New Belgium Fat Tire (7/10)

The fourth in our New Belgium series is their most famous beer, Fat Tire. 

Introduced in 1991, Fat Tire is an amber ale brewed with Pale, C-80, Munich, and Victory malts with Willamette, Goldings, and Target hops.

The aroma gives hints of biscuits, caramel, and fruit.
The flavor is a very well-balanced one.  The hops and malt are nearly perfectly balanced.  You won’t find hops or malt overwhelming each other here.  While it’s not a very complex beer, in that you’re not going to get a lot of spice, fruit, or other flavors in it, it’s a very easy to drink beer.
Rate Beer doesn’t care much for this one, giving it only a 48 out of 100.  Beer Advocate is kinder, with an 82 out of 100 rating.  Mine is closer to Beer Advocate’s on this, at 7 out of 10. 

Fat Tire should be available at many local retailers at the time of this publication.  I know that The Winking Lizard Tavern is planning to carry it for the month of December, that World of Beer at Easton will carry it, and I’m certain a number of local retailers will as well.  While I won’t advise you to rush out and buy this one, it is a good beer and I certainly recommend giving it a try.

Flavor Profile:

Sweet, Malty, Dry, or Bitter:  Balanced. If anything, very slightly bitter.
Spice Level:  Non-existent
Hops Level:  Low, in balance with the malt
Dominant Flavors:  Malt, hops
ABV: 5.2%
IBU:  18.5
My Rating:   7/10