Lips Of Faith - Fall Wild Ale - New Belgium Brewing

GRG1313

California

3.93/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A treat from Father's Office in Santa Monica. Poured a deep clear copper head with a thick and very firm tan head that did not dissipate for most of the glass. Great looking.

Nose was somewhat closed, probably because it was served a bit colder than I normally drink. (Never warmed up since I drank it so fast!) Light nose of "almost sour" red cherries, white bread yeast and light banana malt. I suspect that as it warmed the nose would have gotten more assertive.

Mouth feel is rich, creamy and bold with just the right carbonation.

Flavor that initially hits your palate is an "almost sweet" bright red cherries with a good acidic character and an "almost sour" character. Flavors go to some spice, rich banana malt and cooked fruit.

Finish follows flavor in that the finish is malty and full of rich bananas.

Good example of a tap beer being better than the bottle. Flavors and character are fresh and bright; a brightness and character that one doesn't find in the bottle.

Serving type: on-tap

12-22-2009 05:47:11 | More by GRG1313

glid02

Georgia

3.88/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at Leon's in Atlanta.

Pours a dark ruby color with a half-finger off-white head. The head recedes into a wispy layer on top leaving light lacing.

Smells of somewhat spicy dark malts with hints of dark fruits dusted with light cocoa powder and even lighter hints of funk.

Tastes similar to how it smells, though a bit more intense. Dark malt flavors up front are joined quickly by mild amounts of nondescript spices - nutmeg mostly if I had to guess with hints of allspice. Midway through the sip small amounts of dark fruit flavors enter into things along with some funk. The funk and fruit flavors carry through to a mildly bitter ending that leaves a bit of tang lingering on the palate.

Mouthfeel is good. It's got a solid thickness with moderate carbonation.

Drinkability is good. I finished my glass without a problem and could have another.

Overall I wasn't really sure what was going on in this beer as it seemed to be a combination of lots of small contributions. Certainly not a bad beer and even worth a try for the curious.

Serving type: on-tap

12-21-2009 05:39:13 | More by glid02

beertunes

Washington

3.55/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served in 160z goblet. Poured a very deep red with a lighter red tint near the edges. An off-white head had medium quick dissipation and left sheets of lacing.

There was a rich earthy, musty aroma that had such a mixture of scents I had trouble isolating specific tones. The flavor was mildly funky and had a slight fruit presence and a clean finish.

The body was very good, full and satisfying without being heavy. The drinkability was very good. I'm generally not a big fan of NBs beers, but this was a pleasant surprise. Try it if you see it.

Serving type: on-tap

12-21-2009 02:29:39 | More by beertunes

augustgarage

California

4.13/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

This was described as a "dubbel," and I'm reviewing it as such. Don't pick this up expecting a sour. On-tap at the Library Alehouse in Santa Monica. Served in a New Belgium tulip.

Hazy carnelian body with ruby highlights and a snow-white cap of thinning suds. Excellent honiton-like lacing. Legs are like the edge of a finely honed razor.

The menu description was spot-on, with juicy waves of fresh green fig, dried Monmorency cherry, and light caramel malt forming the nose. Very fresh and inviting.

The palate follows the aromas to a "T," adding a little more complexity to the malt bill. Where a lot of dubbels have a raisin note mid-palate, this tastes more like cranberries. The Schisandra berries are the perfect addition to this ale. The fruit continues into the finish with fresh apricot, and the faintest hint of a fresh mildly funky (Brett.) kriek. Very well crafted.

Medium bodied, quite warming, and a touchy syrupy towards the bottom of the glass.

Juicy, fresh, well rounded - this is a creative twist on a traditional style that succeeds in every way. The first beer I've tried from New Belgium that finally reminds me of a true Belgian ale, but with a unique and meaningful twist.

Serving type: on-tap

12-10-2009 04:14:14 | More by augustgarage

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

3.38/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Had this on tab at Stubs.

Served in a pint glass.

1/2 finger of very light tan head. Color is a dark ruby copper red. Ok retention. Left nice lace rings.

Aroma: A lot of cinnamon and spice, a little nut meg. A lot of funky brett. Not the sour I was expecting. Not sure about this one.

Taste: All spice with brett notes. Cinnamon and nutmeg. The only non-brett wild note I get from this is at the finish where it has some nice wild cherry taste to it.

Mouthfeel: Some funkiness, but crisp for the most part. Medium bodied with a tad higher amount of carbonation. Ends with a huge brett aftertaste.

Overall, I had much higher expectations for this one. Not what I liked. It was simply ok. A lot of brett. I was hoping for something along the lines of la folie.

Serving type: on-tap

12-03-2009 01:02:26 | More by mothman

KeefD

Minnesota

2.63/5  rDev -27.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Had this on tap at The Happy Gnome in St Paul. Pours a clear brown color, small white head and good lacing. Aroma is very earthy, definitely smells like fall. Smells woody, light tobacco and leather, earth, and slight funk. Taste is mildly sour, in fact so little that I probably wouldn't have guessed Brett was used. Lightly sweet, bready malts, very light funk. Medium bodied. Not bad, but really wasn't overly impressed. Everything seemed a little muted in this beer and flavor was a little muddy.

Serving type: on-tap

11-29-2009 22:48:26 | More by KeefD

BedetheVenerable

Missouri

4.22/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Presentation: Poured on tap into a snifter

Appearance: Hazy walnut brown beer with orange and garnet tints...thick, superbly creamy light tan head with good retention and some decent lace

Smell: Light brett funk, with bright floral notes and very mild caramel hints in the background...very light and pleasant brett beer.

Taste: Fruity bubblegum, light tart brett flavors, some mild sweet cherry as well. This is simple, nice, and lightly funky, a great "intro" to wild beers IMO

Mouthfeel: Medium-light

Drinkability: High

Conclusion: This is a light, approachable, very tasty, and reasonably complex brett beer. This is a wild ale I might actually be able to convince my wife to drink...simple and light, but refreshing and it hides its abv% scarily well.

Serving type: on-tap

11-29-2009 03:37:32 | More by BedetheVenerable

bort11

Missouri

4.43/5  rDev +22.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the KC Flying Saucer. Poured into a tulip glass, a tall white head clings to the lip of the glass. Very slow to recede, lace clings to the glass to the end. Color is a dark brownish red. Dense opaqueness lets very little light through.

Smell is a great mix of pumpkin spice with tart wild yeast. Taste follows smell very well. Lots of ginger, cinnamon, and cloves, that finishes with a distinct brett sourness.

Mouthfeel is a solid medium body with a creamy texture. The flavor is so bold, it is a slow sipper. excellent

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2009 01:20:41 | More by bort11

hardy008

Minnesota

3.45/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Reddish brown color with an off white head. Aroma of dark fruit and some sweet malt. The taste is also dark fruit with some sweet malt. Smooth, decent carbonation, medium bodied, and the alcohol is well hidden. I like the taste of this beer, but do not detect the sour that I would expect to find. It is sweeter, and has more malt, than I would have expected. A nice beer to drink, but not quite to style.

Serving type: on-tap

11-26-2009 00:41:29 | More by hardy008

LibraryTom

California

3.9/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

An amber colored brew that shows a bit of caramel in the nose which flirts with the slightly tart, dark fruits. There is a bit of fig, and chocolate running in the undercurrent of a bold malty sweetness, which is brought to an abrupt and tart, yet quite pleasant finish.

Serving type: on-tap

11-24-2009 18:38:16 | More by LibraryTom

BretSikkink

Mexico

3.45/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served dark brown, decent head. A little sourness on the nose, but not much amidst the brown malt sweetness. I was disappointed by the mildness of the tart flavor on the tongue; really hoping for more there. There's decent size for the malt backbone, enough sweetness to be an interesting take on the style, but the funk just doesn't quite work its way through the depth of malt. Easy to drink for sure, just not as pleasurable as I was hoping.

Serving type: on-tap

11-17-2009 02:50:27 | More by BretSikkink

Tone

Missouri

4.35/5  rDev +20.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a dark black color with amber coloring along the bottom of the glass. One inch head of an off-white color. Great retention and great lacing. Smells of citrus, yeast, hops, slight tart malt, herbs, and slight spice. Fits the style of an American Wild Ale. Mouth feel is smooth and sharp with an average carbonation level. Tastes of sweet malt, spice, (cinnamon), slight hop, herb, and sligh grass. Overall, a complex body, good aroma, and great appearance.

Serving type: on-tap

11-16-2009 23:29:39 | More by Tone

davedahl

Illinois

3.33/5  rDev -8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

On tap at Handlebar on 10/8. Snifter for 6 bucks. Called a "malt-forward dubbel ale - dry and slightly sour".

Aroma - nice sourness present but definitely not overwhelming, slight maltiness

Appearance - brown. :/

Taste: definitely some sweet bready malts, but tastes more like the basis of a brown ale than a dubbel - it's the lack of dryness that throws me. Slight sourness...like rhubarb.

Drinkability: sorta. I enjoyed one, but that's fine thanks.

Serving type: on-tap

11-15-2009 18:10:33 | More by davedahl

GbVDave

Illinois

3.15/5  rDev -13%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Served in a snifter at Hopleaf. Thanks to HeatherAnn for the assist!

A: Served a cloudy, dark brown with light brown highlights. One finger of creamy off-white colored head left a bit of lace.

S: Vaguely fruity (dark and tart berry) with some sweet malt.

T: See above. Add to this some bitter hops and/or dry roasty malt.

M: Sweet with a peppery/bitter/hoppy finish.

D: I felt a little mislead by the name of this. Where's the sour?

Serving type: on-tap

11-14-2009 14:26:46 | More by GbVDave

weatherdog

Illinois

3.28/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Had on draft at Brixies in Brookfield IL

Served in a goblet - poured a bark brown with a one finger head that dissipated father quickly.

Aroma was rather neutral with a small amount of brett character but left a lot to be desired for a 'wild ale'

I was all geared up for a nice funky offering from New Belgian Lips of Faith Series. it was called fall wild ale after all. After tasting it I was disappointed. It tasted like a regular Belgian dubel with a little brett funk on the backside. It was not bad by any means but just not as funky as I would have hoped for. If that beer was brewed with all Brett vs. primary Belgian yeast and secondary Brett finish I think I would have loved it. As it stands it is just a decent beer but not worthy to seek out.

Serving type: on-tap

11-12-2009 05:17:54 | More by weatherdog

largadeer

Kentucky

2.3/5  rDev -36.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Draft at Stone. Tawny-colored, fairly clear. Arrives with no head, which may have been the fault of the bartender rather than the beer. The aroma is solventy, acetic and fruity. There's some pomegranate-like tartness, brown sugar, and a hint of funk. The taste is similarly uninspired, a mix of light sweetness and light tartness, vinegar, fruit and astringent graininess. A bit medicinal, phenolic. Very mediocre, I had no desire to finish this one.

Serving type: on-tap

11-11-2009 22:27:45 | More by largadeer

Halcyondays

California

4/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at Beachwood BBQ,

A: Pours a medium brown with a firm white head, nice lacing and head retention.

S: Some cinnamon type notes, real light brett, brown malt.

T: A lot of brown malt, interesting spice characteristics. I don't know what schisandra is supposed to taste like, but there was cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg type flavours. Brett is really light I wouldn't know it was there except the fact it was listed as a wild ale. As a dubbel it's quite good.

M: Very smooth, medium-bodied, no trace of alcohol.

D: This is a very good beer from New Belgium, dangerously drinkable for its strength, check it out.

Serving type: on-tap

11-11-2009 02:43:48 | More by Halcyondays

radshoesbro

California

2.63/5  rDev -27.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

On tap at New Belgium Night Toronado.

Pours a deep ruby with frothy head recedes to good spotty lace.

Smells like a quad gone awry. Take an old gym locker and the spiciness of a quad and this is what you get. For the style not pleasant.

Tastes spicy with some lacto and this creamy almost stout/porter thing going on. Again, reminds me of a quad.

This is the kind of sour that I don't like. You make a beer and it's not great so you purposely infect it. Yeah, I know that's not actually the case...

Serving type: on-tap

11-10-2009 01:55:33 | More by radshoesbro

JoEBoBpr

Missouri

3.63/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a pint glass at Mangia in St. Louis, MO.

A - A nice dark cherry red hue that is almost brown in the darkness of the dinning room. I didn't see the pour but there was a thin film of off white head.

S - Smell of spices, nice malt sweetness and some nice flowery hints. Bread and yeast.

T & M - Candy and caramel come to mind. Some citrus and sour notes. Light bodied and refreshingly crisp and has a very nice after taste that lingers.

D - Refreshing and clean, not to sweet.

Serving type: on-tap

11-06-2009 01:23:29 | More by JoEBoBpr

JohnGalt1

Idaho

3.85/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Enjoyed at Bittercreek Friday night..

I entered this review in a coupla nights ago... but the site crash got rid of it...

$4 for probably a 8oz pour... no real head.. lace if I swirl the glass.. the brew is lightly hazed deep chestnut..

Aroma is much more like a traditional dubbel.. with a fair dusting of brett...

Flavor is nice.. but not too much of anything that demands a "wild ale".. no real sour... maybe some weird cranberry... some random phenols and a sorta dry caramel and raison malty element with some cobwebs and hay.

nice body and carbonation.. I would think a whole lot of peeps are going to be disappointed with the lack of the overall wildness.

Instead, this brew is a nice practice in brett... lite funk and plenty of yeasty elements.. but still only okay.

One glass was about perfect... I would not have appreciated it anymore.

Serving type: on-tap

10-27-2009 07:30:02 | More by JohnGalt1

jdavin

Washington

4.13/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Stumbling Monk. $4.50, served in 0.4L New Belgium tulip glass.

A - dark ruby brown, lacy pillowy head.
S - brown sugar, cherries, bready yeast.
T - raisins, brown sugar, cherries, hint of sourness.
M - lighter in malt body than I expected. This is good because I didn't want a super sweet/heavy beer.
D - good drinkability. I wouldn't order this often, since it's not my type of beer - but it was very drinkable considering I usually don't like lambics or bret beers.

The flavor and funkiness becomes more pronounced as the beer warms. I recommend drinking only slightly chilled.

Serving type: on-tap

10-27-2009 05:55:30 | More by jdavin

jrallen34

Illinois

2.17/5  rDev -40.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

I drank this on tap into a chalice.

The beer is dark amber with a light white head, lacing and retention ok.

The aroma is very light sour, not much there.

The taste is even worse than the aroma. There is a light sourness but its bitter and terrible. I had this after having bockor, temptation and consecration, and this beer just needs to go away.

Mouthfeel is bad, and this not drinkable at all. Even my girlfriend who knows nothing was like this sucks.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2009 16:11:44 | More by jrallen34

atsprings

North Carolina

3.9/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at Flying Saucer served in a standard pint glass a crisp dark copper with a decent off-white head that diminishes to a ring and leaves slight lacing on the glass. Aroma is sweet fruit and Brett funk with a hint of spice. The taste is an enjoyably funky blend of slightly sour fruit and mild caramel malts, intriguing to say the least. The beer is medium bodied with decent carbonation and a hint sticky alcohol. This is a very enjoyable brew for a blustery fall day.

Serving type: on-tap

10-15-2009 19:23:22 | More by atsprings

botham

Illinois

3.93/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

on tap at the Hopleaf in Chicago. pours a deep brown color, amber undertones and one and a half fingers of off white head that is lightly fluffy in consistency. good retention and solid lacings.

aroma is of dark fruits upon a base of deep bready grain. a subtle funk gives the brew some life with a light musty note in the background. raspberries and a light note of smashed cherries round out the profile.

taste follows the nose with a more pronounced funk from the bret that takes on hay and musty characteristics. nice on the palate, but it could use some more funk and/or sour (for a wild ale).

mouthfeel is medium bodied and lightly smooth with a slick finish of residual sticky malts and a touch of funk.

drinkability is good. for a wild ale, this is a bit subtle when it comes to funk and sour, but it is still well put together and reasonable easy to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

10-13-2009 16:42:10 | More by botham

beertooth

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +19.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the Hopleaf.
$5 for a tulip glass.

This beer is a hazy, burnt amber with a finger of tight off-white head that leaves thick lacing.

The smell is sweet with lot's of sugary malts. There is also a strong hit of belgian yeast, very spicy! I'm picking up on some banana, clove, and musty cherries. Lot's of fruity esters. It reminds me of a more malt foward saison. There is a tiny bit of brett funk too with some grassy hay. Some alcohol is present as well.

The first gulp is a huge blast of trappist yeast, fruity esters, and sweet caramel malt. Berries, bananas, cherries and wee bit 'o funk. The sourness hits and vanishes in the finish. I can also taste the alcohol more and more at it warms up along with a little more sour and funk. I'm not sure of the ABV% though.

Mouthfeel is full and medium carbonated.

This is an interesting beer from New Belgium. I find their Lips of Faith series to be hit or miss, but this is a hit. I'd like to lay some bottles down for a while to see what happens to the brett and booze. This is just what I needed on this crisp September evening.

Serving type: on-tap

09-29-2009 22:39:59 | More by beertooth