Fat Tire Beer Review
Fat Tire (Be sure and check out the uploaded photo of the bottle).
Living in GA has come to mean many different things. Summers so hot that when you walk outside it feels like someone just pulled their foot out of hot ass and then rammed it in to your lungs, having to drive to Chattanooga to get a 12 pack of beer on a Sunday, and learning that speed limit signs on the interstate are more of a starting point than a ceiling. Living here has also meant, even though our beer selection has improved, not getting some of the praised beers west of the Mississippi. Well, at least some things do change. New Belgium Brewing's selection of beers are now available in GA, and this includes the much lauded Fat Tire. My anticipation for this beer has been years in the coming, so let's just jump right in.
I purchased it at Hop City, a newcomer on the Atlanta beer scene and apparently with enough financial backing to have over 1000 beers available for sale even though they've only been open for weeks. Their selection of Belgian beers is almost on par with the Green's on Ponce, but their microbrew selection should be enough to make any beer snob weep with orgasmic pleasure. Anyhoo, 2 Fat Tires were purchased and one 1554 Enlightened Black Ale. Unfortunately, last night shortly after purchasing them my stomach started turning faster than Bea Arthur at her wake when the Star Wars Holiday Special was brought up, so there was no beer for me yesterday. But tonight I revel in the hops soaked waters of inebriation. So, what's the beer like?
Style : American Amber/Red Ale
5.2% ABV
Appearance: First off this beer is beautiful. When you pour it in to your glass what stands out most is the wonderful slightly copper hue. I really had no idea this was in the same vein as a red ale. Very clear with lacing so subtle it's lost if you're not looking for it.
Scent : Lightly yeasty almost like sniffing a biscuit, and slightly toasty like a stoner before going to church.
Tast : Woah. Was not expecting that. It's MUCH lighter than I had anticipated. Little malty with almost undetectable hoppyness. This is not a beer to enjoy as a meal. This is a session beer all the way (definition time! session is just a nice way of saying binge). You want to drink this with a thick, meaty burger (as per my wonderful girlfriend's astute suggestion), or maybe with something spicy like cajun food. Honestly, I was hoping for a bit more tongue attack. Then again, my favorite beers tend to make my tongue curl up like a slug when salt's poured on it.
Mouthfeel : I really like the way this feels in my mouth (can it peanut gallery :-) Upon first entry it's very light, but then with a quick swish becomes lightly thick and full of character. Holy crap, mouthfeel seems like a really gay way to talk about beer, but I digress. I look forward to having this in my mouth A LOT.
Drinkability : It's good to drink, what more can I say. It's not quite the "knock your dick in the dirt and rub it there till gravel gets in your urethra and you need to get surgery to remove it" beer I was looking for, but it's VERY nice.
Drunkfeel : Here's a section you're probably not gonna see to many other beer raters do. How does the buzz feel? Well, I'm on my 2nd 22oz and feeling pretty good. There's a very low alcohol content, so I don't anticipate being able to fill in this section. Should have picked up 3 instead of 2. Oh well.
So, should you buy it? Yes, and no. Yes, if your favorite beer style is a red. You've just found the beer that Killian's dreams of being. If you love drinking a cold beer after mowing the lawn, at the ball game, with a great meal or after a marathon sexual encounter, this is the beer for you. However, if your looking for a beer that punishes your taste buds like a dominatrix with a grudge, move along nothing to see here.
Living in GA has come to mean many different things. Summers so hot that when you walk outside it feels like someone just pulled their foot out of hot ass and then rammed it in to your lungs, having to drive to Chattanooga to get a 12 pack of beer on a Sunday, and learning that speed limit signs on the interstate are more of a starting point than a ceiling. Living here has also meant, even though our beer selection has improved, not getting some of the praised beers west of the Mississippi. Well, at least some things do change. New Belgium Brewing's selection of beers are now available in GA, and this includes the much lauded Fat Tire. My anticipation for this beer has been years in the coming, so let's just jump right in.
I purchased it at Hop City, a newcomer on the Atlanta beer scene and apparently with enough financial backing to have over 1000 beers available for sale even though they've only been open for weeks. Their selection of Belgian beers is almost on par with the Green's on Ponce, but their microbrew selection should be enough to make any beer snob weep with orgasmic pleasure. Anyhoo, 2 Fat Tires were purchased and one 1554 Enlightened Black Ale. Unfortunately, last night shortly after purchasing them my stomach started turning faster than Bea Arthur at her wake when the Star Wars Holiday Special was brought up, so there was no beer for me yesterday. But tonight I revel in the hops soaked waters of inebriation. So, what's the beer like?
Style : American Amber/Red Ale
5.2% ABV
Appearance: First off this beer is beautiful. When you pour it in to your glass what stands out most is the wonderful slightly copper hue. I really had no idea this was in the same vein as a red ale. Very clear with lacing so subtle it's lost if you're not looking for it.
Scent : Lightly yeasty almost like sniffing a biscuit, and slightly toasty like a stoner before going to church.
Tast : Woah. Was not expecting that. It's MUCH lighter than I had anticipated. Little malty with almost undetectable hoppyness. This is not a beer to enjoy as a meal. This is a session beer all the way (definition time! session is just a nice way of saying binge). You want to drink this with a thick, meaty burger (as per my wonderful girlfriend's astute suggestion), or maybe with something spicy like cajun food. Honestly, I was hoping for a bit more tongue attack. Then again, my favorite beers tend to make my tongue curl up like a slug when salt's poured on it.
Mouthfeel : I really like the way this feels in my mouth (can it peanut gallery :-) Upon first entry it's very light, but then with a quick swish becomes lightly thick and full of character. Holy crap, mouthfeel seems like a really gay way to talk about beer, but I digress. I look forward to having this in my mouth A LOT.
Drinkability : It's good to drink, what more can I say. It's not quite the "knock your dick in the dirt and rub it there till gravel gets in your urethra and you need to get surgery to remove it" beer I was looking for, but it's VERY nice.
Drunkfeel : Here's a section you're probably not gonna see to many other beer raters do. How does the buzz feel? Well, I'm on my 2nd 22oz and feeling pretty good. There's a very low alcohol content, so I don't anticipate being able to fill in this section. Should have picked up 3 instead of 2. Oh well.
So, should you buy it? Yes, and no. Yes, if your favorite beer style is a red. You've just found the beer that Killian's dreams of being. If you love drinking a cold beer after mowing the lawn, at the ball game, with a great meal or after a marathon sexual encounter, this is the beer for you. However, if your looking for a beer that punishes your taste buds like a dominatrix with a grudge, move along nothing to see here.