New Belgium La Folie

Brewed by New Belgium Brewing Company
Style: Sour Ale
Fort Collins, Colorado USA

Date: June 18, 2005
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting, Noog I
Appearance: dark amber, thin white head
Aroma: tart malt aroma
Flavor: tart malt flavor, all sour

Date: August 20, 2006
Source: tasting
Score: i to ii
sour, sour, sour, light fruity character like a tart cherry, still not a lot of complexity

Name: La Folie 10
Date: October 13, 2007
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting
Appearance: hazy dark red, creamy beige head, lots of drippy lace
Aroma: big tart aroma with lots of oak bringing in a tart cherry character and musty cobwebs
Body: creamy body
Flavor: big sour flavor, good fruity tartness is balanced by a malty sweetness, nice oak adds depth, lots of complexity

Date: October 19, 2007
Mode: bottle
Source: cellar tasting
Score: 2.8 to 3.3
Aroma: tart woody aroma with a sour cherry pit character
Body: creamy body
Flavor: rich malt flavor, lots of oaky character, cherry tartness, lasting tart finish

Name: La Folie 10
Date: February 23, 2008
Mode: bottle
Source: cellar tasting
Aroma: lots more of the musty cobwebs in the aroma with the tart cherry receeding into the background
Flavor: flavor is much the same with the tart cherry pit character and lasting sourness

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 8/10; Palate: 8/10; Overall: 16/20
Rating: 3.9/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: **4

Date: June 20, 2009
Mode: draft
Source: brick store
Appearance: muddy opaque brown, fine beige head
Aroma: sweet and spicy aroma, tart cherry, touch of wood
Flavor: huge tart cherry flavor with lots of woody character for that sucking on a cherry pit experience, touch of chocolate, dry caramel, light spicyness
Overall: the tartness brings a tear to my eye

Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 6/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 7/10; Overall: 13/20
Rating: 3.3/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: **+/4

Name: LoF (La Folie Sour Brown)
Date: September 20, 2009
Mode: Bottle
Source: Bottleworks, Seattle
Appearance: clear brown, wispy beige head
Aroma: big musty and woody aroma, touch of chocolate and sweet caramel, light fruity cherry pit character
Flavor: flavor starts of sweet caramel and chocolate before taking on an intense sourness, nice woody character, light bitterness follows the wood

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 15/20
Rating: 3.6/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: **4

2007 bottle. Pours deep mahogany into a wine glass. Offwhite head with medium retention recedes to skim surface. Sour pit fruit aromas. Upfront sharp oakey vinegar and sour cherries. Dry, complex finish. Also had Special Edition on tap at Falling Rock...9/4/10/4/19 = 4.6.

Sour tart nose. Sour cherries and granny smith apples. Pours reddish copper. Very dry and tart mouthfeel. Yeast, wood, sour cherries, caramel. Dry finish makes you want more.

Bottle. vintage 2005. Pours a copper-red body with a medium-sized creamy off-white head. Earthy aroma is vinegary with juicy cherries, oak, and tart green apples. Very lively - oily and juicy cherries...exceedingly dry and complex. Woody with cherry sugars providing a nice balance of sweetness. Superb.
Thanks Derek.

Bottle. WOW!!! Pours a light brown color with some tight white head. Aroma is sour cherries, apple, oak, vinegar, wet hay. Flavor is outta this world, sour cherries, apple, oak, vinegar, some bread notes, vineous. Palate is medium bodied, medium carbonation, finishes dry and ultra tart. Friggen great stuff. Ive been sitting on this one quite a while for a special occasion, and man was it worth it!!!

Shared with (and thanks to) mwsf and beerguy101. Mahogany color with a small foamy beige head. Scent of a cup of Balsamic vinegar with a tablespoon of fruit cocktail syrup served in an oak bowl. Very similar to Rodenbach but with a bit more fruit and a touch less of the "barnyard" complexity. Very dry finish.

Bottle 07-3195 courtesy of my Secret Santa (big thanks!) Poured a light brownish color with some short-lived white head. Before sticking my nose in there, I caught a little fruitiness, perhaps apples. Upon further inspection, I got tons of sourness along with some oakiness. The taste was just wonderful, really tart but not to the point of being too acidic or astringent. Way too easy to drink, as far as Flemish sours go. A subtle fruitiness peeks in behind the big-time tartness. Finish is sour and pretty dry and crisp. As of now, this is the best sour ale I’ve had the pleasure of tasting. Jess agrees. Thanks again Santa!

Bottle 06-3812, pours a clear amber brown with a lively white head that dissipates to a whispy covering, minimal lacing. Aroma is dominated by sour cherries and apples with some oakiness, with a bit of mustiness coming out as it warms. Woof, the flavor is tart, sour and puckering, and in an oh, so good way. Lots more cherry and apple and a dryness that works well with the ample carbonation. This is my first foray into this style, and won’t be the last...