Fat Tire, from the New Belgium Brewing Company is a native of a blooming Colorado brewery scene.

To ignore this new arrival closes you off from the great big world of beer snobbery. I am not an expert in the realm of beer, but I am an avid drinker who has done his share of beer tours. I’ve found that beer snobbery is an amazing thing; it allows one to achieve a whole new level of condescension.

HOW FAT TIRE CAN LEAD YOU TO BEER SNOBBERY

LANGUAGE

Beer has its own lexicon including things like hoppy (Goose’s Imperial IPA) and malty (Goose’s Octoberfest). In the case of Fat Tire you’ll notice the scales are tipped in favor of a malty flavor which tends to linger like the aroma of a Vintage Rocky Patel cigar. Also, it should be noted that New Belgium was termed a craft-brewery rather than the oft used micro-brewery. Once you pump out too many barrels of beer they step you up in rank, and with the recent expansion into California, and now 750 Chicago outlets, their beer is truly flowing.

PALATE

Judging from the neon assailing one from bar windows the tongue favors the eternal dilemma of great taste or less filling as per reasons to drink Miller Lite. While I admit to an almost religious devotion to it, the world of beer is much broader in spectrum. Belgium is a region renowned for its flavorful brews which incorporate spices and a variety of brewing methods; New Belgium is surely a chip off the old block in that respect. While the mainstream favorite Fat Tire may not venture off the beaten path it remains the exception in the lineup. From the award winning Abbey, Belgian style ale, to the wood aged and hand numbered La Folie there is an array of flavors and craftsmanship missing in the large scale Milwaukee export. At this time it will only be 22oz. bottles of Fat Tire, but if you drink it they will come.

IN SUMMARY

Caveats aside, Fat Tire is a wonderful doorway into the flavors that aromatic beers have to offer. Its malty brown texture provides a depth in character overlooked by the more familiar style lagers, though it doesn’t force the issue. It’s a light drinkable brew great for balmy afternoon cookouts or a relaxed after-work hideout from sub-zero weather in a cozy neighborhood bar. So while you’re out be sure to watch for this alternative and its siblings and don’t forget to rub your newly found knowledge in your friends’ faces.

Photos courtesy of Fat Tire

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