New Belgium Lips of Faith Super Cru. For their 20th Anniversary, they did something different with their familiar flagship brew, and doubled the recipe on Fat Tire amber ale, adding Asian pear juice, then re-fermenting with a saison yeast. 10 % Alcohol by volume. The end result was not received with resounding hosannas by the beer geeks and snobs at large, but from my perch at the bar, people have been loving it. I got one keg that was included in a special event last week featuring 6 Lips of Faith beers. It went back on tap tonight, and was a big hit with many. This would be my last chance to really try it, without chasing down a bottle. It'll finish out tomorrow for sure, but I've got my pour here at bar close, and away we go…
Appearance: Clear and crimson-colored, under a creamy, off-white head, 1/2" thick and long-lasting.
Aroma: wild and funky, in a mellow style, at the outset, with fruity esters beneath. floral hoppitude. Toasty malt, then distinctive, delicate pear is noted. Curious about why that chose that pear juice addition, but it does appear in the nose. Interesting. And particularly pleasant. I like it.
Taste: And it's there in spades in the flavor, drowning out the malt flavor we know from Fat Tire, which should be louder in this double-up version. Some sweetness slips in, but is tempered by the dry, spicy yeast character. Great match between malty, fruity sweetness and the spice & the hops.
And then along comes the booze, fat, juicy, leaning in on the lobes. Roaring in, pounding at the door. Very friendly and warming. However. The medium body is too meager for this assault, I can feel my defenses weakening. The uniquely tasty fruit factor is a true delight for the sense, a thrill on the tongue, but it's not enough to hold the intense 10 % alcohol barrage.
Would a lower alcohol version work better, or even be possible, following the same procedure?
It's a bit of a mixed-up mess, but experiments are gambles sometimes, and not everything is for everyone. Not perfect, not amazing, but very interesting, and tasty, for sure.
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