FT. COLLINS, Colo. — New Belgium Brewing, maker of Fat Tire Amber Ale, is rolling out 2013’s sour beer offerings in style with the simultaneous release of this year’s La Folie and a fresh version of Transatlantique Kriek. This is New Belgium’s third collaboration with world-renowned sour beer expert Frank Boon to create Transatlantique Kriek, a beer brewed on two continents. New Belgium recently tripled its wood beer capacity and will be exploring further distribution of its harder to get sour beer offerings.
Transatlantique Kriek is a slightly sour cherry beer that came to life in the oaken vessels of Boon’s brewery in Belgium’s Lembeek Valley. After two years of wood aging, Boon’s cherry kriek shipped across the Atlantic and landed with New Belgium’s Brewmaster, Peter Bouckaert. Peter then created a full golden ale to round out this light-bodied kriek. The cherry nose gives way to a sour flash across the palate and rolls into a slightly sweet finish. Transatlantique Kriek is part of the Lips of Faith portfolio and is 8 percent ABV.
The 2013 version of La Folie, the award-winning sour brown that launched New Belgium’s wood beer program in 1997, is also making its debut this week. La Folie is a wood-conditioned beer, resting in French Oak barrels between one and three years before being bottled. It offers sour apple notes, a dry effervescence and earthy undertones. The brewery does a single bottling of the beer each year, offering La Folie lovers the opportunity to collect the 22-ounce, uniquely designed bottles. ABV is 6 percent.
“Working with Frank Boon is the ultimate partnership as we literally cross oceans to connect our passions for sour beer,” said New Belgium Brewer Grady Hull. “Both Transatlantique Kriek and La Folie illustrate the way you can push boundaries with sour beers, consistently sparking new enthusiasts.”
To learn more about New Belgium beers, tune in to BeerStream, a live video feed that gives fans an opportunity to engage real-time with the brewery, featuring virtual beer tastings, details on new beers, events, culture and more. The next BeerStream event, which will unearth fun facts about Dig Pale Ale, is February 12 at 6:00 p.m. mountain time.
About New Belgium Brewing Company
New Belgium Brewing, makers of Fat Tire Amber Ale and a host of Belgian-inspired beers, is recognized as one of Outside Magazine’s Best Places to Work and one of the Wall Street Journal’s Best Small Businesses. The 100% employee owned brewery is a Platinum-level Bicycle Friendly Business as designated by the League of American Bicyclists, and one of World Blu’s most democratic U.S. businesses. In addition to Fat Tire, New Belgium brews eight year round beers; Ranger IPA, Shift Pale Lager, Sunshine Wheat, 1554 Black Ale, Blue Paddle Pilsener, Belgo IPA, Abbey Belgian Ale and Trippel.