New Belgium Lips of Faith (Le Fleur Misseur)

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

tap. golden/hazy pour with thin head. lacing. sour apple, with nice malts well spiced in aroma. light yeast. clove. easy and smooth. well balanced and light

Golden pour with white head. Nose of spicy flowers and grain malts. Crisp, clean mouthfeel with flavors of melon, flowers and malts and finishes with a nice spicy note.

Draft at Brouwers.

If this mess is a nod to Orval I hope I never do anything to merit a nod from New Belgium. Yeah, it’s a Belgian-style ale, and yeah, with a bit of imagination you can taste some brett in there. But Orval? Get the hell out of here. This sweet, grainy, basically a half-arsed attempt at a light Belgian from an American microbrewery. No aroma save for a bit of apple juice. Not undrinkable by any means -- just not anything special in the least.

22 oz bottle from Binnys South Loop (Chicago, IL). Pours a hazy straw yellow, muted brightness, a yellowish white head that is small sized, laces ok, dies a bit more. Aromas are a zesty fruity ester dominant, pushing banana, lemon, and some fruity, but not overly sweet, Belgian yeasty spice. Some crisp cereal grains, fruity overall, with some light floral notes, but not bitter, sweet nectar, pear, and fruity. Initial is light bodied, stronger floral bitterness which seems sufficient up front, as the fruity esters fall behind, leaving a delicately spiced and fruity ale beneath. The aroma seemed a lot stronger than I got in the body, bitterness of a Belgian Pale, well hopped and floral/earthy ahead of some sweet fruity notes and lighter zesty yeast spice. This beer is light very drinkable, and the aroma differs much over the actual taste and body. I expected a sweeter borderline cloying beer, but I got a nice bitter tilted Belgian Pale, with subtle bread and a touch of sweet honey. Nice, but a bit underpowered. I could drink this again though.

Cloudy light orange lots of floral bitters. Smooth palate but lacking subtlety in aroma. Dominated by the floral notes.

Cloudy golden with good head. Mix of citrus nad yeast. Subtle bitterness grows into the finish. Yeasty peach flavor sticks out. Sligh metallic astringency. Seems a bit light and thin.

On tap at Papago. Light, hazy golden color pour with a foamy white head. Light sweet fruit, malt and yeast aroma. Flavor is almost the same, but with a touch of spice and tartness on the finish. Very light and refreshing on the palate, but maybe a bit too light. Good, but nothing memorable.

On tap at the Flying Saucer-KC. Pours a hazy gold with a fluffy, white head and pretty, delicate lace. The nose is of bright, fruity, Belgian yeast and subtle pale malt. Light to medium-bodied it moves toward a light graininess at the finish. The flavor is of sweet pale malt backed by the trademark New Belgium nutty yeast. This is a fairly interesting brew that tastes much like a lighter version of their tripel.