Review: New Belgium Gruit


Another one from the hoard, today's is New Belgium's Gruit Ale from their ever popular Lips of Faith series. This is a beer that keeps its hops to a minimum (at only 3 IBU!) yet uses ingredients that were common in ancient beers such as horehound, bog myrtle, yarrow, wormwood and elderflowers - all ingredients that just sound like jibberish to me.

Appearance: Lightly hazy golden straw ale with a minimal amount of creamy foam on top. The foam is really sticking to the side of the glass. Decent amount of carbonation bubbling throughout the beer.

Aroma: Notes of lemon, a bit of a tartiness reminiscent to some other New Belgium's Lips of Faith beers. A sour peachiness to it, light breadiness, wheaty graininess and a hint of pepper to give it a bit of spice.

Taste: A bit of a tarty wheat ale with a very grainy profile to it. Some notes of lemon, a bit of a herbal spiciness that's bitter yet not at all hoppy. Some sweet fruitiness in it, as well as some notes of citrus that reminds me of New Belgium's Snapshot Ale.

Overall Thoughts: For a beer with a bunch of weird jibberish items being used for the recipe, it's a fairly straight forward ale with a gritty wheat graininess, a bit of a herbal bitterness, lots of citrusness, floral, some fruitiness, breadiness and memories of other various New Belgium beers. I don't believe I've ever had a Gruit before, but "Gruit" does describe the beer well. 6.6% ABV

http://www.newbelgium.com/beer/gruit

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