New Belgium 'Oakspire' Bourbon Barrel Ale. 9% abv. 20 IBU. Honey-orange color with a thick, white, foamy head. Excellent retention and lacing. Nose of mild bourbon, vanilla, brown sugar. Herbal notes and dank fruit emerge as the temp rises.

Front taste is bourbon, maple, charred oak, bitter walnut. Aftertaste is roasted nuts, herbal hops, leather, strong bourbon on the back end, particularly when the temp reaches room. Dry finish. Medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, boozy, tangy, carby, round.

This is an outstanding beer, one with a lot of flavor and character for such a simple ale. It is marked as a "bourbon barrel ale," but take note that this is not actually aged in former bourbon barrels. It's aged with oak spirals and charred wood that once lived within such a coveted barrel. The difference is cost - and complexity - but the lovely taste is still something to savor. The profile of bourbon and wood are clear and present, with the mild boozy tones balanced well. For a budget version BBA, this is a winner. Well recommended.


From the brewery:

"A limited-edition collaboration between New Belgium and Knob Creek, Oakspire is a unique bourbon barrel ale aged with bourbon-steeped oak spirals and char from inside the barrel. Smooth notes of toffee, vanilla and caramel wrap up with a pleasantly warm finish. Oakspire: Where innovation meets tradition."

[source: newbelgium.com]

New Belgium Brewing 'Snapshot' Wheat Beer. 5% abv. 13 IBU. Hazy, pale straw color. Pencil thin white bubbly head. Low retention, some lace. Nose of light malt, mild citrus, wheat notes emerge as the temp rises to room. Front taste of tangy citrus peel, slight grapefruit. Aftertaste of mild wheat bread, grapefruit, sweet herbal. Thin body. Mouthfeel is cool, watery, a touch clingy.

This is a good mild wheat beer, a crisp, refreshing outdoorsy brew best served over the running Tecumseh engine of your lawnmower. You could easily drink six of these. Next to other similar sessionable beers, this one is easy drinking while still having a pleasant taste. It will likely prove too mild to most craft beer drinkers, but it still has its place and is better than many in its category. Mildly recommended.

From the brewery:

"Snap! You just captured an unfiltered wheat beer full of refreshment and a flash of tart at the finish. Smile-inducing aromas of citrus hops jump from the nose, accompanied by the sweetness of coriander and grains of paradise. Brewed with wheat and pale malt, Snapshot beer pours a hazy, lemon-yellow with bright-white lacing. But the real enticement is the snap of tart. New Belgium’s affinity for sour beers led to the in-process blending of lactobacillus to pucker up Snapshot’s base. An extra step to acidify and beautify and get this beer ready for its close up."

[source: newbelgium.com]

North Coast Brewing 'Brother Thelonious' Belgian Style Abbey Ale. 9.4% abv. 32 IBU. Dark brown-red  in color. Finger of bubbly beige head. Good retention, moderate lace. Head recedes to a thick sustaining collar. Nose of sweet malt, dark fruit, bright spice, chocolate notes. Front taste of toffee, dark malt, sweet tangy citrus, spice notes, molasses on the back end. Aftertaste of prune, molasses, bittersweet dark chocolate. Medium-full body. Mouthfeel is  hot, clingy, small-bead carb.

This is an outstanding beer, one that pays tribute to authentic Abbey Ales, quite similar to a Chimay Première (Chimay "Red"). The complex aroma is backed by its equally complex flavor profile, offering rich malt, sweet fruits, spices, and a decadent caramelly sweetness. The brief head and lack of lace are made up for by a thick collar that remains nearly until the end, along with a creamy carb in the aftertaste. A well-crafted beer made in the tradition of old world Trappist beers. Highly recommended.

From the brewery:

"North Coast Brewing Co. is proud to partner with the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz in support of Jazz education. The Brewery makes a donation to the Institute for every bottle of Brother Thelonious Belgian Style Abbey Ale sold. Like a Belgian 'Dark Strong Ale,' this beer is rich and robust with an ABV of 9.3%. The package features a label picturing the Jazz master himself, and comes in either a 375 or 750 ml bottle with a traditional cork and wire finish, or 12 oz. 4-packs."

[source: northcoastbrewing.com]

New Belgium 'Accumulation' White IPA. 6.2% abv. 70 IBU. Pale yellow color. Slightly hazy. Thick white bubbly head that holds steady for several minutes before receding to a nice ring. Good retention. Great lacing. Nose of floral hops, grapefruit peel. Front taste is balanced bitter, mild sweet malt, citrus rind. Aftertaste is hoppy, herbal, with a fruity hop flavor that sustains. Light-medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, slightly sticky, creamy, oily on the back end.

This is a good IPA with ample hops and citrus notes. I don't detect the 'white' (e.g. wheat), and it's not complex or spicy as the winter-xmas label would suggest, but it is nonetheless a nice bright IPA. Recommended.

From the brewery:

"This winter, IBUs start accumulating like snow in Colorado with our new Accumulation White IPA. Brewing a white IPA was not only a way to salute the white beauty falling from the sky, but a direct revolt to the longstanding tradition of brewing dark beers for winter. At least that’s what our rebellious brewer Grady Hull likes to claim as he shovels in plenty of new hop varietals and a bit of wheat for a smooth mouthfeel. Stack up a few cases of Accumulation White IPA to keep your long nights glowing blizzard white."

New Belgium 'Salted Belgian Chocolate' Stout. 9% abv. 35 IBU. Black color with a finger of creamy beige head off the tap. Great retention and excellent lace. Nose of chocolate, spice, sugar cookies. Front taste of bittersweet chocolate, roasted grain, raisins, plum. Aftertaste of dark chocolate, notes of vanilla, plum, faint licorice. Slightly alcoholic. Medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, creamy, sticky, small-bead carb.

The base of this brew is their popular 'Lips Of Faith.' This is a unique and excellent brew that puts its own spin on chocolate stouts. The 'salted' and 'Belgian' components are certainly there, and the chocolate is always up front. Highly recommended.

I had this beer at a New Belgium 'tap takeover' at Spokeasy Public House. I got to keep the festive glass the beer came in, and ate chocolate cake pops made with the stout. They were extraordinary!

From the brewery:

"This collaboration with Perennial Artisan Ales pairs two favorites: chocolate and beer. Dessert is best poured. And the brewers at Perennial agree. So for our next Lips of Faith release we dreamt up a beer that would bring together chocolate sweetness, Belgian yeast, deeply roasted malts and just the right shake of salt to pour a creamy stout worthy of a cherry on top."

I had this unique brew at a New Belgium tap takeover at Spokeasy Public House.
I got to keep the festive glass the beer came in!

New Belgium 'Tour de Fall' Pale Ale. 6% abv. 38 IBU. Amber in color. Clear. A solid finger of head off the pour. Good retention and great lace all the way down. Nose of faint malt and hops with notes of citrus. Front taste has a touch of caramel, grapefruit. Aftertaste is where the hops finally come out, with a malty background and a strong citrus-grapefruit sustain. Thin body. Mouthfeel is watery, low carb. 

This is a decent pale ale. Good and worth a try, but there are far better bottles to be had within this category. Mildly recommended.

From the brewery:

"New Belgium's love for beer, bikes and benefits is best described by being at Tour de Fat. Our love for Cascade and Amarillo hops is best tasted in our Tour de Fall Pale Ale. We're cruising both across the country during our favorite time of year. Hop on!"