Side Trip
New Belgium Brewing Company

Side TripSide Trip
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From:
New Belgium Brewing Company
 
Colorado, United States
Style:
Belgian Pale Ale
ABV:
6%
Score:
85
Avg:
3.75 | pDev: 11.2%
Reviews:
71
Ratings:
244
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Apr 26, 2019
Added:
Oct 29, 2015
Wants:
  5
Gots:
  89
Sometimes it’s a side trip that makes the journey. During our last anniversary retreat to Belgium, brewmaster Peter Bouckaert embarked on a sensory excursion to find the perfect yeast strain for his next creation: Side Trip Belgian Pale Ale. A beer from Brouwerij Van Den Bossche led Bouckaert to the brewery’s family Buffalo yeast strain, which they happily shared, and the foundation was set. Additions of Belgian Chateau Abbey and Cara Ruby malts from Castle Malting, the oldest malting plant in Belgium, as well as Belgian Magnum, Saphir and Target hops builds a bready, caramel-sweet wash with traces of stone fruits, and a balanced herbal bitterness for a pleasantly dry finish. Take a break from your journey with a Side Trip.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Jame515:
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Rated by Jame515 from Texas

3.93/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Feb 22, 2016
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.84 by Kolb from Montana

Apr 26, 2019
 
Rated: 3.5 by npdevil27 from Massachusetts

Jul 24, 2018
 
Rated: 3.58 by adam36 from Illinois

Aug 10, 2017
Photo of Wasatch
Reviewed by Wasatch from Colorado

4/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12 oz. Bottle

Pours a pretty nice amber color, pretty nice carbonation, with a pretty nice thick/creamy/foamy white head, which leaves some sticky lacing behind. The nose is hoppy, malty, yeasty, citrus. The taste is hoppy, malty, citrusy. Medium body. Overall, a pretty tasty brew.
Apr 04, 2017
Photo of Libeertarian
Reviewed by Libeertarian from Montana

3.42/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
From notes taken 02/02/17:

Fairly clear, dull orange-amber, capped with orange-tinted cream white head, rocky and foamy and filmy with great retention after it sinks down a more moderate pace at first. A malt tartness and vinegar-like quality to the nose. These together approach the smell of ketchup, but die down quite a bit leaving room for grainy, resinous, metallic, medicinal, somewhat spicy suggestions, not too far off from any number of other Belgians, ranging from this style to a Saison. Resin, grass, grain, tart malt, light lemon to taste with decent metallic/spice-kick which meld well with everything else well into the finish. Fair tartness and bitterness throughout, somewhat out of balance with little retro-olfactory added complexity, so neither as good as an American Pale Ale or a Belgian Pale Ale despite being somewhat between them. I wouldn’t say it is too distracting, but there is definitely an American influence here with the type and abundance of hops. Different enough from other New Belgium offerings (compare to Porch Swing, if anything) to justify its existence. Medium-bodied, creamy at first but froths up to more sloshy and tingly velvet.
Feb 09, 2017
 
Rated: 3.25 by BeerTest from Florida

Jan 14, 2017
 
Rated: 4.03 by JonathanED from Alabama

Dec 31, 2016
 
Rated: 4.03 by Briken from Washington

Nov 13, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by NickMunford from Wyoming

Oct 27, 2016
Photo of nicholas2121
Reviewed by nicholas2121 from Ohio

4.35/5  rDev +16%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Side Trip, brewed by New Belgium Brewing, with an ABV of 6.00% This brew pours out a nice golden amber color with a nice white head. I really like the color of this brew. The smell of Side Trip is rich with sweetness. You pick up on grins and malts at first. Then you pick up on the hops. This brew is different from other pale ales market , Because of the sweetness in the smell. Not saying that is a bad thing. Now for the taste, it is bold , but smooth with flavors. A nice amount grains and malts and hops. Side Trip, has a real nice balance to it, there is nothing overpowering about this brew. I can't get over how smooth this brew is, it is really hard to pick up the 6.00% ABV in this brew. I can't get over how smooth this brew goes down. The mouth feel of Side Trip, is Bold rich smooth and refreshing. Overall I'm giving Side Trip a 4.25 out of 5. I would definitely buy this pale ale again. If you are looking for a smooth refreshing ale look this one up. New Belgium Brewing did a real nice job with this pale ale.
Sep 27, 2016
Photo of Caveworm
Reviewed by Caveworm from Ohio

4.35/5  rDev +16%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Side Trip | New Belgium Brewing. Poured from the bottle into a pint glass, this beer's head is two fingers thick, with solid lacing, and a clear deep medium amber body.

I smell clove, bubblegum, and a slightly spicy zest coming from the yeast.

Now I taste the missing ingredient I didn't really oick up on with the aroma, and that's the banana. The addition makes for quite the enjoyable standard BPA.

The mouthfeel here is medium with mild carbonation. Rather clean finish for a BPA, in my opinion.

Overall, I'll give Side Trip | New Belgium Brewing a rating of a 4.25. It doesn't go out if its way to be different or "exceptional". This is a by-the-books offering that would be a good 1st for the uninitiated.
Sep 26, 2016
 
Rated: 3.67 by Quafftastic from Virginia

Aug 24, 2016
Photo of beerthulhu
Reviewed by beerthulhu from New Jersey

3.49/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
-Spiegelau ipa glass.

A: Bright orange, good clarity, with an average density of effervesce. Small head, dull white coloring, with a low rate of retention and lacing.

S: Nice fruitiness on the nose, green melon, canteloupe, with a soft spicy hops. Low to moderate rate of awareness.

T: Fruity flavor, melon, canteloupe with a nice sweet malting. Soft pine-honey hints with citrus and caramel. Leaves with some floral hop notes on the finish and swallow.

M: Decent crispness, light body, some light sticky malt residue.

O: Overall semi-dry fruitiness, and floral hops with a sweet malting and decent drinkability. Nice touch of belgian yeast, dry. A pleasant drink to relax to, soothing, easy going.
Aug 05, 2016
 
Rated: 3.5 by Dewsby from Kentucky

Aug 04, 2016
Photo of elNopalero
Reviewed by elNopalero from Michigan

3.84/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours a gentle tan-gold with tremendous foam and impressive head retention. Somewhat funky estery aroma, with a muddled sensibility. There's a pleasant bitterness and an approachable funky note on the palate. Not too bad but it's missing some balance and complexity.
Jul 21, 2016
 
Rated: 3.38 by dag1991 from Ohio

Jul 17, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by Robert-Alexander from Florida

Jul 13, 2016
 
Rated: 3.5 by d5001986 from Wisconsin

Jul 07, 2016
 
Rated: 2.5 by brighteyes868 from Pennsylvania

Jul 03, 2016
Side Trip from New Belgium Brewing Company
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 244 ratings