New Beer Sunday (week 485)

500 beers in a year? I think it took me 4 or 5 years to do that, and it wasn't for lack of trying! Then again, I live just minutes from northern Idaho, so you've probably a few more beer available to you.

 

Prairie Noir. Imperial Oatmeal Stout aged in whiskey barrels. So much going on here. Whiskey, oak, coffee, chocolate, toffee. YUM! It's my only 2nd Prairie beer, but they're becoming one of my favorite breweries fast. C'mon Shelton Brothers, distro to SC!

 

Hey What's going on!?

Well it's still another great weather weekend, but the heat is turning up. I don't expect it to last and it will be oven temps soon too.

That being said, always looking for new beers, and always up for a German kick. Today we go for a twist!

Schneider Weisse Tap X Meine Porter Weisse - Weisses Bräuhaus G. Schneider & Sohn GmbH


Weisses Bräuhaus G. Schneider & Sohn GmbH - Porter Weisse Tap X by imbibehour, on Flickr

Review here, or read lines below: http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/72/109952/?ba=smakawhat

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look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5 | Final score 4.4

Poured from the bottle into a nonic? wheat ale? let's go for the curved wheat ale glass hybrid sure ok...

Great looking brew out the bottle, pours like milk chocolate, hitting with a deep woody chestnut and milk brown body. The head is a creamy tan, and forms like a pillow with fluffy and foamy retention. Very light top and sinking foamy bubble bath lacing to match.

What's going on with this nose? It's banana, some very dry brown spices of clove and nutmeg. Some very dry grain here also, and some good fruit esters. Maybe there is a bit of English porter sneaking out. There's a little mild bitterness of roast.

Woah what an interesting palate. Mouth fills with good classic porter chocolate roast, then comes those classic banana esters. Good dry husky grains here almost, nearly ripping, but with a chewy soft palate sticking to weisse character. Bit of classic milked coffee going on with it too.

Really neat hybrid, and it works. Delicious.

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Was real curious about this one, since I loved the last Tap X variety of the Mein Nelson Sauvin. I love the great classic German styles when done well, but it's nice to see them playing around and doing things like this and making a decent beer in the process too. Does come off like a porter hybrid, with all those classic wheat and fruit ester fun classic stuff.

 

Spent the day at Disneys Magic Kingdom yesterday and needed something today to help me unwind. Picked up a 4 pack on Friday of this after debating it internally, and with my beer guy, for a good long time.

I'm not a huge fan of the super dank, oniony IPA's so wasn't sure if this would be up my alley. But the dank is more in the background to my taste buds with caramel and pine resin dominating. Definitely still a hop bomb, but the sweetness cuts the bitter to a large degree. The pic isn't the best as I left my camera at work so had to take this on my phone but the copper color is truly beautiful and looks nice in the Mickey Mouse glass I picked up last night as we were leaving the park. Overall I love the glass, quite enjoy the beer and am glad I don't have to wait in line for an hour and a half today so the munchkin can take pics with Anna and Elsa.

 

Sorry to do this to NBS but the first picture didn't so justice. This is sittin at my mominlaws crushin some more of these tasters. It's kinda nice all I drink is 11-12% beers so these really don't add up fast

 

New Russian Imperial Stout



It's another great weekend in West MI. Skies are blue, temps are climbing into the upper 70's.

It's Festival season in Grand Rapids, so we packed up the family and headed downtown for the Street Party last night. The beer sponsor was Founders, and it made for perfect food pairings with an array of local food trucks.

This morning meant a quick run and cleaning out the closets for another "run" to Goodwill.

Right now it's break time with a nice brew before more errands and a trip down to the pool. Gotta love summer.

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/9629/105277/?ba=GRPunk

 

Ok...my first venture into NBS... Beautiful day here today in the mid eighties and high clouds. Hectic morning at church with children's Sunday and confirmation. Then played a short procession for a feast at another local church. Had to take a trumpet player to a funeral in the middle of nowhere.... Got my motorcycle running, but it isn't right so more work to do there before I surrender and call the dealer....

The beer...a 2010 Smuttynose Farmhouse Ale from the big beer series. Yep...it is old. First noticed the huge aroma evn before the pour. A little grassy, a little spices, with a hint of bread like sweetness and yeasty phenols. Color was a pretty deep gold, not cloudy and to my eye it did not look like a four year old beer. Didn't taste it either. Very pleasant, light, and refreshing. Very bubbly so well-carbonated. Unlike the nose, felt the flavor was laid back and pretty subtle. My opinion is that it is ever so slightly sweet to be totally true to the style, but the style is kind if a wildcard category anyway. Lightly citrusy, pleasant phenolic profile, some mild green grassy notes in the flavor. Mildly spiced, but can't put my finger on what kind. Maybe sage? Pleasant bitterness on the finish. Overall, I would call this a winnah and one I want to try fresh. Numbers, well I would put it in the 3.8 - 4.0 region.

 

Don't care for the beer, but LOVE the video - hyperactive sloth indeed!

 

Yes - easily.

 

A contribution for NBS, I hope everyone is enjoying the moment.
Tried the Dr Fritz Briem DimoGrodziskie

3.5/5 rDev -6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle into a modified tulip.
A - Mild copper color, minor layer of crisp white froth, slow dancing carbonation, no lacing.
S - Tinge of sour, beechwood lite smoke, hints of fresh cherry.
T - Slight sour with cherrywood carrying through the first sips, then the wheat body takes over. Fine round carbonation leads to a slightly grainy finish. Interestingly the smoked wheat is mild, actually quite nice.
M - Medium bodied, a lazy feel across the palate, finish lingers and closes out with a bit of savory, which I enjoy.
O - The historic series this collective brews is something I have truly enjoyed. This offering is no exception. A learning experience from a fine offering. I would enjoy this with a plate of cured meats on a sunny day.

Cheers all

 

New Belgian Pale Ale Sunday

Greetings NBS,

Hope everyone is enjoying some fine late spring weather in their locale as Southern, CT is dropping a sunshine bomb on this fine Sunday.

The fam and I have spent a great amount of time outside enjoying the weather this weekend and I have been able to get the usual variety of chores and studying for work matters done.

There is a new Belgian style brewery a couple of towns over so my NB for S is in support of the local.

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/34301/117055/?ba=CHADMC3

 

Happy Sunday NBS. Awesome summer day here on eastern long island ny. I'm starting with a new offering from a local brewery. Jetty Cream Ale from Great South Bay Bewery in Bay Shore NY. I haven't had many in this style on the craft scene so I was pretty excited to give it a try.
My expectations were not disappointed. Really good stuff. Light at just 5.5% with plenty of vanilla and a creamy mouth feel. So drinkable too on a hot day. These guys are really starting to make some major strides with their imperial/bomber offerings. I'm going to finish the bottle before submitting a review but I'm thinking mid 4's all around,

 

Enjoying this on this fine, warm Sunday afternoon.
Some golf on the tele, Giants on the radio and this in my glass

I haven't been the biggest fan of black IPA's but after my beer boner for Nighttime, thought I'd give this a kick.
Is it good? Yes, definitely.
Is it great?...No.
Maybe it's that Nighttime beer-blocked Hop in the Dark but I just think that Nighttime blows this out of the water.

 

Howdy NBSers!

Today, I am having an offering from a brewery that I have been digging for a few years, but their offerings have just become available to me in Illinois. That brewery is none other than the Ale Asylum, and the brew is called Unshadowed. They just started selling this in bottles, but it has been available in their taproom since 2006. It is their take on a "classic German hefeweizen". As I am just finishing up my fourth bottle, here's what I think of this bad boy:

Pours a hazy straw color with a foamy three fingers of white head that dissipate rather quickly, as well as leave a very little amount of lacing on the glass. Not a good start...

Not to get sidetracked, but I'm wondering if I'm the only one that thinks that a hefeweizen either looks great or looks lame? I've personally never seen a "middle of the road" looking hefeweizen. Perhaps I'm crazy. Anyway...

The aroma offers up banana, citrus (particularly lemon), pepper, slight amount of fresh cut grass, and an even slighter amount of clove. Wow, does this go down smooth on a cool and sunny summer day with it's light body and moderate amount of carbonation. To go with that, the flavors are not intense, but do build as you continue to drink it, and they work together well. The sweetness of the yeast really is the story, but there is a touch of bitterness, and these give way to a citrusy aftertaste. Think lemon, and add in tangerine to go with the pepper and grassy notes on the back of the tongue.

Overall, this is very tasty, but I do have a beef with this brew that I've had to overcome. What is your beef, you ask? The beef I have with it is that I don't think this is a classic German hefeweizen. I think this has a lot more in common with an American wheat ale. The American wheats are growing on me, and I do like this beer a lot, but too many of them are labeled as a hefeweizen. To be honest, NBSers, it's pissing me off! There is a time for an American wheat, and there is a time for a hefeweizen! With that said, if any of you cats in Illinois or Wisconsin are looking for a nice AMERICAN wheat ale, this is a solid offering.

Time for a tune...


Have a great week everybody!
Cheers!

 

Attack of the Devil's Lettuce by Pipeworks and 18th Street a Brewing with the addition of Dark Matter Coffee. A very rich and malty backbone supports this delicious brew. A light touch of the Dark Matter coffee rounds out the flavor profile of this brew. Think Dayman but with a more caramel malt to support the coffee. Love it.

 

New Lambic Sunday
Greetings NBS'ers! It's cloudy and wet here in Cleveland. I was hoping to do yard work but am sitting and enjoying this beer indoors. Not a bad trade-off in my book.
Despite writing notes now on nearly 600 beers apparently this is my first Lambic. And I like it... a lot.

Sour and amazingly complex. Green apple, citrus, yeast and even slightly tannic. I'm sipping my last glass as I write this and wishing I had more. I'll try to pick up one to age, and as much as I like hops I definitely need to find and try more lambics.