New Belgium Brewing Company Slow Ride
What the brewers say
“A pour of sheened gold and fluffy, white foam. A blend of eight hops varieties, led by Mosaic and Nelson Sauvin, twist together tropical scents of melon, peach, lime, and grapefruit. The flavor mirrors the aroma.”
What our panel thought
Aroma: “Hops express as citrus and pine with some fruity orange notes. Malt is subtly bready, hiding behind the hops. Very fresh like a spring herb garden. Soft, well-rounded hops aroma. Nice blend of tropical fruit (papaya, mango, light pineapple) and spicy hops character. Hints of Thai basil and oregano. Very intriguing.”
Flavor: “Earthy, wet, piney, and herbal. Flavor picks up where the nose left off. Similar elements here, with the spiciness more in the fore, adding some lemongrass to the other herbal elements. Light bitterness doesn’t distract from the hops flavor.”
Overall: “A balanced, pleasant, and quaffable brew. The mix of hops rounds out the rough edges, and hops bitterness is lower than some other examples making this beer very approachable. Body has good depth but minimal character. Overall, a pretty good session IPA."
