La Follie By New Belgium Brewery

[dpricenator]

Alright i got this bottle just before X-mas from Halon in our Secret Santa Exchange. Halon went way over board and sent me a fine selection of fime beers and ales brewed in Colorado. This particular beer comes in a Champagne sized bottle, and is a special release, that was aged in wood barrels for several years before it was bottled. The look and the story behind this beer made me want to save it for a special occassion. So I brought it to the Socal Herf and figured i would share with everyone. The owner of the shop asked me to save the bottle for him, so he could see if he would be able to stock a few bottles. You can only buy this at the brewert in Ft Collins CO. I popped the cork on this puppy and couldn't wait to finally try this treasure. The beer has a great red color to it, and plenty of head. We all raised our glasses and toasted Halon for the beer. As I brought the glass to my mouth i got a wiff of a very sweet fruity aroma, very uncharacteristic for any beer I had ever had. As it hit my lips I about gagged on a sugary bitterness that had to have been the worst beer experience of my life. As much as it pains me to bust Tyler's balls, due to the fact that this was part of a very nice Christmas Gift, I have to say that La Folie is horrible and I would not wish this on an enemy. Also I love every other beer New Belgium Brews, so don't take this out on them. We gave the owner a glass and he was very honored we had decided to share it with him. He did his best to hold back his surprise and disgust. He politely handed the glass back and said "thank you, but I'm not interested in that" We all broke into laughter, as the joke was certainly on him. I'll let the other guys who were so priviledged to have shared this with me give thier reviews of this very rare beer experience.

P.S. Sorry Tyler, it was a very nice gift, though i wish this had been the one bottle that didn't make it. But then I would never know not to buy this one. Alos the guys said I had to start a thread about it.

 

[Clinton]

It's the thought that counts... :grin:

 

[dpricenator]

It's the thought that counts... :grin:

Most certainly, I completely agree.

 

[Greg]

Why, you ungrateful SOB....:hysterica

 

[jwintosh]

mmmmmmmm, i detect cranberry! or was it vinegar? pretty bad... strike that, very bad! i think chuck had the last laugh, as he was probably the only one that didn't drink it!

 

[Wasch_24]

You win some you lose some.

Do you think it was a bum bottle or is this stuff just TOO different?

Here is why I ask, link. Seems to have pretty good reviews, overall.

 

[jmatkins]

I do love a good Beer.

 

[jwintosh]

i think it was spoiled. like wine gets when sits in the heat too long....

 

[dpricenator]

i think it was spoiled. like wine gets when sits in the heat too long....

After reading the reviews, they describe this as a sour fruity beer. How would it spoil in 6 months? It was bottled in 9/07 and went from the brewery to UPS to me to the fridge. I think it is that none of us like SOUR beers.

 

[Greg]

You win some you lose some.

Do you think it was a bum bottle or is this stuff just TOO different?

Here is why I ask, link. Seems to have pretty good reviews, overall.

And here too....

 

[dpricenator]

both of the following reviews sound like what I drank. I think our dislike comes from the fact this is not our type of beer. I notice both these guys talk about a vinegar taste. If you like a sour belgian beer then this might be your ticket. I'lll stick with Fat Tire and continue to give New Belgium Brewery Porps for great beer.


10th anniversary blend shared by Sliffy at the Cleveland tasting. Poured a nice brownish red with a creamy off white head that stuck around for quite a while. A great looking flemish sour brown. Very tart and acetic aroma with some fruits, vinegar, some woodys elements. Flavor profile has a very pronounced sour cherry presence that melds nicely with an oak smoothness in the finish. Very very quality brew. Not sure if there is a big difference between the 10th ann. blend and the regular bottling of this brew...but the blended anniversary batch is top notch!



The first sip is sharp and lightly cutting. But in a fantastic way. This is a very sour beer. It is very similar to kombucha tea. Or like the vinegar chugalug that grandparents in Pennsylvania drink for their health (with the exception that this beer is delicious). The taste is sharp enough to almost give the back of my throat a cold-headache-like feeling. The sour and sharpness is nicely balanced out with a sweetness that is not completely unlike fruit. Breathing out through the mouth after a swallow brings on the barest hint of smoke. Similar to peat burning in scotch production. The breath out also brings on a touch of bark in a moist forest.

 

[Greg]

Yep, sounds sour....I'd like to give one a try though, seems interesting.

 

[Wasch_24]

That's what I am thinking. Kinda pricey though.

 

[Halon]

Well I'm sorry it sucked!!! Maybe it's more enjoyable in the climate it's brewed in, cause I've heard good things about it. Oh well! You can't win 'em all.

Just out of curiosity, you let it breathe for like 20 minutes before drinking it, right? Because it says to on the label and everybody who's had it says you need to let it breathe or it's just awful.


TYLER

 

[Angry Bill]

Frutty it was.... hehe..,

 

[dpricenator]

Well I'm sorry it sucked!!! Maybe it's more enjoyable in the climate it's brewed in, cause I've heard good things about it. Oh well! You can't win 'em all.

Just out of curiosity, you let it breathe for like 20 minutes before drinking it, right? Because it says to on the label and everybody who's had it says you need to let it breathe or it's just awful.


TYLER

I do not think we let it breath for more than 5 minutes or so. It sounds like it is good to the right people. I want to thank you again for not only the thought in including this beer , but for the entire gift as a whole. I know who ever I get this year is getting destroyed, by me like I got by you. Thanks again Tyler

 

[CWS]

Well I'm sorry it sucked!!! Maybe it's more enjoyable in the climate it's brewed in, cause I've heard good things about it. Oh well! You can't win 'em all.

Just out of curiosity, you let it breathe for like 20 minutes before drinking it, right? Because it says to on the label and everybody who's had it says you need to let it breathe or it's just awful.


TYLER

Tyler,
It was worth every penny. It was by far the funniest thing I have seen in years when they all took a big swig and tried not to spit it out. :stretchgr

 

[Halon]

Well the whole reason I got you a shitload of beers is because I knew you would not like every one of them!!! If we ever meet up I'll bring another bottle of La Folie. Everywhere I read really stresses that it has to breathe for at least 20 minutes, so we'll see if that makes a difference. Although you probably don't want to risk getting skunked by the same beer twice!!!!! One thing I've learned from drinking different beers is that they're best in the climate they are brewed in. I've taken some great CA beers back to CO and they tasted like ass, and I've heard stories of CO beers tasting better in CO than in other states. I think it's kinda funny how the beer turned out for you guys!!! Save it for a special occasion and then it's not even drinkable, lol!


TYLER

 

[Angry Bill]

Tyler, its was worth a 1000 words to see some of the faces... So thanks for giving the beer to Dave...

 

[dpricenator]

Oh we drank it, there's no sense in letting the alcohol go to waste. And I guess the only other beer that wasn't absolutey phenominal, was the rasberry. But everything else you sent i have bought again here. The 1554 and Abbey I couldn't find until just 2 weeks ago. You have turned me into a New Belgium Whore, but this whore got beat up during his last trick.