Boy, did I get a great deal the other day! I got 12 (count ‘em) beers for the amazingly low price of just $12.99. Mind you, that wouldn’t matter if the beer wasn’t good, but it is: this is the New Belgium Folly Pack. Better yet, the Folly Pack is a sampler, so you get 12 bottles total of 5 different beers. Now what would you pay? But wait. There’s more!

The Folly Pack also features as one of its selections 4 bottles of Loft Beer, a “revival” beer that hasn’t been brewed since 2002. You’ll also get 2 bottles of each standby favorite Fat Tire Ale, Ranger IPA, Sunshine Wheat, and the beer I’m drinking today, New Belgium Blue Paddle Pilsner. That’s quite the bargain folks.

Blue Paddle Pilsner is described by New Belgium as a Czech-style pilsner “more body than a traditional Belgian pils”, which seems a bit confusing to me. When I think Czech pils I think Pilsner Urquell, when I think Belgian I think Stella Artois. Two rather different beers entirely, though both pilsners to be sure. Blue Paddle Pilsner is the first lager beer made by New Belgium, and has an alcohol content of 4.8% by volume. My bottle has a best by date of December 15^th, 2013.

As far as the name goes, the New Belgium Website says “‘Blue Paddle’ refers to the implement our warehouse manager’s Grandma once used to lovingly paddle his a** when she caught him stealing sips of her beer. More on Blue Paddle Pilsner from the label:

Blue Paddle Pilsener Lager crafted with malt only brewing and noble hops, explores the boundaries where American lagers seldom journey.

Reflective of Europe’s finest pilseners, Blue Paddle delivers a refreshing bitterness, vibrant finish, and a subtle but intricate depth of flavor.  

And ingredients from the website:

Hops:  Saaz, Liberty, Target

Malts:  Pale, Munich, Carapils, Aromatic

Yeast:  Lager Yeast

My bottle of New Belgium Blue Paddle Pilsner pours to a pale gold color with a moderate spritzy head formation and a crisp biscuit malt nose. The palate has that same crisp biscuit malt the nose promised. In the finish, noble hops add minty grassy aroma and a long dry bitterness that dries nicely, makes you aware of its presence but does not overpower. A wonderful dry pils at a bargain price, very refreshing on a hot summer day. It lacks the slightly buttery quality of a true Czech pils, I think, but otherwise hits the make quite well.

And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled

(D)=Draft

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