New Beer Sunday (week 499)

Greetings fellow NBSers,

Getting an early start because it's football season and I woke up earlier than normal, couldn't fall back asleep, and therefore consumed breakfast and coffee quite a bit earlier than normal for a day off. It's fairly sunny outside. After a definite drop in temperatures (especially in the mornings - high 30s when going to work), things are warming back up Mid 70s yesterday, probably high 70s today, and talk of 80+ in the coming week!
On Friday I visited two local breweries, Perry Street and Iron Goat, my 1st time at the former, one of many to the latter. Perry Street had a very good Imperial Saison that was limited to on-premises consumption, which was just as well because their IPA was ruined by their comically inept manner of filling growlers, making it flat after only about 12 hours. Iron Goat had a new (to me) Blackberry-Apricot Sour Ale that was delicious (apricot flavor forward, blackberry kicking in at the fade-out). Yesterday I drank an Edmund Fitzgerald Porter for the first time courtesy of ShroudOfDoom, and I think it stood up to it's reputation.

I had a professor in college who, when trying to steer discussion back on task after things had gone off on a goofy tangent, would say, "Now, from the ridiculous to the sublime..."

Here's the ridiculous:
http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/19812/67410/?ba=woemad
I bought this because it was so cheap that it would pay off even if it was marginally drinkable, and because it said it was brewed in Nashville, TN, and the ticker within had yet to have a Tennessee beer. Turns out it was contract brewed there on behalf of a goofy concern in San Diego.

As for the sublime?
Boxes received on Thursday and Friday, respectively, from the excellent BAs BeerTunes and ShroudOfDoom, both with liquidy goodness inside. I'll be downing something from each later on today.

 

Good morning NBSers! It's a gloriously sunny, slightly chilly early fall day here in the Chicago area. I got a wonderful box yesterday from @JayORear with so many gems, it was hard to decide which to crack first. He described the Fiddlehead Mastermind as a glass of orange juice, so I figured it being Sunday morning and all, I'd give it a try.

Poured the entire can into one of my Hill Farmstead glasses—what a beautiful beer, opaque and glowing yellow with the promise of some serious hop flavors. The aroma of this beer is divine—intensely citrus and tropical. The flavor to me is all citrus, it really does taste like a freshly squeezed orange juice-beer. I drank this down embarrassingly quickly. My only complaint is the 8.1% ABV, kind of set me back on my heels! This is the second offering I’ve had from Fiddlehead and am really impressed. What is it with Vermont brewers knocking it out of the park—what’s going on there in the Green Mountains? Is it the water, the long winters? Wishing you a terrific Sunday, NBSers!

 

I liked it because I'm normally kind of bored by dry stouts and I thought the coffee added a dimension to it, but different strokes for different folks.

 

Furthermore, a neat beer. Not something I'd drink everyday, but I enjoyed it my first time. I'll revisit it soon.

 

This is my first foray into the Sunday fun and I thought trying this newly canned IPA (Pisgah GreyBeard IPA) to be a good beginning. Damn, this beer is dry but very juicy with a nice interplay of rich malt and an array of hops that lingers. A delicious and distinctive IPA that really grows on you. This is from the Asheville area, named for a nearby mountain, and soon to be a regular in my fridge. Canned last week, this beer is perfect! Seek this one out. Cheers all.

 

Welcome to the family, sir. You'll find us a kinder, gentler type of BA. More accepting, more positive, and perhaps, more indulgent writers. I hope you come back. Next week? NBS 500. Epic, I already anticipate.

 

Colorado Vixnu from Brazil. A bit of a strange one, this. It's a pretty beer with beautiful foamy lacing and great head retention. The aroma is mystifying, with strange floral notes that I've never experienced. There's some woodsy and spicy things going on in there, but ultimately I cannot dissect the overly musty note that covers everything. Is it from the rapadura cane sugar? The beer tastes just like it smells, and as it warms, different aspects come out. It's definitely on the malty side, and those floral notes add a nice touch with the sweetness. There's bitterness in the finish to add perfect balance. The mouthfeel is creamy. All in all, I was glad to try this bomber for $6. It is a strange one though, particularly the aroma. It got a lot better as it warmed. I rated it 3.95

 

I've seen that in a store near me. A malty IIPA? Cool. I might buy it now, since you elaborated on the experience. Thank you.

 

I'll try to send the picture again. Sorry.

 

New Pumpkin Beer Sunday
Greetings NBSer's,
Lovely fall day here in SCMN. The spouse and I are slowly adjusting to our new found freedom...by staining the deck. It is coming along nicely.
With the recent cold snap I went for a fall beer this week. Great color and spiced okay, but where is the pumpkin?! Maybe my cold has my senses compromised, but I don't thing so.
http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/335/1567/?ba=garymuchow
Best to all this week.

 

New Sweet/Milk Stout Sunday

Hello all!

Chilly, but sunny day here in Milwaukee. Today's brew choice was a WONDERFUL (to say the least) milk stout from Three Floyd's - Moloko:

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/26/25435/?ba=jwc215

Going to spend the afternoon having "repeats" while I watch the Jets beat the Packers!

Have a good week all!

Cheers!

 

Shipyard Brewing Co. Pumpkinhead
It’s a pumpkin ale for sure.

And...

Might have over much clove for me in the stout but very good.

 

Holy crap! I didn't realize that until now. Fortunately, thanks to something I received from ShroudOfDoom, I think I can do epic!

 

Yeah, this is the nicest place on BA beer talk forums.
And 500 huh? I better pick up something nice. No pressure or anything!

 

Yeah, if you're not choosing the rarest of the rare for NBS 500, you're doing it wrong. [heavy sarcasm added]

 

Aw, c'mon, don't be a tease! Tell us more, that's what NBS is all about!

 

Oh thank goodness. The only thing to ever enter my kitchen and be identified as a whale was my ownself. And that was when I was very gravid. I also threw a pot holder at the offending party.

 

ROFLMAO. He deserved it, and perhaps a pot instead of a pot holder. That's just... unwise. But it gets me to thinking, I have a week to prepare for NBS 500.

WHO ELSE is preparing for NBS 500?

 

music, beer, beer, music ... football, football, football

This one for me, my first weizenbock:


I gave it a good pour to make that glass do its job ... and the beer has enough carbonation to handle that big pour and remain crisp and very drinkable. In fact, for a 7.1% ABV brew, it's damn near candy -- no alcohol taste whatsoever. DOUBLE in fact, if you gave this to me and told me it was a regular ol' hefeweizen, I'd buy it.

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/39/37192/?ba=Premo88

I gave it a 4 ... it's probably a 3.75 or so for me personally, for I can take or leave the clove/allspice witbier note ... but bottom line: It's good and a cool alternative to the hefeweizen. A brew I'll check out every now and again for fun.

Got my bougainvillea some food and a friend:

Couldn't decide what plant to buy ... then saw the aloe vera plants. You can always use some aloe vera, right? And they're easy to grow, right? We'll see ...

Hope you're enjoying your Sunday football or other Sunday fun and definitely your Sunday new beer. Cheers!

 

Wow! Only excessive self control kept me from shooting beer all over my keyboard. At the same time, as someone who has lost 65 lbs over the last year and still needs to drop another 30 to be properly healthy, I can identify with that.