New Beer Sunday (week 529)

I feel like the only one that didn't do a Weyerbacher SMS today, and I have one in my fridge!!

 

NBBS - New Beer & Blues Sunday

Good afternoon all. I started a brisket out earlier in the oven on low heat (I'll hit it with smoke later), going to grill up some chicken and all that good BBQ thing a little later, so I figured I'd get a nice blues roadhouse feel going on while watching the Masters. The two don't line up, but hey, who cares.

Oh ya, for everyone keeping proper score, my beloved Pens turned in a valiant performance in holding off literally, the worst team in the league in order to squeak their way into the playoffs. Here's to Letang and Ehrhoff getting healthy REAL quick!!

So first up today is this one:



A collab between DuClaw and CCB called "Moongun", a session amber ale

2.75/5 rDev -24.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

Pours very nicely with a nice thick slightly darker than white head and decent lacing. Predictably enough, it's amber in color.

Nose isn't too active as "malty" is about the only thing I can really put my finger on at first, but malty gives way to "bready" soon after.

Tastes just all kinds of bitter without a justifying argument as to why. No big hop signature, just bitter as hell. The maltiness promised in the nose isn't present either, leaving a wicked lack of balance in the wake of sip after sip. Further investigation does lead to a little bit of an earthy taste, but it's faint as hell.

Aftertaste is just more o' the same. Bitter and bitter.

This is a pretty low ABV beer (3.9%) that certainly does not drink like one, which may be a saving grace because otherwise, it's just a bitter mess.



Now for some blues, shall we?

 

Here's wishing you get well soon, @utopiajane - hopefully all of these bright sunny photos do the trick.

I'm trying to keep busy outside, myself, and of course I have to come up with tasks to get #2 son out there with me. Kids today, with their computers and everything- amirite? He just had fun washing all of the cars, and is getting some dry clothes and shoes right now. Time for a break for dad, and then, well... I will have to 'touch up' the job that he did, because it kinda looks like a 12yo did it right now .

It took all of my strength and discipline to hold onto this for today, but I'm glad I did- it's the perfect beer for right now-

Otter Creek Backseat Berner- staying in what little shade I can find for it . What a color-coordinated shot, too; all the more true because of what's in the glass. It's got a great, super juicy orangey/tangerine quality up front, and finishes with a potent hit of pine, with a smooth mouthfeel until that solid snap of bitterness hits you. This just defines what an American IPA is down to its core, so get it while it's fresh. Solid A (4.4)

ETA: after 3/4ths of a glass mid-palate has gotten a lot fruitier, with peach and mango coming to the forefront. Very nice beer indeed!

 

Second person to mention the abv at 3.9. I got my bottle and examined it. It reads 5.0%! Typo?

 

I misread the label and drank mine yesterday AM. Crikey! Nah, it's still sitting there, but maybe not for long.

 

Never checked the bottle, perhaps it was entered wrong on BA? Ha, there's proof that I don't ABV check when looking for new beers! I'll concede to 5.0 if that's the case.


Quick check - yep, my bottle says 5 as well.

 

I sort of agree with your overall assessment. It's sort of bitter, and not all that inspired. I thought CCB would add the to "goodness" of the brew. Dammit, DuClaw! As it stands, I've only REALLY liked two of their 6,783,945,675,483,948,574 beers to date.

 

New American Pale Ale Sunday!

Good warm and sunny afternoon from The Jersey Shore. Another great week in the record books, life goes on. And another NBS, it's always a pleasure to be here. There's a load of great stuff today, as usual; beers, pics, tunes, etc.

Here's another good beer:
http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/23200/76468/?ba=NiceTaps



And my favorite Pink Floyd song to go along:


It's time to get back outside, maybe I'll clean up the convertible, hmmm.
All the best!

 

Spent the weekend in Kalamazoo, MI home of Western Michigan U! Visited some good breweries, Bells, Arcadia Ales, Gonzo Biggdogg Brewery and Paw Paw!

Home enjoying the Masters and cracked my NBS, Bells Saturn, it's a nice Amber color, very sweet aroma, taste is very nice bourbon, with sweet flavor of caramel, vanilla. No hiding the bourbon but very balanced and great siping beer!

Go SPIETH

 

I got a desk bomb from @jzeilinger on Friday with this in it...

When I saw that it was canned on 1/26 I was questioning how well it would have held up after almost three months but due to the fact that I've never had it before and it's probable awesomeness when fresh, this is still a great beer.
Nice citrusy notes are still there, as are the noticeable hops and a great overall flavor.
Can't imagine how good this is fresh!

 

7:30 a.m. Premier League action, but this was not my game beer. I did have one of these before the match though. I know you do not care, but the Chels did score a late winner, padding our top of the table position. If that sounds like a foreign language, then welcome to English football

Shiner Prickly Pear summer seasonal. $14.99 for a 12 pack of cans.

The beer looks like a deep clear copper color, like a cider maybe. A light cream colored head recedes to a light wisp. Very light spots of lacing.

The aroma is immediate: Sweetness and tart. Raspberries! Strawberries? It smells so fresh and fruity. I guess prickly pear is quite the unknown flavor fruit.

The taste is the same ... Lots of tart and sweetness combined, and the comparison to raspberries is undeniable. The beer is very simple as I find a lot of fruit beers.

The mouthfeel is thin and metallic (4.9% ABV). I find some metallic in the taste and aroma, but not overpowering.

Overall -- a crushable beer, but very sweet and tart. Shiner is not a brewery I tend to like. They remind me of Abita ... lots to offer, but underwhelming. I rated this 3.77 for a +12.9 rDev. I guess I am generous. I like this beer, but it's very fruity and thin. But I bought it because sit sounded interesting, and I'm glad I did. Now here is some music from my new favorite band to go along with a kind of southwestern theme:
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New Porter Sunday

Ok, washed my palate of that last debacle and ready to move on to a battle tested, and victorious beer...



4.52/5 rDev +2.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours into a a mocha colored foamy explosion, nesting on top a beautiful opaque beast of a porter. Lacing? Yep, it's real and it's fantastic also.

Nose most reminiscent of cola more so than almost anything else I can pickup at first. A little warmth and agitation brings out some chocolate.

Tastes right there with the nose. I get a lot of cola at first, than a bitter chocolate retreat that is faintly sweet. Like unsweetened dark chocolate. I'm going to guess that the vanilla is manifesting itself as the cola I am getting? Finish is bitter chocolate and very little else. I guess I am getting a tad bit of heat? It's there just warming the innards I guess, but masked better than most anything I have ever had at 10%

This blurs the line between RIS and porter IMO. Such a great tasting beverage.


Got a slightly different take on Pink Floyd (although See Emily Play is awesome)

 

Well I made it back for NBS round #2 . Still at work but outa hee in about 30 min.. got to try another new one courtesy of my buddy, he went up to treehouse friday and asked if I wanted anything. my answer.... shit yeah !!!! so this is exactly as it seems pretty decent roasty background, but i'll be damned if it's not the closest thing to drinkin cold espresso that ive ever had.. oh yeah I like it ALOT

 

While not in my personal top 20, this beer lives up to it's name fo sho!

 

While this is definitely an Oberon weather day in NEOhio, of course it's more importantly a day to drink something new rather than a tried & true favorite. I actually spent some time rearranging my cellar making room for new acquisitions (including Oberon, of course!) and moving to the front a few that need to be consumed sooner rather than later. At the top of the list was this which I found with a drink-by date of October, 2014. Oops.

Still happy to try a new beer! It's a pretty average black IPA yet still drinking well if not as fresh as it could be. Definitely a nice transition beer as the weather does the same, blending the richer dark malt notes with the hop freshness. It looks like it was released last spring and definitely tastes like the season. Kudos to a brewer that is now on year 36 and has helped people drink non-bland beer for far longer than most!

 

There are always those beer that you see every time you go into your beer shop. These are the beers that you say "eh, I'll get this one next time." This beer that I am trying for the first time ever is one of those beer. Stone Ruination. I figured that I would try a bottle seeing as Stone is getting rid of this recipe for a new look Ruination.

This specific bottle is very grapefruit forward. This would probably ruin my palate if I hadn't already abused my pallet with numerous 100+ IBU beers over the years. Either way, this is a nice beer.

 

Buy this one at Nikki's?

 

New Imperial IPA from Indiana Sunday

Another selecion from the singles cooler. I know that I had an Upland brew on tap when I was in Indy, but it was in my lurking days, so this will be my first officially. I am confident it wasnt this one though. I would love to have this one fresh. Mine says best by Jan. Also, I read someone describing this as copper colored and clear


http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1170/110879/#navigation

4.24/5 rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

12oz bottle poured into Spiegelau glass.

Color descriptions are all over the place on this one, but mine is, for sure, a cloudy, golden yellow/straw color with a slightly off-white head. Not copper. Not clear. Looks a lot like an east coast DIPA. Smells like one too.

Kind of funky/musty and dank with a big tropical fruit of some sort.

Orange, pineapple, lemon, grapefruit. Very ripe tasting with some sourness. Sweet malt base that has a bit of honey like sugar. Slightly bitter on the end. Sneaky hoppy. It doesnt seem like it, but its working the tastebuds over slowly.

Body is fairly full and sliglty creamy textured. Slick resin tongue coating.

For a midwest imperial, I was surprised. It drinks much more like an east coast style. It reminds me quite a bit of Dirtwolf with a bit heavier body. Excellent beer.