Lawnmower Springboard

New Belgium has had a number of spring/summer seasonal beers since 2004.  I start with 2004 because I was solidly 21 by then and able to buy my own beer ... except that I didn't have a real job yet.  Working as a part time cashier at Staples while going to school didn't leave much money for GOOD beer.  So late-2004 delineates the point in my life when I got my first job and moved west where I was introduced to the wide world of real beer rather than hopping from apartment party to apartment party drinking free Milwaukee's Best - Light.  Barf.

If you ask me (which I realize you didn't, but you are reading my blog, so you kind of did), New Belgium has decided to mass produce the wrong ones.  Loft was born as a seasonal brew in 2002 and although I don't recall how long it was out, but I do know that it was out when I met The Husband in early 2005.  We both loved it.  Skinny Dip and Mothership Wit were released in 2006.  Mighty Arrow Pale Ale came out in 2007.  Springboard came out as a seasonal in 2008.  Then Somersault in 2011 and Dig Pale Ale in 2012, both of which I thought were not as good as Loft, Mothership Wit or Springboard.

New Belgium has brought back Springboard, but only in the Folly Packs.  The return of Springboard means that it will replace Dig in the Folly Pack.  Dig will still be available for purchase in 6-packs.

Springboard is a delicious summer beer - a "Lawnmower Beer" if you will - crisp and clean and refreshing with what tastes like a bit of sour fruit (to me, it tastes a bit like lemon).  

Springboard Belgian Pale Ale (6.2% ABV)
New Belgium Brewery
Fort Collins, Colorado 

Recommendations:  if you liked Springboard when it came out in 2008, you'll like it again.  But you better buy it soon because according to the New Belgium website, Springboard will only be available in the Folly Packs during February, March and April 2013.  Toss a few in the beer fridge in the garage and then go mow the lawn.  Grab a cold one, pop the top, kick your feet up and sit back and watch your grass grow.

*All bottle logos above copied from www.fermentedlychallenged.com