Lips Of Faith - Fresh Hop India Pale Ale - New Belgium Brewing

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.85/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22 ounce bottle - Hop City in Atlanta, Georgia.

Appearance: Pours out a crystal clear, copper-hued body with a tall, lewdly growing, white head.

Smell: Zestful herbs flecked with lemon and tangerine peelings overlaying light, lesser pale malts, vaguely bready. The hops have that surmised raw, green quality about them.

Taste: A modest base of pale malts with a light, short-lived sweetness prior to the "green" hop character rounded by citrus tastes, lemon, yes, but most notably tangerine (without being too aspirin-tinged) from the amarillo hops. Bitterness remains moderate. Dry, citrusy, lightly pithy finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light body. Medium carbonation.

Overall: A good, fresh-feeling wet/fresh hop ale.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2012 21:12:09 | More by ChainGangGuy

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.28/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

New Belgium Lips of Faith Fresh Hop IPA. Freshly tapped, and doing very well, terribly popular. I was slightly late on this one, and when I finally got a hold of good ol' Joe about the final LoF brews of the year, and their availability, he admitted that it was a bit late for a fresh hop ale, and they'd be happy to see them out the door. Yes, it's not October anymore, but it's tasting great, and has held up well over the months, since it was "fresh". This won't last long, so I'm getting right to the notes, here we go...

Clear, bright red coloring, huge head, a snow drift of foam....looks fantastic.

Aromatics, full of lemon and orange zest, prickly pine, and all things hoppy. Floral, bitter, beautiful.

Taste: Hits the palate with bitter hops, glides all over the tongue, but never too harsh, never too hard. Fades a bit, but clings lightly along. Roars back with each new sip and swallow, never-ending bitter blast that hangs long on the palate. Yum.

Light to medium body. Tasty as heck, damned good stuff. This is a definite hit for the hop-heads in the house. I'm hoping they continue with this one. Clearly, they know how to do it, let's keep it up, NB!

Serving type: on-tap

01-14-2012 08:34:27 | More by feloniousmonk

drabmuh

Maryland

4/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a New Belgium globe glass because I can. Beer is orange, mostly clear, big white head, small bubbles, lots of lacing, looks good.

Aroma is sweet, piny, earthy hops, smells good.

I don't know why people say this is like cat piss. I hate cats, both of the ones that live in my house conspire to kill me in my sleep and I've experienced way more than I ever wanted in the field of cat urine, this beer? Not even close, thin backbone, light on the malts, big piny hop presence, mild fruits good finish, mild or moderate bitterness not dry, I'd have this again.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2011 02:08:09 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

4/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to thirdeye11 for sharing this bottle. (This is reviewed from notes, it was drank fresh).

The beer pours a yellow color with a white head. The aroma is full of pine and orange notes from the hops, as well as a hint of biscuit malt. The aroma is very fresh smelling. The flavor is full of big, resinous and sticky pine notes, with a little bit of orange citrus. There is also some bread from the malt and a low amount of bitterness. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2012 03:50:01 | More by Mora2000

zeff80

Missouri

3.9/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Poured out a clear, highly carbonated, golden orange color with a two-finger, head of fluffy, white foam. It left some thin trails of lace on the glass.

S - It smelled of pine and floral notes.

T - It had a spicy, herbal taste with a burnt toast maltiness. Some sweet caramel and toffee notes, too.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A medium bodied ale with a dry, clean finish.

O - This is a really nice IPA. I liked the herbal, floral presence.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2012 04:13:29 | More by zeff80

MasterSki

Illinois

3.8/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked this up at Binny's, as I didn't see it at West Lakeview. Served in a Bell's tulip.

A - Two fingers of creamy white foam settle to a thin cap, leaving behind plenty of splotchy lacework. Transparent golden body.

S - It's definitely got that slightly earthy herbal aroma that exposes it as a wet hop beer - most IPAs using Centennial, Cascade, and Amarillo don't really have this sort of dankness to them. Beyond that there's a hefty dose of lemon and grapefruit citrus, and a surprisingly hefty sugar cookie and biscuit malt backbone. The malt aroma is vaguely reminiscent of Fat Tire, although nowhere as saccharine. Perhaps a touch understated.

T - Taste is more malt-forward mid-palate with the hops showing up later, imparting a lemon and grapefruit bitterness that lingers well into the finish. Again, this is a very balanced IPA, with plenty of sugar cookie and icing malt flavors present. I could have gone for more hop flavor early - it would have made the bitterness level seem more appropriate.

M - Smooth, medium body, with a medium-high carbonation level that is initially a bit harsh but settles down quickly. Dry finish, with plenty of resinous hop oils lingering on the palate. No alcohol presence.

D - It's one of the best fresh hop IPAs I've had this year, although the competition was somewhat underwhelming. I understand the conceptual appeal of using hops straight of the vine, but I seem to like the taste of dried hops, pellets, or extract more for some reason. In any case, easy to drink but not particularly memorable.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2011 15:00:40 | More by MasterSki

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.03/5  rDev 0%
look: 5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This showed fairly late in the year as far as fresh hop beers go

Pours a effervescent & bright honey/bronze color with 3 fingers of pearl colored head. Insane head retention & lacing

S: Some pineyness & even fainter grassyness, the only real let-down of this beer

T: Piney, grassy with a a touch breadyness & some orange peel up front. Lemony hops & pineyness are the focus as this warms, a touch of pear fruittyness sneaks in with the biscuitty malt & grapefruit notes. Finishes with much grapefruit & pine, plus caramel

MF: Medium bodied with firm carbonation that tuns creamy as this warms; good balance

Easily the best straight up IPA, although do dig Belgo quite a bit, Not the best fresh hop ale, but way better than the majority I've had this year. Drank very easy; nice suprise from these guys based on Ranger & the Mighty Arrow

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2011 02:39:19 | More by russpowell

emerge077

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bright saturated orange color, jewel tone clarity. Sticky, fluffy lace that camps out for awhile then sticks to the glass quite a bit. Lasting retention, skim never breaks on the surface.

Funky, pungent blast of fresh hops, resiny and almost cheesy in intensity. The initial onslaught tapers off, leaving some woody vine and herbaceous greenery. Some citrus and fruity sweetness in the nose, but more comes out in the taste.

Lush and tropical flavors hit first, mango and papaya, grapefruit peel, light breadiness in the aftertaste, leftover pale malt nestled under the wet hop smorgasbord. Moderate residual bitterness, upfront it's a bit sweeter and fruity with leafy greens lurking underneath.

Smooth, nectar-like feel, about perfect for a wet hopped IPA to me. Going to get more of this harvest latecomer before the season is over.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2011 00:28:12 | More by emerge077

Halcyondays

California

4.1/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz. bomber,

A: Pours a medium amber with a solid white head, nice lace.

S: Melon, very green, grass. Fragrant hoppy nose.

T: Sweet crystal type malt backed with a lot of floral hops, some bitter melon and grapefruit.

M: Medium-bodied, resiny yet clean at the finish. Soft carbonation.

O: A good wet hop beer. It would have been interesting to see it really fresh, but I liked it here.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2011 05:06:35 | More by Halcyondays

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer looks nice and the nose is very good as well (at first). It seems to strike as too salty and one dimensional at first, but seems to mellow out as time goes on. Or maybe I am too buzzed to really be able to tell the difference. Overall, it's not too shabby. I have to wonder how good fresh hopped ales can really be on a mass production level. All of the ones that really blew me away were small times producers and all of the larger breweries can't produce quite the same. Anyways. This is a pretty good fresh hopped ipa. I definitely wouldn't mind going and getting a few more to enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2012 05:25:58 | More by RblWthACoz

barleywinefiend

Washington

4/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a clear amber with a big white head, awesome amount of bubbles and lacing with pretty solid head retention

S: A nice nose consisting of fresh citrus, pione needles and a flower bouquet. Smells very nice and fresh

T: Smooth a nice bitterness to it, piney, earthy, toasted malt and biscuity note underneath.
The finish has a light bit of slickness to it with a citrus meets pine finish

M: Light to medium bodied, well carbonated. Makes the mouth/palate happy

O: Bang for your buck here! Good fresh hop IPA.

Serving type: on-tap

10-30-2012 17:09:55 | More by barleywinefiend

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4.23/5  rDev +5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

(Served in a tulip glass)

A- The crystal clear body of deep orange has a slow swirling carbonation that supports a sticky thick beige head that last and last.

S- The amazing full green juicy hop aroma is floral with green pineapple, green cinnamon and spice qualities blended together. There is a nice caramel malt sweetness underneath for support.

T- the green bright pungent hops have a pine resin flavor that grows as the beer opens and a sight soapy flavor aswell. The sweet malt is present but stays underneath the hop flavors. The finish has a pungent bitterness that coats the throat after each sip.

M- The medium-light mouthfeel has a soft spicy fizz to it with a bit of alcohol heat in the finish.

O- This beer has a great aroma with lots of depth and a full hop flavor but not quite the complexity of the nose. The pungent bitterness tends to dominate more than the other hop flavors, but it still has nice flavor.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2012 18:27:37 | More by rhoadsrage

Jason

Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz brown bomber, no freshness date.

LOOK: Massive head, very sticky ... brilliant golden color.

SMELL: Hop resin, hemp, orange oil, citric pith, leafy, spice, alcohol, grapefruit, toasted grain, ripe fruit

TASTE: Very smooth, creamy, bitty, hop oil, leafy, tree bark, resin, orange peel, grapefruit rind, tangerine juice, yeast, faint breadiness, alcohol, vegtal, slightly bitter dry-ish finish

A great showcasing of fresh hops in a slightly bigger beer, a bit of a hop takeover but it did not take away from being quaffable. A great example if you are new to the whole "fresh hop" sub-style. Definitely wish I had more than one bomber.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2011 03:32:29 | More by Jason

mdfb79

New York

4.05/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

From 12/10/11 notes. Purchased for $7.99 at Schneider's in DC. Poured from a 22 oz. bottle into my Bell's tulip.

a - Pours a somewhat hazy bright yellow orange color with one finger of fluffy white head and moderate carbonation evident. head lasts for about two minutes and leaves a ton of lacing on the glass.

s - Smells of super fresh citrus hops, grapefruit, oranges, pine hops, fruity malts, and light tropical fruits. Loads of oranges and citrus hops, I thought it had a really great, fresh nose.

t - Tastes of oranges, lemons, citrus hops, grapefruit, fruity malts, and pine hops. Light bitter bite but not too much at all. Very good, but not as great as the nose.

m - Medium body and low to moderate carbonation. The slightest bitter bite. Would have liked a little bit more carbonation.

o - Overall I thought this weas a really nice IPA. I thought the nose was fantastic, and had a ton of oranges and citrus hops; smelled very fresh. Would have liked a tiny bit more carbonation but something I'd certainly order again.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2011 15:48:03 | More by mdfb79

Zorro

California

3.63/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Clear amber colored beer with a tall white head. This beer falls in the color spectrum I call IPA Orange.

Smell is full of strong C type hops. Strong pine and grapefruit with some cinnamon in there. Cedar wood and a little hay scent. Faint pineapple smell.

Starts out neutral in sweetness with a mild green grass flavor. Taste is nothing like the smell, woody and grassy with a solid bitter finish. Flavor is a little light to me.

Mouthfeel is OK.

Overall just an average beer. New Belgium is one of those breweries that tend to just hit home runs or base hits. This one is more of a walk.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2011 03:02:26 | More by Zorro

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

4.1/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours out equal parts orange and amber, nice 1" head to it, mostly white. Good aroma, definitely a good yield and combination of Cascade, Simcoe and Amarillo working nicely together here, especially if you're partial to the green pine needle hop aroma. Smells like fresh hops and CO to me!

Taste, impressive as well, pine and citrus hop mouthfeel, bitterness held in abeyance thankfully. The bitterness and wet wood flavors so prominent in batches of Ranger the last two years does not exist in this beer. Its bright, light and hoppy. Malt is only there to absorb a little heat, doesn't overshadow the hops. I was pretty impressed that this was so good still in the middle of December.

Put this bottle down during the 1st half of Marquette's drubbing of Green Bay on Saturday night. 9-0 baby!

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2011 18:14:32 | More by Beerandraiderfan

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Max's

The beer pours a golden amber color with good head retention and lacing. The nose is surprisingly impressive and perfumy, with light wet tobacco, rose petals and orange citrus. The flavor profile replicates the nose in this well crafted IPA, and I appreciate the dry, bitter finish in this beer. Mouthfeel is light to medium bodied, and the beer has a mouthwatering quality that is very appealing. Alcohol is barely noticeable, and seems to blend in well with the long, bitter finish.

This is a very nice IPA, and I was impressed by the fact that there's nothing about it that reminds me of fat tire (unlike the ranger IPA). Quite good, and a beer I would definitely order again.

Serving type: on-tap

12-09-2011 21:29:29 | More by johnmichaelsen

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had purchased this bottle during my last trip to D.C. to visit my aunt and uncle and it has been sitting in my reefer, patiently awaiting my attention. Here we go on New Year's Eve!

From the bottle: "Fresh pickings for some lip lickings. This beauty of an ale boasts a fresh crop of Cascade, Centennial, and Amarillo hops. We're talking from vine to brew within 24 hours fresh, citrusy, soft fruit tones."

My initial pour netted two pillowy, rocky fingers of tawny head that I had to allow to settle before I could proceed. The lacing that remained in its wake was fantastic! Color was a slightly hazy golden-yellow. Nose had pine, grapefruit and caramel, all intermingling in a very pleasant way. Mouthfeel was rather soft where I had braced myself for abrasive hops. Speaking of hops, that was the prevalent flavor on the tongue. It was very grapefruit-citrusy initially, but it also had a cool wintergreen/evergreen mintiness. Finish was semi-dry with the hops still living large but giving the caramel malt a chance to join the party. I won't tell you what I paid, but the value was insane! Man, I could drink some more of this.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 01:36:46 | More by woodychandler

mactrail

California

3.95/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Great showcase for hop aromatics though I'm no expert on what variety is which. Beautiful orange-amber color in the tulip with long lasting lacing. Rich mouthful with terrific hoppy flavors that stop short of too much bitterness. Biscuit flavor, lots of malt. Sharp with a quick flash of bitterness, followed by the sweetness. Great floral aroma. Thin body but lingering flavors.

On tap at Root Down in Denver. One of the better IPAs I've had, and I love the hoppy nose.

Serving type: on-tap

12-16-2011 02:27:33 | More by mactrail

JohnGalt1

Idaho

3.43/5  rDev -14.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

22 picked up last night at the COOP... Poured into my Delerium goblet.. foamy 1" head... nice lacing and retention.. the brew is pale orange.. very pretty.

Nose shows citrus and big grassy hoppiness... a bit of fruity hops.. amarillo?

Flavor is odd... big bitter that moves immediately into the fruity hops.. the citrus is there, but in the background.. pale malts come swinging.. and there is something that I can't put my palate on.... a bit of vegetal note.. herby....

Body and carbonation are fine... but I don't really dig the fresh hop "IPA" notes... things just don't jive.. the grassy hops and citrus clash a bit.. with warmth, there is even some pine that makes it even harder to appreciate...

This is an okay brew.. but it never... NEVER .. gels at all.. decent malt and hops... fresh or otherwise.. but the beer only is okay.

4/3.5/3.5/3.5/3

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2011 08:16:18 | More by JohnGalt1

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

3.65/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle shared by jayhawk73. Thanks Jeff.

The beer appears transparent and golden hued. A thick white cap rests atop the beer, leaving some decent lacing on the tulip. The aroma brings some pleasant hop aromas, subtle earthiness, light pine. Good flavor. Hop forward and pretty fresh. Easy to drink. The finish offers a light yet lasting bitterness. Carbonation level is a bit low. I would like the aroma and flavor to be bolder and more aggressive. This one has potential, but lacks that in your face quality that makes fresh hop brews so delectable. Overall, pretty good.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2011 23:09:34 | More by Huhzubendah

avalon07

South Carolina

4.33/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Had a golden yellow color and a clear consistency. There was a big, creamy, long-lasting head. Excellent lacing.

S: A very hoppy aroma - almost smelled more like a DIPA than a regular IPA - with some citrus as well.

T: This is a pretty hoppy beer - not that it's a bad thing. This goes along with a good amount of citrus (grapefruit), and a hint of malt. Not a groundbreaking flavor, but extremely likeable.

M: A well-carbonated beer with a bitter, somewhat slick finish. Medium-bodied.

O: This is a solidly made, easy to drink IPA. Very smooth.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2011 14:38:21 | More by avalon07

dirtylou

Washington

4.05/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22oz bomber, ballard mkt

appearance: cool bottle design - served in a 42nd street oyster bar shaker pint, very clear oily orange body, frothy white head

smell: clean fresh hop nose, orange and tangerine, hop oil

taste: lots of oily hops, pine resin, tangerine, grapefruit, orange, toasted bready malts. A nice late-season fresh hop from new belgium - give it a go

mouthfeel: clean and fresh, bitter oily hop presence

overall: good

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2011 22:31:37 | More by dirtylou

beertunes

Washington

3.45/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Another courtesy of BA nomasnomore. 22oz bottle poured into bubble pint glass. Poured a nice medium gold color with just under an inch of white head that had very good retention and lacing.

There was a very nice hop aroma, mostly pine with some citrus notes. There wasn't much, if any, malt noticeable in the nose. On the tongue, a bit more malt showed through to give a nice backbone for the tangy hops. This was a very nice tasting IPA.

The body was average for the style, nowhere near full, but not light either. Drinkability was very good, I could probably have a couple of these. Overall, a very nice little brew, certainly worth trying when you see it.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2012 21:09:36 | More by beertunes

kylehay2004

Florida

4.1/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

A: single finger head, decent retention and nice lacing on a clear golden with a slight crimson hue body.

S: very crisp mildly musty pine and light citrus hop aroma with herbal notes.

T: the fresh hops are obvious, a little watery but expected. Mostly pine, grassy and earthy.

M: medium body and moderate carbonation.

Overall: A very smooth easy to drink IPA. Fairly typical fresh hop IPA.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2012 06:33:16 | More by kylehay2004