Lips Of Faith - Imperial Coffee Chocolate Stout - New Belgium Brewing

ThickNStout

Georgia

3.75/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle from Sprayberry Bottle Shop (Marietta, GA). 8.99. Bottled 11/05/12 (I think, but the code is smeared). Served in a Sweetwater snifter.

Pours near black with a finger and a half muted tan head that fades quickly but leaves large sheets of lace.

Smells of cold coffee, cocoa and roasty malts.

Tastes of bold roasty coffee, chocolate, burnt wood and a healthy kick of booze. The alcohol isn't over bearing but it sure isn't hidden.

Creamy medium feel with moderate carbonation. Long aftertaste of bitter cocoa-laden coffee.

A solid, well brewed imperial coffee chocolate stout. It doesn't really put other familiar/ similar seasonal releases to shame but it is a tasty stout. Being a fan of imperial coffee stouts I'll enjoy a couple more of these while they are around.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 06:14:55 | More by ThickNStout

jimmah120

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +1%

06-17-2013 05:52:41 | More by jimmah120

EgadBananas

Louisiana

4.29/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: black, brown head, finger, lots of lace

Aroma: rich chocolate, but a more coffee forward nose, very roasty and decadent.

Taste: coffee bean bitterness, roast, some charring, milk chocolate, toffee.

Mouthfeel: creamy, full bodied, mild carbonation.

Overall: the coffee notes throughout are absolutely delicious! This will remain a want!

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2013 02:01:50 | More by EgadBananas

fredmugs

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%

06-16-2013 15:41:09 | More by fredmugs

djre4orm

Virginia

4/5  rDev +1%

06-13-2013 19:21:26 | More by djre4orm

admonster00

Illinois

4/5  rDev +1%

06-12-2013 18:26:45 | More by admonster00

savagepm

Colorado

4/5  rDev +1%

06-10-2013 17:06:01 | More by savagepm

Goblinmunkey7

Massachusetts

4.01/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Appearance: Straight up black. Deep rich browns at the edges when held to direct light. Starts with a pillowy, creamy tan head. Drops to no cap and a small smooth collar. Minimal carbonation.

Smell: Roasty. Loaded with chocolate and coffee, as promised. Creamy milk chocolate. Slightly burnt and sweet malts. A coffee-infused candy bar. A bit nutty. Super clean yeast with a tiny hint of herbal hops. Fresh roasted coffee. Smoke and some ash.

Taste: Nice sweet chocolate. Dark, milk, cocoa, and bitter baker's chocolate. Nice balance of coffee. Milky sweetness, but it's heavy on the chocolate and coffee, as expected. Roasted malts. A hint of vanilla. Chocolate cake. A bit of caramel malt sweetness in the back. Slightly burnt with some char on the edges.

Mouthfeel: Silky smooth up front with a slightly acrid and rough finish. Medium body with an average carbonation. A bit like melted chocolate.

Overall: Beer in the morning, beer in the evening, beer at supper time. When beer is in a bottle, you can have beer anytime.

A solid coffee beer. Bitter cocoa makes for good company.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2013 21:52:30 | More by Goblinmunkey7

angrybabboon

Rhode Island

3.86/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Consumed 6/9/13

Cheers to Goblnmunkey7 for sharing this

Appearance: Dark brown, some some light brown around the edges - pours with a big, light brown head - impressive head retention, and leaves some streaks of lacing

Smell: May I say mocha? - a nice amount of roasty coffee - not particularly robust, but there is a nice coffee bean flavor - a nice range of chocolate - some dark chocolate and powdery cocoa - some burnt aromas, burnt grains, some some burnt vegetables

Taste: Follows the aroma with some nice levels of chocolate and coffee - not entirely what I would call imperial, but whatever - loads of cocoa, with some hints of dark chocolate - roasty coffee beans - decent amount of chocolatey sweetness - some earthy notes, with some cooked grains - hints of caramel, and some other malts, but not a ton of depth

Mouthfeel: On the light side of medium, nicely carbonated, drinkable, dry finish

Overall: I suppose I prefer the sour lips

This is a nice offering from New Belgium. It's not the best coffee chocolate stout, but it is pretty tasty, I would be happy to drink this again, but I'd be trading for other Lips of Faith beers before this (e.g., La Folie).

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2013 21:48:34 | More by angrybabboon

BMart

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +1%

06-07-2013 18:58:59 | More by BMart

DeutschesBier

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev -5.3%

06-07-2013 15:23:39 | More by DeutschesBier

jlindros

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Tap at Max's Taphouse in Baltimore.

Nice creamy slightly darker colored creamy fizzy 1/2 head, almost pitch black colored.

Nose is exactly what it promises, some slight earthy coffee with mild to med roast, nice dark cocoa and milk choc, dark malts, nice vanilla tones, little caramel candy,

Taste very coffee, strong roasted fresh coffee, not too heavy and very little roast, nice dark choc and creamy cocoa, light creamy choc milk, little caramel candy, fluffy airy, then into nice vanilla flavor. Bitterness kicks in with a hint of roasted malt and some slight earthy spicy hops. It turns to an almost straight cocoa bean character. Light warming but clean booze flavor, and mild sweetness. Finish lingers with a long fresh roasted coffee grinds and coffee bean flavor, little dark choc and vanilla lingering, light booze warmth.

Mouth is med to fuller bod, mild warming booze, nice carb.

Overall quite a nice beer, on the high end for NB special beers.

Serving type: on-tap

06-05-2013 03:19:12 | More by jlindros

SerialHiker

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a very dark brown…head is a light mocha color, thick and airy looking foam…thins to a pinky finger thickness…a solid looking stout…(4.5/5)

Smell: Tons of dry chocolate, I could smell this beer as soon as I popped the cap…some creamy milkiness, roasted malts, roasted coffee bitterness and oatmeal follow…this is a dessert beer for sure, it has a lush chocolate cake meets creamy latte aroma that is mouthwatering…coffee bitterness isn’t overly strong, very much blended into the entire chocolaty package…seems any real hop appearance has faded, leaving a very inviting malty explosion…(4.25/5)

Taste: Very much like the nose…roasted malts, roasted coffee (espresso) bitterness, chocolate and oatmeal up front and strong…there’s a doughy quality that lends itself to the overall chocolate cake taste…it’s also got a noticeable creaminess that keeps the robust maltiness somewhat contained…there’s an earthy, molassas sweetness to it and a slight booziness comes as it warms…little sign of hops bitterness…a very tasty brew that borderlines on almost too much chocolaty flavor…(4/5)

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body, it feels light for an imperial stout…it does fluff up nicely though, bringing roasted malt, espresso bitterness and milk chocolate to the palate…carbonation could be a bit more, but it’s nice…it’s light, smooth and mildly chewy…it finishes fairly crisply for an imperial stout, a chocolaty/roasted coffee malt flavor lingers well into the after taste…(4/5)

Overall: This is a tasty brew…the roasted malts, chocolate and coffee flavors are blended fantastically bringing a liquid dessert to the palate…my one complaint is that it’s maybe too flavored…the roasted malts are very well done and seem to sustain well on their own, only to sometimes be drowned out by all that chocolate…as it warms, it seems to thin out a bit more than I would like from a stout, leaving wanting a slightly more robust imperial stout…anyway, what I have here is good, very drinkable and easy to recommend…the Lips of Faith series is supposed to contain some fantastic brews and this leaves me wanting more from New Belgium…I picked this brew up in the winter and had it stashed away in my closet for a rainy day…I’m glad I pulled it out tonight, it’s gonna be a great brew to watch this Game 7…(4/5)

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2013 01:02:45 | More by SerialHiker

Rihup

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +13.6%

06-02-2013 02:27:56 | More by Rihup

EyePeeAyBryan

Arizona

4/5  rDev +1%

05-31-2013 20:38:33 | More by EyePeeAyBryan

woodchip

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev -5.3%

05-30-2013 01:07:59 | More by woodchip

metter98

New York

3.95/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

On-tap at Thirsty Monk, Asheville, NC

A: The beer is jet black in color. It poured with a half finger high tan head that consistently left a short head covering the surface.
S: Moderate aromas of roasted coffee beans are present in the nose.
T: The taste has flavors of coffee beans along with hints of dark chocolate.
M: It feels light- to medium-bodied and somewhat smooth on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is very easy to drink and has nice aromas and flavors but seems a little light and thin for an "Imperial" beer.

Serving type: on-tap

05-29-2013 12:40:10 | More by metter98

smithj4

New York

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%

05-29-2013 00:38:56 | More by smithj4

dcloeren

Texas

4/5  rDev +1%

05-27-2013 22:53:29 | More by dcloeren

Texsuds

Texas

3.75/5  rDev -5.3%

05-26-2013 21:48:36 | More by Texsuds

Hoozierdaddy

Illinois

3.25/5  rDev -17.9%

05-24-2013 05:17:55 | More by Hoozierdaddy

anteater

Oregon

3.5/5  rDev -11.6%

05-24-2013 02:28:54 | More by anteater

csfcmitchell

Texas

4/5  rDev +1%

05-23-2013 15:57:10 | More by csfcmitchell

beergorrilla

Michigan

4/5  rDev +1%

05-23-2013 05:33:30 | More by beergorrilla

dfillius

Michigan

4/5  rDev +1%

05-23-2013 01:02:52 | More by dfillius