Lips Of Faith - Brett Beer - New Belgium Brewing

vkv822

Oregon

2.9/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

22oz : snifter

Clear yellow with a foamy, bubbly white head.

Funky Brett notes predominately, some malty grain.

Bretty funk, light fruity, pineapple notes.

Medium body, low prickly carbonation.

A decent beer, though the flavor just was not very intriguing or exciting.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2012 09:11:05 | More by vkv822

DovaliHops

California

3.65/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Had really high expectations for this one. Pours a slightly hazy, golden straw color with a large white head that disappears at a steady pace. Scent definitely has some Brett to it, although it is not as funky as I was expecting. Although I was hoping it would be tart/sour, I knew it wouldn't be. The aroma is somewhat of a letdown, as it is not even as funky as I was hoping. It has some pleasant tropical fruit and hops to it though. Taste is quite good. Initially, I get some earthy and floral flavors. Tropical fruits...pineapple and melon. Belgian yeast with slight Brett characteristics. Not much funk or barnyard at all...still a tasty beer though. Lovely hoppiness with sweet fruits. Mouthfeel is light bodied with medium carbonation. Somewhat spicy and crisp finish. Drinkability is fairly high. Overall, I know Lost Abbey does some amazing thing with Brett, so I had my expectations way too high. Although this is a good beer, it isn't worthy of the name "Brett Beer".

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2012 07:20:25 | More by DovaliHops

thagr81us

South Carolina

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

Enjoyed this one sitting out by the pool on the 4th in the sun! Served from bottle into an RJ Rockers shaker. Poured a slightly hazy golden yellow with a one finger white head that subsided to a minimal amount fairly slowly. Maintained nice lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, funk, earth, mango, pineapple, and subtle fruit. The flavor was of sweet malt, earthy funk, earth, subtle fruit, mango, and pineapple. Overall this was a decent brew. For those of you out there who believe Brett makes a beer sour or tart, you need to try this one. There is no sour or tart notes present at all in this one. Just a nice earthy funk which is how it should be. However, a little sour/tart might not have hurt this brew too much as the Brett dominated it. The fruit aspects tried to settle it down, but fell a little short if you ask me. Definitely worth trying at least once to judge for yourself.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2012 14:37:52 | More by thagr81us

phishsihq

Colorado

3.1/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Brett Beer pours a hazy, opaque straw color with a slight apricot tint. A thin white head provides a good deal of lace. Strong aromas of pineapple, lemon, and Brettacomyces funk hide a slightly floral hop notes and a grainy maltiness. Tropical fruit flavors again dominate the pallet, followed by a light breadiness, and just a touch of funk in the finish. Brett Beer is medium light in body and has a lower level of carbonation. It seems that some aging would do this beer good.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2012 23:14:10 | More by phishsihq

Halcyondays

California

3.53/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22 oz. bomber,

A: Pours a hazy goldenrod with a medium white head, solid lace.

S: Bretty leathery notes, with some spoiled pineapple and musrooms.

T: Definite tropical notes. Pineapple, passion fruit, but not in a hoppy sense, more of in a yeasty sense. Musty, Bretty undercurrent.

M: Medium-bodied, soft carbonation, silky, musty.

O: An interesting beer at first, but didn't retain my interest until the end of the bomber. Not as tasty as the Lost Abbey counterpart. That being said it's considerably less expensive than the Lost Abbey counterpart (3:1). A solid effort, worth a try if you're into Brett.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2012 18:45:21 | More by Halcyondays

hooliganlife

Missouri

3.55/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

pours a golden yellow, slightly hazy. light white pillow head.

very funky with strong brett notes, subtle tropical fruits.

very brett straight forward, well blended body allowing the brett to really shine. light tropical fruit, some malt in the back. slight booze in the finish.

mild to moderate carbonation. light feel.

it's a brett beer, very straight forward. no frills. good stuff, but 22oz's a bit much after a while.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2012 00:07:35 | More by hooliganlife

zhanson88

California

1.75/5  rDev -47.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Apperance: Pours a light, clear straw color with about 1/4" of white head. Head retention is okay, and carbonation seems to be lacking.

Smell: Mango, pineapple, tartness is almost nonexistent.

Taste: Heavy mango and pineapple sweetness, kind of cloying. Again, tartness is nonexistent.

Mouthfeel/Overall: Mouthfeel is heavy for the style and lacking carbonation. Overall, not impressed with this as a wild. Kind of refreshing in a sweet way, this is an okay beer from that standpoint, but as a wild comes up way short.

Serving type: on-tap

07-01-2012 23:34:18 | More by zhanson88

tewaris

Minnesota

1.75/5  rDev -47.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 1 | feel: 3 | overall: 1

On tap at Happy Gnome.

Hazy golden colored with a moderate head. Aroma is extremely sweet and quite fruity; perhaps excruciatingly sweet. Generic beer notes abound and nothing else really stands out but the fruitiness.

Tastes underattenuated and just plain messy! A slightly phenolic and very cloying finish. Another good example of why one should either stick to normal ingredients or be absolutely sure before putting the product out. Also, add hops.

I don't really mind the mouthfeel but sweetness kills it. A miserable fail of a beer; there are few "craft" beers that I would turn down and choose an adjunct lager instead. This is one of them.

Serving type: on-tap

07-01-2012 22:49:09 | More by tewaris

mvanaskie13

Pennsylvania

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

Picked up a small growler at the Charleston Beer Exchange:

Pourd into a new belgium tulip glass, color is pale straw to gold with a brighter white head, light lacing light carbonation.

Smell is lightly funky, earthy, mild bread. some estery like undertones.

Taste is more straightforward than expected, pilsner malts and breads, light yeast, some mild earthiness (my wife described it as mild brie like flavors). The brett like flavors never really come through as strong as expected, though it fits the description mentioned.

Mouthfeel is stronger on the tongue from some of the estery like profile, not bad, lingering sweetness helps in the this regard.

Overall, not as funky as expected but a more interesting beer than not - glad i picked up a bottle - will let it a age some before tasting again.

Serving type: growler

07-01-2012 21:33:07 | More by mvanaskie13

imasloth

Texas

3.53/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Hazy straw color with generous white head and thick lacing.

S- General Brett scent with perhaps a bit of sweetness. Strong green olives over all.

T- Olives into tart and sweet. As it warms tart comes to front but olives dominate. Some pineapple too.

M- Evident carbonation, medium-body, fairly smooth.

O- Having made a beer with Centennial hops and getting same green olive/pineapple flavor (nobody else gets the olive that I do), it may be this hops I don't like. This beer certainly distinct, but not in ways I'd like it to be.

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2012 21:09:50 | More by imasloth

bsp77

Minnesota

2.48/5  rDev -25.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Serving glass: Poured from bottle into Tulip.

Appearance: Slightly hazy gold with foamy white head and sticky lacing.

Smell: Toasted malt, biscuit, cherry and citrus. No Brett.

Taste: Still no Brett, or maybe just the slightest hint. That might be okay (despite the misleading name), so does the rest of the beer taste good? No, not really. Strong toast and biscuit with a really odd hop flavor (grass, metal, rotten citrus) and some overripe banana. Tastes like a way too boozy Marzen with some Belgian undertones.

Feel: Moderate carbonation, medium body. Off dry finish that really coats the mouth in a bad way.

Overall: Tastes like a headache. I really can't believe that this is what New Belgium and Lost Abbey came up with. Not finishing the bomber. At least it was only like $6.

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2012 19:18:25 | More by bsp77

HuskyinPDX

Washington

2.98/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A - Pours a cloudy light yellow-orange with a one inch fizzy, near-white head that fades down pretty quickly.

S - Lemons, sour wheat, sour mash.

T - Sour wheat, and just plain odd.

D - Decent carbonation and a lighter body.

O - I was really excited to try this one, but I was really let down. I want to grab a Mo Betta' and see how it compares. I hope it's better.

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2012 05:38:37 | More by HuskyinPDX

JohnGalt1

Idaho

3.03/5  rDev -9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Picked this one up tonight at Bier Thirty for $6ish... First place in town that has it on the shelf.

Poured into my slim tulip... 1" white head dies quickly... decent lacing and retention...

The nose begins with thick pale malt.. sorta husky... grassy hops... Late warmth shows some background tart notes.. sweet and some apricot.... VERY little brett notes ...

Flavor is very fruity... white peach and apricot... grassy brett notes are very light.... "yeasty" I don't think so. "Brett", nothing... much more like a BSPA....

Seems like this one was "pushed through" before ANY of the brett notes got a good punch... The yeast did sooo little damage.. Too thick and "IF" the Brett ever does bite, I expect bottle bombs... Way too much residual malt and standard 22's are problem.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2012 05:55:22 | More by JohnGalt1

GregSVT

Texas

2.75/5  rDev -17.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

22oz bottle into a tulip

A: Pours a hazy light yellow with a nice white head that fades to a big ring/small layer and leaves some lacing on the glass.

S: Like someone said below it smells like a belch or like rotting fruit. There is some funk and fruity notes in there if you don't swirl it before smelling. Very odd aroma and not something I'd like to smell too often.

T: The taste is slightly better but still off. The sweet malty notes are good but there is a weird over ripe fruit flavor in there as well. Almost tastes like a banana that has sat for too long. It's a bit interesting but not what I expected.

M: The feel is medium bodied and creamy which is odd as well for a brett beer. I was expecting some dryness and a crisp feel.

O: I figured a brett beer would have a crisp and dry feel. This one was just weird and not exactly what I expected. There are some fruity notes but not enough to overcome whatever is going on here.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2012 04:32:54 | More by GregSVT

PerHops

California

3.38/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A- Looks beautiful. Slightly coloudy golden orange with a thin slightly soapy head.

S- Oofduh. This is funky, but not so much in a barnyard way, but more like the smell of a belch. Gives way to some fruits, if old rotting fruit. Mellows out after a bit.

T- Much sweeter than I expected. This is pretty well balanced, but really underwhelming. Fits into that growing trend of "slightly sour" beers.

M- Great carbonation, great drinkability.

O- It's ok. Throwing one in the cellar and hoping it gets a whole lot more character over time.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2012 03:04:02 | More by PerHops

ahalloin

Virginia

2.7/5  rDev -18.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

On tap a Bier Baron in DC. At first I thought it was the wrong beer delivered to my table because it didnt have the Brett character I was hoping for, but more on that in a bit.

Pours a cloudy light yellow color with decent white head that receded rather quickly to a very thin ring.

The smell seems lacking for a Brett beer. I want more fermentation by-product smell with horse blanket/barnyard type things but I get very little of that. I get some tart wheat and a touch of chamomile smell. Weird. It really reminds me of a wit beer. I also get a touch of DMS, cooked veggies/corn smell.

The taste is a let down too. Tart wheat, tea spices, and some stone fruit qualities. Slight herbal bitter finish. I'm not getting the Brett character I would expect.

Mouthfeel is a bit under carbonated and prett thin.

Overall this was kind of a let down. Weak, if any, Brett character.

Serving type: on-tap

06-28-2012 23:53:18 | More by ahalloin

Dreadnaught33

District of Columbia

2.38/5  rDev -28.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

This beer was a huge disappointment to me. Had on tap at Bier Baron in DC.

The beer pours a nice golden color, not very hazy with just a bit of lacing and a small head. Pretty good overall.

The smell is just non existent. I have to struggle to get even the slightest wisp of Brett at all and after that it smells like a very weak Berliner Weiss in the malt profile, like a sour mash that hardly springs from the glass. Taste is not much better, my beer loving friend and I said it kind of tasted like an adjunct wheat beer like a bad blue moon that doesn't have a lot of carbonation. Like a bad allagash white. Some alcohol flavor is probably the most recognizable taste here. Hardly any Brett, not tart, just a touch of fruit. Feel is fine, under carbonated and thin.

Yikes! We thought we ordered the wrong beer, but it turns out it was the right beer.

Serving type: on-tap

06-28-2012 23:42:25 | More by Dreadnaught33

avalon07

South Carolina

3.55/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Poured from a bottle to a tulip glass. Had a yellow color and a cloudy consistency. There were two inches of foamy, fairly long-lasting head. Very good lacing.

S: A tart, sweet smell of citrus, yeast, and some malt.

T: Tasted of citrus (a bit of pineapple), malt, a good dose of Belgian yeast, and the advertised brett. This is an uneven flavor. It's alternately sweet and horribly acidic - especially in the finish. Unfocused.

M: A good amount of carbonation with a somewhat harsh finish. Medium-bodied.

O: Definitely a mixed bag of a beer. Interesting in some respects, but a little undisciplined in others.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2012 13:03:50 | More by avalon07

pigc

Nebraska

4.1/5  rDev +23.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours a hazy yellow with one finger head that fades quickly. Small bubbles of carbonation rise to the top.

S - Peach, mango, apple. Slight brett presence.

T - Fresh green apples, tart mango and just a bit of the brett funk.

M - Light to medium bodied. Average carbonation.

O - Definitely not a strong brett beer but this is extremely easy to drink on a hot summer day. Very refreshing and saison like. With so many wild ales trying to pack on as much sour as possible this one is a real treat!

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2012 00:45:21 | More by pigc

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

4.08/5  rDev +22.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle poured into a New Belgium globe.
7.5% ABV, mushed numbers on bottom of label.

A - Small floating particles cloud the vibrantly golden beer and are continuously stirred up by a column of carbonation feeding the billowing, dense egg-shell head. Good retention is followed by sticky lace spattered on the glass.

S - Initially this Brett Beer from the Lips of Faith series smells like odd, over-ripe banana, not that far from what an infected hefeweizen would be like. As volatile aromas escape, this changes, quite drastically, to something a little more appealing; citrusy, tropical fruit notes while still carrying some funk. Freshly cut pineapple and juicy mango mix with a dash of citrus and floral hop notes. Pale malt is content residing towards the background, simply providing a base. The nicest part though, is the lemongrass, white pepper, and clay earthy, spicy notes that come through the finish.

T - Pale and pilsner-like sweet malt creates a base for the rest of the beer to play off of nicely. Bold fruitiness akin to the nose brings pineapple and mango while there's quite a bit of lemony citrus too. The funk is fair, not intrusive, and relatively simple in the flavor.

M - The mouthfeel is much like the collaboration, meeting somewhere in the middle of different backgrounds. The malty sweetness is balanced by both moderate dry hops and bitterness but also a lightly tart finish from the brett. Faint alcohol perception, like the brett in the flavor, remains simple, not intrusive.

O - New Belgium and The Lost Abbey's collaboration on the Lips of Faith Brett Beer isn't as out-of-this-world as many of the wilds produced by The Lost Abbey, but Brett Beer remains a very well balanced and drinkable introductory wild; unoffensive and somewhat mainstream while still allowing some subtle nuances of the bacteria to be showcased throughout. A fine drinking beer for some of the hotter summer days while still packing a punch, you might consider sipping this lightly tart and slightly higher ABV beauty at family functions you don't particularly care to be at.

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2012 23:51:04 | More by BeerFMAndy

jimicoop

Minnesota

2.15/5  rDev -35.4%
look: 5 | smell: 1 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Hate to say but I taste a lot of oxidization/cardboard flavor in this beer. It seems to dominate the flavor profile. Definitely a let down. I enjoy brett beers but not this one. Maybe I picked up the wrong bottle? I've participated in 'off flavor' beer presentations at NHC and can remember with clarity EXACTLY what oxidization tastes like. Brett can be excellent but this one is somewhere between oxidization and diacetyl. New Belgium usually kicks ass. Not this time in my opinion. Hope others had a better experience. Not sure if I'd buy this again and give it a second chance.
I actually wound up pouring it down the drain. :(
BOo hiss.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2012 05:43:01 | More by jimicoop

Mora2000

Texas

3.1/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Excited to see a collaboration from two of my favorite breweries.

The beer pours a hazy yellow color with a white head. The aroma is not too exciting. I get a lot of husky grain notes, with a little bit of brett and leather notes hidden in the background. The brett is more prevalent in the flavor. I get some nice leather notes, as well as some toffee and biscuit malt, some grassy and citrusy hops and some grain. I don't get any real sourness, only a hint of frunk from the brett and some leather notes. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation. Not a bad beer by any means, but definitely a beer that didn't live up to expectations.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2012 03:18:16 | More by Mora2000

jjanega08

Minnesota

4.15/5  rDev +24.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

No dating or vintage on this bottle.

A= Pours a light hazy yellow color with a finger of thick foamy head on it that holds great retention and lacing. I was expecting a larger head from the brett but this will do nicely.

S= The smell is definitally funky. It almost has a sort of pie like aroma. There is a bit of biscuity aroma and a little pie like sweetness. It has a little bit of a hoppy aroma to it but not too much. Sort of leaves a little bit of a melony tropical fruit aroma.

T= The taste is a mouth of funk. Tons of bretty funk with a little biscuit flavor to it. There is a nice hoppy bitterness and a sort of pie like flavor again. A little bit of melon and pineapple to it. The finish is very dry and a clean doughy flavor. There's a slight tartness to it as well.

M= Long dry finish and a nice bubble.

O= I usually am a little more weary of brett beers. This is fine example. There is a nice drinkablility that screams summer night. Well worth picking up and drinking.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2012 04:07:51 | More by jjanega08

yamar68

Minnesota

3.05/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 1 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from 22oz bomber to snifter:

Pours a macro pale hazy gold with a short-lived head. Subtle lacing and abundant beading.

So... this smells terrible. Like... wet burlap, vitamins and shitty weed. Really not a good sort of funk whatsoever.

The taste takes a different direction, thank god. No real Brett to speak of but there are some nice, light saison or witbier type characteristics at work. Easy drinking, but far from funky.

Overall, swing and a miss. I'm kinda glad that I have two though, I'm interested to see how the Brett might surface (if at all).

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2012 03:17:53 | More by yamar68

Docer

Washington

3.25/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Appearance: (4.0)

- Nice light colored straw yellow pale beer. Big fingers of fluffy white head settle with bubbly lace all over the glass, and a scattered blanket of messy goof foam. Quite the pretty beer, and yet simple, like a standard 2-row pale with some great yeasts.

Smell: (3.5)

- Very simple bready 2-row malt aroma. Thick oat-like biscuit aroma, and an almost berliner weisse funk to it. Some earthy and grassy notes, but those are very light. Really just a nice funk to what seems to be a simple malt beer.

Taste: (3.0)

- Interesting wheat and malt presence. Slightly sweet grain, corn.. almost like creamed corn. Subtle dry brett flavors, and some earthy spice. Overall kind of interesting. Perhaps some much better brett flavors would shine after some time in the bottle.

Mouth Feel: (4.0)

- Nice creamy medium body, well carbonated. It's a touch dry, and certainly very chewy. The brett does lend it some dry character. Easy on the palate.

Overall: (3.0)

- This just needs the brett to do a little more magic. For now, the beer seems like a 2-row pale malt beer brewed with corn and Belgian yeast. Overall the flavor just isn't there, nor any prominent hop presence. Perhaps after a year, there will be some more funk and brett character. For now, it's not all that.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2012 03:00:29 | More by Docer