A Better Beer for Mother Earth

The buzz surrounding Fat Tire didn't come from overconsumption last summer, but from the Colorado produced beverage's arrival into Twin Cities bars and liquor stores. The debut of New Belgium brewery's signature Amber Ale was met, at the time, with anticipation by Minnesota beer enthusiasts. Quickly, Fat Tire was available on tap everywhere you looked. Still, in-store availability limited the release to 22oz bottles of strictly Fat Tire, neglecting the 8 other brews on the New Belgium roster as well as their 4 seasonals. So, when I went to MGM off Lake Street tonight and saw the 'Folly Pack' display, I was rather excited.

Not only was Fat Tire available in 12oz bottles, but the sampler included the 1554 Enlightened Black Ale, the Mothership Wit Organic Wheat Beer and the Mighty Arrow Pale Ale- the brewery's latest release. Rather than down 4 brews on a depressingly cold/wet April Thursday, and trying to review them all, I've opted to review them one at a time.

Tonight the first cap that came off was that on a bottle of Mothership Wit. You might wonder, does 'organic' really make it a better wheat beer? To be honest, I haven't a clue...but I did really enjoy the light and crisp taste of this subtly citrus and mildly hoppy concoction. Unlike other wheats, this one wasn't too fruity in flavor and was able to avoid being overly bitter. Without question, it's one of the better wheat beers I've had. The 'organic' approach is not a play on current trends either. New Belgium Brewery's popularity comes as much from it's business practices and culture as it does it's ability to make quality beer.

The company was founded in 1991 and has since added 300 employees that all have a vested interested in the business. That's because at their one-year anniversary employees are given a stake in ownership as well as a pretty sweet bike. The ownership model, organic beer and bike all relate to founder Jeff & Kim's devotion to sustainability.

When it came to their workers, they knew to hold onto good people they had to treat them as such. Giving each a piece of the pie showed them they were valued and keeps everyone interested in the long-term success of the brand. The organic beer and bike riding relates to New Belgium's passion for the environment. The best example of this came in 1999 when they became the first Brewery to be fully-powered by Wind. From their packaging on down, this obsession with being 'green' makes the company one of the most environmentally aware outfits in any industry. For even more on these admirable practices, check out this clip:

Expect reviews of the other 3 beers in the 'Folly Pack' in the coming days!

NEW BELGIUM BREWERY WEBSITE