New Beer Sunday (week 477)

New Sour Sunday
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Hello again, NBSers!

This past week I've had and since recovered from a cold, which meant I didn't enjoy much beer the past week because my nose basically didn't work. So tonight, healthy again, I reward myself with a delicious extra from my fantastic trade with @cestlavie, which netted me a bunch of stuff including King Henry, Framboise Noir, and Rose de Gambrinus, as well as many, many others I couldn't be more excited about. So tonight, I open Captain Lawrence Hops N' Roses:



I was absolutely wowed by the gorgeous array of colors in the beer, and by a truly fantastic smell. The taste wasn't quite as good, but still very solid. Lots of flowery perfume, some funk, barely tart, but perhaps just a tad watery. Here is my full review: http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/12959/82600/?ba=WTKeene.

This is the last of my beer tonight, the rest of my night will be spent with Syrah (A 2009 Campuget 1753, specifically) a purple shaded wine to accompany the Purple Wedding on Game of Thrones tonight.

Until next week,

Cheers!

 

New Beer is literally a new beer - first release Comma Saison 4.2 from Carton Brewery of Atlantic Highlands NJ, tasted at the brewer.
I compare it to my favorite American Saison, Ommegang Hennepin 4.3, and although former is like a dark Rochefort and the latter like a Duvel, it's a tie. Two great saisons that you must try.

Carton Comma Saison 4.2
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Released today at the Carton Brewery. This Saison will be a regular in their line up, at least for the summer. If I make any mistakes in this review, I apologize as I am writing from memory.

I made a trip down to the brewer to try this before a kayak. It was 79 degrees and this beer was a perfect early spring day new beer Sunday.

A: Dark as porter, or old stock ale, and as flavorful as wine. Good head retention and lacing. Surprisingly dark, no, not for a pepper saison with a name as black as "comma".

S: Black pepper upfront, along with belgian yeast and sweet/peppery body. Inviting. Going to be a great food beer.

T: Extremely original, but true to Saison. I've had some good American ones lately, from Ommegang and 1st Amendment and others, and this one is equal or above them and squarely in the Belgian category. Pepper first and last, but balanced by yeast, grain, sweet malt and fruity sweetness. Grassy, complex and wine like. Would gladly have another.

MF: Light. Well carbonated, clearly built for April to Oct.
Overall: This brewer is on a roll with finding originality and blending to the satisfying core, being both first, original and yet true to style in the backdrop. Must try.

Ommegang Hennepin (Farmhouse Saison) 4.3/5
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
This may be Ommegang's best, and I think it's so close to Duvel and great Trappists that I'd love to conduct a blind tasting later this summer. Outstanding. Must try.
Since Duvel is one of my favorite beers, this is in my top 30 for sure.
A - Pours a murky, dusty straw gold color with a 1 inch white head. Not the head of lasting and lacing of Duvel.

S - Also a Meditation beer as good as wine or champagne, and even more energetic. . Lemon, champagne, with spices, pepper, fruit, apple, and sweet malt. Grassy, very long finish, very appetizing. A little more yeast stink than Duvel (a Saison).

T - All of the notes in the aroma and MORE SO... RISING on the tongue, with sweet malts, a little bitterness, spices. Pepper & champagne.

A lot going on. Also like Duvel, a clean long, long, cleansing finish, that makes you want another kiss, I mean sip.
M - pinpoint carbonation. Dry and crisp like champagne. A bit chaulky in a good way.
D - Must try.
As Alstrom wrote "Close to champagne but so much more. At a dinner party see if people prefer over wine". I do!

 

Received my Bible Belt bottles yesterday and enjoyed this beauty of a beer while watching the Masters. I've got to say that, as much as I love Bomb!, this one is noticeably better.

I did a side by side pour and taste with Bomb! and here is what I perceived:
Bible Belt is a smoother and more refined version of Bomb. The burnt roast qualities are not as pronounced in Bible Belt as they are in Bomb!. They're there, but milder. Again more refined beer. Also, the alcohol burn at the back end is much less, almost non existent, in Bible Belt.

Both are excellent, but if pressed to choose one I'd go BB!

 

Took the wife to see Captain America for a second time. Really great film...

Back home now, and enjoying one of my finds from last month's trip to EBF in Boston. Maine Brewing's King Titus. I normally go more for the big stouts than the porters, but this is a very nice brew. So far, everything I've tried from these guys has been outstanding.





http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/20681/85822/?ba=richj1970

 

New Amber/Red Ale Sunday

Hello all! Cool and rainy here in Milwaukee. Today's selection was disappointing. Still trying Wisconsin beers. This one was way too sour for the style. From O'So:

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/16386/42841/?ba=jwc215

Cheers!

 

Konnichiwa NBS'ers,
Had a little hail yesterday, some rain today and declining temps that should have us into the low 40's by tomorrow but that could not diminish the great feeling of being in the high 60's and low 70's we had thursday and friday. Was hoping spring had sprung but I am to much of a realist to expect it so early in chi-town. In honor of the coming spring we thought we would go with something light and refreshing. Well here goes another Thumbprint Sunday.


A nice dark amber color with a small cream head. Aromas of apple, cider, and some dough. A nice tarness up front, cider and some apple pie. Good carbonation, light body, a little sticky with a pleasant finish. They sure know how to make fruit beers in wisconsin and would sure like to get more for those warmer days ahead. Next time I will have to try this ala mode.

Cheers and have a good week everyone

 

Not a huge Belgian fan, but saw a single of this and thought if nothing else, cool addition to bottle collection. Very sweet and fruity with a little champagne like tingle/carbonation. Smell is sweet yeast and malt. Not very bitter, a little sour though. Overall, it is good. Probably better to a big triple or quad lover. I would be interested to try one again with a year or 2 on it. This was about 3 months old.

 

Wow. 600th review, thats awesome

 

Curious as to the pricing of maine beer out east. Hear good things but at $7.50 for 375ml I just keep walking by.
Cheers

 

And the price co

And the price comparison weighs HEAVY in BCBS's favor...IMHO.

 

Ah, this was from this morning, but the thread hadn't been posted before I went to bed. Almost forgot about it. Wouldn't want to deprive the world of my beer drinking!

Been a bit of a MARVEL infused weekend: went and saw Captain America 2 and it inspired me to finally watch the second half of this season of Agents of Shield. Man has that show improved dramatically in the last couple of episodes.
Weather's was nice this past week, but it started raining this afternoon. At least it waited until the weekend was all but over: might have missed out on friday night music otherwise. Serenading people from the wall as they walked by on the sidewalk, still sore from the basement punk show, plus found a nice upbeat folk type jam on the way home, so it was a good evening all in all.

But the important things: Bear Mace is a baltic porter 4 Hands made in conjunction with the local grocery store chain for their (the store) 75th anniversary. As with many of 4 Hands' other offerings, I feel like there's a lot to like, but that it comes up just a little bit short in the end. Some interesting flavours going on here, and aspects of a smoothe silky body, but it comes out a little overcarbonated, a little thing, and a little like it's holding back. It's got the foundations of a solid baltic, with that almost ashy/smokey/dry character, buoyed by some interesting baking spices and the aforementioned almost amazingly smoothe body. Ultimately it's one I'd certainly drink again given the opportunity, but probably wouldn't pick out of a lineup.
Cheers everyone!

 

Guten Abend NBSer's
Well, the weather here was stunning today. In the sunshine one might feel close to 80 degrees, until a cloud danced by, or the cooling breeze picked up, then one might feel in the mid-60's. All in all, this season of transition is being very good to us. (Except for our dire need of percipitation)

Thanks to BA member grze who traded me a growler of fresh Kern River White IPA. I probably never would have had the chance. It's a bit of a burnt straw color. Pours a bit hazy, with a frothy, active 1 inch of foam. Initial nose is a bit citrusy with some grass with a hint of something I couldn't nail until the finish...
Initial taste bites a little of the same as the nose, but after the swallow I found a hint of pepper. Mouthfeel is a bit thin, but about average for the style. I wasn't blown away, but this one is quite good.

Thanks again grze.

 

About the same price here but that is a good price for the quality. It's rare to see bottles for much less than that in CT.

 

Sorry guys, posted from my phone and cut and paste didn't work quite work out right, not to mention the super bold beer name.

Should have been something like this;

Bear Republic Old Scoutters Barleywine:

This was better than expected and I actually managed to find a food pairing that holds up to a big hoppy barleywine. Very rich malt, with quite a bit of sweetness, almost reminds me of a big wee heavy. Hoppy, but not extreme, more balanced than I would have guessed. Smells great, both the hops and malt come through. Pretty boozy, but it works.

Back to the food pairing, we were out to brunch with my dad who decided to order homemade maple bacon donuts for the table. I haven't had a donut in several years, but they were pretty awesome, and the over the top sweetness along with the bacon actually stood up to and paired nicely with the beer.