Lips Of Faith - Biere De Garde - New Belgium Brewing

AgentMunky

Alabama

4.1/5  rDev +12%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 22 ounce bottle into an Allagash cervoise glass.

A: Two fingers of stark white head top a mostly clear golden ale.

S: Lemon verbena and dry yeast.

T: An interesting bière de garde with fairly herbal flavours and a flowery finish.

M: Perfect. Creamy, thick, and delicate. Lightly carbonated with a hint of fennel spice and light cirtric zest.

O: Incredibly drinkable and highly recommended. I would have again and again and again.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2013 10:24:27 | More by AgentMunky

flagmantho

Washington

3.68/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from 22oz bomber into a tulip.

Appearance: medium golden hue with a touch of haze and a moderate effervescence. Head is a finger of frothy white foam with a nice lace on the glass. I like it.

Smell: toasty malt base with a tiny bit of funk and plenty of that orange peel coming out in the aroma. It almost smells like there's coriander in the mix as well, although the label doesn't say this. The mix of toast and coriander reminds me strongly of Froot Loops cereal. Am I wrong for liking this? I think it's playful and enticing.

Taste: toasty malt with a kind of wet sourness which isn't great. I think it's a remnant from all that orange peel. Not as lovely as the aroma, although the aftertaste has kind of a nice ring to it.

Mouthfeel: medium body with a good level of carbonation and a nice, creamy mouthfeel. I like it.

Overall: not the greatest beer in the world, flavor-wise; I think the orange just added too much acid or something. Aroma is weird but enjoyable, which saves it just a little bit. Still, I don't think I'll be going after this one again.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 16:59:30 | More by flagmantho

mastodonj

Colorado

3.98/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a very light amber with ample head, slightly cloudy.
Smell is interesting and complex. I get citrus, wheat, hops, coriander (?), yeast.
Taste is bitter on the tongue, almost buttery in the mouth and that citrus comes into play.
All very low key.
Mouthfeel is as complex as the smell. Really not to be missed.

Overall, it's a beer that doesn't get old. Also it needs to be said that the warming is noticeable, more so than any winter warmer (9% doesn't seem that much higher than most warmers). Dangerously drinkable!

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 01:24:47 | More by mastodonj

Mgm54

New York

3.73/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Review from memory and a few notes

Serving Type - 4oz pour from the New Belguim "Ranger Sation" Brewpub in Snowmass Village

A - lighter than I would have expected, but the color well represented the cistrus taste of the Beer. It was straw yellow, similar to a Wit, but much less hazy (although not entirley clear either)

S - Citrus and yeast are the main elements of the nose, with notes of lemon along with it.

T - Again, Citrus and yeast are the predominant flavors, but there is a lemon zest to be found, likely caused by the use of the Sorachi Ace hop. The sutle but distint lemon citrus flavor in this beer give an ejoyable play of the orange. No decernable booze, which is surprising concerdering the flavor profile and that this beer is 9% ABV.

M - Average mouthfeel, quite light, although it does have some cloying effect to it.

O - enjoyable beer, I would recomend trying it once, as the Sorachi Ace is an interesting hop, and this is a good example of it.

Serving type: on-tap

12-31-2012 23:53:25 | More by Mgm54

vickersspitfire

Texas

4.13/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours out a light burnt copper color and is topped off with a thin white head that sticks around for a while. The aroma is very pleasant, lots a citrus( lemons and lemon zest) come through. Mild grass and wheat smells are also present. Smooth and crisp as it hits your tongue, this ale quickly warms up your mouth with cloves, grapes medium wheat and banana flavors all wrapped around a semi tart and sweet body, which by the way is light to medium. The aftertaste is a bit more sweeter and almost reminds me of a sweet-tart. The alcohol is well hidden, this a very well brewed beer and it goes down very well. This is my first Biere De Garde and I gotta say I’m a fan for life.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 22:19:19 | More by vickersspitfire

GRPunk

Michigan

4.03/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle poured into a Duvel tulip.

Birthday beer from my wife.

A- Clean, golden-blonde body shows just the slightest haze. 1-finger, off-white head falls to a light foam and leaves some awesome stick. Not much yeast, even with a swirl on the final pour.

S- Belgian funk with the crack of the cap threw me a bit. Candy sweet with some grassy hops. Apple peel. Dare I say "farmhouse" or "horse blanket?" Some cellar-like or corked quality even though I know this isn't necessarily aged or corked, especially as it warms.

T- Interesting. Belgian funkiness for sure. Almost corn-like at the beginning, then a rush of green apple. Light grainy flavors. Any citrus contributed by orange peel addition is subdued. Quite sweet throughout with a dryish finish. Any hint of higher ABV is fairly masked. Just a touch assertive. I really wavered between a 3.5 and 4.

M- Moderate-heavy carbonation. Dry.

O- Definitely on the blonde side of the Biere de Garde spectrum. Funkier than most I've had. Yeasty quality does remind me of Vivant's Farmhand and its variants. 9% ABV does make for robust flavor without any burn. I'd almost think it a Belgian strong ale if I wasn't told differently. I'd like to grab another bottle as I know my wife's Brie en croute is going to make a holiday appearance very soon. May be a good pairing.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 00:03:31 | More by GRPunk

rhoadsrage

Illinois

3.25/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

(Served in a tulip)

A- this beer pours a clear golden yellow body with a sea of carbonation and a thick sticky bubbly white head that remains on the glass in sheets.

S- The cooked corn DMS is followed by an orange peel note and a woody almost minty bergamot note that grows when it opens up.

T- the mellow pale malt flavor has an earthy bergamot flavor followed by a light tartness with some citrus notes in a dry finish.

M- This beer has a light mouthfeel with no alcohol heat or astringency noticed.

O- There is a nice bergamot flavor to the and some softer notes of the biere de garde style but I don't care for the yeast and the cooked corn flavors are off.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2012 22:22:29 | More by rhoadsrage

scottfrie

California

3.9/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

22oz bottle into Duvel tulip.

A: Pours a clear bright golden-yellow with a large, billowing, off white head that slowly faded into a fuzzy film leaving sheets of fine lacework down the glass.
S: To me this just reeks of apricots – in a good way of course. I can’t get the smell out of my head, but if I concentrate hard enough, I get notes of peach, golden raisins, clove and spiced apples.
T: Still lots of apricot mixed with clove and cinnamon-like spices, dry grains, yeast and orange peel. The finish is lightly bitter and the aftertaste is full of stone fruits.
M: Full body, heavy mouth, a bit syrupy, fluffy carbonation.
O: Pretty good flavor but a bit syrupy. Could be a little cleaner and dryer. Would drink again.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2012 03:54:13 | More by scottfrie

flayedandskinned

California

3.13/5  rDev -14.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

No bottle date
Poured into a Duvel tulip.

Appearance: Pours a clear, very pale orange with a two finger white head. The head slowly recedes to a finger leaving tons of thick lacing in its wake. Good looking brew.

Aroma: Lots of light lemon and pear in the big yeast presence. Some light caramel malt notes taking a backseat in the yeast forward nose. Some more faint citrus loiters underneath the malt.

Taste: Huge citrus right out of the gate with grassy hops right behind it. The yeast takes flight almost immediately; more citrus and pear just as the nose indicated. Unfortunately, very little malt is in the flavor profile. What malt I can detect under the deluge of citrus is cracker like and not very chewy or bubble gum-esque as I like in Biere de Gardes. The malt does peek through a bit more as the beer warms. Finishes dry with a more bitter finish than Im accustomed to in a Biere de Garde which makes the beer seem unbalanced.

Mouthfeel: Lightly chewy with moderate carbonation.

Overall: A decent Biere de Garde. I think with some tweaking, this recipe could really be something special. I definitely prefer my Biere de Gardes to be less bitter, lower in alcohol with a bigger, chewier malt presence in the flavor profile. I expect Biere de Gardes to be the picture of balance. Definitely not worth the 9 dollar price tag.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 01:49:26 | More by flayedandskinned

Zorro

California

3.05/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Clear golden colored beer with a small white head.

Smells strongly of toasted grain and bitter orange rind and coriander. Clear solvent alcohol smell. Smells like warm vodka. Little bit of honeysuckle and noble hop grassy scent.

Starts out toasted malt and a little caramel. Slight sour taste maybe there is some Brett in this. Mild bitterness and bitter orange flavor, the citrus lingers.

Mouthfeel is OK.

Overall it is average, there are better beers out there.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 03:21:30 | More by Zorro

ArrogantB

Colorado

3.58/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Got a bottle of this at the $5.99 price point which is the only reason I bought it, the $9 Lips of Faith beers are almost never worth it (sours excluded of course). Bright orange in the glass, mild head. Aroma is quite entertaining, I wasn't in love with it but there is something interesting about it, the yeast maybe. Its not quite what I would expect from brett so I don't if that is the yeast they used but it is certainly unique and hard to describe. Flavor had a bit of orange and then that crazy yeast again. I will say I wish it was lower ABV (like 7%) but oh well.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 16:19:42 | More by ArrogantB

Tone

Missouri

3.63/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a golden color. 1/2 inch head of a white color. Great retention and decent lacing. Smells of sweet malt, earthy malt, slight alcohol, floral hops, slight citrus (coriander?), and a hint of pale malt. Fits the style of a Biere de Garde. Mouth feel is sharp and crisp, with an average carbonation level. Tastes of earthy malt, floral hops, spice, slight citrus, alcohol, and sweet malt. Overall, good appearance, blend, and body. A fairly traditional Biere de Garde and the standard New Belgium malt/yeast flavor is easily discernible.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2012 00:02:13 | More by Tone

grittybrews

Washington

3.53/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured a rich yellow-orange with a finger of bright white head. Malty biscuit aroma with mild orange.

Moderate carbonation and a full mouthfeel. Quite a bit of caramel sweetness up front with hints of corn, yeasty esters, and orange. Bready finish.

Not bad, but the malt seemed pretty overbalanced.

Serving type: on-tap

12-08-2012 18:16:12 | More by grittybrews

BrownAleMale

Wisconsin

2.7/5  rDev -26.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

22oz bomber poured into a Gulden Draak tulip glass.

Appearance- Hazy yellow in color with some off white head that dissipates a bit, but what is left behind leaves a nice sticky lacing.

Smell- A slight hint of citrus and that is about it.

Taste- Has a roasted lager flavor with a hint of citrus. Doesnt work well.

Mouthfeel-Medium mouthfeel with decent carbonation.

Overall- Not feeling it. Tastes with a cheap lager with a hint of orange.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 21:46:30 | More by BrownAleMale

drabmuh

Maryland

3.63/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle poured into a New Belgium glass because I can. This was an OK beer but was not a Biere de Garde in any sense of the style that I'm aware of, tastes like a Belgian pale ale with some orange peel.

Beer is yellow and clear with a big white head, good retention, lot and lots of lacing, moderate carbonation, looks nice.

Aroma is yeasty, bready, mildly citrus.

Beer is light to medium in body, a little citrus, a little biscuit, a little bitter on the end, grainy a little but not bad or detracting, an OK beer but I won't bother repeating this one. Not my favorite.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 16:39:32 | More by drabmuh

emerge077

Illinois

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

Into a fluted tulip glass it pours a high clarity orange, delicate lacing and white foam that lasts for a good while. Initially a few fingers of foam, and rapid streams of visible carbonation in the glass.

A slightly sulfuric note from the yeast at first, later the citrus and coriander take over.

Pleasant tart orange flavor, clover honey, vague pale malt, semi-complex yeast and hop character. Body is light to medium with a creamy feel to it. Somewhat overt alcohol presence as it warms, seems more and more like a screwdriver with some spices tossed in. Overall enjoyable, citrus forward and not too heavy on the spices or yeast. Leaning more towards Belgian IPA territory than Biere de Garde, hop forward and light bodied.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 03:04:05 | More by emerge077

JohnGalt1

Idaho

2.73/5  rDev -25.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Trying to box up some beers tonight... This is the first and last brew poured into my slim tulip.. good enough white head with okay lacing and retention.. the brew is clear golden.

Nose is thick pale malts and orange notes.... not even orange zest, almost orange juice.. light yeasty phenols and esters.. Pretty terrible.

Flavor is not in the Biere de Garde territory at all... orange zest and light BSPA notes... Americanized notes that are pushed into a style that is tough to get right... and "Americanized" does not work right at all.

Too much of everything and NOTHING meshes well.. Too many of these NB LoF brews are shelf quality and leave nothing out there.. I can't believe that anybody would qualify this as a proper Biere de Garde... Let your yeast do the work... not the handful after handful of additions.

Not good at all. I will not buy again.

4/3/2.5/3/2.5

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 01:38:36 | More by JohnGalt1

Beaver13

Colorado

2.15/5  rDev -41.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

22 oz bottle. Pours clear straw gold with a small creamy white head that retains well and leaves a little lacing.

The aroma is musty stinky, almost rotting, oranges with a little bready malt.

The flavor is sweet oranges and musty yeast with a kind of dry and lightly bitter finish. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with low carbonation.

Overall, kind of odd - sweet musty oranges with a dry bitter, kind of off finish.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2012 06:30:24 | More by Beaver13

zeff80

Missouri

3.98/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Poured out a clear, pale gold color with a one and a half finger of off-white foam. It left thin trails of lace on the glass.

S - It smelled of orange, grains and floral notes.

T - It tasted of lots of orange flavor with a fruity bite. Nice sweet caramel with a subtle bitter bite of grasses and pine.

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

O - This is a very tasty Belgian style ale. It really doesn't seem to fit any style but it is tasty.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2012 01:50:36 | More by zeff80

Mora2000

Texas

3.3/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours a hazy golden yellow color with a white head. The aroma is full of grain and wheat, with a hint of orange thrown in. The flavor is more of the same. I get a lot of juicy orange notes, as well as a ton of coriander and wheat. This beer tastes like a Belgian witbier on steroids. I like most of what I taste but there is too much coriander in the beer for me to be a huge fan. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2012 06:01:40 | More by Mora2000

n2185

North Carolina

3.83/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

A: pours a clear golden yellow with two fingers of white head that fades into a thin cap with a little lacing.

S: sweet fermented fruit aromas up front with light Belgian spices, straw, and barnyard aromas.

T: Belgian spices up front with slight fermented fruit flavors. Slightly musty barnyard flavors bring up the finish with light bread notes.

M: medium-light body with lowish carbonation, this beer is a little watery for my tastes.

O: I'm not terribly familiar with the style, but this was an enjoyable beer overall. The watery body was the weakest part, but it's still tasty.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 00:51:19 | More by n2185

babayaga

3.03/5  rDev -17.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

22 oz bomber into a tulip.

Pours a yellow gold with a white one-finger head. Clear.

Aroma is fruity orange nose, with a bit of funk and sweetness (maybe cookie or other light malt?).

Taste is sweaty, almost meaty, light acidic and tang. Pepper. Best descriptor I saw was briny. I'm a big fan of briny scotches like Laphroaig, but it doesn't really work here, and I'm not enjoying it.

Decent carbonation and body. I love New Belgium but am not buying again.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2012 00:47:05 | More by babayaga

twiggamortis420

Texas

3.15/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

22 oz bottle pours a mostly clear, light gold color with a lively, bubbly white head. Nice lacing and retention is average.

Holy shit...the nose is exactly like Trix cereal! Silly wabbit, this beers for me...bitch. This may sound redundant, but the aroma is bright fruits with a grainy malt along with a lemongrass hoppiness and light apple skin. Interesting and quite pleasant.

Taste is sweeter than it needs to be and the Trix cereal comparisons are still appropriate. The yeast is (unfortunately) pretty tame and throws some mild fruit and hay flavors out...but nothing to compete with the grainy sweetness. Its like a sweet wit mixed with an American BSPA. Not a big fan of this one...the LoF series continues to be hit-or-miss...with more misses than hits unfortunately.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2012 03:55:48 | More by twiggamortis420

HuskyinPDX

Washington

3.48/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle opened on 11.12.12.

A - Pours a clear, light orange with a fizzy yellowish head with good retention.

S - Spice, lemon, orange.

T - Lemons, black pepper, orange citrus.

D - Good carbonation with a light body.

O - Light and orange. Not much going on here, Blah.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2012 07:01:28 | More by HuskyinPDX

GilGarp

Colorado

3.48/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bomber served cold into an etched bottom goblet from New Belgium.

Their biere de garde is a pale golden yellow color with thick creamy white head. It settles slowly and leaves some good lacing in its wake.

Aroma is sweet, floral, and slightly funky. Light tropical fruit hoppiness.

Flavor is not quite what I expected. It's sweet and fruity as the aroma would lead one to believe but the bitterness and yeast funk don't go together very well here. Vegetal and medicinal and not really to my liking.

Mouthfeel is okay with light body and nicely judged carbonation. The balance is towards the sweet.

Overall not really a great example. Maybe worth a try if you like to take a chance but I wouldn't buy it again.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2012 04:50:09 | More by GilGarp