Hey there! Is that really a German-Styled Dunkel Weiss you’re drinking? It kind of looks like one to me. But here’s the thing. I’ve never met a Bavarian-styled dark wheat beer that had an alcohol strength of 9% by volume before. So, that’s pretty amazing indeed. Hang, on, you say. Don’t the Germans make those really strong wheat bocks, after all? So why should this be so out of the ordinary?

Perhaps, I guess, because those are an established style, and this is a little different. Somewhat similar, but not entirely the same. I sense I may be losing you, so let’s see what New Belgium has to say about their Lips of Faith Dunkel Weiss, which is I should mention the beer we’ve been talking about all along here.

I thought it would be fun to make a German wheat beer; we ve explored the Belgian wheats pretty thoroughly, said brewer Matt Gilliland. Since this is Lips of Faith and part of what makes that program fun is to make beers that are really unique and different making a big, dark Weiss beer sounded pretty folly-licious. It ll still showcase all of the flavors that a Hefeweiss beer would have, but with added body think of it as a Gran Cru dunkelweiss.

New Belgium has certainly succeeded in what they wanted to do here. New Belgium Lips of Faith Dunkel Weiss was released in early 2011; I bought a bottle around April of that year for $7.99. As I am normally wont to do, I allowed this big beer to age a bit before drinking. You can generally do that with a beer of 9% strength, as long as your brew is properly stored. Anyway, I’m enjoying it about a year and a half after its release.

The Lips of Faith series is a specialty release line, and the sad news is that the beers are only available for a limited time. Some times a beer is popular enough to be brewed again, and one hopes that will be the case with the Dunkel Weiss.

New Belgium Lips of Faith Dunkel Weiss pours to a murky dark brown color with a truly immense foamy head and a big fruity nose hinting at raisin, clove, and Worcestershire sauce. Taking a sip, I get some amazingly complex flavors going on here: dark candy apple, banana, clove, chocolate, and caramel.  

Sounds good? Wait, I’m not done yet. A hint of hickory smoke permeates and teases throughout the beer, and I’m also getting vanilla, rum raisin ice cream, nutmeg, and of course crackery wheat, all leading into a tart refreshing wheat finish that’s heated up by some alcohol warmth and a hint of black pepper.

This beer is amazingly complex. I really like the way all of the flavors play against the decidedly creamy palate, and the way the black pepper, raisin, and maybe prune emerge and intensify in the finish.

New Belgium Lips of Faith Dunkel Weiss is a lot like a dunkelweizen on steroids. Make this one again, New Belgium. Please?

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

Home