La Folie Falling Rock's 10th Anniversary
New Belgium Brewing Company

 

 

 

 

Review from notes. Opened with some great BAs at my first epic Philly tasting on 3-26-11. Tasted side-by-side with NB Bottleworks 10th and Twisted Spoke 15th - this was #2 for me of the three.

L - Sexy looking mahogany with fizzy, crackling foam that recedes to nothing fairly quickly.

S - Light but nice - cocoa powder, tart cherry and sweet cherry pie filling, vanilla, oak, lots of berry, light leaher, mineral notes, acetic throughout with some earth funk.

T - Delicious! Much like the nose, with a very bright acetic tartness that never becomes too much. Brown sugar, vanilla oak, big cherry pie filling, touch of milk chocolate andd dark cocoa, cherry jolly ranchers, warm leather, and just a shade of peppery funk in the finish.

M - Nice and light, with just the right amount of carbonation, though a touch thin.

O - Really delicious, the cocoa-covered cherries play front and center over acetic acid that perfectly balances the edge without ever becoming too much. Glad to have been able to try this again since my original review (thank you, forgetfu!).

 

 

 

You’re the man, Chad. Snifter, reviewed from notes.

A: Pours a dirty, murky, cloudy brown with a very fizzy and short lived light tan head that faded into nothingness.
S: Nose is full of light cherries, huge lemon, red fruits and berries, currants, and oak.
T: More red fruits and berries, earthy barrel, lightly sweet with hints of syrupy malts and caramel. Acid is light, very drinkable.
M: Tingly carbonation, lightly tart, super dry, clean mouth.
O: The best la folie I’ve had. Extremely drinkable with very integrated flavors. Thanks cpferris.

Pours a dark ruby/brown color, off-white head, thin collar. Tart cherries, oak, light funky sourness, vinegar, and fruit. Flavor is tart cherries, oak, nice acidic sourness, must. Body is light, good carbonation, dry tart finish.

A really nice beer here, but mostly just tastes like an aged La Folie. This beer is nearly impossible to locate, so probably not worth it to give up a ton when you can try an 07/08/09 La Folie a lot easier. Good beer and would definitely have again.

Falling Rock 10th Anniversary bottle shared by cpferris. Thanks Chad. Pours a murky brown with a small white head that settles to a bunch a bubbles at the edge of the glass and leaves some light lacing. The aroma is oak, cherry, some light brown sugar and caramel as well as a bit of vinegar. The taste has a light initial sweetness as well as a decent tartness. There is oak, cherry, and a bit of brown sugar. The finish has a decent amount of acetic acid and lots of oak. Medium bodied. Low-medium carbonation.

Big thanks to ChrisPro for tracking down this rarity. Served in Hill Farmstead stemware.

A - White foam quickly settles to a thin ring, spotty haze, and no lace. Hazy dark orange-brown body.

S - Smells like vintage La Folie, with a mixture of vinegar, sour cherries, moderate malt sweetness, and a touch of oak. There's a touch of oxidation setting in at five years of age, but it's not distracting yet.

T - The taste is quite nice too, with a mix of funky overripe cherries, acetic acid, wet oak, sweet malts and perhaps even a light chocolate flavor. Definitely a Flanders, with the requisite malt heft.

M - Super dry texture, medium-bodied with zesty carbonation, mildly tannic, negligible alcohol, and the signature New Belgium acidity.

D - It's not terribly different from concurrent vintages of La Folie, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I enjoyed this quite a bit as it made a nice contrast from the more acidic American Wild Ales we had. Probably too acidic for me to drink an entire 750ml though.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This beer is delicious! One of the best beers I have ever had. Love the sour/tart taste of the black cherries. Mouth feel is a little sticky but the tangy after taste is great. The low carbonation works well with the flavor of the beer- resembles a wine but you can still tell that it is a beer.