New Belgium Lips of Faith Dark Kriek

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 8

Everybody knows that a kriek should be sour, yet New Belgium didn't get the memo. That's not to say that this kriek has no tartness in it - it does. But it is very smooth and somewhat malty as well, creating a lesser known variety of kriek. Very good, just not what I expected.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 8

22oz bottle -

This beer was really a pleasure to consume, even though the surroundings of consuming it was a letdown (a Raiders loss). The aroma starts things off with a great balance of wood, sweet cherries, tart/acidicness and something close to sparkling wine. Flavor pulls off a crazy-good combination of chocolate covered cherries, vinegar, raspberry yogurt, light leather and toffee. Insanely well balanced. A bit on the pricey side, but don't pass it up if you can find it. Well, well worth the $$$.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 8

This is well carbonated as a careful pour still easily produces a three-finger thick, just lightly browned, tan colored head. A rich, cherry pie aroma is evident as I pour this dark, concentrated plum colored beer. When held up to the light the beer shows a brilliantly clear, deep cherry red color. A deeper inspection of the nose at first misses out on the rich cherry character, instead it smells a bit thin and tart, but the finish has that rich, cherry note to it. Ample grain character is noticeable up front with some grassy notes as well as a touch of toasty, perhaps biscuit like malt character. Overall the aroma comes off as being a touch thin, though it is nicely cherry’d.

Thick feeling as it first hits my mouth, but it feels thicker than the relative dryness would suggest. A nice tart cherry character seems to make up much of the richness, though as far as a sour beer goes this beer is definitely on the tame side. The finish has a bit of a bite to it that seems to be contributed to by some astringent tannins, perhaps a hint of acetic acid, as well as some toasted malt character. The tartness here seems more lactic derived and from the cherries than from acetic, but I think all three mix together well enough, and nothing expressive enough, to really pull the differing sources apart.

Not an overly complex beer, but I really like that the beer is not really sweet. Yes it could be more funky, definitely more tart / sour, but the light tartness that is here nicely balances the rich-leaning, enjoyable body.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 8

Smelled sour and Cherries and had a very bright nose. Poured red with some head. Smooth body with some carbonation that worked well because of the sourness. I really got into the flavor of this one. Sour but malty at the same time. The cherry really came out and was fresh and crisp... I like this one.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 8

pours a red tinged brown, light on the head. medium to thin bodied, with a pleasant aroma that you have to work a little too hard to find,which is a bit of a setback, but then the flavor was just so good that i forgot about the beers other shortcomings. Similar to the aroma, but no longer so subtle. Complex flavor of tart and then sweet cherries, a touch of chocolate, and a touch of oak, all over a nice malty brown ale. well done. i'm not sure i like it more or less than Lindeman's Kriek (and definitely not as much as a New Glarus Belgian Red) due to the lesser aroma and body, but the flavor was great and it's a very enjoyable brew.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Sampled on 2/4/2009. This fruit beer pours a deep red color from a 22oz bottle. Small sized beige/pinkish foamy head. Aroma is cherry, oak, must and sweet. A medium bodied fruit beer. The malts are fruity and semi sweet cherries. A hint of oak. A little bit sour/tart with a very slight funk. Very smooth tasting. Nice balance. The tartness and funkiness intensifies as it warms. Nice sipping beer that opens up as it warms. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly tart.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

wonderful cherry and slight wood aromas ... dark ruby red ... nice dose of sourness, has a real belgian aire to it .. stupidly easy to drink .. nice nice flavours! ...

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

22 oz bottle. Pours a reddish brown with an off-white head that quickly diminishes to a thin collar.

The aroma is tart acidic cherries and some wood with some sweet sugary malt traces in the background.

The flavor is wood and dry acidic cherries with some light sour/tartness. It's very dry with some lingering sweetness in the aftertaste. The mouthfeel is light bodied with some sharp carbonation.

Overall, a bit of a disappointment. La Folie, La Terroir and Eric's Ale are all much better. This seems kind of dumbed down and pretty mild and even bland.