New Belgium Lips of Faith Dandelion Ale

The other night, inspired by the power of camraderie, the celebration of graduation, and the sweet linger of a 21st Ammendment Brew Free or Die IPA ,courtesy of the Bier Stein, I entered the fourth bar in a long line of bars that would complete, and ultimately define my evening.

The night was Thursday, the bar was Davis' downtown and the man behind the magic was Brother Nikos. This man, having recently earned a minor in Business Administration had prepared for us a loose itinerary of after dinner casual entertainment as a rowdy, drunken testament to his various achievements over the past five years at the University of Oregon, the least of which were two excellently orchestrated "pub crawls" in 2007 and 2008. The pub crawl of 2009 was a culmination of research compiled and organized throughout the previous years and Nikos, Friday morning would defend his honors thesis on the topic.

The night began at Taylors, went west to the city center, looped down to the back quarter where I was left behind at Joggers playing pool with an Icelandic geologist. Eventually, the tour returned to Rennies via Burrito Boy and continued on down to the river for a nice, early morning stroll during which Nikos articulated eloquently the main points of the speech he would deliver later on that very same morning. By this point, I had lost my sense of direction, my ability to count, and vast array of basic motor functions. I had, however, gained confidence, courage, warmth, strength and the ability and desire to write on bathroom walls and tag t-shirts with a sharpie. These two critical skills, I believe, were a direct result of circumstancial contact with Dandelion Ale.

This ale, a recent addition to the New Belgium product line, offered perhaps the most interesting and unexpected surprise to my palate, sending sparks of flower power to dance with my tastebuds. I had wandered to the side of the bar to inspect the on-tap selection, and my eyes had naturally gravitated to the New Belguim label proudly displayed as the most accessible of beers. At first I mistook the label for that of the Skinny Dip Summer Seasonal Red and was slightly disappointed when I realized that my eyes were sufficently blurred so as to make reading difficult. This being said, my eyes soon opened wider than ever before, so inspired and excited was I to taste a new New Belgium. The only other time I had ever felt that way was last summer when first I touched my lips to those of the Mighty Arrow Pale Ale. My lips that night at Davis' however, did not qiuvver with the nervousness, the slight hesitation of a first kiss; no; they were strong and ready and willing. They were lips of faith.

Immediately, a smile. Then, a grin, a knowing nod and the calm deep breath of satisfaction of meeting a blonde and discovering that really, truly, she's a redhead in disguise.

http://www.newbelgium.com/beer/dandelion-ale