Lips Of Faith - Super Cru | New Belgium Brewing
Brewed by:
New Belgium Brewing
Colorado, United States | website
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 10.00%
Availability: Rotating
Notes / Commercial Description:
No notes at this time.
Added by daledeee on 04-28-2011
View: Beers | Place Reviews | Events
Reviews: 159 | Ratings: 314
Reviews by the Alström Bros:
More User Reviews:
3.68/5 rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
2.63/5 rDev -22.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5
22oz bottle. Pours a light amber with a smallish frothy off white head that goes to a thin film and leaves some lacing.
The aroma is musty sweet biscuity malts with a little spicy fruit.
The flavor is sweet biscuity malt with some slightly spicy fruit (banana and asian pear?). The alcohol is well hidden, but noticeable. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with smooth carbonation.
Overall, I didn't really care for this. It's an amped up overly sweet Fat Tire with some fruit juice and a little more Belgian yeast (banana). So lots I don't really care for - sweetness, banana, and biscuit malt.
★ 594 characters
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5
22oz bottle. Pours a light amber with a smallish frothy off white head that goes to a thin film and leaves some lacing.
The aroma is musty sweet biscuity malts with a little spicy fruit.
The flavor is sweet biscuity malt with some slightly spicy fruit (banana and asian pear?). The alcohol is well hidden, but noticeable. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with smooth carbonation.
Overall, I didn't really care for this. It's an amped up overly sweet Fat Tire with some fruit juice and a little more Belgian yeast (banana). So lots I don't really care for - sweetness, banana, and biscuit malt.
★ 594 characters
3.73/5 rDev +9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
I may be in the minority but I actually liked this beer.
The beer pours an orange-amber color with a large off-white head. The aroma is a mix of herbs and spices, with some toffee, brown sugar and fruity notes mixed in. The flavor is heavy on the Belgian yeast with some pears and cherries. I also get some bready malt and candy sugar, as well as a healthy dose of alcohol. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation. Fairly drinkable for a beer that is 10 percent ABV.
★ 468 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
I may be in the minority but I actually liked this beer.
The beer pours an orange-amber color with a large off-white head. The aroma is a mix of herbs and spices, with some toffee, brown sugar and fruity notes mixed in. The flavor is heavy on the Belgian yeast with some pears and cherries. I also get some bready malt and candy sugar, as well as a healthy dose of alcohol. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation. Fairly drinkable for a beer that is 10 percent ABV.
★ 468 characters
4/5 rDev +17.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
L: A 22 oz. bottle fills a Chimay glass with a hazy gold liquid capped with 1” of quickly disappearing white foam S: Malt and pear.
T: Fruit, primarily pear with some tropical notes over light malts.
F: Medium body with above average carbonation.
O: A decent Belgian Strong Pale Ale
★ 288 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
L: A 22 oz. bottle fills a Chimay glass with a hazy gold liquid capped with 1” of quickly disappearing white foam S: Malt and pear.
T: Fruit, primarily pear with some tropical notes over light malts.
F: Medium body with above average carbonation.
O: A decent Belgian Strong Pale Ale
★ 288 characters
2.65/5 rDev -22.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2
On Tap
Churchill's Pub & Grille
San Marcos, CA
Beautiful copper and amber. Nice lacing down the glass.
Herbaceous, sweet, and fruity aroma--definitely some distinct aroma from the pear. A tangy Belgian yeast character and a hint of warm alcohol presence.
Sweet and syrupy, a touch floral, some alcohol, though the Belgian yeast doesn't seem to marry particularly well with the other flavors. It seems a bit all over the place. I finished about half my glass and didn't feel like I was missing out on anything by not finishing it. Too sweet, too syrupy, the Belgian yeast seems out of place.
Mouthfeel wasn't this beer's problem, though it didn't add anything.
A sweet, syrupy, heavy Belgian that seems to miss the mark.
★ 727 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2
On Tap
Churchill's Pub & Grille
San Marcos, CA
Beautiful copper and amber. Nice lacing down the glass.
Herbaceous, sweet, and fruity aroma--definitely some distinct aroma from the pear. A tangy Belgian yeast character and a hint of warm alcohol presence.
Sweet and syrupy, a touch floral, some alcohol, though the Belgian yeast doesn't seem to marry particularly well with the other flavors. It seems a bit all over the place. I finished about half my glass and didn't feel like I was missing out on anything by not finishing it. Too sweet, too syrupy, the Belgian yeast seems out of place.
Mouthfeel wasn't this beer's problem, though it didn't add anything.
A sweet, syrupy, heavy Belgian that seems to miss the mark.
★ 727 characters
3.38/5 rDev -0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Thanks ThoreauLikeAGirl for sharing a bottle of LoF Super Cru.
A pale amber with a lemon ice colored head. The belgian yeast dominates the nose with a ittle bit of crushed pear. Lots of asian pear on the palette. The beer is fairly smooth with a nice fruitiness and light body. The juicy pear finish is sweet and hides the high alcohol well. Certainly tasty and not deserving of the C rating imo.
★ 397 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Thanks ThoreauLikeAGirl for sharing a bottle of LoF Super Cru.
A pale amber with a lemon ice colored head. The belgian yeast dominates the nose with a ittle bit of crushed pear. Lots of asian pear on the palette. The beer is fairly smooth with a nice fruitiness and light body. The juicy pear finish is sweet and hides the high alcohol well. Certainly tasty and not deserving of the C rating imo.
★ 397 characters
2.73/5 rDev -19.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
On tap at Latona Pub. Seattle, WA. July 2011.
A: A clear corn silk/amber color with a thin head of foamy bubbles at the top of the tulip glass.
S: Yeasty Belgian aroma. Hints of sweetness and spice.
T: Belgian funk flavor with some spicy notes. The alcohol is very present at the end.
M: Medium body with a boozy mouth feel.
O: Not a big fan of this beer, but it was free due to the waitress messing up my order.
★ 417 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
On tap at Latona Pub. Seattle, WA. July 2011.
A: A clear corn silk/amber color with a thin head of foamy bubbles at the top of the tulip glass.
S: Yeasty Belgian aroma. Hints of sweetness and spice.
T: Belgian funk flavor with some spicy notes. The alcohol is very present at the end.
M: Medium body with a boozy mouth feel.
O: Not a big fan of this beer, but it was free due to the waitress messing up my order.
★ 417 characters
4.08/5 rDev +20%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Pours a thick snow-white head, firm and tight and a bit rocky. Color is a glimmering amber/bronze with much clarity and an army of bubbles swirling around, almost in champagne-like fashion. Lots of lace left on the glass.
Aroma just about nails the style, having equal parts sweet, succulent fruits (indeed, mostly pear), earthy yeast, and an herbal/flowery counterpart.
While the taste favors a bit of heat, I think it only aids the soft and very slick mouthfeel and the gentle pear attributes, which provide the fruit's characteristic flavor and sweetness. A bit of spiciness comes in too, white spice maybe, probably a result of both the alcohol and the yeast. I really like the taste and all that is going on here -- sure, it's a little busy and maybe not everything is meshing up perfectly, but it's intriguing. My only complaint is that the flavor totally fades once the sip goes down the throat, leaving only a mildly spicy finish, at best.
For a sweet 10% beer, Super Cru remains delicate in feel, complex in composition, and very drinkable. And it doesn't resemble Fat Tire in the slightest (which is the foundation of this beer, according to the bottle text).
★ 1,173 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Pours a thick snow-white head, firm and tight and a bit rocky. Color is a glimmering amber/bronze with much clarity and an army of bubbles swirling around, almost in champagne-like fashion. Lots of lace left on the glass.
Aroma just about nails the style, having equal parts sweet, succulent fruits (indeed, mostly pear), earthy yeast, and an herbal/flowery counterpart.
While the taste favors a bit of heat, I think it only aids the soft and very slick mouthfeel and the gentle pear attributes, which provide the fruit's characteristic flavor and sweetness. A bit of spiciness comes in too, white spice maybe, probably a result of both the alcohol and the yeast. I really like the taste and all that is going on here -- sure, it's a little busy and maybe not everything is meshing up perfectly, but it's intriguing. My only complaint is that the flavor totally fades once the sip goes down the throat, leaving only a mildly spicy finish, at best.
For a sweet 10% beer, Super Cru remains delicate in feel, complex in composition, and very drinkable. And it doesn't resemble Fat Tire in the slightest (which is the foundation of this beer, according to the bottle text).
★ 1,173 characters
3.62/5 rDev +6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Review #700 for those keeping count. Poured from a 22oz bomber into my Troubador tulip.
Rosy orange liquid with surprising clarity topped by an active 1/2 finger of beige merengue. Nice sandy lacing and decent retention.
Pear jam, yogurt, rosewater in the nose, backed by a light malty aroma as well.
Pink peppercorn, carmel apples, jolly ranchers, and some jammy esters from the alcohol start things out. Fruity wort with pear blossoms, skins and juice contribute sweetness and delicacy. The finish is faintly malty (a touch of Fat Tire is revealed here) and gently spicy from the saison yeast. Low bitterness with a hint of citrus shows the hops quietly doing their job. A touch sweet and grainy overall, but juicy and flavorful none-the-less.
Medium-light bodied, with a soft delicate effervesence. The alcohol sneaks up on you.
Not particularly successful as a Belgian ale of any sort, this is still an interesting conglomeration of sessionable amber ale with vague hints of saison.
★ 996 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Review #700 for those keeping count. Poured from a 22oz bomber into my Troubador tulip.
Rosy orange liquid with surprising clarity topped by an active 1/2 finger of beige merengue. Nice sandy lacing and decent retention.
Pear jam, yogurt, rosewater in the nose, backed by a light malty aroma as well.
Pink peppercorn, carmel apples, jolly ranchers, and some jammy esters from the alcohol start things out. Fruity wort with pear blossoms, skins and juice contribute sweetness and delicacy. The finish is faintly malty (a touch of Fat Tire is revealed here) and gently spicy from the saison yeast. Low bitterness with a hint of citrus shows the hops quietly doing their job. A touch sweet and grainy overall, but juicy and flavorful none-the-less.
Medium-light bodied, with a soft delicate effervesence. The alcohol sneaks up on you.
Not particularly successful as a Belgian ale of any sort, this is still an interesting conglomeration of sessionable amber ale with vague hints of saison.
★ 996 characters
2.92/5 rDev -14.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75
It pours a rich looking faded copper orange color. It's not a clear beer at all, unless it's just a chilled haze I'm seeing. Very cloudy. There is no head whatsoever. A few bubbles are up top, but it's hard to call this a head. Too bad too because it's a very rich looking pale ale style beer.
Something gives this an odd smell. It's not a bad smell, but it's very odd. It could be the pear juice, but I think it's the Belgian yeast. It's funky smelling. More than anything, with the high ABV and fruit juice, it smells like a cocktail.
I always try to explain to people that aren't craft beer fans that fruity beers aren't necessarily normal beers with fruit juice added. Unfortunately, this is exactly that. It's basically a mediocre beer with fruit juice added. Because of that, the flavors don't work well together, they kind of cause problems.
Sometimes a lot of different ingredients, scents, flavors provide complexity. This doesn't. There's no cohesion. It's sweet, very tart, bitter, warming, but each of those feels tries to be the star instead of working together. Very similar to some krieks that I've almost had to pour down the drain.
A bit too funky for me. Nothing works, lots of rough edges. Not smooth. Rough around the edges.
★ 1,271 characters
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75
It pours a rich looking faded copper orange color. It's not a clear beer at all, unless it's just a chilled haze I'm seeing. Very cloudy. There is no head whatsoever. A few bubbles are up top, but it's hard to call this a head. Too bad too because it's a very rich looking pale ale style beer.
Something gives this an odd smell. It's not a bad smell, but it's very odd. It could be the pear juice, but I think it's the Belgian yeast. It's funky smelling. More than anything, with the high ABV and fruit juice, it smells like a cocktail.
I always try to explain to people that aren't craft beer fans that fruity beers aren't necessarily normal beers with fruit juice added. Unfortunately, this is exactly that. It's basically a mediocre beer with fruit juice added. Because of that, the flavors don't work well together, they kind of cause problems.
Sometimes a lot of different ingredients, scents, flavors provide complexity. This doesn't. There's no cohesion. It's sweet, very tart, bitter, warming, but each of those feels tries to be the star instead of working together. Very similar to some krieks that I've almost had to pour down the drain.
A bit too funky for me. Nothing works, lots of rough edges. Not smooth. Rough around the edges.
★ 1,271 characters
3/5 rDev -11.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Pours a nice golden orange with a thick head that is leaving fast.
This beer smells, oddly enough, like a sauvignon blanc. Sweet and fruity with lots of Belgian yeast. Unfortunately the taste was not as good. You can definitely taste the pear and yeast, but I feel like the double fat tire base is what is killing the taste.
I had to sort of force the rest of this beer down since the flavor was absolutely not doing anything for me.
★ 436 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Pours a nice golden orange with a thick head that is leaving fast.
This beer smells, oddly enough, like a sauvignon blanc. Sweet and fruity with lots of Belgian yeast. Unfortunately the taste was not as good. You can definitely taste the pear and yeast, but I feel like the double fat tire base is what is killing the taste.
I had to sort of force the rest of this beer down since the flavor was absolutely not doing anything for me.
★ 436 characters
1.62/5 rDev -52.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5
I can't justify giving this beer a legit review. I dumped it out.
it's possible it was infected I guess. but it tasted smokey, with minimal citrus notes.
I will probably never buy another lips of faith series besides La Terrior.
sorry for being negative, but seriously... double the fat tire recipe plus pear juice and saison yeast, why did I ever think this would be good?
turrible.
★ 388 characters
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5
I can't justify giving this beer a legit review. I dumped it out.
it's possible it was infected I guess. but it tasted smokey, with minimal citrus notes.
I will probably never buy another lips of faith series besides La Terrior.
sorry for being negative, but seriously... double the fat tire recipe plus pear juice and saison yeast, why did I ever think this would be good?
turrible.
★ 388 characters
3.47/5 rDev +2.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a very effervescent amber with 3+ fingers of cream /sand colored head. Average head retention & lacing
S: Faint breadyness, that really ramps up once warm, some pear & pineapple as well
T: Apricot & pears with white pepper, light lemony hops & some phenols up front. Some powdery dryness as this warms, not a trait of NB beers that endears them to me for sure. Some faint juicy-fruit here also, apple peels, a bit of pineapple sweetness/acidity. Finishes with much apple peel, dryness, & a touch of pineapple& just a little booze bite
MF: Medium bodied, firm carbonation, decent balance, becomes pretty warming once warmed up a bit
An alright example of the style, nothing too exciting here
★ 701 characters
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a very effervescent amber with 3+ fingers of cream /sand colored head. Average head retention & lacing
S: Faint breadyness, that really ramps up once warm, some pear & pineapple as well
T: Apricot & pears with white pepper, light lemony hops & some phenols up front. Some powdery dryness as this warms, not a trait of NB beers that endears them to me for sure. Some faint juicy-fruit here also, apple peels, a bit of pineapple sweetness/acidity. Finishes with much apple peel, dryness, & a touch of pineapple& just a little booze bite
MF: Medium bodied, firm carbonation, decent balance, becomes pretty warming once warmed up a bit
An alright example of the style, nothing too exciting here
★ 701 characters
Lips Of Faith - Super Cru from New Belgium Brewing
3.4
out of 5
based on 314 ratings.
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Review from BeerAdvocate Magazine Issue #53 (June 2011):
Big beer brewed with Asian pear juice. Shiny copper color; two-finger head drops to a thin ring of lace. Some vague floral fruitiness meets spiciness, with medicinal herb and alcohol in the nose. Some smoothness, slick with a big body. Mild tartness with a thick malty foundation, and a hint of sweetness up front. Toasted bread and ripe fruit soon make way for a more toasty, dry, almost broth-like flavor. Spicy, boozy alcohol, rose water and tropical fruit. Semidry finish clings to the booziness. A serious beer if strength is considered, though beyond that, it lacks a bit of depth that was expected. A tasty brew nonetheless.
★ 689 characters