New Beer Sunday (week 513)

In the spirit of the dark theme, a brand new beer from Straub Brewing: Straub Doppelbock.

Straub Brewing is an ‘old school’ PA regional brewery which opened in 1872. Maybe they are the second oldest PA brewery in operation behind Yuengling? Straub is principally known for their AAL beers but for the past few years they have periodically produced non-AAL beers (craft beers).

On the 12-pack package it lists:

“Doppelbock

Color: Dark, Reddish-Brown

Malt: Munich, Caramel, Wheat, Black

Hops: Hallertau Mittlefruh

IBUs: 22

ABV: 7%

On the bottle neck label: "A special winter bock . We brewed this rich, malty beer that has notes of roasted caramel and sweet toffee.”

Everything reads like an authentic Doppelbock beer (although I would not have considered wheat and black malt if I were to homebrew a Doppelbock).

But as the old saying goes: the proof is in the pudding.

Its taste is malt forward with flavors of molasses and brown sugar. There is some toasty bready flavors from the Munich malt as well. This beer is good but a tad too sweet for my palate; I prefer a dryer Doppelbock (e.g., Troegs Troegenator, Victory St. Victorious, Ayinger Celebrator, etc.)

Overall another good beer from Straub Brewing and one I would highly recommend to folks who like sweetish Doppelbock beers.

Oh, and a photograph of this beer in my Spiegelau Lager beer glass to show off the beautiful dark, reddish-brown color and fluffy tan head.

Cheers!

 

You still have my address? I might have to send you some money for this one! Shipping included!

 

Sorry for your loss! Damn, I should really get closer to my BA friends. I'm mostly Misanthropic, yet I also am Empathetic. I feel your pain. There's nothing else I could do or say to change your emotions right now. So I will leave you with a sincere "I'm sorry".

 

Hey NBSers,

We moved to the High Desert to get away from precipitation and flash flood warnings, but they seemed to have caught up with us. Thankfully, we are at zero actual risk of damage or being swept away, but looking out the window reminds me how different it is here vs. our previous life in Seattle. It's a novelty here, but it was 3+ months out of every year there, and I'm pretty happy with the trade.

I finished a week of early shifts at work today and am so thankful for a return to my normal lazy mornings. My reward is a relatively early New Beer Sunday. Thanks to a surprise care package from @beertunes, I have just the thing for NBS and it even fits with the darkness motif!

Cabin Fever by Boundary Bay Brewing of Bellingham, WA



Maybe partly because of the gloomy weather outside, but seeing the logo on the beer label puts me in a reminiscing mood. One of the OG breweries in the Northwest, Boundary Bay was the "house brewery" at the restaurant/taproom where I worked during college; they always had at least one beer from them on tap and it was always the first tap handle you saw walking into the taproom. Theirs was one of the first IPA's I tried, and their Scotch Ale is still a benchmark in the style for me. I know they have made this beer for several years, but despite my long history with the brewery I've never had it. On the label, it is simply described as "a winter ale."

I poured fairly vigorously, and produced a beautiful thick cream-colored head. Maybe it was just the light, but I swear the lacing of this beer produced a glittery effect I have not seen before. The legs revealed a high amount of residual sugars which may have contributed, but the effect was entertaining. The aroma was not particularly strong (or maybe Not every beer should be compared to the IPAs that have become my staples), but I get malty sweetness and a tiny bit of alcohol. Maybe orange peel?

I'm guessing a scotch ale recipe was tweaked to arrive at this beer, as I am immediately reminded of that particular candied flavor up front. As the beer warms,though, that character spreads out and becomes less an upfront punch and more like background music throughout the whole journey from the front of the tongue to the back. Other flavors become more pronounced: some fruitiness up front, a little roast before a subtle bite at the end. The mouthfeel is very full without veering into cream territory. At 7% ABV, this is not boozy, but still achieves a nice warming effect in the throat.

I'm not normally drawn to winter warmers as a style, but this my favorite kind of beer: it is accessible enough to be enjoyed without serious examination, but the more you examine it, the more you find there is to like. A thoughtful recipe created by a deft hand. 4/5

Today's musical selection is also a nostalgia-ridden throwback to my college days (Pandora was kind enough to play it while I wrote this). The tinkling synth at the beginning always reminds me of light sprinkles when it first begins to rain.

 

Well, I'm not "Too well off" but 23 dollars for a bomber isn't really out of my reach. Shipping isn't a problem either.

Edit: dont worry to hard about. If you don't see it, that's cool. If you do and don't pull the trigger, that's cool too. The way you described that beer though...mmm. I really just started getting into Wilds and Lambics.

 

New Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy Ale

Hello all! Glad that today's choice was brought out of retirement! From Sprecher's - Commando. I thought it was a wonderfully strong Scotch Ale aged in oak bourbon barrels. A great malty sipper! I know I enjoyed it more than most, according to the reviews, but, that's part of the fun of it...

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/144/85763/?ba=jwc215

Getting ready to go back home to New Jersey for the Holidays Tuesday!

Happy Holidays all!

Cheers!

 

New Russian Imperial Stout Sunday

Happy NBS everyone! It was a kinda cold day here in Central Ohio, I guess it was around 30 or so. But then I haven't been outside since this morning so I really don't know how warm it got here today. As appropriate for today, my first new beer of today was Harpoon's Czernobog, a former Leviathan brew that was recently brought back in bombers:





I thought it was a good overall RIS: http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/98/144735/?ba=bluejacket74

I probably won't have another imperial stout as my next new beer, but in keeping with today's dark theme it'll likely be a barleywine or a brown ale. Cheers!

 

Happy Solstice Y’all!

Not sure I should be rating anything as I am battling some serious sinus crud. Blessings to my bottleshop for ignoring my Hello Kitty slippers and obvious coat over pajamas ensemble. A few flurries swirled outside and I found myself drawn into a hotly partisan debate between a table of IPA enthusiasts and a pair of stout drinkers. Arguing over beer? Nah. Trying to decide between figure skating and home-shopping network.


I did eventually tear myself away and scuttle off back home to enjoy Bell’s Christmas Ale. My first ever Christmas beer. This reminds me of sleigh bells and icicles. Sparkly, effervescent and cheerful. Good job Bells. Bright, light, malty and sweet. Unpacking everything about it I got mostly pears and red apples. I appreciate the sparing touch of cloves as I find they can quickly creep into medicinal notes but not so here. I also detect just a hint of cinnamon and a bitter finish that kept the whole thing from being too cloying. Sweet, malty and lightly spiced. Not sure what I’d technically call this but it was easy to drink and enjoyable.

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/287/45765/?ba=Roxie_B

 

Thank you very much. Several of us are also FB friends, and I was fortunate enough to have received thoughts via FB and BA. Our lives took very different paths, but, in every memory I've come up with for her, she's smiling. Don't know if there's anybody else I can say that about.

 

To @beertunes , I don't know you but then again you don't know me, either way we're all family here on NBS right ?? //. Sorry for your loss

 

Awww

 

Hello friends....

Just spent the weekend finishing up with the holiday shopping/preparations. THANK GOD ITS OVER!!! I simply despise shopping this time of year. Now I'm watching some football. Much better.

My beer for this week's NBS:

Maine Beer Co. Mean Old Tom.

It pours a lovely black color with a beautiful two finger head of caramel colored foam that sticks around for a while. Nose is a little underwhelming, a nice roasted stout with just a hint of vanilla. Taste is simply fantastic. Nothing super strong, but a complex meld of roasted malt, coffee, and just a touch of warming spice, all finishing with a pleasant vanilla aftertaste that leaves you wanting more. Feel is rich and creamy with a proper carbonation level. This is a bit pricey, but the quality of the ingredients is evident in the final product. It's certainly worth a try.



Happy Sunday, Everybody!!!!

 

Greetings All and Happy Holidays!

Today it is Santa's Butt Porter, whilst we await the start of the Seahawk football game.
http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/7944/20907/

More of a holiday packaging gimmick than a quality brew in my opinion. Not bad but a little sweet and watery for my taste.

Pretty day here in eastern Washington. Sunny with temps in the low 50's. But for the breeze, and early sundown, it could have been a golf day.

No white Christmas in sight this year I'm afraid.

Happy Trails!

 

My second entry for this penultimate NBS of the year is also my second entry dosed with Brett. And boy, is this beer dosed with Brett! I couldn't taste anything else: http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/22150/141330/

On our second historical note, the day after Billy Gs birthday was the anniversary of the day a couple bicycle mechanics changed the way we travel. They may have been from Ohio, but the Wright brothers flew in Cackalacky:

 

Chinchilin on this dark Sunday just like my chinchillas, except I get a Velvet Merkin, cheers!

4.26/5 rDev -0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

22 oz bottle poured into a teku

A- Black with a three finger light mocha head.

S- Bourbon, some vanilla, oak, cocoa powder, slightly metallic, some coffee, and sweet oats. Metallic notes are kind of off putting, if they weren't there I would rate the smell at least 4.25.

T- Mild bourbon, hints of oak and vanilla, cocoa powder, fairly sweet, some coffee, some nice oat quality, nicely balanced, no hint of alcohol at all.

M- Smooth, creamy, medium body.

O- Nose throw me off but the taste is great. Didn't feel it would be great to age, but I really enjoy how it tastes fresh, can't wait to get more next year. Bourbon is a nice added flavor but not a big flavor in this beer.

 

Cheers all,
Here are 2 pieces of uplifting stuff that always are welcome to me. I hope someone or two enjoy these as much as I do! Cheers.

 

This will be the ONLY time most of us will ever hear a woman tell us that it's ok to cheat!