Lips Of Faith - Tart Lychee - New Belgium Brewing

tempest

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

had a goblet at Tilia in Linden Hills. Basically, this was a balanced, tart American wild ale, but not a terribly interesting sour beer. There's a light, yet cloying sweet note from the fruit, but otherwise there's a peppery citrus-like sour tang under smooth, sweet doughy malts. I wouldn't order another goblet on tap, but I'd consider picking up a bomber to cellar for a couple years. I don't mean to undersell what's clearly a tasty sour ale, but it's not on par with a good gueuze.

Serving type: on-tap

11-23-2012 22:50:59 | More by tempest

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.93/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served in a tumbler at Firkin.

Getting a second shot at this beer thanks to Solidarity. This stuff pours a lightly hazy pale straw topped by a finger of cream-white foam. The nose comprises brown sugar, cinnamon, a berry-like fruitiness that I assume to be lychee, and some red apple skin. The taste holds notes of that same tart lychee (how thoroughly appropriate), light apple cider, and a pleasant abundance of cinnamon. The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a slick feel. Overall, an enjoyable brew, one that went surprisingly well with the Firkin's always delicious smoked salmon wrapped around goat cheese. Just sayin'...

Serving type: on-tap

11-19-2012 23:00:50 | More by TMoney2591

AgentMunky

Alabama

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

Served in a snifter at City Beer Store.

A: Murky matte yellow.

S: Brett, sweet fruit.

T: Malty, smooth, sweet-tart. A bit of funky yeast and some fruit. Dead ish yeast leads you out for a flattish finish.

M: puckery. Pleasant.

O: a good beer, but a stellar one.

Serving type: on-tap

11-19-2012 00:27:19 | More by AgentMunky

Auracom

Illinois

3.45/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at MSCM. 12 oz. served in a snifter on September 9th, 2012.

A - Look almost exactly like The Bruery's Mother Funker. Super hazy peach coloring with absolutely no head, retention, or lacing.

S - Lychee fruit, which is softly sweet. Underneath is light spice, mango, banana, and honey baked bread.

T - Mild tartness, tangy lychee citrus, light vinegar acidity, sweet almost papaya like fruit flavor.

M - Light body, light to moderate carbonation, semi-dry finish.

D - The tanginess of this is unique and would make me revisit. Overall quite refreshing.

Serving type: on-tap

09-24-2012 15:44:16 | More by Auracom

gatornation

Minnesota

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

12 oz pour on tap

A- slight hazes golden sunshine color with a 1 finger head good lacing

S-tart smell of cherries and citrus with spices like cinnamon and allspice a touch of oak and earth

T- fruits forward of cherries and pineapple and other white fruits spice and oak in the background with earthy musty tastes

M- low/medium carbonation with tart and acidic fruit a little dry

O- good job a nice wild ale delicious on tap its dry tart and slightly sour

Serving type: on-tap

09-07-2012 21:15:29 | More by gatornation

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

4.25/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from tap at falling rock Denver. Pours a hazy orange into my tulip. Smells of simple tart/wild, slightly fruity. Taste is really nice. Bitter passionfruit (lychee) funk and slight hops. Really great wild. Its hard to imagine any brew geing bad with funk...but this really shines and is a superb wild.

Serving type: on-tap

08-16-2012 01:37:16 | More by DrinkSlurm

corby112

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Draft at The Noble Fir in Seattle, WA.

Pours a cloudy golden orange color with golden yellow edges and a half finger white head that quickly settles into a thin ring.  Sporadic streaks and spots of lace left behind.

Musty, funky aroma with bretty barnyard notes and subtle light fruit.  Oaky, earthy and surprisingly funky with lots of brett.  This really dominates the nose and I'm having trouble picking anything else out.  Slight citrus and tropical fruit but it's overpowered by funk and barrel.

Medium bodied with tight carbonation and a tart, puckering mouthfeel that's sour but not aggressively so. Very refreshing with some dry, earthy oak and sweet citrus fruit notes.  Hints of what must be lychee, grapefruit and orange peel.  Well balanced, refreshing and easy to drink.  Not harsh or acidic with a nice combination of bretty funk, barrel character and sweet fruit. 

Serving type: on-tap

08-12-2012 02:22:19 | More by corby112

zhanson88

Montana

3.55/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pours a murky golden straw color with some hints of orange. About 1/2" of white head forms, which has limited retention and lacing.

Smell: I can definitely pick out the lychee, or at least something fresh and fruity, slightly sweet but more tart. A bit of lemony tartness and slight funk comes out as well. It's a little unusual, but pretty good.

Taste: A fair amount of initial fruitiness that is lush and sweet. Tartness follows, but it's pretty tame all and all. Not much funk, if anything at all.

Mouthfeel/Overall: Mouthfeel is nice and light, with ample carbonation. Good. Overall, a decent, very drinkable wild ale. Not quite sour and funky enough for me, but nice fruit flavors as the name implies.

Serving type: on-tap

08-08-2012 00:36:00 | More by zhanson88

mdaschaf

Washington

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

Had on tap at Latona Pub.

A: A very hazy golden/orange color with a foamy white head, about one inch in height that dies down quickly leaving a small cap on top.

S: Nice tartness with some fruity aromas of cherry and some other dark stone fruits. Faint spices as well.

T: Nice brett flavor mixed with some strong fruity flavors. More cherry along with lychee giving it a slight sweetness.

M: Light to medium body with active carbonation

O: Quite impressed, liked it a good bit. Nice fruity flavors with a good combination of brett/tartness in this one.

Serving type: on-tap

08-01-2012 15:18:07 | More by mdaschaf

socon67

New York

3.35/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Hop Leaf in Chicago

A - Pours yellow\orange with visible carboantion and a thin foam.

S - Smells of Brett and tart cherries. Is this what lychee smells like? Has a bit of a musty, funky smell.

T - Tartness is clearly there, and intense. This is a beer that puckers your mouth. Flavors of tart fruit is right there. Lemons, limes, kiwi, and sour cherry. A fruit boel in a glass.

M - Sorry, didn't find this all that drinkable. While the novelty is cool, this is a one trick pony and not as good as other wild ales I've found smoother to drink. Carbonation feels a bit heavy, like champagne.

O - Fun to try, but I wouldn't bother again.

Serving type: on-tap

08-01-2012 02:50:34 | More by socon67

Etan

Illinois

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

On tap at Hopleaf, served in a tulip.

A: Apricot orange with a nice white head.

S: Soft fruit - strawberry, lychee, musty yeast.

T: Slightly tart lychee, spice, some herbal notes, lactic, cakey malt base. Vanilla, strawberry, sweet grain.

M: Tingly carbonation, light-bodied.

O: Refreshing, tastes good.

Serving type: on-tap

07-26-2012 00:30:29 | More by Etan

Glibber

Idaho

3.88/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Nice apricot color with a small white head that left little to no lacing. A mild fruit aroma, and a strong bitter taste. Had this on tap at Bitter creek in Boise, and it was refreshing, and a great beer to start the night off with. Citrus and peach flavoring that had a little alcohol burst.

Serving type: on-tap

07-21-2012 03:23:53 | More by Glibber

DCon

Missouri

3.8/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Enjoyed on-tap @ The Bridge Tap House & Wine Bar in St. Louis, MO for $6.50. Tapped from a Yellow/Red "L.O.F. Surf Board" Tap Handle into a 12oz Pint Glass.

Aroma- A subtle kriek aroma passes off as this one. A good amount of cherries and a background spice hits the nose as well.

Appearance- Received with a .5 finger head that dies soon afterwards. Has a cloudy, golden colored body and leaves thick lacing behind afterwards.

Flavor- Sweet, malty, and a great deal of musk and age find its way in here even though this is a fresh keg of it. Not as much funk and sour attributes as I would like. Cherries and other attributes didn't come up in here because of how sweet it was.

Mouthfeel- Light-Medium Bodied, Medium Carbonation, Refreshing, and has a lemon/musky finish on the palate.

Overall Impression- While picking up a 22oz bottle of this a few weeks back, I'm excited to see what this one does in a year or two. Very subtle this time around and could have had more flavors as well. As of now, this is a PERFECT summer/fruit beer thats refreshing and can easily be shared with your spouse. In a few years, this may be a different story...

Serving type: on-tap

07-02-2012 21:41:20 | More by DCon

Gobzilla

California

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

A: poured a pale golden yellow in color with a thin head that left a little lacing sticking to the glass.

S: there was lots of bready character upfront on the nose with lots of fruit notes coming through and spices were noticeable as well.

T: lots of fruit flavor on the first sip that I am assuming was lychee alongside grain and spice accents.

M: the brew was light to medium in body with a low amount of carbonation which had a fruity, bready, mild spice, and mild tart finish.

O: overall it was an interesting beer and was glad to have tried. I would have more for sure.

Serving type: on-tap

06-19-2012 00:05:27 | More by Gobzilla

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

jrenihan

Ontario (Canada)

3.58/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Beer is a cloudy orange-yellow with a minimal white head and minimal lacing.

Smell consists of lychee, yeast and pear. Slightly tart. A bit thin, which unfortunately held true for the taste as well.

Taste has the lychee, slightly tart, and yeast flavours. A slighty bitter finish. I get some ginger as well. Not a strongly flavoured beer, and not as sour as I had expected.

Light bodied, moderate carbonation. Alcohol is well hidden.

Overall, OK. A nice flavour but I found it weak. Perhaps this does better in the bottle.

Serving type: on-tap

06-12-2012 00:09:40 | More by jrenihan

tdm168

North Carolina

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

On tap at World of Beer in Raleigh

A - hazy yellow with a soft cap of white, dense head that has good retention.

S - tart, sour, cinnamon

T - nice tartness up front, mouthpuckeringly sour, a hint of cinnamon in the finish, light sweet fruitiness throughout

M - mouthpuckering, smooth, crisp, heavy carbonation leading to a lighter body

This was a delicious beer. It was perfect for sitting outside on a hot day. Great flavor, great drinkability, definitely worth a try.

Serving type: on-tap

06-10-2012 12:29:36 | More by tdm168

megahurts4

Louisiana

4.45/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Lips of Faith Tart Lychee
On tap at Eureka in San Luis Obispo, CA

Appearance: orange-yellow, small head, and good lacing.

Smell: sweettart sour and a slight fruit.

Taste: lychee, a very nice malt, and a faint sourness.

Moutfeel: medium.

Overall:
This is a nice brew that has a mild sourness and nice malts.

Serving type: on-tap

06-08-2012 03:05:59 | More by megahurts4

caveman

Connecticut

4.7/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had on tap at Collins pub in Seattle. Nice cloudy golden color. Citrus, good Belgian sour bite with a nice sweet background on the finish. Think sweet pink grapefruit. One of the best American Belgian sours I've had. That's high praise from a self professed Belgian sour geek.

Serving type: on-tap

06-06-2012 20:16:22 | More by caveman

champ103

Texas

3.88/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Hay Merchant in Houston, TX

A: Pours a cloudy, deep hazed orange color. A two finger bubbly white head rises in a second, and noisily recedes to a ring. A light cap sticks throughout. Not much lace is left behind however.
S: Ripe orange and passion fruit. Apple cider, tart and acidic. I really like the nose.
T: Tart and acidic. Some fruits that are very nice. Orange, mango, apple cider are all there, but a little muddled. Grainy malts. I really like it, I just wish the fruits were a bit brighter.
M/D: A medium body and very effervescent. Crisp, dry, and refreshing. Really enjoyable to sip on. A nice puckering that makes me want to keep taking sips.

Very well made. Maybe not my favorite Wild Ale by New Belgium, but very good in its own right. I will be drinking more of these while places still have it on tap and in bottles around town.

Serving type: on-tap

05-14-2012 21:48:26 | More by champ103

timtim

District of Columbia

3.58/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

poured a kind of glowing, white gold apple juice color with a small, white head that faded pretty quickly and left a tiny bit of lace. nose definitely hints at tart, but for me, it leans way way more towards sweet. fortunately, it seems to come off as juicy sweet, not sugary sweet. lychee up front big time with earthy funk and a touch of spice is what i get. taste gives me just what i thought. sort of a muddled lychee, brett and spice taste. i don't think it is very complex, but instead of just being palate-searingly sour, it balances itself and dries itself out a bit. medium body with a soft feel that falls just a tiny bit flat. a little muddy as well, but finish leaves no unpleasant aftertastes. not a bad beer by any means. quite refreshing and the alcohol is well disguised. per the name, i was hoping for more tart (i see a lot of reviewers think it was extremely tart... recepie variation or different batch?). i was also hoping for more oomph and more complexity. was excited to try this one, so perhaps my expectations got the best of me.

Serving type: on-tap

05-14-2012 14:34:16 | More by timtim

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

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

On tap at the Hudson St. Stackhouse.

The beer pours a hazy, honey gold color with good head retention and lacing. The nose is impressivve and probably the best aspect of this beer, as I pick up considerable lychee and kiwi, along with some peach and light honey. The beer has something of sweet and tart flavor profile, with the sour/tart flavor dominating. The flavors actually seemed a bit muddled to me, though still enjoyable. Mouthfeel is medium bodied, with a sour tart finish. Alcohol is very well integrated into the flavor profile, and drinkability is very good.

A solid beer, no doubt, but just not my cup of tea. Still, was glad to have the opportunity to try this one.

Serving type: on-tap

05-12-2012 17:31:38 | More by johnmichaelsen

VncentLIFE

North Carolina

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

Hm Tart Lychee. Ive heard so many good things, so here we go.

Pour is hazy yellow with a small head. Carbonation is low. Body looks like a gueuze.

Smell is has a bit of acetic sourness, and a powdery sweetness. Maybe thats the fruit, or its back sweetened. Not really sure.

Tastes balanced. Theres a subtle spiciness that comes intermittently to add a bit of depth. Nice tart feeling, but nothing too rediculous. Its like they were aiming to be drinkable, yet still have all the flavors of a nice Belgian Sour.

Serving type: on-tap

05-12-2012 17:30:14 | More by VncentLIFE

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

zdk9

Texas

4.43/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A- Super cloudy sewer water orange- it's an orange that hints at tints of grey but the tint is closer to roses. Barely any head and all of it disappears almost instantly.

S- Aroma is super strong! Lots of sourness and fruitiness- really intriguing. A little floral with notes of roses and lavender but funky- green apple and pear.

T- Nice creamy tartness. Cider apple vinegar mixed with olive oil or half and half. Bits of bread peaking out here and there but a lot of sour fruit. A little spicy- cinnamon.

M- Puckery but sweet- a good balance between the two.

O- A really nice complex sour I could sip and enjoy for quite a while.

Serving type: on-tap

11-18-2011 04:30:56 | More by zdk9