To say that I am a fan of the New Belgium Brewery is like saying that ice is kinda cold - a vast understatement. I love their beer. A few months ago I went to a conference in Denver and rented a car solely so that I could drive to Fort Collins, CO and tour the brewery (I would include photos here but sadly my laptop was stolen and so I don't have them anymore). Now you may think that is crazy, but if that story alone does not convince you of my devotion, perhaps this next one will. I live in Utah. You can't buy New Belgium beer in Utah. Not anywhere in the state. So last weekend I drove 85 miles one way (and another 85 miles back) to Evanston, Wyoming JUST to buy New Belgium beer. If that is not a show of devotion to a beer, then I don't know what is.
But this post isn't devoted to the trials and tribulations of life in the great state of Utah or how bootleg beer just tastes better. This post is in honor of two New Belgium beers I had not tried before: Biere de Mars and Le Fleur Misseur. These beers belong to New Belgium's Lips of Faith line of limited release experimental beers. These two particular beers are brewed in the Belgian style using Brettanomyces yeast. If you're not familiar with this yeast, it is the wild ale yeast that has been used for thousands of years by monks in Belgian monasteries to brew beer and it imparts Belgian beers with their characteristic sour flavor notes.
I have to say that of the two beers, I much preferred the Biere de Mars. Not only was Le Fleur Misseur very sour (almost bitter), but it also tasted as though the flavors weren't perfectly melded - there were several dominant flavor profiles and the beer lacked balance overall. The Biere de Mars, on the other hand, had a nice golden color, a subtle, balanced hop profile, and a much smoother finish than the Le Fleur Misseur. But don't take my word for it - take a trip to Evanston (or your local grocery store if you live somewhere normal) and try these out for yourself! In the meantime, I think I'll enjoy a bootleg Fat Tire.
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