Bike's & Beer

1989. Belgium. Boy on bike. (Ok, make that a young man of 32).

As our aspiring young homebrewed rides his mountain bike with "fat tires" through European villages famous for beer, New Belgium Brewing Company was but a glimmer in his eye. Or basement. For Jeff Lebesch would return to Fort Collins with a handful of ingredients and an imagination full of recipes.

And then there was beer.

Jeff's first two basement-brewed creations? A brown dubbel with earthy undertones named Abbey and a remarkably well-balanced amber he named Fat Tire. To say the rest was history would be to overlook his wife's involvement. Kim Jordan was New Belgium's first bottler, sales rep, distributor, marketer and financial planner.

And now, she's our CEO.

Electrical engineer meets social worker; ideals flourish
The other side of the New Belgium story isn't as romantic as bicycling through Europe, but it gives testament to our dedication and hard work. And it goes like this: Jeff, an electrical engineer by day and tinkered by nature, builds a home brewing kit in his basement out of repurposed dairy equipment. His Belgian inspired brews garnered enough praise from friends and neighbors that Jeff and Kim take their basement brewery commercial in 1991.

Kim, social worker by day and mother to two always, began the marketing process by knocking on their neighbor's door. Anne Fitch was that neighbor and her watercolors are the artwork we continue to use on our labels today. With labeled bottles and local encouragement, the first Belgian-style beers brewed in the United States were officially for sale.

What else continues today?

The Core Values and Beliefs that Kim and Jeff built New Belgium Brewing Company on. Before they ever sold a bottle of beer, they hiked into Rocky Mountain National Park with a jug of home brew in one hand and pen and pad in the other.

Together, they wrote down what they wanted to instill into this business dream of theirs.

As this tasty amber named Fat Tire grew in popularity, Jeff and Kim knew they’d need help. Enter Brian Callahan, an aspiring brewer and New Belgium’s first employee-owner. By giving Brian a vested interest in the company, Jeff and Kim did, “what seemed like the right thing to do.” And all the employee owners today thank them for doing what came naturally.

Ownership is now awarded at one year of employment. And just when you think it can’t get any better, they roll in your very own one-year anniversary cruiser bike. It’s pure bliss.

If it were your company, what would you do?

Look for ways to be less wasteful, be more efficient, recycle and reuse?

Yep. It’s infectious. Once you start thinking of ways to make your company better, you can’t stop. In 1998, a unanimous vote by employee owners switched New Belgium to wind power.

The first wind powered brewery in the United States, thank you very much. And, like all responsible business owners, it’s important to know your bottom-line, barrels, and books.

Meet New Belgium’s practice of open-book management: a policy of fiscal transparency throughout the company that encourages a community of trust and mutual responsibility.

Company Core Values and Beliefs

Remembering that we are incredibly lucky to create something fine that enhances people's lives while surpassing our consumers' expectations.

Producing world-class beers.

Promoting beer culture and the responsible enjoyment of beer.

Kindling social, environmental and cultural change as a business role model.

Environmental stewardship: Honoring nature at every turn of the business.

Cultivating potential through learning, high involvement culture, and the pursuit of opportunities.

Balancing the myriad needs of the company, our coworkers and their families.

Trusting each other and committing to authentic relationships and communications.

Continuous, innovative quality and efficiency improvements.

Having Fun.

Fat Tire Bike Jersey Price: $50.00

Our beers

We've been putting the NEW in BELGIUM since 1991. It starts with the Belgian brewing tradition of ignoring tradition. Add in our Belgian brew master Peter Bouckaert and his imaginative blend of brewing delicious beers with loads of character and aspiring ingredients; and finish with the all-deserving, ever-enhancing New Belgium Beer Glass.

If you really want to learn about our beer and the brew masters behind it, we invite you to pull up a recycled bike rim stool to the bar in our Liquid Center. Or, for instant gratification, crack open a bottle and read the descriptions here.

Want to know what edibles complement your favorite New Belgium beer? Simply click on the label you're wanting to pair, and you'll find recipes and recommendations from flavorful chefs and sensory magicians

New Belgium Bike Bell Price: $5.00

Fat Tire Neon Price: $350.00

You can always go down in price. Usually depending on the model and how old it is, you are usually seeing NBB cruisers go between $400 and $600. I'm guessing $550 would be an interesting start for a 2002.