Lips Of Faith - Tart Lychee - New Belgium Brewing

SHODriver

California

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: pours a cloudy golden yellow with a small white head and minimal retention
S: sour fruitiness and a hint of spice from the cinnamon.
T: tartness up front with a bit of fruity flavor and some cinnamon. aftertaste is more tart fruitiness. Very nice pucker and lemony tartness and the cinnamon does a nice job to counter the tartness and sweet fruit
M: somewhat thin and heavy carbonation, not too thin though
O: a very good beer in a broad style; nice sourness to it and good flavors. I have four more so it will be nice to see how it changes.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2012 07:14:51 | More by SHODriver

KevinGordon

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +7.1%

05-06-2013 18:12:14 | More by KevinGordon

lernerlift

Kansas

4/5  rDev +0.8%

05-05-2013 22:14:14 | More by lernerlift

djs467

Colorado

4.25/5  rDev +7.1%

04-30-2013 16:23:02 | More by djs467

bsinger45

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev -5.5%

04-29-2013 21:16:05 | More by bsinger45

nrs207

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -5.5%

04-26-2013 00:15:58 | More by nrs207

alysmith4

District of Columbia

4.5/5  rDev +13.4%

04-24-2013 01:14:27 | More by alysmith4

311kevin

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +7.1%

04-23-2013 00:47:25 | More by 311kevin

iL0VEbeer

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +13.4%

04-21-2013 16:10:00 | More by iL0VEbeer

JISurfer

South Carolina

4/5  rDev +0.8%

04-15-2013 02:45:08 | More by JISurfer

vobr0002

Minnesota

4.75/5  rDev +19.6%

04-07-2013 05:57:29 | More by vobr0002

largadeer

California

3.75/5  rDev -5.5%

04-06-2013 21:53:45 | More by largadeer

FreshHawk

Illinois

3.84/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

A - Crisp, light gold color. Good sized, smooth, creamy, tight, white head. Pretty good retention leaving a thin lacing.

S - Fairly tart aroma. Oak and slight funk are the strongest aromas. Fair amount of berry, apple, and lychee on the nose. More tart but a subtle sweetness with that fruity aroma. Hidden, and slightly dull cinnamon spice.

T - Similar to the nose, although the lychee and berry flavors are slightly stronger. Fairly tart and verging on puckering, but there is enough sweetness and fruitiness that it isn't too intense. A nice oak and funk flavor. Not barnyard but more of a clean, tart funk. Notes of apple and tart cherry. Not picking up much cinnamon but there is a hint of a kick on the finish.

M - Medium to light body. Slightly above average carbonation. Slightly juicy and puckering feel.

D - Tartness and funk are very well balanced and integrated. Nice oakiness in the back. Fairly juicy fruit with just a subtle sweetness all make it a fairly easy to sip sour beer. Nothing too extreme or harsh.

Notes: Overall a nice sour, but it's nothing special or all that memorable. It's been about a year since I've had lychee (had it in a homebrew about 8 months ago though I guess) but it was definitely a major component. The tamed and balanced funk and oak took the spotlight though, but I liked that with the fruit notes being complimentary. Easy to drink and nothing extreme. Overall it's decent, but I won't lose any sleep about not having it again.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 04:06:35 | More by FreshHawk

randylangford

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +7.1%

04-03-2013 00:46:24 | More by randylangford

ChadA83

Virginia

3/5  rDev -24.4%

04-01-2013 03:15:59 | More by ChadA83

Jadjunk

Georgia

3.99/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

"To sweet and sour! In celebration of one of the greatest combinations ever, Lychee fruit brings tropical sweetness to the party hosted by Felix, our golden wood-aged sour beer. Cinnamon sticks were invited to spice things up and so are you! Get in one the tasty revelry that is tart lychee."

Poured from a 22 oz. bomber to my New Belgium globe glass. Served north of 46º Fahrenheit.

(Appearance) Pours a creamy white head with decent staying power over a pale golden amber body with a medium haze. Lacing is medium thick and clingy. Carbonation is plentiful. Appearance is quite nice for the style. 3.75

(Smell) Aroma consists of tart berry fruit notes, pale cracker malt and a bready yeast funk with a substantial acidity, a pinch of candy syrup, and a very mild tick of cinnamon. Wood tones are pretty mild at best, but add a moderate dryness perceptible to the nose. The balance is pretty nice, a touch more malt body may have rounded out the flavor even better, but what is here is enjoyable and quite well balanced on its own. 4

(Taste) Up front a thin pale malt syrup with a sharp tart, mild fruity midsection and a mildly spiced finish of toasty cinnamon sugar. Although I'm a sucker for sour ales, this one is admittedly well done, enjoyably sour but still very well balanced and flavorful in all the right places. The cinnamon did a much better job than I expected that it would in this beer- not only is it not out-of-place, but it compliments the finish and adds a great amount of unique character to this beer. 4

(Mouthfeel) Carbonation is mild and airy with a dry, clean and tart acidic finish. Body is medium for the style and medium overall. Alcohol presence is low, pretty well overshadowed by the sourness of the fruit and yeast character. It has an enjoyable balance and carbonation presence. 4

(Overall) This is one of the best done wild ales that I've had. It's very accessible and not overly "wild" in flavor, but it still takes its chances with fruit and spice and still comes out on top. I hope that New Belgium considers bringing this ale back in the future. 4

New Belgium Brewing's
Lips of Faith Series: Tart Lychee
3.99/5.00

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2013 20:16:49 | More by Jadjunk

boilermakerbrew

Indiana

3.95/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Pours a very hazy, bright orange to golden color. Medium, very fizzy head that retains a short time, but laces fairly well. Little light gets through the hazy unfiltered body.

S- Fruity sourness hits the nose first. Somewhat acidic and seltzer-like. This tart and somewhat fruity scent goes throughout with hints of spices peeking in throughout.

T- Starts with a fruity sour note that is very short lived. Immediately moves into a more funky and grain-like flavor. Yeast notes are present and prominent in the middle, mixing with the grain flavors. Grains drown out most of the small amount of spice flavors detectable. Ends with a slight return to acidic sour, but mostly grainy flavor.

M- Light and highly carbonated, this has a predominantly seltzer-like feel. Not too harsh on the tongue for a sour beer. Fairly easy drinking.

Overall, I'm not too impressed with this beer, but it's not bad. It definitely displays a more fruit forward sour flavor that others, but I think that has faded with time in the bottle. If you can find it, try it, especially for the price.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 21:08:55 | More by boilermakerbrew

Spider889

Ohio

4.75/5  rDev +19.6%

03-13-2013 03:22:41 | More by Spider889

Rainblows

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +13.4%

03-12-2013 21:56:28 | More by Rainblows

MeowMixz

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +7.1%

03-09-2013 23:09:29 | More by MeowMixz

JAHMUR

Connecticut

3.75/5  rDev -5.5%

03-08-2013 21:39:45 | More by JAHMUR

PeterOrlando92

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev +0.8%

03-03-2013 15:14:58 | More by PeterOrlando92

yaksurf

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -11.8%

03-03-2013 13:49:10 | More by yaksurf

TastyIsBeer

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -5.5%

03-02-2013 01:05:52 | More by TastyIsBeer

superspak

Michigan

4.1/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

22 ounce bottle into signature globe glass, bottled on 4/10/2012. Pours slightly hazy golden amber color with a 1 finger fairly dense white head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Light spotty lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation retaining the head. Aromas of big sour apple, lemon, pear, cherry, pineapple, pepper, clove, wheat, grass, hay, earth, oak, cinnamon, funk, and honey. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of fruity, spicy, malty, and funky notes. Taste of sour apple, pear, lemon, cherry, pineapple, clove, hay, grass, wheat, oak, pepper, earth, light cinnamon, light funk, and light honey sweetness. Light fruity tartness on the finish; with lingering notes of tart light fruits, pineapple, clove, hay, grass, wheat, oak, earth, light funk, and light honey sweetness on the finish for a good bit. Damn nice flavor balance and complexity of fruity, spicy, malty, and funky notes; with zero cloying flavors present after the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a fairly slick and lightly acidic mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a slight warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is an excellent blended wild ale. Great complexity and balance of flavors; and very smooth to sip on. A very enjoyable offering.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 06:44:18 | More by superspak