Fall Wild Ale
New Belgium Brewing Company

Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
New Belgium Brewing Company
 
Colorado, United States
Style:
Wild Ale
ABV:
8.5%
Score:
82
Avg:
3.6 | pDev: 13.06%
Reviews:
45
Ratings:
54
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Nov 14, 2015
Added:
Sep 29, 2009
Wants:
  12
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by LoRezDave:
Photo of LoRezDave
Reviewed by LoRezDave from Illinois

3.32/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
On tap at Handlebar on 10/8. Snifter for 6 bucks. Called a "malt-forward dubbel ale - dry and slightly sour".

Aroma - nice sourness present but definitely not overwhelming, slight maltiness

Appearance - brown. :/

Taste: definitely some sweet bready malts, but tastes more like the basis of a brown ale than a dubbel - it's the lack of dryness that throws me. Slight sourness...like rhubarb.

Drinkability: sorta. I enjoyed one, but that's fine thanks.
Nov 15, 2009
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.9 by AnitaBrewski from Massachusetts

Nov 14, 2015
 
Rated: 3 by target88 from Kentucky

Oct 04, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by KAF from Iowa

Jul 24, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by Haybeerman from Colorado

Feb 07, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by t0rin0 from California

Nov 23, 2012
 
Rated: 3.25 by gregmoscetti from California

Nov 13, 2012
 
Rated: 3.75 by ste5venla from California

Oct 31, 2012
 
Rated: 3.5 by jophish17 from Georgia

Dec 24, 2011
 
Rated: 4 by kkrez from Colorado

Nov 15, 2011
Photo of GarrettB
Reviewed by GarrettB from Colorado

4/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
I remember back when the Lips of Faith series was limited to La Folie and the occasional release, like Eric’s Ale. Now every time I go to the local beer store, or even better, when I visit New Belgium, there’s a new selection of LoF beers, each a significant departure from the last. The Fall Wild is no exception - an iconic entry into the Lips of Faith line, with its characteristic dark, creeping flavors and grimacingly-good palate. The nose is simultaneously dark, husky and sweet, and accented with sour, almost vinegar notes. The flavor adds several more layers of complexity to the nose, featuring a coke sweetness, generous raisin and fig sugars, and a nice alcohol bite that incentivizes drinkers to sit and really mull the flavor. Plum abounds in the latter half of the taste, and gives the drinker all the flavorful benefit of an imperial stout without the deep charred or bitter flavors that come with almost-burnt malts. A long howling flavor of raisin set on a wave of sharp alcohol produces a long, relaxing aftertaste that leaves the tongue anesthetized almost as much as the drinker. Without the sharp bitterness of the stout, the Fall Wild makes an excellent Fall warmer, a modified version of the beloved Winter warmer.
Aug 24, 2011
Photo of nanobrew
Reviewed by nanobrew from California

3.66/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Had this at a New Belgium tasting

A: A nice mahogany color with no head

S: tart apple, fairly strong vinegar, with a subtle smell of spices

T: reminds me of a dubbel, you get the strong esters from the yeast. Very floral, with bananas and spices

M: fairly sweet with a slight alcohol feel. Not as pleasant as other beers of similar style
Jul 26, 2011
Photo of rye726
Reviewed by rye726 from Colorado

3.6/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Not a bad beer, a soured version of their Abbey Ael I guess. Pours brown with a thin tan head, Nose is tart and Bretty. Not alot going on. Fairly dull and uncomplex. Good session beer though. Crisp and refreshing. Easy to drink. Go get soem, try it for yourself.
Feb 21, 2011
Photo of Duhast500
Reviewed by Duhast500 from Rhode Island

3.85/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured from the tap into a tasting glass

The color is a dark maroon/red with a brownish tan head and some slight lacing.

The smell is a funky brett flavor. Nice sourness that has some spices here and there like cinnamon.

The taste is spicy, some nutmeg and quite a bit of a brett flavor. Some dark fruit flavors with some spiciness mixed through this beer.

The feel of this beer is crisp and has a medium body to it. It has a quite a bit of aftertaste that stays for a short while but goes down easy.
Nov 11, 2010
Photo of brokensail
Reviewed by brokensail from California

3.53/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A: The pour is amber in color with a slight cloudiness and an off-white head.

S: Certainly some tartness, leaning firmly in the acetic/vinegar direction. A mild sweetness with some vanilla and coconut? notes. Quite a bit of earth, which I suppose fits with the "fall" theme of the name.

T: A fair amount of complexity to the flavor, which is nice. Somewhat sweet, with contributions from the malt and maybe some dark fruits (cherries). The sourness is (again) primarily acetic in nature and works in an interesting fashion with the earthy and musty nature of the beer.

M: The body is medium with a fairly low level of carbonation. I tend to prefer my American wild ales with a bit more effervescence.

D: One of my least favorite New Belgium sours. A bit much on the vinegar and sort of muddled and quite earhty.
Jun 30, 2010
Photo of dirtylou
Reviewed by dirtylou from Oklahoma

3.5/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
on-tap at brasserie V, paired with a bloody V burger

cell notes

appearance: served in the classic new belgium chalice - rather dark amber body, foamy tan cap but still a hearty pour

smell: herbal earthy nose - definitely malt driven, similar to a dubbel with brett

taste: This beer boasts the usage of Schisandra berries, the "five flavor fruit". This one reminded me of a bland trappist dubbel, with only a slight wild nature coming from the yeast...malt, tobacco, herbal. After a tasting of saisons and sours, this wasnt very memorable

mouthfeel: not as lively as i would hope from a wild ale

drinkability: fine
Jun 25, 2010
Photo of ebin6
Reviewed by ebin6 from California

3.19/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
On-tap at Beachwood BBQ, aged 9 months by Gabe.

A - Pours reddish/brown with a lot more head than I expected

S - Funky, dirty nose; a lot of herbaceous notes upon deep inhalations

T - Incredibly complex taste; sweet-to-bitter-to-funky-to-sour taste, though not a very intense sour taste. Gabe had mentioned the brewers used some exotic berry which is supposed to contain all five types of taste (sweet, savory, salty, bitter, and sour). I had a hard time pulling out the saltiness though.

M - Resonates pleasantly upon swallowing, though each sip seems to be hit-or-miss. The first sip blew me away, but it was hard to duplicate that same mouthfeel or taste

D - Not a taste I'd care to drink for extended periods of time
Jun 13, 2010
Photo of SShelly
Reviewed by SShelly from Oregon

3.56/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours cloudy medium brown with low white head that fades to light lacing.

Light light tartness in the aroma, barely noticeable.

Light upfront sweetness with subtle tart tingle on the sides of the tongue, leaves a light sweetness on the sides of the tongue.

Pretty drinkable and light, nit sure if I would even consider this a wild ale, not bad by any means but kinda uninteresting.
Jun 11, 2010
Photo of BeerFMAndy
Reviewed by BeerFMAndy from Wisconsin

3.82/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
10 oz tap pour into a stemmed tulip glass. Poured at the New Belgium Hub in the Denver Airport.

A - The tap pour was poor. You'd think they knew better here. Filled right to the top it left no room for head so only a small tan right was the only thing there. The beer was a clear deep brown. A little bit of lace was left upon drinking.

S - This Wild Ale has a low nose right off the bat since it was poured right to the top. The nose was still tight even when half the beer was gone and I swirled it. What I do get coming out though is a touch of toasted bread and caramel malt with a blend of their sour brown ale astringency and some Brett yeast with a small funk finish.

T - It seems like this Wild Ale is more of a blend of lightly sour brown ale with a small, tart mouth-pucker mixed with a low level of Brett yeast. Toasted bread and caramel malts provide a solid base. No hops appear in this brew. A hint of Brett horse-blanket comes through in the finish.

M - This Wild Ale is medium-bodied and mostly malt-driven with a blend of tart and sour on the finish with lingering Brett aspects. Moderate carbonation livens it up a bit.

D - It dabbles in sour brown and wild ale enough to not be too heavy on either side. It's a good blend and nicely drinkable but I would have liked to see more Wild, especially since thats what it's called.
May 31, 2010
Photo of klikger
Reviewed by klikger from Wisconsin

3.02/5  rDev -16.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 1.5
16 oz. pour into tulip glass at Brickhouse BBQ

A - Very dark brown with a decent amount of head. Lacing came and went quickly.

S - Bananas, cloves, dried cranberries.

T - From sip one, this was very sweet. Bananas dominated, with black pepper and prunes making an appearance as well. Despite the name, the taste isn't as wild as hoped for. I longed for funk and was given sugar.

M - Not much carbonation, but this doesn't detract. Average body.

D - No funk; too much sweetness. I drank half of the glass and happily traded it for half of a Gumballhead.

This is the first Lips of Faith which I wouldn't want to have again. I'm not saying it's not well-crafted; there's definitely a target market that will enjoy this. I'm not part of it.
May 20, 2010
Fall Wild Ale from New Belgium Brewing Company
Beer rating: 82 out of 100 with 54 ratings