In Defense of Fat Tire: A 90 Shilling advocate speaks out

[fretlessman71]

I know, I know, everyone on this whole dang board knows how I feel about Fat Tire - I'm on record all over the place here saying how average it is, and how Odell's 90 Shilling (quite possibly the finest pale/amber ale in the known universe) never quite gets its due. Well, even though 90 is and will remain my all time favorite beer, I had an experience last night that may have changed me forever....

Everyone knows how bottled beer doesn't quite stand up to the draught version of the same brew. I had had Fat Tire from a bottle 2 or 3 times, and on tap once or twice - enough times to give it a chance just in case I had missed something before. Until yesterday I had passed it off as a somewhat maltier tasting Samuel Adams clone - and for an ale, that's almost an insult.

I got an emergency call to play a private birthday party yesterday, and upon arriving I see a familiar sticker on the side of the keg - they're serving Fat Tire, one of the great success stories of microbrew lore. What's more, I'm sure they got it straight from the brewery, so it's as fresh as it could get. As soon as I set up, a rep from the birthday party brings over a few plastic cups of FT. Inside, I roll my eyes, wondering how it is that people can't tell a quality brew from a pale knockoff, but I accept it and have a sip. HMMMMM..... not bad. I can actually taste the malt in this! Wait... it's not overbearing, but it's there - yep, a nice blend of bready yeast, malt and hops. My palate isn't subtle or experienced enough to tell what type of hops and malt are used when I taste them, but I sure know a good balancing act when I taste one. We've all had Pale Ales that taste like they forgot the malt, right? Nothing but hops? Irritating, isn't it? This was not the case with my first glass of FT (yes, of course I had more than one!). I will say, however, that the colder it is, the less present any of the flavors are (S.O.P., really), and I believe that FT needs to be over 50 degrees before the full force of its flavor feat is felt (I ran out of "F" words.... F*@#!;) ). But I have to say: This was the tastiest Fat Tire I had ever had, and it will make me MUCH less apprehensive to order it when I'm out and about.

If you go to the site (http://www.newbelgium.com), you can read what New Belgium has to say about their flagship fare:Like the ageless delight of pedaling a bicycle, Fat Tire Amber Ale's appeal is in its feat of balance: Toasty malt flavors (sorta like biscuits just pulled from the oven) coasting in equilibrium with crisp hoppiness. Delicious stability-in the sometimes precarious world of beer flavors-is perhaps what prompted a consumer who wrote us to say "this beer just makes you smile."

Maybe this isn't the hype brew I've been thinking it was. I'm certainly willing to give it a chance in the future (on draught, of course) and see if it compares with my latest experience. (Maybe I'd feel better about Fat Tire if people would acknowledge 90 Shilling for what it is, but that's not the point of this post.) I suppose the bottom line is this: You could do far worse than order a Fat Tire.

[studentofbeer]

i wish i could get my hands on a 90 shilling to see what all the good words are about, but as you might remember, i had a similar experience with fat tire. my first couple times drinking it were ho-hum (bottle and draught), but one day i opened a bottle at home, let it warm up, and really enjoyed it.

those tasting notes are here on my blog (http://beerspot.blogspot.com/2004/05/saturday-tasting-notes-new-belgiums.html) and here in the thread (http://www.realbeer.com/discussions/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3511).

maltier sam adams, that's a pretty good assessment for some of the times ive had it. the dominating roasty flavors killed me. but a cellar-temp fat tire is a decent drink. unfortunately most bars probably serve it far too cold.

it's weird to me how most beers just seem to lose flavor when they are cold but are otherwise acceptable, while fat tire as well as goose island's honkers just taste much less good to me when really cold.

[Sunriver]

Not only is it a tasty beer. The Brewer New Belgium is terrific also. I would buy their beer for the people that brew it even if the beer was not as tasty as it is.

[fretlessman71]

Originally posted by studentofbeer
i wish i could get my hands on a 90 shilling to see what all the good words are about....

Someday, when our finances allow (and right now they're as tight as a tourniquet), I'll send you a bottle or two - as well as send beer to everyone ELSE that I owe beer to!:o

[fretlessman71]

Got to finish a friend's Fat Tire the other night - he didn't care for it, but liked my Boulder Porter so I switched with him - and I STILL thought it was great! What gives, huh?

[steveh]

Originally posted by fretlessman71
and I STILL thought it was great! What gives, huh?

I'd say that being closer to the source probably helps quite a bit. Also, who knows, maybe NB is beefing up the recipe some? Interesting that your friend didn't care for it, but took to the Porter.

The thing is, no one ever really slammed the FT, we just couldn't figure out what all the raving was about - it isn't swill, but it's certainly not overly special. I'm still considering it a "starter beer" until I know more.

S.

[chazwicke]

Originally posted by steveh

The thing is, no one ever really slammed the FT, we just couldn't figure out what all the raving was about - it isn't swill, but it's certainly not overly special. I'm still considering it a "starter beer" until I know more.

S.

Yeah, What Steve said.

[fretlessman71]

All I know is that it tasted like a starter beer to me, too, until last week....

Somewhere on the website is an article with an interview of the head of NB saying something to the effect of "We're still working on Fat Tire... I'm never satisfied with anything." Maybe the recipe has actually improved....?

[chazwicke]

Jeff Liebesch (spelling) once did a tasting at the Brickskeller way back when he was still brewing in his home. He confessed to stealing his yeast from a brewery in Belgium and bringing it back to brew his beers with. Fat tire was one of the beers that he brought and I thought it was decent back then. On a subsequent visit to Colorado I felt it had declined but was still a decent beer. I would probably rank it above Sam Adams. Now when you talk about Odells 90 your talking beer!

[steveh]

Originally posted by fretlessman71
Somewhere on the website is an article with an interview of the head of NB saying something to the effect of "We're still working on Fat Tire... I'm never satisfied with anything." Maybe the recipe has actually improved....?

Well...head on over and knock on the door dude! ;) While you're at it, give 'em my compliments on the Porch Swing, Abbey, and 1554!

Just how big a town is FC anyway? If it was anywhere near the size of my hometown (70,000 folks), I'd be in trouble most weekends...

S.

[Beaver]

Originally posted by steveh
Well...head on over and knock on the door dude! ;) While you're at it, give 'em my compliments on the Porch Swing, Abbey, and 1554!

Just how big a town is FC anyway? If it was anywhere near the size of my hometown (70,000 folks), I'd be in trouble most weekends...

S.

FC is around 120,000 now.

[studentofbeer]

Originally posted by steveh
Well...head on over and knock on the door dude! ;) While you're at it, give 'em my compliments on the Porch Swing, Abbey, and 1554!
S.

no kidding, those are all great brews--especially the abbey and 1554. if i could get those two beers around here for ~$7 a sixer, oh boy.

I once made a tuna melt on black rye and had it with 1554--it was the best thing ever.

[Beaver]

I've really been getting into their Trippel recently...yummy!

[Sunriver]

Loft is a great sitting around and watching football beer.

[chazwicke]

Originally posted by studentofbeer
no kidding, those are all great brews--especially the abbey and 1554. if i could get those two beers around here for ~$7 a sixer, oh boy.

I once made a tuna melt on black rye and had it with 1554--it was the best thing ever.

The Penn Brewery in Pittsburgh is where I had the best liverwurst and onion sandwhich I have ever eaten.

[fretlessman71]

I'm going to try to get a VIP tour with one of the chief muckymucks over there and ask a few pointed questions when I get the chance. I'm also thinking of getting 1/2 growlers of Fat Tire and 90 Shilling and comparing them side by side at some point (there's a meadery around here that sells their mead in big blue swing top 32 oz. bottles, and I intend to make good use of ours after the mead is gone!). What can I say... they finally got it right!

[Beaver]

Speaking of New Belgium, my wife used to be part of a play group for our now 4 year old. One of the women in it was the wife of the brewer for NBB. They were from Belgium, but I forget their names. I always thought she should try to get to know them better! :)

[steveh]

Originally posted by fretlessman71
I'm going to try to get a VIP tour with one of the chief muckymucks over there and ask a few pointed questions when I get the chance.

Check out their web site Fret - they have a pretty aggressive jobs page. Might find something that interests you!

S.

[Beaver]

Originally posted by steveh
Check out their web site Fret - they have a pretty aggressive jobs page. Might find something that interests you!

S.

They've got some nice benefits too...free beer, a cruiser bike after a year, and a trip to Belgium after 5.

[fretlessman71]

Originally posted by steveh
Check out their web site Fret - they have a pretty aggressive jobs page. Might find something that interests you!

S.

Actually, I've been checking it every day to see if they have any openings. All they've had is for a receptionist, which I don't qualify. I've been self-employed (not counting RL) for so long that I don't know how to even BEGIN looking for a job there (or at Odell's, or FC Brewery, or any of the others around here). I'd love to be a part of making great beer for someone, but how do I get it? And who do I have to kill?

[fretlessman71]

Thought I'd mention that I had yet another great pint of Fat Tire last night at Avogadro's Number here in town. They're earning their due! (Well, maybe they already did, or something... ;))

[steveh]

Originally posted by fretlessman71
I'm going to try to get a VIP tour with one of the chief muckymucks over there and ask a few pointed questions when I get the chance.

Anything ever come of this?

Also, I don't think it was ever pointed out before, but I imagine the FT on tap is better than the bottle any day.

S.

[fretlessman71]

Originally posted by steveh
Anything ever come of this? Nope. The VIP tour was only offered to employees of that stupid place I had to work for awhile, and I didn't work there much longer after I started the thread. Better man for it, though. :)

Went on a standard tour several months ago; never really got to ask many questions.

Also, I don't think it was ever pointed out before, but I imagine the FT on tap is better than the bottle any day.

S. Well, it sort of was in the first post - I think I implied that I had based my views of FT on the bottled variety and hadn't really given the tap (OOPS! DRAUGHT! SORRY RICHARD!) version much of a chance because of it. Need to remember that draft (isn't that the american version of draught?) and bottle are two different beers, even if the labels are the same.

[steveh]

Originally posted by fretlessman71
given the tap (OOPS! DRAUGHT! SORRY RICHARD!)

Dude, don't pander - you were right the first time - tap and draft are synonymous in the U.S., but we all know draught is the draw we get from a beer engine. Although, I have to wonder if it's still a draught if they aren't drawing a cask conditioned ale...probably. ;)

S.

[chazwicke]

I wonder just how many beers that are kegged are really different than the bottled versions? I know Oak Barrel Stout is different and I also know that lots of bottled brew is actually contract brewed and is different than what a brewer might have on tap at his local brewpub.

[fretlessman71]

I doubt if they'd be brewed differently; my guess is that something different happens to the beer when it sits in a keg versus a bottle and that accounts for the taste difference. BC, of course, is the best of both worlds: flavor and portability.

And steveh, I'm not REALLY pandering - just playing. :)

[steveh]

A lot of the macros are pasteurized before they go into bottles, but not when they go into kegs - not sure how many micros practice that procedure.

S.

[Jake]

Originally posted by fretlessman71
Someday, when our finances allow (and right now they're as tight as a tourniquet), I'll send you a bottle or two - as well as send beer to everyone ELSE that I owe beer to!:o

Now that is tight! I'm experiencing tight finances too. Shipping beer I've learned is not cheap. I would love to do a lot more trading, but the kid's school clothes, having the car brakes worked on, and lumber for finishing the house takes precedence.

[Jinja]

Fat Tire I can take or leave, to be honest, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE 1554. I only know of two places that serve it on tap, and I may have startled the bartender when I exclaimed with joy discovering that...

Jinja Out

[Caffinehog]

To those who speak of fat tire:
My first sip of fat tire was, I believe, in a hotel in South Dakota. It was pretty warm, I'd say about 55F. And it was awesome... Like a cross between a stout and a pale ale. Superb maltiness dominated the flavor. I later had it chilled, and it was mediocre. This is a warm-driniking brew beyond a shadow of a doubt.

[fretlessman71]

Had a Fat Tire last night at Elway's, brought to me in a non-chilled glass (I'm getting the waitstaff trained well ;) ). Keg was just tapped the day before, and the biscuit malt took center stage. Very different from other beers. I find that the less I try to taste something that's not there (lots of cascade hops, sweet malts), the more I enjoy the achievement of this particular balancing act.