Profiled by Ken Carman for professorgoodales.net
Paare don moi’ but I bought this with a cringe, because New Belgium’s brews have a mixed history with me. The Lips of Faith series even more so a “mixed history.” The last one I remember reviewing was the Pluot and I likened its aroma to someone who ate a lot of fruit and then had to vomit. Hard to get past that to the medicore’ taste. Odd, because I have found strong tastes or aromas often lacking in their Faith series.
They have redeemed themselves.
I have never liked dandelion brews, but this worked well with the peach, which you find first in the aroma. The taste is also light peach, medium body with a hint of caramel malt and even less a hint of dandelion. The color is between gold and straw with a hint of haze and a big, long lasting, pillow head. Moderate sweetness on the palate.
While the abv, at a stiff 9%, is not noticeable at first, as it warms it expresses itself, but never obtrusive or hot. Very well balanced. Mouthfeel is solidly balanced with sweet coming in first, body second, peach third with Lady Dandelion a distant 4th. Grains of Paradise are in here, but I’ve judged many GP beers and have yet to be able to actually taste GP. If they’re “paradise,” paradise is more than a tad bland, in my opinion.
Some folks claimed “wild yeasty,” but tasted like a typical ale yeast to me. No clove, banana, sour or otther indications of such. Either I missed it or they were mistaking some of the peach sense for a wild yeast flavor. The brewer claims “wild,” but not so… IMO.
81% at Beer Advocate and 85@ Rate Beer.
I’d heartily recommend that you try it for yourself, and rate it at a PGA4.
