Big thanks to BelgianBeerGal for giving me my 30th New Belgium rating. Bottle (23Jan2009). Pours with a hazed ruby copper colored body and a large tan head. Aroma of coffee, light rum, caramel, sweet potato, dirt, ash, tobacco, lemon, and pepper. Taste is a bit mellow. Somewhere between tea with some lemon slices and coffee. Sweet tea like finish. Minimal bitterness. Sort of bubbly and thin. Not unpleasant in any way, very easy to drink.

12 oz. bottle. I kept putting this off, worried that after my late night tasting sessions, I might not be able to sleep. Well, I’ve got a cranky 16 month-old baby to handle that for me. Interesting dark copper to nut brown color, thick spongy brownish head. Smell is of a Belgian wit, but with more caramel malts, and spices that are like the brewmaster just felt like emptying the pantry on brewday. So no obvious coffee smell. Coffee in the taste just builds slowly, letting the chewy malts and lemon get their say first. Halfway through, I’ve decided the coffee will never come to the fore, but with just feel like the aftertaste of an iced Americano. But that just helps set this apart from other coffee beers. I’m finding it pretty likable. Would like to see this offered in more of the places carrying other NB beers.

Courtesy of markwise. Pours clear copper with gold edges and thin off white head. The aroma is roasted malts, coffee, burnt malts and other mildly vague malty notes. The taste is sweet with caramel and sugar sweetness to go along with smooth coffee notes. Coffee takes over by midway and provides mild dryness to cut the early onslaught of sweetness. It tastes like a dark stout-ish beer but doesn’t really look like one.

Bottle: Poured a orange with a jello head. Aroma is roasted malts and coffee. Taste is coffee, roasted malts, and toffee.

courtesy of vasdef42. Cheers for sending so many New Belgium goodness. Pours brown with white head with lasting retention. Aroma has some definite notes of coffee - espresso, though not overbearing remains very enjoyable, the lemon is very light and only a zesty touch can be noted. Taste is pure enjoyement. New Belgium has brought the coffee touch in a style that is not what we usually see, and they have done a great job at it. Roasted malts with light notes of coffee and subtle zesty lemon (very hard to notice but add a very tiny note of bitterness. There are also noticeable caramel and chocolate that come enhance the tasting experience. Smooth and highly enjoyable.

on tap at flying saucer. Had a dark amber with a small frothy white head. The aroma is sweet malt with caramel and coffee. Good sticky lacing on the glass. The taste is simmilar to the nose with a nice roasted malt. A very good spice brew from New Belgium.

Sample draft at the Flying Saucer in Kansas City, Missouri. Pour is clearish orange golden (look for notes from others) without much head. Aroma of coffee peel and lemon citrus. Taste is the nose, pronounced coffee and lemon sharp citrus. Only a hint of tart sourness. Palate was medium, mouth coating, with the espresso coffee taste lingering. Interesting, but not all that enjoyable.

Draft. Amber beer with a nice off-white head. Lemony, dark malt aroma. Coffee, lemon and light roast flavor. Medium bodied. Lemon, coffeee, and caramel linger.

Draft at Sanford’s Grub and Pub, Cheyenne, WY; Nose of coffee, caramel, and brown sugary sweetness; light brown with a medium beige head; flavor is expresso with a little citrus and sweetness.