Fat Tire Amber Ale - New Belgium Brewing

davidvaz

Arizona

1.15/5  rDev -68.2%
look: 3 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1

Drank it straight out of the bottle.

This beer smells like someone stale beer in a plastic cup from the party the night before.

Tastes like someone dropped a greasy wrench in the water then brewed the beer. I dread belching and having to taste it again.

Mouthfeel low carbonation, very little aftertaste; flat finish.

Drinkability: I can barely finish one. Even though it is 3 months before the exp. date, it seems flat and on the verge of getting skunky.

I bought the variety pack to try the various Fat Tire Ales and I am very disappointed with the amber ale.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2011 04:50:12 | More by davidvaz

TheKingofWichita

North Carolina

1.18/5  rDev -67.4%
look: 1.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1

Pours a orange copper color with a thick yellow white head and very little lacing. Smells of malt, a little hops, and a little vanilla and citrus in there. Tastes mostly of sweet malts, rotten eggs, or something that has spoiled. Mouthfeel is thin and watery. Drinkability is poor.

Serving type: on-tap

12-01-2010 21:11:15 | More by TheKingofWichita

kopper65

Missouri

1.48/5  rDev -59.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

I've tried to like this beer on many occasions, but I just can't. It was actually hard for me to finish my last one, and I'm not one to like the idea of struggling to finish ANY beer. It's just way too malty and soapy for my tastes. A shame, too, because I happen to like a lot of other New Belgium styles.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2011 17:49:36 | More by kopper65

jasonpeckins32

Michigan

1.68/5  rDev -53.6%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1 | overall: 2

I tried this one on-tap at the Hard Rock Cafe in San Diego while on vacation. We were bar hopping and I think this was the third place I went to that suggested I try this particular beer after I asked what good craft beers they had available. So I finally decided I'd give it a whirl. To be honest, I dont have a clue what those southern californians were thinking because I was terribly unimpressed by this beer.

It had an auburn tint, transparent, with very little carbonation at all. I usually dont like quaffing flat beers and this was no exception. Not a lot of flavor, a bit bready. I'd almost just assume have a busch light if you could believe that. So for 5 bucks a pint, this wasnt one of my best purchases.

Serving type: on-tap

10-16-2007 03:36:58 | More by jasonpeckins32

nightcrawler

Illinois

1.7/5  rDev -53%
look: 3 | smell: 1 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 1

Lots of people praise this beer and I had to go to a couple of stores to find a bottle. I really wish I hadn't been able to find it.

The smell is something horrid. Like the inside of a warm rubber or something. The taste was like a stale cracker or bread crust. Maybe it would go better with some kind of food, but by itself, it was not refreshing.

Sat on my stomach like a heavy brick.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2007 01:40:35 | More by nightcrawler

kristenspaintings

California

1.78/5  rDev -50.8%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1 | overall: 2

This beer is slightly bitter and has very little flavor otherwise. I expected more from this beer, given how much I’ve heard about it and how often I see it around. If you don’t want your beer to interfere with tasting your food, this would be the one for you.
There’s nothing offensive about it. It was really quite disappointingly neutral. An amber ale is supposed to have more flavor I think.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2013 01:34:47 | More by kristenspaintings

mikechance

California

1.8/5  rDev -50.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

I have never enjoyed Fat Tire from a bottle so I tried it recently off a tap. It still does nothing for me. It is just not a good beverage. It smells a little off and funky. It tastes very flat and almost spoiled and leaves a very nasty after taste. I struggled to get a pint down. As the "flagship" beer of an excellent brewery this beer should be avoided; sample the other treats New Belgium has to offer.

Serving type: on-tap

04-26-2011 01:55:04 | More by mikechance

mrgrandefromage

Washington

1.83/5  rDev -49.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.5

Before we start, I will say that this beer is much better on tap. But we're reveiwing the bottle here. Pours a pale amber with a decent head. Try not to smell this beer if you can avoid it. Smells like a compost pile. The flavor is just off. Skunky and unpleasant. In the mouth it feels like beer, but you don't really want it in your mouth because it taste so off. Not really drinkable at all. New Belgium makes much better beer than this.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2005 18:04:02 | More by mrgrandefromage

jeremyd365

Michigan

1.9/5  rDev -47.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

This is cheap beer. It tastes like it was massed produced with cheap ingredients and was pretty disappointing for a $5.99 bomber. I'm glad I split it with someone so I only had to drink half. It had decent mouth feel and appearance, but the rest was rather disappointing.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2012 23:35:24 | More by jeremyd365

mrasskicktastic

New Jersey

1.93/5  rDev -46.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 1 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

A - A huge frothy white head sits on top of a clear copper brew. The hed dissipates in minutes leaving thin rings of lacing at every sip.

S - THIS is the fat tire which I have heard countless rave over? It smells of very stale grain with a bit of cinnamon and nutmeg underneath. A touch of dry hay keeps it hopped. Seriously, this smells pretty awful.

T - The taste, though not great is not nearly as unpleasant as the smell. The flavor has a dry light grain, not a hint of sweetness, with an intense carbonated water aftertaste accompanied by some hay and a bit of a cinnamon presence. Not good, but drinkable at least.

M - Thin, extremely highly carbonated - it actually tickles my throat, neither drying nor particularly thirst quenching.

D - Well, I can hold my nose on the sips, so it is just a little unpleasant. Last time I listen to the masses. I'm really sad to have bought a whole six pack of this. I will not have this one again (after the other five bottles) - at least it is nice to look at . . .

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2007 05:21:07 | More by mrasskicktastic

TheLiterati

California

1.95/5  rDev -46.1%
look: 3 | smell: 1 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Bottle says best before 29 Sept 06. It's exactly a month before that date, and I'm now wondering if it's too late, or if I just have a bad bottle.

I've had Fat Tire before, both bottled and on tap, and this is NOT what I remember. Even served some from a different bottle at a tasting I hosted just a few days ago and enjoyed it much more.

The beer is beautifully amber, deep in color with a pleasant effervescence. But when I raised the glass to my nose I was repulsed by the odor of – sorry to be crass – vomit.

After backing away from the glass and letting it sit a spell, I came back to give it another whiff, and the unpleasant smell had given way to something a bit more tolerable, though for the life of me, I can’t put a name to it. Maybe molasses, a little caramel, a bit like a biscuit. But there’s still something skanky lurking under there.

I hate to waste beer, I really do, so before giving up on this one without tasting it, I grabbed some saltines to clear my palate and hoped for the best.

I take a sip and again, I’m baffled. I just don’t remember this beer tasting this way. It’s not awful – it’s just not great. While the mouthfeel is actually nice enough, the taste is just off.

I don’t know what else to say. Drinkable on tap, but the bottles seem to lack consistency in quality.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2006 04:21:38 | More by TheLiterati

Erdinger2003

Iowa

1.98/5  rDev -45.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 1.5

Pours a small white head that falls fast into almost nothing. Smells sweet and has some spices in the smell. Has a brownish amber color that's very clear, almost golden. Taste reminds me of kit kat bars. Not desirable. Taste is a little woody. It's sweet flavor at first reminds me a little of an Oktoberfest. Mouthfeel is ok, a little harsh on the carbonation. Overall, I think I am happy to just try this, but I won't have too many more of these.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2007 13:52:29 | More by Erdinger2003

Vansmack

California

1.98/5  rDev -45.3%
look: 1.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

I have got to tell you that I've had a fat tire on many occasions. And every single time I drink it, I feel like I'm drinking putrid lake water. I'm not sure what it is about this beer, but it's just horrible.

You're going to hear everyone rave that's is amazing belgian beer. OHHHH save me that crap. This is just tap water with a little wheat in it.

Anyone who likes this nasty beer needs to stick with their lite beers they get off on.

good nightnow!

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2008 02:45:19 | More by Vansmack

dvb

Washington

1.98/5  rDev -45.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

Poured from a 12-ounce bottle into a pilsner glass.

A - Color is amber, but not far off from that of a "fizzy yellow" American lager. Nice 1" white head which quickly settled to just a thin layer. Nice lacing.

S - Not much to smell here.

T - Reminds me of Leinenkugel's amber, but perhaps a little more bready. More like a watered-down Sam Adams Boston Lager. I can drink Sam's, but this is tough.

M - Thin and solvent-like. Somewhat astringent. Average carbonation.

D - I have only two bottles of this stuff left and I am tempted to give them away. I just don't care for this stuff.

Maybe I'm just not a fan of the style, but this recipe needs work.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2010 03:50:23 | More by dvb

BigB415

California

2/5  rDev -44.8%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Sometimes I forgot I was drinking a Fat Tire and thought I was drinking a Coors Light. The only thing for me that stood out was the lacing which was pretty heavy. When I took a sniff I got flat decarbonated smells to go with a taste that matches coors. It felt flat and it didn't have much flavor. This is a very popular beer but I'm glad other people like it. Not something I'd buy again.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2011 01:05:00 | More by BigB415

spacholl

Minnesota

2.03/5  rDev -43.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

poured with small head that disipated immediatly. no lacing. the color is correct as an amber light to medium.

smells of boiling wort. like wet catfood. the malted barley really stands out.

tastes of malted barley. little to no hops except towards the end. were is the hoppy freshness they talk about on the lable?

light to medium carbonation seemed proper.

I can drink one but just not to my pallet. can't get passed the wet pet food sense of taste and smell. I'm sorry maybe I got a bad batch.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2009 02:10:27 | More by spacholl

drugsbunny

California

2.05/5  rDev -43.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

"Not impressed" seems to cover it. I had this on tap out West, but I drank it after I had been drinking some glorious Sierra Nevada, fresh as I ever get it in New York. So this hop-less amber was a big disappointment. Nice red color though, but I wasn't taking pictures of this beer. If you drink Fat Tire, make sure you don't do so after drinking some wonderful hoppy beer. Otherwise all you get is a cloying sweet taste that was too much for me to even finish it. Skip this amber for many other worthy examples.

Serving type: on-tap

08-03-2006 13:43:27 | More by drugsbunny

rye726

Colorado

2.05/5  rDev -43.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

12oz bottle poured into a pint glass.

Nice amber color with a tan foamy head.

Nose is all over the place and lacks any sort of balance.

Taste is very similar to smell. So many off flavors, It should be called Trash Tire.

Light body and carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2008 19:16:26 | More by rye726

Crosling

Colorado

2.08/5  rDev -42.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 1

After tasting this stuff for the first time in 2 or 3 years, it really did remind me of Devil’s Advocate. Fat tire isn’t quite as terrible as the DA, but it’s still pretty disgusting. Medium gold in color. Bland, tough and husky aroma with hints of biscuits and caramel in the nose. I really don’t understand how people can say Fat Tire is balanced. It tastes of grain husk. Did it get significantly less hoppy over the years?

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2006 02:51:22 | More by Crosling

nathi

Colorado

2.1/5  rDev -42%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

This beer is available everywhere here, and is often the only micro. And when it is....I drink bud. I really hate this beer. The aroma is funky. Not like rich malt, and although it used to, now has no hops or interesting esters to balance the funky aroma that I suppose is toasty, but for some reason comes off kinda vomit like to me. The taste starts off decent but ends with this lingering, cloying sweetness that just dosnt have the richness to be pleasent. Just flat, boring, and unpleasant to me. Like drinking unfermented wort. It needs something there to balance it. Just seems to sit on the tongue.

At least it is pretty.

But, if New Belgium can continue to sell tons of this stuff and be able to keep brewing the intense stuff like their trippel, la folie, mars, etc (not to mention the upcomming collaboration with a certain belgian brewery of some fame), more power to them.

Love the brewery....hate the beer.

Serving type: on-tap

10-24-2002 16:30:29 | More by nathi

scottfrie

California

2.1/5  rDev -42%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

12oz bottle in SA perfect pint.

A: Pours a light amber with hints of yellow-orange with a big foamy off-white head that slowly receded into a thin film that left impressive rings of lace down the glass.
S: Not picking up much, but is there isn't bad. Light notes of caramel malt, faint grassy hops, and a touch of grain.
T: Flavor is a sweet metallic coppery blast of syrupy malt and sour hops. Aftertaste is off putting. This is synthetic tasting.
M: Carbonation is very low and the mouthfeel is medium and slick. Body is syrupy.
D: Looks good, smells okay, but man no matter how many times I try this beer it still has that same nasty taste. NB other offering are usually fairly decent albeit not earth shattering, but I don't see how their staple beer has such a following.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2010 05:43:04 | More by scottfrie

Olivia55555

California

2.13/5  rDev -41.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

The golden amber color of this beer is really appealing and beautiful. The carbonation is low and the mouthfeel is really light and a bit watery. This beer is kind of a bitter/sweet combo, but more on the bitter side. It has a clean aroma with a little spice from the yeast.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2012 04:27:01 | More by Olivia55555

schellsbeer

Minnesota

2.15/5  rDev -40.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

One word...OVERRATED!!!

In a few years, the hype will be over. This is by far not the best New Belgium has to offer. Everthing about this beer is average or below. Taste...what taste. There is hardly any. Don't get me wrong, this beer is very drinkable...if you like plain water. However, I found this beer to have little if at all any taste to it. Boring is what I call it. Now, some of their other beers, I like. This one, yeah....not so much. Come on people, get some taste buds. Expand your beer drinking vocabulary. Popular...yes, high priced...yes, worth the money...heck no!

Cool label though. Enough said.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2009 05:30:21 | More by schellsbeer

corpulent

Nevada

2.15/5  rDev -40.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Why this is so popular I don't know. This is like the trendy beer of the month. I'm guessing it serves as the crossover beer for those lesser individuals who drink Coors and Bud all the time. Makes 'em feel fancy to drink a "microbrew."

"Whoa, this is strong, so many flavors," they say.

Sure, compared to the swill (am I saying this correctly, I am saying that only a swine would drink this beer) they usually drink, Fat Tire is amazing.

And so:
Light orange fizz. Perfumey. Bubbly. Biscuity.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2010 16:56:30 | More by corpulent

NWer

Washington

2.15/5  rDev -40.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

12 oz. bottle poured into a Pilsner glass.

Quite frankly, I don't know what all the fuss is about.
Very bland beer, totally pedestrian. Flavors are difficult to ascertain with no hop feel - not that it should be a lot but there should be some kick to an amber and it's just not there.
A step up from your adjunct lagers but not by much.
I like amber ales but not this one.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2010 19:54:43 | More by NWer