Lips Of Faith - Tart Lychee - New Belgium Brewing

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle into tulip glasses. Can't find a bottling date, but this is obviously a new release. Thanks again to Brian for hauling this one back for me!

On the pour, it looks peach amber with some haziness. Fizzy head falls back to a thin layer from an inch-and-a-half.

Picking up a lot of cinnamon in the nose. Fleshy tropical fruit aromas come forth like cherimoya and lychee. Acid component behind the fruit esters and spices smell a little like candle wax. Definitely an exotic nose, overall. Getting wafts of backend Brett and oak.

More sweet than sour, the taste follows the nose. Pulpy lychee fruit, cherimoya, cinnamon candle wax, lemon peel, and goat cheese. Enough sweetness to kill any puckering effect, but there definitely is a nice dose of acidity in here. Semi-sour.

Very smooth for a wild ale. The body has some girth to it. The carbonation is right around medium.

A wild ale that accentuates the added fruit and spice. Quite the fascinating pairing from a palate standpoint. Nice subdued sourness and funk.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2012 04:40:58 | More by thecheapies

Sean9689

Illinois

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

On-tap at Sheffield's. Poured into NB tulip/snifter.

A - Pours a darker orangish/reddish color with a white head. There's little to no retention and no lacing to speak of.

S - More sweet then sour, but still a good nose. Tart/sour, lots of fruity sweetness, funk.

T - Similar to nose. More sweet then sour, but still funky.

M - Light, crisp, lighter carbonation then I prefer.

D - Nice because it's not quite as funky as the La Terroir and a bit easier to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

12-02-2009 22:36:08 | More by Sean9689

tastybeer

North Carolina

4.1/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Murky orange color, some yeast chunks at the bottom of my glass, and a a peachy white head of medium size. Bits of lace seldom appear.

S: Stinky and tart. My nose picks up apple, black cherry, musky wood aromas, nutmeg, cinnamon, and a touch of sun-dried tomatoes.

T: Tart fruit and mellowing spices. Some sweet red peppery flavors about this too. Refreshing and soothing at the same time. Really enjoyable and super easy to suck down.

M: Cinnamon powder dry and beer slick. Interestingly pleasant.

O: This is a very likable beer with quite a few dimensions to it. All works well together. Kind of an all season beer too. Bright and refreshing for the hot seasons and warmly spiced for the others.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2012 00:01:28 | More by tastybeer

Burlyn

4.1/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Ap:Pours a warm cloudy orange with a decent head

Sm: delightful. A delicate tropical fruit smell thats neither overpowering nor too feint.

Ts: Its a rather dull and bland first taste, that dissolves into a wonderfully tart tropical fruit taste. Theres a slight hint of the cinnimon, but I mainly get fruit.

M: clean and crisp

Ov: Easy refreshing drinking. I almost wish it had been a little less mild though.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2012 04:54:55 | More by Burlyn

mdfb79

New York

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

From 06/07/12 notes. Was very happy to see this on tap at RFD in Washington, DC before Lupulin. Served in a tulip.

a - Pours a hazy yellow-orange color with one inch of white head and moderate carbonation evident.

s - Smells of brett, sour dark fruits, light spice, fruity malts. Very nice mix of brett and sour fruits, I really like the nose.

t - Tastes of brett, lightly soured dark fruits, bready malts, fruity malts. Very good still and the brett is still here, though the taste is not as sour as the nose.

m - Medium body and low carbonation. Pretty easy to drink.

o - Overall a very nice beer. Lots of brett and the nose was awesome with a nice amount of sour dark fruits as well. Hope to see this in bottles as I'd definitely pick it up, and would like to have it again.

Serving type: on-tap

06-13-2012 20:47:53 | More by mdfb79

billab914

Virginia

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

22oz bottle poured into my Allagash glass. It poured a bright golden color with a thin but frothy head covering the top. It left some good lacing on the glass as I drank it as well.

The aroma is very tart and sour. I get a lot of green apple and sour lemon flavors to it. It definitely has a strong fruit presence that I assume is the lychee, but I can't say I know what lychee smells like though. It's a little acidic, but not too bad. The sour lychee fruit was a little strange at first, but I'm really starting to like it the more I get into it.

The taste also has a strong sour fruit flavor throughout. Again, green apple and sour lemon are both things that come to mind as I'm drinking it. The finish is a little acidic, but the fruit helps cut through it. The sourness lingers pretty well.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied for the style with carbonation being above average. Overall, it was a very interesting and pretty good beer. It was a little strange at first as the sour lychee flavors were very strong and unique. The more I got into it though the more I liked it. I really liked that it had a very bold sourness to it without becoming overly acidic or one dimensional. I definitely appreciated the uniqueness of it as well. Very enjoyable beer overall.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2012 23:15:32 | More by billab914

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

bsp77

Minnesota

4.08/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Serving glass: Poured from bottle into Tulip.

Appearance: Murky yellow-orange that somewhat resembles orange juice. Luckily, there is a sustained thin white cap to avoid confusion.

Smell: Very tart with cider, oak and vinegar. Some ripe fruitiness, but muted.

Taste: Starts off tart and sour, with apple cider, vinegar and oak. Then a sweet, fleshy, overripe fruitiness builds and builds that I assume is from the lychee. This seemed overpowering at first, but it settled down, and commingled nicely with the tartness. The cinnamon is just barely there on the finish, providing a subtle extra layer.

Feel: Medium-light body with moderate carbonation. Dry, tart finish.

Overall: More than the sum of its parts. This is a nicely balanced sweet and sour ale that makes me curious to try lychee.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2012 23:44:38 | More by bsp77

quirkzoo

Colorado

4.08/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a slightly hazy dark yellow with 2 fingers of white head that recede to a thin cap.

The smell is quite tart up front, very similar to La Folie, with a Flemish Brown, woodsy tart aroma. But as it warms the sweet fruit and spice really come out. I definitely get a tropical fruit sweetness that is distinctly lychee but not overpowering or cloying, just present. The cinnamon also adds a hint of spice to balance the sweet and tart.

The flavor is more of the same. Strongly sour but not overpoweringly so. Some complexity on the palate but not quite as much as the aroma.

The mouthfeel is nice, full without being too big. I had no problem handling the whole 22oz myself.

Overall this is a really nice sour beer, that is at least for the time being, easily available at a reasonable price point, definitely worth checking out, especially if you like lychee.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2012 15:37:51 | More by quirkzoo

peacebone116

California

4.08/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from the bomber I picked up at Bobby's Liquors into a Delirium snifter.

A: Cloudy stray color with a delicate and fine head that dissipates fairly quickly.

N: Tart (citrus) and funk (like horse sweat) and a definite sweetness in the background.

T/M: The flavors follow the nose with an immediate sourness that dominates, but certainly does not overpower. The tartness gives way to a nice absolute sweetness (presumably that of lychee). The body is light and easy drinking. The tartness does NOT clench the jaw, but simply tickles the edges of the tongue.

Overall, this is a very good beer. It definitely achieves what the brewer is going for: Sour and sweet. Honestly, for my taste, I would not mind if this one were a little more tart....but really, not a bad beer. Just a little pricy for what I expected.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2012 00:32:56 | More by peacebone116

NukiMouse

New Jersey

4.08/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Tried at Mckay's Richland with the New Belgium Rep. 12 oz schooner on 70/30 nitro mix.

Appearance: cloudy orange gold, due to the carapils malt & yeast
Smell: tart and fruity with a touch of spice
Taste: melon and citrus, both sour tart yet sweet, Bready tastes with some cinnamon.
Mouthfeel: full and creamy
Overall: good but not great, better warm a littler than ice cold. A slight clash in taste between the melon and citrus for me.

Serving type: nitro-tap

06-18-2012 23:52:47 | More by NukiMouse

Halcyondays

California

4.05/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5

On-tap at Beachwood BBQ,

A: Pours a very hazy orange, not unlike white grapefruit juice, small smattering of bubbles.

S: Fruit cocktail, peach, mango, a tropical smell.

T: Great flavours of lychee fruit and mango. I've never had lychee fruit, so I'm not sure of the exact characteristics, but mango was definitely there, apricot, grapefruit (the fruit, not a hop flavour).

M: Moderate acidity, thin/light body, nice enough.

D: The direct fruit flavours of this sour make it endlessly drinkable if not too complex. Pretend you're on a beach in the Bahamas.

Serving type: on-tap

08-27-2009 21:06:20 | More by Halcyondays

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Meridian Pint during their Allagash and New Belgium event.

Pours a fairly-hazy light peach color with a thin white head that recedes pretty quickly, leaving a bit of lacing and a thin collar.

Some fresh lychee and moderate acidity comes through the first whiff. Behind that is some light bready Brett. The flavor adds in quite a bit of acidity and a really nice lychee presence. I don't taste the cinnamon at all. I don't really care, as I dont think that would add to the beer at all.

Body is light with mild bit of funk plus pretty-prominent fruit and a really nice acidity. Really enjoyable. I'm glad I finally got to try this one.

Serving type: on-tap

03-26-2012 23:15:30 | More by Thorpe429

zeledonia

Minnesota

4.05/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours cloudy medium straw yellow, with one finger of fizzy white head. Head doesn't last long, and neither does any lacing.

Smell starts out with mostly lemon tart. I get that fleshy-pulpy, juicy-sweet fruit in the second wave. The lychee really doesn't add much here, IMO, and the rest of the beer is only a bit above average.

Taste is better, thanks to a finer balance between the sour and the sweet. The lychee fruit is more present here, with all its unique sugary chewy goodness. The sour is potent but not mouth-puckering. A very well-balanced, tasty sour.

Medium-light body. At first, I'm waiting for the carbonation, but then it comes on full blast, fizzy and electric. Finish is quite dry.

Overall, quite a nice beer. I actually think it would be better with the fruit character boosted up a bit. As it is, it's a fairly tart sour with a fruity background, and it all comes together pretty darn well. Tasty and refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2012 01:14:44 | More by zeledonia

DovaliHops

California

4.05/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a murky strawberry blonde color with a medium-large white fluffy head that takes a little time to diminish. Scent is quite tart with some vinegar notes and lychee fruit. More tart than I was expecting the nose to be. A bit of grapefruit with a lot of oak as well. Taste is lychee fruit up front, immediately followed by subtle tartness and acidity. Not nearly as sour as the nose made it seem it would be, but just pleasantly tart. A very good example of a gateway beer for people trying to get into sours. Nice oak with some citrus as well. The cinnamon is definitely there, especially lingering on the roof of the mouth…but not too much cinnamon. This beer is actually quite complex. Some nice sweet peach flavors as well. Mouthfeel is light bodied, could use a little work in this department…a little tart and slightly spicy. Overall, this is good beer that is basically along the lines of most Berliner weisses when it comes to tart/sour. Great gateway beer and surprisingly complex.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2012 05:42:04 | More by DovaliHops

kawilliams81

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 22 oz bottle into a D'Achouffe tulip.

A- pours a hazy star color with a big 2" white head. Small bubbles and waves of lacing stick to the glass.

S- funk, tart citrus fruits, some dark fruits, a different fruit, spice smell possibly from the lychee?

T- light sweet malts, some citrus fruits and dark fruits. Some Brett and funk, more citrus-like fruits at the finish.

M- medium body and carbonation. Fairly smooth and lower in carbonation for a wild ale.

O- nice wild ale. Not crazy tart or sour but a nice refreshing beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2012 00:55:59 | More by kawilliams81

dbossman

Nebraska

4.05/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Cloudy, apricot hue with slight lacing and minimal head

S: Quite tart: grapes and a touch of cinnamon; grainy and oaky and awesome smelling

T: Not nearly as sour as I'd like but fruity: lemon, grapes, lychee?; it also has a dry finish that works fairly well with the tart fruits

F: Kind of dissipates from the mouth too quickly; dry but good overall mouth feel

O: A really easy-to-drink sour; fruity and grainy and delicious; perfect for the summer

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2012 02:55:42 | More by dbossman

afrokaze

California

4.05/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Been slacking on the reviews lately, here we go...

Pours a hazy light orange with decent head that doesn't hang around long but leaves great lacing.

Aroma is predominantly light tropical fruit and tart lemony citrus, some cinnamon, a touch of oak and funk.

Wow, lychee is a delicate flavor but it's on full display here, with a nice mix of tropical/pineapple sweetness mixed with tart lemon, some light wood and funk, some cinnamon heat, grapefruit, and a touch of alcohol heat on the end.

Just right, not too astringent like some wild ales but definitely drier than most NB beers, which I like. There's a touch of heat on the palate that melds well with the cinnamon and tart dryness.

Really enjoyed this more than I expected, lychee is a complex flavor but they nailed it. The cinnamon is fairly balanced and gives it a bit of sweetness to balance out the mainly tart flavors.
Sort of like a big berliner weisse with a twist.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2012 06:09:49 | More by afrokaze

KDawg

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from bomber into a tulip. Pours a clear yellow color with a small head. Almost champagne-like in appearance.

Nice and balanced aromas of sour apples, candied fruits, florals and some lychees.

Nice and tart flavors with a good medium feel. There is a bit of thinness to it with with notes of sour apples, florals and some candied fruits. There didn't seem to be any lychees on the feel.

There was also a fizziness on the feel too. The feel did let things down a slight bit, but this was a nice a real nice wild ale.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2012 05:11:45 | More by KDawg

brystmar

New York

4.05/5  rDev +2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Cloudy yellow-gold body pours precious little head. Nonexistent retention or lace. Tart lacto aroma supported by lychee, yeast, and oak. Bretty.

Fresh lychee in every sip. Oak and earthy yeast play a supporting role. Tart but not very sour; would love more acidity. I don't get any cinnamon here, but that's fine. Having recently enjoyed a glass of fresh lychee juice at brunch, this definitely nails that experience.

A nice little sour from NB. Hope they make it again.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2012 01:14:18 | More by brystmar

chugalug06

Colorado

4.03/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Very nice two finger foamy white head builds on-top of peach colored foggy brew. Very little lacing.

Peppery. Very tart, but not vinegary. Smells quite peachy, very similar to Eric's Ale. Slight bitterness.

Very less tart then I was hoping for. On a sour scale, it's about a 6 out of 10. Very refreshing. Not sweet or over done. Very mild, great fruit (Lychee) flavor, but not overwhelming. Perfect medium carbonation too.

Highly recommended. Sadly, sours are almost all I'll drink from NB any more... A nice compliment to their other Lips of Faith sours.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2012 03:33:26 | More by chugalug06

kevanb

Illinois

4.03/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bomber poured into a New Belgium globe

I’ve been a big fan of the Lips of Faith series and their sour selections have been quite good thus far, so my hopes are fairly high for this, not to mention I love the lychee fruit. The pour is a nice hazy golden straw color with hints of orange and lighter yellows when held to the light. A nice stark white head sits atop the beer, about 2 fingers or so with a moderately aggressive pour, lovely webs of lacing are left behind despite the lack of head retention. The aroma is somewhat tame, a lot of funky brett in the nose, some straw and pale malts with some nice sweetness from the fruit, some what sugary, missing the cinnamon unfortunately, but the nose is still nice and light, very inviting. The flavors follow the nose nicely, the brett and funk character is quick to greet the tongue followed by an impressive amount of the lychee fruit, especially as it warms. Still missing the cinnamon but the sweetness from the fruit is plenty for me that I fear the cinnamon flavors would be a bit too much, but the level of total sweetness the beer has is perfect for me. It’s not sour, but it has a nice tartness to it with just enough carbonation to keep it prickly but still retains a nice smoothness.

Verdict: Pleasant sour from New Belgium, it might not be in same category as La Folie or Le Terroir, but it works really well. I didn’t pick up any cinnamon which is a bit of a bummer as it was a highlighted ingredient but this is certainly one to check out, especially on a nice warm summer night.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2012 03:20:06 | More by kevanb

OBeerMeGreatOne

California

4.03/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours out slightly hazy, a nice golden hue. No real head.

Sour fruit with oak start the smell. Sweet and pale malts follow, with just a hint of cinnamon at the finish. Looking forward to my first sip!

Sour fruit and bready yeast start this beer off. I assume the fruit is lychee. It reminds me of dry sour apple. Pale malts come in around the middle with a dry oak and slightly sour finish. Couldn't find the cinnamon I smelled though. Goes down very well.

Very easy to drink sour. I'd recommend it as an intro beer or one for seasoned sour beer fans. A well balanced offering from New Belgium.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2012 04:08:51 | More by OBeerMeGreatOne

JayQue

Virginia

4.03/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This one is a winner!!! Poured from a 22 oz bottle into a wine glass. Color is dense butterscotch with some light getting through. Nice head, delicate small bubbles but overall accumulating so as to look a bit frothy. The head don't last that long, but while it is there, the beer looks like a photo in an advertisement.

Aromas is fairly strong, citrus fruits, a little funk/sourness and the lychee nuts.

Tastes very good. The lychees provide an unusual flavor, the sourness is present but not off-putting for someone like me that don't like real "vinegary" beers. There is an unusuial blend of fruit flavors with a mild amount of "funk". Oak barrel flavors come in as the beer warms but are not that pronounced.

Mouthfeel is just right, tart, fairly rich...goes down real nice.

A great summertime sipping beer. I had it with nectarine slices and cheese on the balcony of my Outer Banks NC timeshare. Vewry nice experience.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2012 13:32:09 | More by JayQue

woosterbill

Connecticut

4.03/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bomber into a Duvel tulip. Big thanks to Kingkong for this one.

A: Slightly cloudy pale amber body under two fingers of creamy off-white head. Good retention, great lace. Lovely.

S: Hugely tropical and fruity, mildly tart and spicy. Lactic acid is substantial, but definitely in the background compared to the fruit. Cinnamon is only an afterthought. Really nice.

T: Opens with sour lacto and oak, then broadens into sweet lychee and tropical fruits before closing out with a clean, dry, lactic finish. Sourer than the nose promised, but still on the sweet side. Good, not quite great.

M: Creamy, frothy medium body. Lively and enjoyable.

O: I could see this being a terrific gateway sour. It didn't have quite the depth that I found in Le Terroir, but it was really good in its own way. I'd always prefer more tartness over more sweetness, but I'm really glad to have another bottle of this to try after some time.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2012 01:47:58 | More by woosterbill