Lips Of Faith - Le Terroir - New Belgium Brewing

DCon

Missouri

4.4/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bought a 1 PINT, 6 FL.OZ. bottle of this from Hair of the Dog in St. Louis, MO for $13. Poured from the Brown/White labeled bottle w/ a sun, grass, and dirt hardly recognizable into a 0,47l New Belgium Oversized Snifter Glass. Does not have a freshness date on the bottle (on the box the manager said).

Aroma- Very strong sour aroma from the beginning. Almost like a gueuze, has barnyard and goaty acidity and then has a huge rhubarb finish. Perfect for the style and complexity of this aged brew.

Appearance- Pours a .5 finger head that dies immediately. Has a glowing orange body with good clarity. Tons of suds are left behind.

Flavor- A fantastic sour taste starts and finishes this one. A bit of oak also hits the palate in between tastes but isn't too big. The sourness dominates the mouth. Good balance between malt and barnyard taste too!

Mouthfeel- Light Bodied, Medium-High Carbonation, little bit of puckering, and then a huge sour finish.

Overall Impression- While enjoying this on-tap and bottle now, I suggest pick up a 22oz bottle and sitting on it. It became an entirely different/more complexed brew as it was aged for over a year.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2012 23:43:38 | More by DCon

Marty30

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to dannyfrost for the bottle. Poured into Founders snifters. Split 2 ways,served at 55 or so.

A. A cloudy golden body,with a fluffy white head. Some spotty lacing. Lots of carbonation.

S. First I get a good pineapple aroma,followed by A good amount of lemon and orange zest.

T. Taste is just like the smell at first I get the hops with the emphasis on the pineapple and pine followed with a slightly tart lemon and orange.

M. Mouth is light and crisp, very good and kind of refreshing. Good carb.

Overall since I am new to sours,I am glad this is not to tart. Very tasty and a great beer to ease into the world of sours!

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2011 15:05:08 | More by Marty30

brystmar

Texas

3.83/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Night of the Sours '11 is nearly upon us!

Golden/copper pour, plenty of white head. Strong hop aroma greets my nose right away. Peaches and other citrus follow, with tart yeast bringing up the rear.

Tart peach and citrus, interesting hop profile behind. I think the beer works pretty well, but I'm not a big fan of peaches so it only goes so far for me. And it can't touch La Folie.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2011 23:20:26 | More by brystmar

angrybabboon

Rhode Island

4.45/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Cheers to Goblinmunkey7 for half of this bottle

Review adapted from notes taken 7/16/10

Appearance: A pretty, slightly hazy orange, a nice white head that leaves fantastic lacing - very sticky

Smell: Borderline crazy - sour and tart - floral hops and a variety of fruit aromas - orange, tropical fruits - the complex fruitiness works well with the sourness - some wood underneath

Taste: Complex and so, so tasty - remarkably tart - juicy, like a light fruit juiciness, but also nicely dry - mango? peach? - the sourness and tartness is puckering in the best way - the wood adds another level of depth - some sweetness, too, delicate and pale malts

Mouthfeel: Medium, puckering, nicely carbonated, a great sipper

Overall: Sour, tropical, almost magical

This beer is so complex it's hard to fully describe. It's a great sour beer with some brilliant dry-hopping. I really want to get my hands on more of this.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2011 04:59:58 | More by angrybabboon

Gobzilla

California

4.2/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: poured a yellowish brown in color with orange highlights which had a nice half finger of head and left a little lacing sticking to the glass.

S: Mango madness struck on the first whiff which also had bretty funky notes, a bit of passion fruit character and a hint of vinegar.

T: the mango fruitiness was also dominate on the palate alongside, passion fruits, oaky character, funky bretty flavors, and some good tart qualities.

M: the brew was light to medium in body with a good amount of carbonation which had a fruity, oaky, bretty, sticky, and tart finish.

D: very interesting beer thast was drinking quite well and is probably one of my favorites from the lips of faith line.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2011 22:23:48 | More by Gobzilla

biga7346

Michigan

4.43/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2011, poured into oversized tulip (taken from drunken notes)

A: Golden, straw like color, looks cloudy

N: Fresh citrus and oily hop aroma blast, bubblegum, rock candy; fresh pineapple, orange zest, tangy tropical fruit aromas like kiwi, all pinned against a brett funkiness.

T/M: Smooth carbonated sourness, velvet-like and rollicking along the palate; heavy on the tangy fruits and citrus-like hop character, fresh pineapple, tangerine, more of the orange zest; a great Champagne-like spritziness. Not hop-forward by any stretch but they are definitely present and it's an interesting interplay between the puckering tartness and the hop character

D: Love this beer and would love to see dry-hopped sour beers become the new barrel aged imperial stout.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2011 03:36:25 | More by biga7346

Treebs

Illinois

3.8/5  rDev -12%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz. bottle served in a DFH signature glass. Shared in line at the FFF XV Anniversary Party.

A:Pours a clear, deep straw with some orange undertones. A one finger frothy white head forms on the pour and leaves some splotchy, spotty lace on the way down.

S: Some light citrus hops are present and slightly tart orange and apple peals. Nothing outstanding.

T: Taste is much better. Great tartness and some sour fruit skins are balanced with a nice sweet citrus hop undertone. There is a little woody oak with a slighty vinegar-like pucker on the backend.

M: Light bodied with a slightly drying mouth and tiny pucker on the finish.

O: The dry hopping really added a nice citrus hop undertone to this and I'm glad I was able to still get a little pucker out of it.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2011 16:12:35 | More by Treebs

billab914

Virginia

3.88/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review from notes. 22oz bottle shared at a recent tasting. It poured a bright, amber orange color with a thin white head to it.

The aroma has a very interesting mix of juicy hoppiness and funky, musty sourness. I get a little bit of a grapefruit and mango notes out of the hoppiness.

The taste shows more of the citrusy and fruity hoppiness to it up front with some notes of pineapple and mango to it. Towards the finish some bold tartness and mild sourness really come out. The sour, tartness and the hop bitterness combine to give it a pretty powerful finish. It's a very interesting mix of flavors.

The mouthfeel is on the lighter side with carbonation being high. Overall it was a pretty cool beer with some very interesting and unique flavors to it. Very flavorful and pretty enjoyable as well.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2011 13:32:44 | More by billab914

mdvatab

Indiana

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

Poured from 22oz bottle into tall pilsner glass.

Aroma: Pine cone up front, sour green olive, and a light barnyard note. All indications are that this ones going to be puckeringly sour. (Mouth is watering just smelling this one.)

Appearance: A slight haze to the deep, golden body. Nice effervesence visible through the side of the glass. Two fingers of thick, bright white head.

Flavor: Tart, unripe peach. Contrary to the aroma, the tartness is not overpowering, though. A light, hoppy pine note adds a layer of complexity. There's a subtle sweetness, which provides some balance. Hops also contribute some citrus, mango, and peach (as the bottle says). There's a slight, goaty/barnyard, bitter bite at the end.

Mouthfeel: Medium carbonation, which has a bit less bite than anticipated, but still good. Medium body is actually higher than I'd thought would be there.

Overall: A pretty approachable, drinkable sour ale. Again, the hops add nice complexity, and the sourness/funk are not taken to the extreme, which I appreciated. Highly recommended!

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2011 00:56:05 | More by mdvatab

csiewert

Oregon

3.78/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - nice clear copper color with a finger of fizzy head that dissipated quickly.

S - dry hopped notes come out strong, along with some peaches and cherries. Definitely leads you to think this is more of a farmhouse ale.

T - wow sour... Kind of overwhelming... But at least there are no off favors like some other wild ales.

M - definitely puckering, evaporates on the tongue... No lasting negatives

O - good wild ale although it's somewhat two-dimensional... Dry hop aroma and sour... Nothing more

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2011 20:41:04 | More by csiewert

bballmj2k

North Carolina

4/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Last bottle of this beer - had it when it was first released in the Spring - lets see how it has aged.

A - Looks a bit like a DIPA - muddy orange and honey-color with a finger or so of head that dissipates quickly. Fair degree of lacing.

S - Not nearly as vibrant as when fresh - unfortunate. Still has remnants of the fruitiness from Amarillo hops, along with apple tartness and overripe fruits.

T - The fruitiness of the nose is up front, followed by pretty puckering sourness. Finishes with more of the apple cider vinegar notes. Solid sour - doesn't compare to what I remember from March or Russian River's offerings.

M - Medium bodied, crisp carbonation almost soda-like in effervescence. Nice and refreshing.

Found this beer to be much better and fuller in flavors and aroma when it was fresh. It has definitely mellowed and balanced out a bit but I miss that fruit-forward character it had a few months ago. Still worth seeking out.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2011 02:58:29 | More by bballmj2k

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

orbitalr0x

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Golden peach pour with a half inch of bubbly white head on top of the brew. Nice clarity...first sniff is tart and oaky with a mix of fruit notes jumping out. Peach/mango/citrus with some Amarillo hops still kicking in there, but they seem to have faded compared to when I have had this on draft in the past.

First sip is a mouth puckering fruit salad. Tons of citrus, peach and tropical flavors mingle with oak and some semi-sweet malts. Amarillo hops are still kicking but not as bright as I recall. Flows down with an acidic sour bite that lingers on. Well played.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied with good steady carbonation. This one packs quite the sour punch but it is still quite drinkable. I think I would've liked it a bit more fresh...don't hang onto this one, drink it now if you have any left as the hops always have made this for me. A great brew overall.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2011 01:17:10 | More by orbitalr0x

THECPJ

Delaware

4/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reviewed from notes: Thanks goes out to Jsanford for sending this one my way.

appearance: golden orange with minimal head

smell: sour, apples,

taste: sour apples, semi sweet, bready, nice balance,

mouthfeel: mild carbonation, medium body,

overall: very good sour beer. had a nice balance between the sweet, sour, and bitterness. would definitely drink again.

Cheers,
The CPJ

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2011 18:23:22 | More by THECPJ

ehammond1

California

4.28/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On Tap

Churchill's Pub & Grille
San Marcos, CA

Cloudy but electric bright yellow with a thin white cap. Spots of lacing left down the glass.

A sweet and juicy aroma dominated by the smell of fresh apricots. There's an underlying yet strong aroma of biting sour tartness along with a touch of wood, earth, and more bright citrus: orange, lemon, ?and lime?

More sweet apricot flavor along with a bit of tart and stinging lemon and some earth and grass. The sourness is not overwhelming or dominant but certainly present.

Light to medium bodied.

A delicious and highly drinkable apricot sour. I would love to have a keg of this at home.

Serving type: on-tap

09-20-2011 19:03:14 | More by ehammond1

peabody

Kentucky

4.22/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours out a straw yellow with two fingers of white suds.
Smell is hoppy and sour at the same time. Some malt and some sugar but the aroma on this one is fairly faint.
Taste is sour and hop at the same time. I like this. Two great tastes together!.
Mouthfeel is very clean for a 7.5%er. You want another drink quickly after the previous one clears the throat.
Overall this is a pretty good beer from NB.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2011 21:30:43 | More by peabody

Durge

Connecticut

4.22/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Enjoyed at the 1st Annual Brass Hat Brewing Brewfest in Watertown, CT, this little beauty from the bomber shows a somewhat cloudy straw-yellow brown color with a decent frothy white head and very healthy lacing. The aroma impresses you immediately with lemon-bread, skunky yeast and a little sweet bubblegum. I like it and the sour invitation is compelling. The flavor again echoes the lemon sharpness detected by the nose but there's also some peachy vinegar and some vanilla biscuit. Bitter but perfectly drinkable for the style. It's medium-light bodied with lively carbonation and a light, crisp feel. Once again, this Lips of Faith series is really translating the Belgian ideas into accessible American lingo that I thoroughly enjoy. While it's a little different from the couple of European leaders I have sampled, it stands well with them in my mind. Enjoy this if you find it!

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2011 19:11:45 | More by Durge

vobr0002

Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- looks light a bit hazy, but a nice golden color.

S- you get the smells you expect from a sour ale, but you get a a bunch of fruit smell on top of the vinegary smell. Its a really interesting smell.

T- lots of flavors but definately get a vinegar like taste. Almost like a white wine flavor for a second on your tongue.

M- its a lighter drier beer. Has a good amount of carbonation.

O- its a unique beer that was pretty good.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2011 00:12:32 | More by vobr0002

TVolt1

Minnesota

4.22/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Looks like a highly carbonated lager. Same type of color, good clarity.

S: Smell of sour apple and sour grapes along with a nice floral hoppy aroma.

T: Great mellow taste. I can taste sour apple along with grapes and a hint of kiwi. Not a huge hit of sour that some beers have that make you pucker but just enough to make you want more. I like the fruity flavor and how they incorporated more fruits besides the usual cherry.

M: Good carbonated medium mouthfeel.

O: Overall, I think this is a great beer. Good sipping beer that is mellow enough to enjoy casually but with enough flavor to want another. Definately a beer I would get again.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2011 00:08:50 | More by TVolt1

Phocion

Minnesota

4.22/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

22 oz. bomber poured (partially, obviously) into a Lindemans flute, since it's one of my more neglected pieces of glassware. Sparkling and clear golden body with a finger and a half of frothy white head. Very bubbly, looks almost like a champagne.

Aroma is filled with sour apple, along with any sort of tropical or citrus fruit you can name (peach, mango, apricot, cherry, pineapple, lemon, etc.). A bit acidic and just a hint of grassy hops.

Flavor is sour, but mellow. Definitely sour apple followed by an entire fruit buffet. Not sure if the citrus taste is coming from the hops or not, but it's definitely there as well. (Edit: Just read the bottle, and it says it's brewed with amarillo, so that's probably the case).

Very crisp and well-carbonated with a medium/light body.

Overall, this isn't really what I'd expect when drinking a sour; sort of reminds me of a combination of a not-too-sour cider and champagne. Not the best sour I've had, but easily the most easily drinkable...a bad combination when it's sitting at 7.5%.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2011 02:36:50 | More by Phocion

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

nataku00

California

4.28/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle poured into a tulip. Beer poured a clear orange with a finger and a half of creamy white head. Decently uniform head, with a few bubbles here and there, that leaves a very nice amount of sticky lacing on the edge of the glass as the head dissipated to a small collar of bubbles. Some tiny bubbles float up here and there, but not overly active.

Nose is earthy, woodsy, wet hay funk, sweet orange, nectarine and peach, sour fruit vinegar, acetic acid, with a decent caramel and biscuit malt backbone.

A bit of the hops comes through on the taste, the sweet and lightly bitter citrus, tropical fruits like mango and pineapple, sweet stone fruit peaches and nectarines, wet hay funk, light vinegar mid tongue with mild acidity, and finish is a soft earthiness, light oak, and sweet fruit. Lightly dry finish, with some residual fruitiness lingering.

Light bodied with a really gentle and soft carbonation that is nearly perfect from a wild ale. A relatively high abv is well hidden, maybe contributing slightly to an over ripe fruit taste at the back of the throat. Would have liked just a little more acidity, but there are so many excellent flavors going on here that this is still worth trying at least once.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2011 03:29:10 | More by nataku00

FUNKPhD

Texas

4.08/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - A nice honey color, not much of a head to, but didn't pour too aggressively. Definitely looks like a tasty beverage.

S - Not terribly aromatic, but has a bit of a sour hint to it.

T - Has a nice, sour/tart bite to it. Not too aggressive, has almost a raspberry flavor to it.

M - Very reminiscent to champagne as far as mouthfeel. A bit bubbly, a bit tart, more body.

O - I enjoyed this one, wasn't as sour as I was expecting, but overall was a good pick up. Quite refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2011 17:53:39 | More by FUNKPhD

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

marikoangel

California

4.15/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a New Belgium bubble glass at Amsterdam Cafe.

A: It pours a slightly hazy caramel yellow with an inch of white loose head. Looks like a medium light body, with only a little spotty lacing sticking to the glass.

S: It has a wonderful fruity nose. Light lemon and grapefruit citrus, apples, dry tropical juices, light malts, with some of those wild yeast notes coming through.

T: I let this one open a bit. It has a great tart kick in it. There is a nice mix of fruits, ranging from lemon and grapefruit to touches of fresh apples. The lemon seems to come out more as it warms though. There is a nice acidity in this one.

M: There is a lower carbonation in here, with a medium light mouthfeel that thins out towards the finish.

O: It is overall a really nice well done wild sour. It's super drinkable. It's lighter than their La Folie, making it more of an everyday beer. I'm loving this one, and will be very sad when this keg kicks.

Serving type: on-tap

08-18-2011 02:12:43 | More by marikoangel