Lips Of Faith - Clutch Collabeeration - New Belgium Brewing

plfahey

Minnesota

3.63/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22 oz. bottle poured into a tulip glass.

Appearance-Pours black with the faintest garnet highlights when held to light. Clarity seems good though difficult to discern. True brown head tops the beer and has decent retention.

Aroma-Malt profile dominates the aroma-chocolate, coffee, roasted malt, and some toast. Hops are rather low, and almost imperceptible here. Some stone fruit esters appear as well, most notably plum and tart cherry. There is just a hint of tartness here.

Flavor-Sour up front, with tart cherries and chocolate as the primary flavors. The mid-palate displays other fruits-plums and grapes-before being overtaken by assertive roast flavors in the finish, with notes of coffee grounds and espresso. The aftertaste is quite dry, with a lingering tart cherry/bittersweet chocolate flavor.

Mouthfeel-Medium body, with moderate carbonation. Quite dry, but not astringent. Low alcohol warmth.

I'm not gonna lie, I was pretty apprehensive going into this one. I hadn't really heard anything good about this beer, with one friend describing it as reminiscent of an infected stout. I was pleasantly surprised by the beer-it wasn't amazing or anything, but it was rather good, with a nice tart cherry/chocolate-espresso balance in the flavor that was rather pleasant. Would I get it again? Maybe, maybe not. But it was definitely worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2011 05:24:36 | More by plfahey

TCMike

Minnesota

3.9/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours, a dark brown. Produced a long lasting, 2 finger, beige head.
The smell is of dark chocolate, coffee, and stout like.
The taste is similar, but with a slight sour note on the end.
The consistency is that of a creamy stout. It has low carbonation, and a slightly heavy mouth-feel.
This is good. I was hesitant of trying it. It is a sipper.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2011 01:51:34 | More by TCMike

chodinheaven

Maryland

3.93/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Cool 750 ml bottle and interesting label, pours black as coffee with a big tan head. Good retention and stickage. Dark roasted malts on the nose with notes of coffee and dark chocolate as well.

Heavy on the dark roasted malts in the taste and definitely some notes of coffee and dark chocolate. But the latter two are not the focus of this beer. There is a tang and sour taste in the middle that takes the focus from the traditional stout tastes. Its a little odd and off-putting at first, but then it grows on you and actually manages to mesh well with the dark roasted malts. It's not really a dried fruit kind of taste like you would expect, but more of a summer beer tanginess that you would find in a hefeweizen. But without analysis, the two flavors seem to go together well, at least to me. I appreciate the uniqueness more than anything. This is only my second beer from New Belgium, and I like this better than Fat Tire so far.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2011 00:46:31 | More by chodinheaven

smakawhat

Maryland

3.15/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

EEYAAW. EEYAAW. EYAAAWW!!! I'am a rock n roll outlaw drinking CLUTCH poured from the bottle into a snifter glass.

A light coffee colored, and creamy head is presented sitting on a very black body. Head falls normaly with some leopard like spotty lacing.

Bouquet is a faint barleywine like booze with some fruit. Bigger whiffs on my nose actually hurt. Mild cocoa, no sense of sour but mostly berry fruit.

Taste is weird. Berry slight sour but extremely thin for even an American stout. Wet, with flat box juice texture. Fruit dominant with little else to taste here. Finish has nearly no flavor. A basicaly thin weak box lunch juice grape.

Overall where's the malt? roast? Coffee? Chocolate? Hello? Hey I know it is mentioned as a dark sour but can i get a little something extra??? I'm not even minding the mild sourness (borderline tart) of this even though I am not a sour/stout fan, but there is nothing stout like in taste that is particularly enjoyable to me, this is not what I look for in a stout. Love the band, the beer not so much, it feels dyslexic and having an identity crisis. Maybe I am a bit harsh, I seem to keep drinking it as it gets to room temp. Perhaps this is my last dark sour review ever.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2011 03:40:50 | More by smakawhat

AgentMunky

Alabama

4.2/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 22 ounce bottle into a pilsner glass.

A: Nice creamy head, fades and leaves heavy lace. Very dark, but in direct light, red-brown-clear...barely.

S: Coffee, stoutish, black cherry.

T: Sour stout. But damn it's good. Smooth, soft, slippery. Enchanting. A really pleasant tart bitterness on the endtaste.

M: Creaminess dies midway. A bit puckery.

O: Great beer, very drinkable, very worthwhile. Will have again. Recommended!

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2011 03:33:47 | More by AgentMunky

ArrogantB

Colorado

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

On tap at the Rackhouse Pub. Dark black color, a little head. Smells very roasty, all stout in the smell. The flavor hit me at first with some sour but then it really blended in with the roasted malt stout-like flavor. This was interesting but I preferred Kick and would probably never order this again.

Serving type: on-tap

08-27-2011 03:11:22 | More by ArrogantB

yourefragile

District of Columbia

2.28/5  rDev -38.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

22 oz bottle. $5.99 at Beltway (Total Wine).

Richard said it best before me; this tastes like the result of blending at the end of an awesome tasting. A good idea at the time, but execution produces disappointment.

Pour is chocolate black with a fleeting khaki head and dry, web lacing. Aroma is dry, roasty and coffee bitter, light chocolate and sweet dark fruit sourness. Thin, light body with soft carbonation, watery finish. Body is smoky and roasty, a pleasant coffee American stout. Finish produces some citrus and ripe fruit sweetness with little sourness. Mmmmk. Surprisingly little alcohol presence and rather pleasant as far as drinkability goes. However to be direct, this beer sucks in execution.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2011 02:41:20 | More by yourefragile

GRG1313

California

2.83/5  rDev -23.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Pours black with a short fast fading head.

Nose is all black chocolate, roasted grain and coffee. While a simple nose pleasant.

Mouthfeel is a bit thin and, for my taste, is out of balance. Flavors and mouthfeel just do not juxtapose well. Thin and a bit watery, but then gives way to simple coffee, chocolate and roasted grain character with a kick of citrus sour. There is a pleasant smoky character but, that also does not blend well and is not integrated with the other flavor characteristics.

Candidly, it tastes like a dump bucket of otherwise decent beers! Sorry...that's what it was like for me. Flavors and sour characteristics are just not integrated - almost as if you mixed a stout with a lemon/lime/citrus sour. Doesn't really make it for me.

Finish is sort of a coffee sour that, for my taste, is not pleasing.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2011 22:10:11 | More by GRG1313

morimech

Minnesota

3.3/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 2.5

Black color with one finger of head that had good retention. The head settles to a thin cap. Nice amount of spotty lacing is left on the glass.

Smells like a traditional stout. Chocolate, coffee, a little smoke, and the slightest hint of tart fruit.

Flavor does not quite work for me. The tartness seems more like a stout that had an unintended infection. I think what this beer needs to work is a high level of sourness, not the low, subtle type. The flavor has a high level of roasted malt qualities. More subtle hints of chocolate, cinammon, and smoke. The alcohol is very well hidden.

Full bodied and nicely carbonated. Thick and rich.

Overall this beer was a disapointment. It sounded great on paper but either sour stouts do not work, or this was not executed as well as it could of been.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2011 19:48:26 | More by morimech

Onibubba

Kentucky

3.65/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Black pour, dissappointly short lived dark (but not dark enough) mocha head. Not much for lacing or for revitalizing the head with a swirl. Aroma is slight roastiness and chocolate. Taste is a sweet stout. No hops or bitterness, no coffee notes, and sadly, no sourness (This is listed on the bottle as being a "dark sour" by the way). I was hoping this was going to be along the lines of the JP Madrugada Obscura, but it is not.

If this is a blend that includes a touch of La Folie, it really does not assert itself. Mouthfeel was a bit thin, but still quite smooth. No carbonation evident making for easy drinking. Alcohol is well hidden too. All in all, this is a nice stout for those who are looking for something sweeter, but not as chocolatey as a Young's or a Rogue. But if you are expecting any hint of sour at all, you will not find it here.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2011 16:04:44 | More by Onibubba

larryi86

Delaware

4.25/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle poured into a snifter

A- Black with a one fine tan head, nice lacing.

S- Coffee, roasted malts, chocolate, hint of sourness. Nice aroma, wish it was stronger.

T- Dark chocolate, roasted malts up front with a nice sour/tart cherry/fruit finish, hint of coffee through out. I find that this is not that sour, but the sourness it has balances and works well with the stout.

M- Smooth, medium body.

O- I personally find this to be great. I find the sourness to be just right for this beer. Alcohol is very well hidden. I find the it is worth the price and I can't wait to pick up more!

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2011 04:21:46 | More by larryi86

DavidST

Texas

3.45/5  rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 22oz bomber into a tulip.

This pours a black color with a large mocha colored head with good lacing. I smell some booziness to this to begin with, I also get come dark roasted malts and coffee, not a whole lot of sourness. Feel is medium. The taste is a little disappointing, I was really excited to try this one and have been waiting for months since I first heard about it, perhaps my expectations were too high. Anyways, I get the dark roasted malts, maybe some coffee and some nice bitterness, but then there is a noticeable alcohol flavor and the sourness which I was expecting to love is actually not very appealing in this type of beer, it reminds me more of bile than the beautiful sourness of La Folie, maybe the roasted malts don't mix well with the sourness, this is drinkable and okay, but I'm a little disappointed with the taste.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2011 01:49:51 | More by DavidST

pdoran10

Minnesota

3.43/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Lips of Faith Clutch pours a jet black color into a snifter with a finger of tan head that has some staying power and leaves nice lacing.

The smell is earthy chocolate and singed bread with a slight acetone character.

I get a smooth Hershey bar chocolate flavor up front that gives way to some tart cherry flavor. The finish is dry and roasty with sweet bread and the slightly tart cherries lingering. Not really as sour I was expecting based on New Belgium's description.

The mouthfeel on this beer is pretty incredible. Creamy yet dry with moderate to high carbonation.

Overall the flavors in this beer are just a bit of a miss for me. The sour aspect seems like a bit of an afterthought and doesn't add to the beer for me. Still an interesting well made beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2011 00:06:55 | More by pdoran10

Chaney

District of Columbia

4.22/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Welcome to DC New Belgium!

This one is classified on here as an American Stout, but the bottle says "Dark Sour Ale." Perhaps this should be called a "Flanders Stout?"

Also, the bottle says this one is 9%.

A: Burnt crust brown, with a frothy mocha head that made the beer look like a bit vat of espresso. The head had some staying power.

S: Freshly baked toast, chocolate, and coffee. Perhaps the stout classification is correct?

T: Didn't get any sourness... this was a stout through and through. Really nice subtle coffee/cacoa bitterness on the finish which made this somewhat dry, but not too.

M: Despite the ABV, this one didn't feel "Imperial" at all, which was kind of a cool thing. Thick enough, the alcohol was masked extremely well, and the bitter elements were kept in check. Highly drinkable!

O: I think the stout classification was dead on and one would have to have a magnifying glass to detect any sourness on this bad boy. Perhaps that was etched into the bottle as a joke?

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2011 02:54:12 | More by Chaney

UCLABrewN84

California

4.35/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours an opaque black with a 1 inch foamy dark khaki head that settles to a small cap. Nice rings of lace line the glass on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt, chocolate, and a sour cherry funky aroma. Taste is of dark roasted malt, semi-sweet chocolate, slight coffee, sour fruits, and wood. A very mild roasty bitterness on the palate after each sip. A good level of carbonation with a crisp, medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a very good stout with some nice sour notes. A very well made beer. I will probably buy many more of these if I can find some.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2011 02:50:01 | More by UCLABrewN84

drabmuh

Maryland

4.18/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a snifter, beer appears to be a stout of some sort, stouty stout with a black dark body, brown and hazy at the corners with a thin tan head of small bubbles, some lacing, lazy head though low carbonation.

The aroma is sweet with chocolate, a little malt and an odd tartness to it.

This beer is best described as perhaps a Belgian style dark Flanders beer with chocolate malt or something like that. It is sweet and finishes tart, interesting overall and a nice feel to it. The beer is medium in body but it tastes like a blend of a stout and a Flanders beer. It works but it doesn't seem like a cohesive thought to me. I'd have it again though.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2011 19:37:43 | More by drabmuh

FightingEntropy

Minnesota

4.22/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Being a fan of sours, NB is always a good bet and this one doesn't disappoint. Dark brown to black beer with a tan head that falls with a nice lace. Sour note on top of chocolate malt and some dark fruits. Subtle but interesting. Light sourness in the mouth that lingers nicely with taste of dark chocolate and cherries. Sweetness and malt underneath the sour in a fine balance. Well worth the effort to get a bottle.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2011 01:45:55 | More by FightingEntropy

dpnelson1978

Minnesota

3.83/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22 oz. bottle into glass tulip.
45°F

A: Opaque deep brown body topped with a small cream tan head that quickly dissipates leaving a thin bubbly cover and light lacing.

S: Very light sour aroma that comes off as cherries. Sour aromas take a back seat to sweet chocolate and coffee notes.

T: Again very lightly sour up front giving way to a more pronounced chocolate and coffee character throughout and finishing tart. Interesting experience.

M: Light to medium body with heavy carbonation. Slick, but finishes with a carbonic bite and light astringency.

O: Interesting beer, and a good price point. This seems like a great candidate for being enhanced by food. Goes down easy, but the flavors clash a bit too much on their own.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2011 02:21:07 | More by dpnelson1978

sweetwillyrolbar

North Dakota

4.33/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This beer is aaamazing. I love Clutch, but I really don't think it's pivotal to my opinion. I'm not uber into sours, but this beer is the right amount of column A column B for me!!
Pours with a great head, that dissipates significantly, but leaves about a half inch of head. Pours just short of the opacity of your typical porter.
I get cherry, chocolate, touch of coffee and lactic acid in the nose.
Taste is sublime. Love this stuff! All NB sours I've tried are way sour... I admittedly am not a sour buff. This is, to me, the apex example of a mix between sour cherry and mocha, put super-simply. Seems oak aged, but not sure that it is, woody character. I don't know what it means for a 'sour stout' to be balanced but, till further debunked, this is the standard.
Mouthfeel is moderate, not thin but less than syrupy, carbonation is where I want it to be.
This beer was more than I wanted. Clutch, you hypnotize me again. New Belgium, there's hope for us yet.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2011 02:17:48 | More by sweetwillyrolbar

SamN

Colorado

4.2/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Very dark looker, almost stout like. Rich creamy head, pitch black body. Excellent head for a 9.5% beer. Nose had excellent coffe, milk chocolate aromas and roasted barley all tinged with a slighty tart note of underipe raspberries, cherries or other berry fruit. Vinegar, too. Unique smell, quite nice, mercirfully not overpoweringly sour or tart, nicely tinged with a faint sour note but balanced with rich dark malts. Taste is excellent; starts with heavy toasted black malts but almost immediately moves to a tart fruitiness blened with the dark malts. This beer has a unique double taste; on top is the tart sournes but just bubbling underneath are porter like tastes. A most unique brew, easy to drink and admire for it's complexity and contrasting flavors. Mouthfeel is smooth and creamy, medium bodied and silken textured.

Overall, a most unique brew, one best shred with friends and admired for NB ability to keep it's Lips of Faith series pushing the boundaires and defying style categorizations. Another great brew for their LOF lineup.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2011 01:15:45 | More by SamN

UA8

Washington

3.3/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

The appearance is a beautiful opaque dark brown with a nice one finger tan head. A bt darker than expected but a looker none the less.

Scents of dark fruits such as dried dates and cherries waft from the head along wth a touch of dark roasted caramel.

This is where the beer steps on or off the path depending on your taste. It's sold as a sour brown but it is clearly more of a baltic porter with a touch of what I perceive as lactic sourness.

Mouthfeel has moderate viscosity and a nice delicate touch carbonation.

So they sell this as a sour brown but it clearly it doesn't posses the sourness to deserve such billing so it fails in billing. That said it is an interesting take on a baltic porter. I would reccomend folks try this one just don't come lookIng for a sour.

Serving type: on-tap

08-06-2011 23:01:40 | More by UA8

chumba526

Oregon

4.3/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This beer is a sour stout that is composed of 80% New Belgium base beer and 20 % Sour beer. It has 15 IBUs.

The beer appears midnight black with a brown colored head.

It smells strongly of roasted smoky malts, dark chocolate and tart cherries.

It tastes initially of a smooth chocolate like stout. Soon however a tart cherry flavor takes over. There are hints of dark chocolate, coffee, and tart cherries to this beer. For how high it is in alcohol it is very smooth, light and refreshing. This could be a dangerous beer.

The beer has a thin mouthfeel with moderate low carbonation.

Overall a really good a unique sour stout. One of the best beers I have tried from NB. I am really impressed by how easy the beer is to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

08-06-2011 17:21:14 | More by chumba526