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

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.59/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Expectations were high, unrealistically, on this LOF series beer owing to the high score. Big coffee, cold coffee taste, with a little chocolate in the aftertaste. Aroma only coffee.Dark body with lots of cream head. I would like more of the chocolate. Thanks Josh.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2013 14:21:39 | More by northyorksammy

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.8/5  rDev -4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

16 ounce pint - $6.75 at Taco Mac in Kennesaw, Georgia.

Appearance: Dispensed a very dark brown body, I think. I mean, they've got some dim-lighting in here tonight, allowing the Christmas lights to light the joint. Oh, topped with a finger of dusky, beige suds.

Smell: You've got your notes of roasted malt, chocolate, and coffee -- yep, it's a coffee-chocolate stout, alright.

Taste: An expected start of roasty grains, dark chocolate, bold coffee, and even some dark caramel. Then, the chocolate and coffee flavors exponentiate. Scant perceived fruitiness. A little acidity. Some bitterness, not much, and some alcohol warmth presenting itself. Roasty, choco-coffee finish with some more alcoholic heat.

Mouthfeel: Medium-plus body. Medium carbonation. It's lightly velvety.

Overall: It's pleasant enough, though not overly complex; it never strays beyond the implied "coffee" and "chocolate" in its moniker.

Serving type: on-tap

12-25-2012 16:01:09 | More by ChainGangGuy

UCLABrewN84

California

3.98/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4

Bottle pour for New Brew Thursday's 3rd Anniversary event held at Beachwood BBQ & Brewing in Long Beach, CA.

Pours an opaque black with a foamy dark khaki head that settles to a small cap on top of the beer. Foamy rings of lace line the glass on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt, cocoa, and coffee aromas. Taste is much the same with a coffee flavor on the finish. There is a mild amount of roasty bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer that is tasty and easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 01:13:07 | More by UCLABrewN84

oberon

North Carolina

3.9/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours jet black with no light getting thru,a one finger beige head atop that lasted for quite awhile.Aromas mainly constited of mocha chocolate and sweet molasses,faint earthiness as it warms.Flavors start out on the sweeter side with chocolate,molasses,and some sweet alcohol,there is a decent enough earthy/roasty finish to keep the sweetness somewhat in check.Not a bad beer but there are better alternatives of the style out there.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 22:04:04 | More by oberon

TMoney2591

Illinois

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

Served in a Lagunitas mason jar.

A better companion to a piece of chocolate-frosted yellow cake? Perhaps, but not many. This stuff pours a deep, dark black-brown topped by a finger of sandstone foam. The nose comprises thick coffee, roasted malts, and a hint of dark chocolate powder, though this is clearly subservient to the almighty coffee bean. The taste follows this pattern, but the tyranny is not quite as iron-gripped, the chocolate allowed to propagate certain areas like post-Edict-of-Nantes Huguenots (luckily, no meddling from some self-aggrandizing grandson of the king overturns the gains here). Things flow to a strong finish of chocolate ice cream (the expensive kind, plebs). The body is a straight medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a thickly fluid feel. Overall, a tasty stout, one that delivers pretty much exactly what it promises.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 01:57:45 | More by TMoney2591

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.03/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Solid stygian blackness, beneath a gorgeous deep tan head, long lasting, creamy and luscious.

Aroma: chocolate first on the nose, sweetness aplenty, rich and lovely. Mocha delight. The glaze on a scrumptious chocolate donut. Coffee hasn't revealed itself yet. Very pleasing, nonetheless.

Taste: In the mouth, cocoa sensations resonate, with coffee notes rising up to greet them. This is delectable. Now we're dunking that chocolate-dripped cruller into our morning cup joe. Getting the best of all worlds. It's the most intense, the richest, the fullest, or the deepest, but it's tasty and drinkable, beside the high ABV. Fullish body, long, but not overly intense finish.

Alcohol isn't showing just yet, and, as noted before, there's not trace of "imperial stout" flavors, like dark fruits, char, dark rum, molasses, etc. Just chocolate, with coffee beans peeking in at the sides.

Someone asked me if this was a "Belgian-style" stout, and I replied, no, just regular, plus coffee, plus chocolate, plus imperial. But through their name and their past brews, people expect everything NBB makes to have a Belgian bent of some sort. Personally, I'd like to see more of this, especially now that they've embraced their hoppy nature, or formed one, or something.

No, this is not barrel-aged, or vanilla bean infused or whatever other gimmick we need to use these days. It's just a darned good beer. Really nice, and very flavorful.
What's wrong with that, I'd like to know, so here I go…again…
...

Serving type: on-tap

04-27-2013 08:04:55 | More by feloniousmonk

drabmuh

Maryland

4.15/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Beer served in a New Belgium globe glass, great glass, pretty good beer. Beer is black with a two finger head of small bubbles, tan, nice retention, some lacing, low carbonation.

Aroma is chocolate and coffee, nice a little sweet, smells like milk chocolate.

Beer is medium in body, sweet, chocolate, nice coffee roast bitterness at the back end, very nice beer. I'd have ti again.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 16:44:30 | More by drabmuh

zeff80

Missouri

3.88/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Poured out a jet-black color with a one-finger, light brown head of bubbly foam. It left thin rings of lace on the glass.

S - It smelled of coffee and chocolate. Some light caramel notes.

T - It tasted very roasty with espresso and dark chocolate flavors. A touch of molasses and piney bitterness.

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

O - This is a pretty good coffee stout. Another fine Lips of Faith series brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 01:20:20 | More by zeff80

russpowell

Oklahoma

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

Pours effervescent ebony with 2 fingers of cocoa colored head. Crazy lacing & average head retention

S: Coffee grinds

T: Follows the nose, plus cocoa up front, a touch of spiceyness. As this warms a fair amount of mocha comes in to play, plus some charred grain, just a bit of booze kick. Finishes dry with much coffee grounds

MF: Fairly creamy carbonation with medium bodied, thins out a touch as this warms

A nice coffee stout, not great by any means, glad I got to try it

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 03:56:36 | More by russpowell

Halcyondays

California

4.14/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

On-tap at Beachwood I,

A: Pours black with a medium dark tan head, some thick lace is left as the beer is drunk.

S: Heavy on the creamed coffee, fragrant, pleasing.

T: This beer has 2 distinct phases to it. Upfront it's all floral coffee an in-your-face with that flavour. In the finish it smooths out to a glorius dark chocolate flavour heavily reminiscent of brownies, very tasty.

M: Medium to full-bodied, rich, creamy and smooth.

O: A very good imperial stout. Nothing mind-blowing just a good adjunct heavy American stout.

Serving type: on-tap

02-03-2013 21:19:10 | More by Halcyondays

emerge077

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Black bodied, just a ton of sticky tan foam that coats the glass in delicate patterns. Lasting surface coverage and residual spotty lacing after each sip.

Smells like a great cup of coffee. Earthy roast, toasted bread, oats, light chocolate, it has a nice depth to it.

Roasty black malt and bitter coffee flavors, mellow and harmonious, light dry dark chocolate in the background. Light bodied, more like a coffee stout or porter in body rather than an imperial version, but imperial is just a word anyway. Very smooth and mellow in feel, supple and quite drinkable. Never harsh or astringent like instant coffee. Overall a great coffee stout, with a suprisingly hidden 9% abv.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2012 01:56:46 | More by emerge077

barleywinefiend

Washington

3.6/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Poured black with good carbonation lpresenting a nice brown cap, bubbles, lacing and moderate head retention leabes some light lacing and bubbles after a few sips

S: Immediate Folgers like coffee inspiration with a healthy dose of pure dark and milk chocolate

T: Black coffee taste upfront which tends to really hang around start to finish. The blend of rich cocoa and dark cocoa play a backseat to the coffee but not over[powered and appear almost as instant as the coffee. Both chocolate and coffee persists start to finish with a bitterness and roastiness to boot. Finish is long, dry and subtley sweet

M: Hefty body, well carbonated, not really creamy but more so astringent.

O: Not bad but probably wont go back to it unless its Nitro'd

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2012 16:13:52 | More by barleywinefiend

rhoadsrage

Illinois

3.7/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

(Served in a globe glass)
A- This beer pours a jet black body with a sticky tan head of cream and a microcarbonation wall that glides up the sides of the glass

S- The full aroma of cold coffee grounds is fresh with an earthy black malt blend in the finish and some nice dark chocolate notes grow as the beer opens

T- The flavor of iced coffee finishes with a cold coffee grounds flavor and some mellow chocolate notes that turn into chocolate milk the more the beer warms. There is a coffee ground flavor that lingers in the after taste.

M- This beer has a medium-full mouthfeel with a thick texture on the finish. There is no alcohol heat noticed.

O- This beer has some good coffee ground flavors but they are still coffee grounds and some good chocolate flavor, not tootsie roll or nougat, but it starts to taste a bit like quick. And the Imperial Stout is buried underneath all of those flavors.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 21:16:55 | More by rhoadsrage

Zorro

California

4.03/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Light proof black colored beer with a tall brown colored head. This on is very dark.

Smell is strongly of chocolate and espresso with a strong toasted grain aroma. Not super complex but the scent screams chocolate and coffee.

Starts out sweet with a strong chocolate flavor. Coffee is strong and tasty. Little bit of of Kahlua taste to it. Again not complex but it nails the expected flavors perfectly.

Mouthfeel is good.

A very competent coffee and chocolate beer. Sure it could be more complex but it nails the taste of chocolate and coffee.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2012 01:23:53 | More by Zorro

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

4.04/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Pours out mostly black and dark brown, nice beige head on it, .88" in depth, good lacing, retention. Yummy aroma, hits both the chocolate and coffee aspect in the right amount, not huge, not boozy, just a solid mild coffee presence and dark chocolate.

Taste, again, hits with a substantial dose of chocolate, coffee to a lesser degree. Definitely leads with its dark chocolate foot forward, not a coffee bomb, but not a pushover either. Avoids a bitter coffee presence, probably from the smoothness of a substantial malt body and dark chocolate of the less bitter nature. Even though the chocolate is the most prominent aspect flavor wise, this beer never came off as sweet. Alcohol engrained nicely, hidden, not boozy. Pretty easy drinking stuff at 9%abv. The malt body never feels heavy either. At only $6 a bomber, this is a pretty solid option. I should have grabbed one more to age.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2013 23:16:28 | More by Beerandraiderfan

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

3.95/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Beermongers the other day.

The beer pours the expected blackish brown color with good head retention and decent lacing. On the nose, to no great surprise, is a huge aroma of coffee. There's some roasty malt and a hint of vanilla and chocolate as well, but the coffee really dominates in this beer. The flavor profile replicates the nose, but this beer was bit lighter and thinner on the palate than I expected. Mouthfeel is medium bodied at most, with a fairly long, fairly smooth, coffee flavored finish. Alcohol is well integrated into the flavor profile, and there's certainly no heat or burn on the finish.

An OK beer, but frankly, I was expecting a bit more from it.

Serving type: on-tap

11-20-2012 16:47:41 | More by johnmichaelsen

kojevergas

California

3.23/5  rDev -18.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

1 pint 6 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap acquired at a local beer store and served into a New Belgium stem-goblet in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are above average given the brewery and style. 9% ABV confirmed.

Served after a twenty minute warming period following its removal from the fridge. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a 2.5 finger mocha-khaki head of lovely cream lacing, great thickness, and very good retention for the high ABV. Body colour is a dark solid black. Nontransparent/opaque. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Looks about right for the style, though I prefer the head colour to be much darker. There's nothing unique or special about it.

Sm: Uh-oh. A mess of slightly stale coffee, overdone caramel, middling roast, and artificial cocoa. The coffee is dominant. A strong aroma, but not a great one. Still, it's bold and evocative - and I appreciate that. No yeast or alcohol is detectable.

T: Chocolate and slightly stale overdone coffee. Dark malts. Pleasant cream - a redeeming attribute. Coffee is definitely dominant, to its detriment and my chagrin. In spite of its imbalance, it's decently built for a budget imperial stout. I do like it. Some earthiness hiding beneath the late second act dark malt foundation. t has a nice roasty backbone - a feature too often absent from imperial stouts. Still, it's severely lacking in complexity and subtlety given the style. No yeast or alcohol comes through. There's not enough here to distinguish it from the countless other good-but-not-great examples of the style.

Mf: Nicely creamy - a highlight of the beer. Has a bit of a dry edge, but it tames it and comes out largely wet. Smooth throughout, but not sleek or milky. Carbonation is good, if slightly overdone. Thick enough. Pretty good presence on the palate. Complements the flavours fairly well, but it doesn't feel custom-tailored to them.

Dr: Drinkable but largely forgettable. If you're going to play at the big boy's table, you've got to bring the cajones. This is pretty solid for its price point, but I see no need to trifle with it again. A pedestrian imperial stout from New Belgium. Might be worthwhile on nitro-draught.

High C+

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2012 04:52:30 | More by kojevergas

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

3.89/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Dark black with a tan head.

Aroma and taste are straight up espresso and coffee. A nice roast with a big chocolate profile. Reminds me a bit of fresh coffee bender.

Mouthfeel is roasty and a bit thinner bodied for a stout.

Nice coffee flavors all arouc. I wish it was thicker though.

Serving type: on-tap

01-12-2013 04:17:10 | More by mothman

JohnGalt1

Idaho

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

Picked up at the COOP today for a pretty reasonable $6 if memory serves... Poured into my slim tulip with a solid 2 finger brown head... only okay retention, but good lacing... the brew is pitch black.

Smells as advertised... fairly thick cocoa and a lesser coffee element... the additions tend to blow out any real stout aromas... with warmth, I swear I get a little cinnamon.

Coffee is better represented on the palate... really dig it.. chocolate is there but the coffee beans are the big player... stout flavors are again a bit muted...

Body seems a touch light for a 9% brew.. the carbonation is also a bit high IMO.. still a decent mouthfeel.

I will probably buy this again.. but don't think it will do well in the cellar and only get worse with time.

4/3.5/4/3.5/3.5

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 04:07:59 | More by JohnGalt1

avalon07

South Carolina

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

A: Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Had a black color and a thick texture. There was an inch of foamy, tan-colored, fairly long-lasting head. Very good lacing.

S: A nice aroma of chocolate, coffee, and malt. Well done.

T: Tasted of dark chocolate, a good amount of coffee, a decent amount of malt, and some light hops. A solid, balanced, easy to like flavor. Not overly spectacular, but a very good flavor.

M: A decent amount of carbonation with a smooth, silky finish. Medium-bodied.

O: In general, this is a well made, enjoyable beer. Drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 00:06:12 | More by avalon07

kylehay2004

Florida

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

A: very thin tan head which doesn't last long on a jet black body.

S: dark chocolate, brown sugar and coffee as advertised.

T: simple but good with chocolate, hints of earthy hops and mild coffee bean bitterness. Alcohol is very well hidden

M: fairly thin light to medium body and moderate to high carbonation.

Overall: it's fairly basic. Not very memorable, not a bad beer. One of e better of the lips of faith series which doesn't say much but is true. Carbonation is higher than I want for a big beer like this.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2013 00:42:36 | More by kylehay2004

nickfl

Florida

4.16/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours with a small head of off-white foam on top of an opaque black body. The head settles quickly and leaves little lace.

S - Lots of coffee with a touch of chocolate.

T - Espresso and dark bread up front. Some molasses and burnt caramel in the middle and a finish of dark chocolate, more coffee, and just enough bitterness to keep it balanced.

M - Medium-thick body, moderately high carbonation, and a sweet finish.

D - This is somewhere between a robust american stout and a real imperial, but it works nicely. The coffee character is excellent and there is enough chocolate to justify its inclusion in the description as well. Definitely worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2013 00:45:25 | More by nickfl

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

3.95/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22 oz bottle poured into a New Belgium globe.
9% ABV,

A - Lips of Faith Imperial Coffee Chocolate Stout gloops out with a thick and quiet pour, filling the glass with a midnight black beer. Before subsiding rather quickly, a dark tan head forms over the beer and leaves delicate lace on the glass.

S - Wake up to the aroma of this beer; powerful freshly roasted dark coffee beans! It's reminds me of my morning routine of grinding beans and brewing dark roast coffee. Hints of milk chocolate add some smoothness behind the dark bittersweet chocolate and mocha aroma that's so abundant while a trail of faint smokiness wafts in.

T - Much of the roasted chocolate aroma can be attributed to the malts used, but the beer's aroma doesn't much suggest "malt" as it's other characteristics. The same can't be said for the taste though, which predominantly features a heavy, acrid bitter roast that's almost burnt tasting. Baker's chocolate and extremely dry cocoa overlap the cold-brewed roasted coffee flavor for a rough-around-the-edges finish that features notes of chocolate-covered raisin, molasses, rye toast, and oak.

M - Harsh, acrid bitterness bites at the tongue throughout the duration of this beer with a full body and gritty, oily feel that has few moments of smooth milk chocolate feel appearing few and far between. Light carbonation dances on the tongue keeping it from feeling completely like a thick, unforgiving beer.

O - New Belgium's Lips of Faith Imperial Coffee Chocolate Stout pours nicely, creating a powerful and inviting aroma of fresh coffee and chocolate but it's flavor, and subsequently the feel, become gritty, rough, and somewhat arresting. Smooth it out by enjoying for dessert with some creamy cheese cake.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2012 21:08:48 | More by BeerFMAndy

AgentZero

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Was looking for something to drink, this seemed like a bargain buy at $5.99 for the bomber at Whole Foods.

A - Black beer with two fingers off-brown colored head. Lots of splotches and trails left on the sides of the glass. Opaque.

S - Lots of coffee with just the faintest hint of chocolate. Some nice roast. A pretty nice smelling beer, straight forward, no real surprises.

T - Taste is mostly coffee, with a nice strong non-bitter taste. There is a touch of chocolate in there with some toasted malts and a good bit of roast. Slight souring on the end, finishes a bit milky.

M - Overly carbonated at first, a bit prickly. Gets better with some swirls. Medium bodied.

O - Starts out good, other than the carbonation. At the end it leaves you lacking somehow, but it's not a bad beer. Fine for the bomber price, solid, but nothing spectacular.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2012 04:03:27 | More by AgentZero

StonedTrippin

Colorado

4.35/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

this beer is grossly underrated on here, and i can only hope that time will do justice to this, because this beer is da bomb! pours an impenetratable black color, with a lively chalky tan head a few inches high. it eventually relaxes. the nose is big time espresso, almost nothing else can be smelled, and its hard to tell if this is a cup of cold coffee or a beer. the flavor is much more than that, although i have to admit, this is the most coffee forward beer ive tasted, so much fresh brewed java in this baby its insane. roasty malts, oatmeal possibly, and raw dark chocolate round it out. i love that there is no acidity at all to this, despite the heavy dose of joe. its smooth and drinkable, and the 9% abv doesnt ever influence the flavor. its got such a roast, such a wintery warming quality. chocolate is super subtle, but important as a component. smooth feel, light carbonation, a little delicate really, and its not weighty as a drinker, it works. this beer will end up with much higher ratings here on BA as more sophisticated palates get on this. high honor roll stuff!

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 04:00:54 | More by StonedTrippin