New Beer Sunday (week 551)

Jackie O's Champion Ground, a barrel-aged stout with Jamaican coffee added


the official beef_curtains review:

Pours black and thick almost like used motor oil with a short light brown head. It's as beautiful as any stout I've seen.

Smells sweet and boozy of course, but it also has plenty of exotic coffee aroma. I don't know much about coffee but for me this is smelling like walking down the coffee aisle at a fancy grocery store. I love that smell, although I'm not much of a coffee fan.

Tastes like it smells pretty much. The bourbon doesn't add a lot initially, I found it more in the lingering after taste, although it certainly feels boozy. It tastes especially creamy, Jackie O's knows how I like my coffee. There is just the right amount of coffee bitterness in the balance. Some chocolate coming along for the ride, too.

Feels pretty heavy and boozy, which is what I look for in my BA stouts, but it still manages to be very easy to drink. The bourbon is also a little noticeable in the lingering taste and warmth in my mouth and throat. Very relaxing.

Overall, this is the best barrel aged coffee stout and the best Jackie O's offering I've had so far. Easiest five stars I've given.

 

Thunderstruck up next. I' pumped

 

Well played. A fine contribution to our little Sunday gathering.

 

Happy New Beer New Football Sunday! Anyway, I've enjoyed getting these Knee Deep bombers here lately. This one's another good 'un. Pours a clear golden color with a large foamy head. Smells of citrus. Tastes the same, citrus hoppy flavor without bitterness. Very smooth. This one drinks like an IPA but with the ABV (9%) of a DIPA. I really like Knee Deep but I wish all the beers weren't bombers. I'd like some 12 ozers!

 

Good first football NBS of the year to all! While I am far more interested in the goings on of college football and especially hockey, there's something festive about the NFL opening Sunday. Maybe it's just that it's one of only a few weeks where my Redskins are not mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.

So about beer. I picked up some beer while in NC for a few of my son's hockey games.

First one I am having is Carolina Brewing Hop Roar.



Slightly fruity and mostly piney smell with just a hint of onion, but it is fleeting at best.

Taste is immediately a little on the malty side right off but quickly goes on a bitter journey that contains that piney-ness, hints of grapefruit and a little green olive.

Body is bordering on syrupy in a good way. In no way thin, and thick enough to be almost silky.

Not a bad beer at all. Not as wicked tropical as I'd have hoped, but very good either way.

 

Good afternoon NBS-ers! Checking in with this long time "want to try" beer from DFH.
Palo Santo Marron

Pours much darker than I was expecting. Dark brown to black body, no light shines through the glass at all except on the edges which shows a maroon color. Light khaki tan head.
Aromas of vanilla, cola and a slight charred wood.
Tastes fantastic. Vanilla, cherry, spice and some of that woodiness with a lot of fruitiness that I wasn't expectin.
Full mouth feel with that 12% alcohol hidden well.
Overall this is a well crafted beer with that wood aging adding quite a bit of spice and complex flavors to enjoy. Reminiscent of a barrel aged stout. Planning on picking up a few more and holding on to them to see what else may come out of some added aging.
Rated: 4.24/5

Cheers!

 

Good day my NBS friends. It's been very autumn-like here the past few days which has put me in the mood to sample some appropriate beers. I'll be heading out west soon and spending some time in Colorado, so I thought this was an appropriate choice. Going with Left Hand Oktoberfest Marzen Lager today. It has a best by date of 11/26/15 an abv. of 6.6% and poured into my Comrade Brewing tulip glass. Inappropriate glassware on purpose because I'm stoked to be hitting up Comrade again when I'm in Denver. Anyway, back to the beer!

Pours a dark amber color with a finger of light tan foam. The aroma is spicy to begin, followed by caramel and fresh baked bread. It's flavor is caramel sweetness, a nutmeg-like spice and bread. Feel is crisp and clean but leans toward the sweet side.



Overall a refreshing change of pace for fall. Perhaps a good 'session' beer while watching football or raking leaves?I'll include a few more in my next mix six of fall beer.

Back later for more, looking forward to reading more posts and reviews. My full review below.

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/418/32410/?ba=Prager62

 

Alright let's try another one of these reviews.

Bavarian Blue

Crop Bistro & Brewery
Hefeweizen / 5.50% ABV

3.74/5 rDev -7.7% | Avg: 4.05
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

L- Kind of muddy. The blueberry really darkens this beer. Not that it would be clear without it.
S-Blueberry is the overwhelming smell. I can't detect the usual Hefe smells.
T- This is true to smell. The Blueberry is completely natural and not overly sweet. Pleasant, but again I get no Hefe flavors either.
F- Good level of carb. Medium feel.
O- I don't want to say this brew isn't tasty. It's quite drinkable. I just get none of the usual Hefe characteristics. If I was rating to taste the rating would be higher. Still I would have preferred to pick up more Hefe as well.

 

My other new beer out of the Sixpoint box is their Bengali IPA...

Hearty malts and fleshy tropical fruits underscore the mellow hum of dark citric pith and tacky pine resin. Medium-weight body with some chew in the back, a little coat of shellac on the tongue... Mild aftertaste only lightly scrubbed by the carbonation of a new sip. A little on the sweet side, but makes sense for the color and taste.

That's all I got today, folks - here's to new beer in your glass - cheers

 

Good afternoon NBS! Had to go grocery shopping this morning, picked up swordfish for dinner, now finally getting around to beer one for today. Starting with Victory Moving Parts Batch 4 and a chili smoked gouda, very nice pairing.

4.12/5 rDev +6.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle poured into a snifter

A- A slightly hazy golden straw color with a two finger white head.

S- Faint tropical fruits/mangos, some citrus, apples, pears, earthy/spicy Belgian yeast.

T- Cirtus, fruity, pears, hints of bananas, touch of tropical fruits, slightly floral, spicy Belgain yeast, balanced, nice light malt backbone.

M- Smooth, medium body.

O- Another solid beer from the Moving Parts series. Can't wait to see what batch 5 is. Tasty like a fruitier version of batch 3


Spinning some Nirvana vinyl

 

Holy Shiyeet it's hot and humid in SoCal!!!

Opps! Where are my manners?!?
Happy NBS!!!
Loved the poem @cavedave .
We've been above, or near 100 degrees for over a week. Now normally that's quasi-tolerable here, but...we've had humidity!!! Yes, even a bit of rain. The beautiful sunrises and and sunsets have been the saving grace.

Speaking of saving grace, I am enjoying the perfect hot weather beer. Thanks to @SammyJaxxxx for this Jersey gem.

Dune Fruit by Carton Made with a local cactus (i didn't know about) in New Jersey.

This unique Berliner pours a light swirl of straw that pushes up 3 fingers of fluffy white seafoam that quickly retreats like the tide. Smell is intriguing. Slightly sour, lactic, and citrus. Taste is bursting. Starts with a lemony sour, lactic acidity, a tart sweetness that hints at prickly pear fruit but then goes in a somewhat “Gosey” salty direction. Also, an ever so faint funk peeks through. Finish is light, crisp, and a bit acidic. Really like this one. A perfect drink for a hot summer day.

 

I love that one. Just got to try it last week thanks to @SammyJaxxxx .

 

Hey again, fellow NBS-ers! I wanted to get this one in quickly during halftime. 'Skins up 10-7...hey, I'll take it!
New brew #2:

Mikkeller Black Hole RIS:

Split with the GF :-)

First, some BA stuff:

A: 3.75, S: 4, T: 3.75, M: 3.5, O: 3.75, BA Says: 3.79

My official review:

12.7oz bottle into two small tasting chalices.

A: Pours a completely opaque black with dark cola hues around the edges. 1/2" tan head recedes slowly. Retention & especially lacing are poor.

S: Deep dark chocolate, pitted fruit, vanilla. Notable hop character. Booze. Black cherries. Cereal-like malt. Very dense nose. Impressive.

T: Comes on cloyingly boozy, slowly revealing big vanilla & deep dark chocolate notes. Mid palate focuses more on bitter hops & cherry-like notes with just a touch of roastiness. Black coffee shows up prominently on the finish, along with a lingering anise/booze quality.

M: Lowish carb married to a somewhat syrupy medium body. There's a bit of an almost grainy, sugar-in-the-raw thing going on. Not in love with it.

O: The nose is truly special here & the flavors aren't too far behind. The whole thing just seems a bit loose to me.

So, this brew isn't bad...just not great. I feel that it's a bit disjointed on the palate & suffers from a too-textural, sugary mouthfeel. I'd prefer that the ABV be hidden just a bit better as well. All that being said, the nose is really something - one of the finest whiffs I've had in a while.

That'll be my last offering over here today. 'Til next time - I wish you all good beer & good cheer!

 

Maybe it's me but North Carolina and hockey seems a bit like an oxymoron. but then I come from an area that hockey can be played outside.

 

Welcome to NBS.
It's a lot of fun!

 

Glad you enjoy, it's been my go to summer beer!

 

I liked Crop's Helles that I had previously. This one really belongs in the Fruit/Vegatable beer category. If it was I'd rate it higher although it's one dimensional.

 

Great Lakes Oktoberfest

Near perfect, clear, copper-amber color with two fingers of thick off-white head and good lacing.

Bready malts with nice hop balance in the aroma. Medium bodied and slightly creamy. A little bready malt up front in the taste -- not too sweet -- with a touch of hop bitterness on the back end.

Would like a little more depth to the flavor, but this is a solid beer. I think this year's Sierra Nevada is a bit better (will do a blind tasting later), but this one's definitely up there.