It appeared to be an apple ciderish color with an orange tint. It was served in a wine glass and had a small head that settled into a thin film with some lacing. The smell was exceptional. It had an amazing sour smell that makes your mouth water. I've tried several Flanders Red Ales in the past year including it's cousin La Folie and this had the best aroma of them all. The mouthfeel was strong with a great sour aftertaste - not too strong, well balanced. The taste was also amazing. I found La Folie to be a bit on the too sour side (not bad but too sour to be a 5). This with the hopping stayed on the not too sour side. It had a great aftertaste and goes down smoooth. Ended up having a couple before we had to head out. Wish they would bottle this. If they did, I'd have one in my fridge constantly. (4.5, HR, T, Y)

Serving type: on-tap

03-05-2007 16:53:18 | More by TexIndy

BradLikesBrew

Missouri

4.83/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Created by a former employee of Rodenbach.
On tap at the NB brewery.

When asked how this was different from La Folie, I was told it had been dry-hopped and unlike La Folie, which is described as a sour brown, La Terroir has a lighter malt base.

a: Hazy gold/orange body with an off-white head. Excellent retention.

s: Sour aroma with notes of apple cider vinegar.

t: Sweet tart flavor, oak, sour green apples, with a big bite of hops and sourness in the finish.

m: Tart and acidic with medium carbonation.

d: Very drinkable, excellent tartness. Like La Folie, but lighter malt and with a more pronounced hop profile. An excellent beer, wish they bottled it. I could drink this all night long.

Serving type: on-tap

02-04-2008 00:53:23 | More by BradLikesBrew

atowle25

Washington

4.83/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pours a pleasant yellow/hazy color. Quite good looking. Decent sized head followed by a small amount of lacing. The smell has a surprisingly strong floral hop aroma along with some lemon/funk and citrus notes.

The taste! Oh man, this is a delicious beer. Very acidic, similar to la folie, but not nearly as puckering. Strong lemon presence...like sucking on a lemon. :/ Very dry finish and extremely easy to drink. As it warms up, the hops become more apparent and the ac idity is a bit more muted. This is a wonderful beer, and a really good value for this style. I will be buying this regularly.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2011 18:20:27 | More by atowle25

RuckusDu

Colorado

4.83/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A celebratory beer from my cellar. And it doesn't disappoint. Had this before, but just now getting to reviewing. 2011 bottling.

A - Wonderful light copper and orange colored body. Head was about a finger, slightly orange and tan in color. Some minimal lacing.

S - Sweeter than the flavor. Lemon, honey, and slight floral. Very fresh and spring like even though it has been sitting for months in a deep dark place. Also some grapefruit coming through.

T - Just great. It's got a great sour. Lemon, lime, and orange. A little funk on the backend, just the right amount, the terroir. A small amount of sweet malt comes through with the funk to even things at the right moment. It's so well balanced (fairly sour, but the way I like it) and hits it on the nose as to what a wild ale should be.

M - Wonderful here. Strong carbonation and medium body. Drying in the mouth with some pucker in the back of your throat.

O - Just what I am looking for in a sour/wild. The right amount of sour balanced with very slight malts and funk on the backend. I can't get enough, and luckily I have a bunch more to last me until this comes out again.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2012 02:15:31 | More by RuckusDu

saintwarrick

South Carolina

4.8/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Orangish brew with a fizzy white head. Hops come out immediately, champagne-covered oranges and grapefruit oils in the nose, this is smack-dab in IPA territory. Some sour notes, but more winey than most sours. Taste is outstanding, this is basically a sour IPA. Lots of bitter hops going head-to-head with mouth-puckering vinegar and sour notes. One of the most intriguing and innovative brews I have ever had. Hats off to New Belgium.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2011 07:25:55 | More by saintwarrick

lonestar4lunch

Texas

4.78/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Had this many times already in 2011 but just realized I hadn't reviewed. This one was poured into my Maudite snifter with a 1/2 in lacing that settles nicely into a constant lacing. The color a bright, crisp orange with maybe just a bit of red. The aroma is outstanding of pears, peaches and grapefruit.

The taste is crisp, clean and dances on your tongue with just the perferct carbonation. The citrus taste is that of tangelos which really is the perfect sweet and sour. The dry hopping compliments the sour so perfect there isn't much else to say. The hops leave a nice dry, bitterness after every sip but at the same time it is quite refreshing. For a sour this is beyond drinkable.

Every sip is like the most perfect concerto of flavors rewarding your senses and leaves you wanting more. Every time I get one of these on draught I share with whoever is around and almost every time they are floored. If you can't tell by this review yet, I am a big fan.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2011 21:50:34 | More by lonestar4lunch

distantmantra

Washington

4.78/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

22 oz. bottle poured into a wine glass.

A: The beer pours a cloudy amber color with a small head of bright white foam that remains on tap throughout drinking. There is some lacing, but it quickly slides down the side of the glass back into the beer. Small strands of bubbles rise to the surface continuously and vigorously.

S: There is a strong aroma of peach and mango nectar, with a bit of lemon, apricot, pear and caramel malt. My wife noticed a bit of a cherry and strawberry scent. There is a light pine note from the hops, but it's definitely not the dominant aroma. It smells incredibly sour, tangy and complex.

T: There are some sweet malts here and some earthy notes from the oak, but this is a sour, and sour is big and in your face from start to finish. Very tart, almost like biting into an unripe peach with a hit of apricot and pine needles. There are also some hints of mango, pineapple and peach nectar, definitely a byproduct of the hops.

M: A very dry mouth feel with lively carbonation like a champagne. Very smooth and easy drinking.

O: This is an incredible beer. Even if sours aren't your thing, Le Terroir is worth trying, and it could be what gets you into them. I can't think of anything really wrong with this beer, other than it's done for the year and I have to wait a while for more of it. Easily the best thing I've had from the Lips of Faith series and definitely rivals the best American Wild Ales.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2011 05:16:26 | More by distantmantra

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

4.75/5  rDev +10%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

On-tap at Toronado, in San Francisco.

I might be tempted to score the appearance a perfect 5 if only I had some criteria with which to judge it. Of course, no real rules exist for these wild compositions; they are at the mercy of nature which, in this case, was evidently quite good to it over the past two years. It is a glossy, lovely papaya orange tone with a fine, mossy head.

You want funk? You got it! Trying to throw light upon the sour, funky smells of a wild ale to someone who's never tried one is like trying to explain the theory of relativity to a kindergartner - wild yeasts and bacteria are ingredients that make almost impossible things happen. A perfect score hardly does such an extraordinary bouquet justice.

Wild yeast is a gamble in the great casino of nature, but New Belgium seems to have hit the jackpot. Tasting like dried out grains, the maltiness is rather blank and expressionless but that yeast (or bacteria, or both) swoop in with the sweetest fruity flavours I've ever tasted. Where are the fruit flies? This emulates an authentic lambic quite well, but with an added vibrant hoppiness that endows soft floral notes and tons of peach-y, pineapple-y fruitiness.

Terroir is a French word and a French concept that denotes the unique characteristics that particular varieties of foods and drinks gain from the geography, geology and climate around them. It's appropriate, therefore, that this beer captures the terroir of a French-speaking place: the Senne Valley in Belgium. The brewery will tell you that it's a taste of "their" terroir, but sorry New Belgium, Cantillon and the likes got there first.

Biology students take note - this is a beer worthy of a thesis. How one can take wild yeast and bacteria, let them fester in beer for two years, and come out of it with something appealing is beyond me. But while this may be challenging to drink for some, for my tastes it is one of the most simultaneously unique and pleasant beers I've had the pleasure of trying.

I don't think it would be unfair to say of New Belgium that they are still tinkerers, rather than trained engineers, when it comes to wild ales and barrel-aging. But it must be said that Le Terroir is a masterpiece that doesn't just approach the best American sour beers, it actually surpasses many of them. A beer like this is worth paying whatever the asking price for.

Serving type: on-tap

07-10-2011 18:24:38 | More by biegaman

benito

Oregon

4.72/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

After reading the previous reviews, I was lucky enough to track this down at Falling Rock. I'm crossing my fingers that their supply doesn't run dry before I can make it back down to the Front Range for another visit and another delicious pint...

Served in a snifter, this had a mandarin orange tint with perfect head that maintained itself ever-so-well throughout the entire tasting. I caught aromas of oak and cherry, as well as other less distinguishable citrus hints. These all carry through to the flavor profile, which is puckeringly sour on the tongue. Yet, with each swig I found the sourness to reveal new flavors of fruit, earth, and wood. The feel is rather medium-bodied and well-balanced with a long, lingering roll of flavor throughout the mouth.

But here's the best part: either in spite of or thanks to its challenging flavor profile, this brew is enchantingly addictive and has an awesome drinkability. Had I not had to leave the bar, I could have easily continued satiating my thirst all day on snifter after snifter of this brew. Hopefully I'll get a chance to sample it again...

Serving type: on-tap

01-01-2006 22:38:00 | More by benito

Phoptos

Massachusetts

4.72/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Won in a "beer bracket" contest for March Madness.

A: Poured into my Pretty Things goblet. Pours a ruby orange with a decent soft white head. As it fades there's a pencil thing lace around the outside that's barely noticeable. Love the bottle too. Good design.

S: Funky fruits. Citrus forward and pulpy with a hit of earth swirling around. Like a Chinese chicken special...sweet and sour.

T: Wow. The tart grapefruit hits the tongue with a nice pop that carries over to the back of the throat. The earthiness in between gives it more of a blood orange pulp flavor with some bitter rinds while, and this is what I love, the dry hops hold it together and punctuate it. A sour that has the salavating hops to keep you coming back? Yes please.

M: The dry hops keep you coming back to the glass early and often. While there's little lace in appearance there's a nice coat on the tongue with each sip. The dry hops really shine while the fruit flavor fades slowly. With the initial tart hit on the tongue, you'd expect it to saturate and maybe even irritate the pallet. Not at all. A nice thin wire walk with the balance.

O: I love it. This has everything I've been looking for in a wild. With the perfect balance of funky sour and a balancing earthiness of dry hops, this is high on my trade list already.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2011 02:14:30 | More by Phoptos

kencarman

Tennessee

4.72/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

"Wild ale?" Really? Doesn't anyone at BA think this might get confused with beers with wild, or fresh, hops?

Enough editorial. On to a fabulous beer. The light pilsner like malt sense is simple a barren stage, a light frame, for the main act: the sour and cascade/grapefruit hops sense. A bit of lime too. The balance is perfect.

Clarity a bit hazy: may be my fridge... or not. Bud color. head good. Nose and mouthfeel exactly like taste. Pilsner malt way in the background: taste or nose.

Bear in mind. I'm a New Belgian skeptic. Most of their beers I've had are inadequate and pale versions of what they should be. This Lips of faith edition is incredible. The grapefruity Amarillo/Cascade hop mix works perfectly with the sour. These are the stars of this show and they dance across the palate quite well in a Flemish-like/America pale hop dance.

Kudos.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2011 01:54:22 | More by kencarman

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.7/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Oh good Gawd what do we have here. Much thanks to the kind soul from AZ who sent this one my way. I had been waiting forever to try this one and now I have another I can cross off my list. 22 oz bomber, this one was served chilled and poured into a snifter.

Very cloudy orange tinted amber color coming forward. A light head of white graces the top for all but a few moments before it settles down to nothing more then some token side glass lacing. The aroma though is where this all began for me. Rich, deep funk. The sourest vinegar like notes I have come across in some time. I just had to go in for a taste. Lip puckering is a whole new thing for me. I thought I had tasted sour before, and I was wrong. This is tart fruit at its best. Light touch of apples perhaps, but mostly that draw dropping, lip puckering, sour flavor that you only get on the best of days. Rich feel, medium bodied with a light touch of carbonation that gave it a good all around approach. Not sure the abv but around 6 would be my guess, leaving this one to be super drinkable as well.

Overall as solid as could be. This was insanely well put together and easily that most sour beer i have come across in months, if not years. Not to be messed with, you need to seek this one out.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2009 00:00:19 | More by mikesgroove

LittleDon

Texas

4.7/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Golden with a slight haze, fluffy white head that can only be reanimated as a film, and lots of carbonation. Sour apples and cherries aroma with a hint of oak. A balance of mostly sour, but some sweet from front to middle. Mild bitter finish. A good amount of carbonation and light body. Flavor is similar to the aroma, lots of sour fruit, but with enough sugar to create an interesting balance. Every now and then the fruit esters give a paint thinner like sensation. Think La Folie dialed back a notch or two.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2011 20:16:06 | More by LittleDon

dirtylou

Washington

4.7/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22oz bottle, split and served with fresh pasta and roasted vegetables

appearance: rich golden amber body, light beige film with adequate retention

smell: great tartness - spree candies, tangerine, tropical fruits, grapefruit, candied sugar, oak barrel

taste: The lips of faith line is an interesting beast - 1 out of 3 is pretty awesome and the other 2 are duds. Le Terroir is a pretty fantastic wild ale - cascade hops and sour grapefruit trash the palate, loads of sugar, tangerine zest and oak. Really interesting.

mouthfeel: tart, fresh, overload on the palate

overall/drinkability: nice

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2011 00:20:05 | More by dirtylou

Beaver13

Colorado

4.7/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22oz bottle. Pours a hazy yellow gold with a medium frothy white head that goes to a thin film that leaves some lacing.

The aroma is nice, lots of acidic brett with some sour apple and some musty hops.

The flavor is sweet tart fruity mouth-puckering sourness with some earthy acidic brett and a bit of hop bitterness in the finish. The mouthfeel is medium to full bodied with smooth carbonation.

Overall, one of my favorite sours. A huge amount of sourness with some yummy brett.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2011 05:47:14 | More by Beaver13

SkeeterHawk

Texas

4.68/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Here is another one of the Lips of Faith beers that I haven't reviewed yet, so let's give it a shot.

Appearance: Pours a somewhat cloudy yellowish orange color with about a 1/2" head of off white bubbles that was rather fizzy and settled in at about 1/8" to stand for quite some time. There is very little lace left on the glass after drinking.

Aroma: The aroma in this beer is really interesting. I am getting sour apple and lemon grass in particular, but there is some sweet caramel malt in there to that is playing a supporting role. There are some spicy qualities coming out as the beer sits for a bit that I think are hop derived if they aren't actual spices. The aroma is incredible overall and reminds me of a candy or something, but it is definitely playing on my senses. Very nice!

Taste: The flavor is significantly different than you would think it will be from the aroma. The body is lighter than I anticipated, and the carbonation a bigger player than it looks like it will be. Overall the beer has a very well blended hodge-podge of flavor with tons of mouthfeel going on here. It is still fruity, but the hops are reserved in the finish letting the balance sway slightly toward the funk and malt with the carbonation playing on the back of the throat for what seems like forever after the sip. The alcohol is masked well in the flavor, but the ABV is apparent in the warming you get after drinking half the bottle.

Opinion: Well, about all I can say is WOW! This beer is a trip!...literally! It is undoubtedly one of the most unusual beers I have tried in some time. It practically defines a style as nothing exactly like this exists that I know of. I would say that if you are a fan of sour/wild ales like I am, you absolutely HAVE to give this a shot. It is so different I think that you will be pleased. If you are expecting an IPA with a bit of funk, this beer isn't for you. It is complex and well blended with the hops participating in the whole ensemble rather than dominating it.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2011 03:01:43 | More by SkeeterHawk

gpatt55

California

4.68/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a hazy light toffee color, nose is full of sweet green apple fruit and bretty straw/hay. On the palate this makes itself known with good acidity, but it's balanced with a lovely ciderlike sweetness. This tastes fantastic, an almost perfectly balanced sour that leaves your palate with the impression of sweet apple fruit but stays fresh and acidic enough to keep you coming back for more. There's only a hint of acetic/vinegar character. This is a knockout sour from New Belgium. Not as impressively powerful as La Folie but perhaps their best balanced offering to date.

Serving type: on-tap

04-13-2011 01:32:28 | More by gpatt55

bigfnjoe

Pennsylvania

4.68/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5

Poured from a bomber into a pint glass

A- pours a pale shade of orange with a two finger white head that quickly fades to nothingness. Looks a lot like an IPA

S- very strong tropical hop aroma...not at all what I expected. But it's a very pleasant aroma, that's for sure

T- quite an interesting taste profile in this one....the tropical hops are very prevalent in this one, and the sourness is definitely there. Sour mangoes....it's an amazing profile.

M- pretty thick body actually, a little syrupy...strange from a wild, but based on the dry hopping, I can see where it's coming from

O- this is a fantastic, unique sour. I love it

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2011 03:44:11 | More by bigfnjoe

brewandbbq

New Hampshire

4.65/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours hazy, orangy gold. A white, somewhat porous head rose to about a quarter inch and fell fairly quick. No lacework.
The pungent, sour, funky aromatics practically lept from the bottle as I caught a whiff immediately upon pouring.
Tannin-laden fruit pulp, cider vinegar, and mustard greens clear the nostrils.
A melange of soured granny smith apples, fermented peach skins, pepper-dusted lemon pith, and cedar chips.
Plenty wild in character, with the tannins becoming more oaky in nature as the brew warms.
The lingering tart, complex nature lingers after the glass is withdrawn from the nose, leaving behind a trace of cinnamon.
The mouthfeel is thinnish and sharp. Light carbonation complements the beer without interfering with the layers of body.
The pallet is as promised by the nose- sharp and tart.
Boldly acidic but not in an offensive manner.
The complexites of the pallet come forward not at first sip, but as it lingers on the tongue and warms the back of the throat. First the sour/tart onslaught, followed by the intense citrus character.
Fermented fruit with a lactic veil.
Apple skins, peach pits, and grape stems, along with a lingering "beer on a dusty blanket" finish.
To say the finish is long would be an understatement, as the beer makes an indelible impression on the imbiber.

A remarkable beer and big thanks to Gbontrag for the opportunity.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2007 23:46:30 | More by brewandbbq