New Belgium & Fat Head’s Collaborate on Smoldering Sour

New Belgium Brewing has teamed up with Fat Head’s Brewery for a Beers with Vrienden collaboration called Smoldering Sour.

Vrienden means friends in Flemish, perfectly depicting New Belgium’s love for collaboration with unique craft brewers around the country.

Matt Cole, Fat Head’s owner and brewmaster, will join New Belgium  Brewing’s Matty Gilliland, employee owner & longtime brewer, in Ft. Collins, Colo., for the first part of the collaboration on October 9, 2015. Fat Head’s will release the resulting sour ale this November followed by a second brew date in Ohio on November 16.

“We first talked with Matt & the folks at Fat Head’s Brewery about collaborating earlier this year,” said Lauren Salazar, New Belgium’s specialty brand manager and blender. “These guys make amazing beer and are so fun – they’re in craft brewing for all the right reasons. The moment we started talking, I knew we had found kindred souls, not to mention a mutual love for the Grateful Dead!”

With no such thing as an “off-limit ingredient,” the brewers will concoct a one-of-a-kind beer that will feature a power-lineup of lime, lemongrass, habanero and Mosaic hops, known for its fruity beauty.

“Matt and I are both flavor freaks – he’s a chef in his own right,” said Gilliland. “His hot wings are the best I’ve ever had and a discussion about the spices in his recipe inspired this beer. Once we nailed down habanero, lemongrass and lime, we started talking about our stainless souring program here at New Belgium and it all came together. There’s a lot of moving pieces between the sourness, the spice and the other flavors – it’s a real balancing act to get it right!”

A few lighter, pale and crystal malts will fill out the flavorful palate of Smoldering Sour. A sessionable beer, it will come in at 4.5 percent ABV and 16 IBUs.

“We’re super stoked to be joining one of our most highly-respected colleagues and friends in the brewing world for this collaboration,” said Cole. “Our shared passion for quality and innovation are sure to make this beer one of our most challenging and rewarding projects to date.”

The New Belgium crew will travel to Cleveland to kick off a Smoldering Sour release party on November 15, 2015. Then, the team will start working on a reciprocal brew, November 15-18, to be released in December 2015. Additional details on the Cleveland release party for Smoldering Sour (Ft. Collins brew) and details on the reciprocal Cleveland collaborative beer will be announced as the second brew date and party gets closer.