A close call; collected.
In need of a stellar pick-me-up, not just anything would do. Grabbing for the nearest cellar (cardboard, wine case) bottle, New Belgium’s collab with Alpine Beer Company – Super India Pale Ale – has swooped in to save the day. New Belgium’s Lips of Faith Series has rarely steered me wrong. Super IPA is the pinnacle example of blind faith in New Belgium’s collaborations. This Imperial IPA is rivaled by only Russian River’s Pliny the Elder and Stone Brewing Co’s 10th Anniversary Ruination.*
New Belgium Lips of Faith Super IPA Label
All ready to simply recline and enjoy, realization sets in… Oh no! This may be the last bottle of Super IPA ever to be had. Time to blog this experience before memory fades forever. Before we get to the beer, let’s talk label design. Love printed-on bottles. Super IPA is my favorite Lips of Faith design. Lightning bolt adorned hop graphics flit about, gathered around the star of the show. Super IPA is Clark Kent at nine percent ABV. Let’s do this.
Open is awesome. Orange-y sweet hop aroma flows forth. Pour disperses dank, creamsicle sweetness. Super IPA is a mash-up of sugary-sweet citrus and aggressive, brutish hop bitterness. Imagining a Spiderman-esque backstory for this brew; sweet nerd gets bitten by radioactive hop-spider to become super brew… It could happen.
Taste is just divine. Bitter bite, then orange-y hop explosion. Sweetness is tempered with savory hop bitterness. Detecting notes of chive-y garlic, complimented with fresh spinach and wet grass. Ending is pure hop concentrate. Hop heads unite – Super IPA is here to save the day.
If you’re lucky enough to witness a sighting of this heroic brew, pick up a bottle. Again, in my humble opinion, the best Lips of Faith offering ever. Here’s to faith in New Belgium’s / Alpine Brewing’s offering this colossus collab up on the regular. The micro brew world needs a new hero, and Super IPA is it. Raise your glasses up, up, and away to this super brew saving the day.
* Would love to hear dissent. Moans and groans are welcome!
22oz bomber scored at the Spokane Valley Huckleberries section of Rosauers. My new, favorite brew mecca. Worth every penny at the mid-$4 range.
Well written, magically transports you to a place where u def want radioactive spiders and Super IPA to cover you. The taste sounds like perfection sliding down your throat too bad I’m in Tennessee and no change of getting such a glorious taste. Well, one can only hope. Thanks for the review.
Thanks, Janna!! Glad you enjoyed the write up. Sad we don’t get many east coast beers out this way.
I picked this up a couple of weeks ago along side the Peach Porch Sitter, and also was not disappointed. It’s quite delicious, and I have since bought another bottle.
Thanks, Chet! Glad you enjoyed Super IPA, as well. Haven’t had the Peach Porch Sitter yet. Really excited to try it.
Apparently, a little hyperbole goes a long ways if anyone’s looking for further reading:
http://www.reddit.com/r/beer/comments/10likd/lips_of_faith_super_ipa_pliny_killer/
Beer is subjective. Love the discussion!