New Beer Sunday (week 565)

Ok, back with another new beer. Couldn't hop back into another dark beer, so went light; in theory extra light.


Ok-I almost needed to put his back in the fridge after some work thanks to this :

WARNING: the following content may be upsetting to some viewers:





(No, I didn't slice off my own finger, you sickos )

Ok, now the serious part: this beer looked really ugly. Even before the big chunks of presumably yeast started falling in, the Schlafly Eleventh Labor (Ibex Series) Berliner (with apricots) poured a cloudy (it is an unfiltered beer, but still) yellowish-orange. Head buildup was fast on a medium heavy pour, decent on a lighter. By the time I sat down to really analyze, the head was almost completely gone and what remained was putting on a coat.


Ignoring this "flaw", the rest of the beer was a nice sour. Nose was citrus tart, with peach and apricot and nectarine notes playing a big role (the first initially, latter later). Initially I got a little chemical note, but that faded. Very fruity sour, grapefruit sour opening, apricot and sour nectarine round out the taste. Enough tingle on the mid-tongue to prevent too much puckering.

This struck me as more of a straightforward sour than a Berliner. Even the label says, "slightly sour yet accentuated by the subtle tartness of the ... fruit." I'd say it's more than "lightly" tart although it does seem to accentuate to almost feature the apricot. If you are a sour fan, consider this beer (though around here it had a decent price tag).

 

New Chocolate Bock Sunday!

The Workday was Fun and Fast...as always . Now forth with the New Brew!



Today is the day I taste this Samuel Adams take on a Chocolate Bock. For starters this brew pours dark, dark Brown almost touching pitch black... Left a small khaki head that pushed on tiny bubbles. Not a bad looking beer I tell you!

Time for the Aroma! First hits with Roast and Rich Cocoa. Mild Nuttiness that adds some depth. Yet it's full on Cocoa Goodness.

The Flavah you might ask? The first initial strike is of dry cocoa and dark chocolate with slap of day old coffee. Second wave of flavors come through with toasted grains and mild puffed sugar in the background. There's a touch of mineral water in this brew as well. This finishes on the fuller side with mild bitterness that cuts the sides of the tongue. Aftertaste is crazy good but mellow. Still lingering around are notes of chocolate, coffee and toasted nuts. It's like an Italian dessert in a liquid form...minus the cloying sweetness of those. The feel on this is thin with tight cola-esque Carbonation.

Overall: This brew is Tasty. It grabs a touch of sweetness yet is far from cloying or isn't a chore to drink. Im being honest I love Chocolate, Cocoa and all that jazz, this brew does deliver and isn't over the top. I would've preferred this to have more malt body or lower the carbonation just a tad. The feel is the most disappointing part for me. Yet, not a huge issue, the finish makes up for it. This brew is tasty and one I would drink again! This brew is worthy!

Grade: B+

Cheers my fellow New Beer Sunday Crew!

 

This sounds up my alley! I love a good Unfiltered Sour Brew, especially Apricots...

 

I'd say go for it (if it's around, I saw it a couple places here, and given the price, I'm guessing I could re-find it). I didn't notice much barrel notes in the taste like I do with other sours, and warmth seems to clean the taste a tad. Maybe it's best described as a hybrid, but the fruit notes shine.

 

Aye! Sorry for the passing of your Father. The next beer I drink will be to his Honor his Earthly Course. Cheers!

 

New Tripel Sunday!

Happy NBSer's,

Pretty nice day here on the Western Slopes, mid 30s, sunny. Denver is winning, Carolina still undefeated, wow, pretty lucky this weekend. Having a pretty good brew today, I like it, a different take on the style, worth buying if you see it.

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/848/84948/?ba=Wasatch

Cheers!

 

New cream ale

Hanging with the family in suburban Detroit. This Lions themed brew from Griffin Claw caught my eye. Cracked it while waiting on a delivery of the local deepdish favorites. Crisp and clean as I'd expect from the style. I could see picking up another 4-pack in the warmer months. Full review forthcoming.

 

New Pale Ale Sunday

Back with one more new one today. Another regional offering, this time from Asheville, NC. My first beer from Hi-Wire. Asheville is such a great place - I need to get back there soon. Anyway, on to the beer. This is Hi-Wire's "session" pale, called Prime Time:



look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Poured into a pint glass. Hazy deep golden straw color. Only a small white head formed despite a vigorous pour. Nice aromas: some pine, major earth tones, faint citrus and a little bready malt. A nice big wallop of flavor for a 5.5% hoppy pale ale. Mainly an earthy, piney flavor, much like the smell, with a bit of citrus and a good malt presence. Clean finish. Light-bodied and slightly undercarbonated. The feel could be better, but this did not taste like hop water. Overall a nice pale ale. If you like Simcoe, you will like this one. Cheers!

 

Today was my first Sunday off in months so I am happy to be able to spend a bit of time here with all you fine faceless internet folks; go apeshit with awesome, alcohol-aided, ale-centric alliteration; and see what everybody else is trying. Now the sun's down, the music's on and the beer's open. It is finally getting to be a little cold here. It even snowed last night. It says it will warm up again by Christmas, though.



Today I am trying this collaboration between Brasserie Dunham and Jester King. It's Texbecican, I guess.

It is a “mixed fermentation” beer with chanterelles and honey. Summer honey no less. I am hoping that isn't an accurate drawing of the mushrooms they used or I am in trouble.



I am not much for random-seeming things added to beers and so when I first saw this one, I passed without thinking twice. I like most everything that Dunham puts out, but sometimes I feel like they are a little too big for their britches in the random-seeming, fancy, wild, blended, BA, etc. department. However, knowing how much people love Jester King, and knowing how good Dunham's saisons are when I saw it a second time I grabbed it. I am often wrong about things that I have idiotically unmovable personal stances about, so I figured it couldn't hurt to keep an open mind.

Obligatory Christmas card shot:


It pours a nice hazy honey color with three fingers of thick beige whipped cream and great retention. The smell is that of a Belgian pale ale with a lot of sweet malt flavors and some honey coming through, there is the slightest hint of something tart underneath but in general it is sweet and floral. The flavor is similar with rich bready yeast flavors taking center-stage with some banana and clove (honestly this was probably my least favorite part).
As it warms, there is a definite umami quality from the fungi in both the aroma and the flavor, but it is not heavy-handed. A little added earthiness, a little slickness to the body. Not much else.

Overall this is a good beer. Not a great one, but not a mess or anything. Nothing to write home about, but interesting and pretty solid. I will organize these thoughts and give it a real rating but I imagine it's a solid 3.8ish.

Have a great Sunday evening, everybody!

 

New American Black Ale Sunday

Hello all! 50 degrees and overcast here in Milwaukee. I'm looking forward to my eight-day trip back home to New Jersey starting tomorrow night! I heard the weather will be nice and warm (60's even 70). I hope so! Not sure I'll be able to take part in NBS next week because I'll be running around seeing family and friends! (And, hopefully having some good new beers while there!)

Anyway, today's brew is from Founder's: Project Pam. It's a wonderful brew! Malty, hoppy, maple syrup and bourbon accented. Rich and complex! Enjoyable!

I scored it a 4.35 above the current average of 4.19. (A 4.5 S 4.5 T 4.25 F 4.5 O 4.25)

Here is the link:

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1199/190513/?ba=jwc215

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Cheers!

 

One more New Brett Beer for tonight

After watching the Carolina game which was a great game! I figured I'd open my next new beer all the way from Alaska!

Anchorage Brewings Whiteout Wit-
Witbier "Brewed with lemon peel, black peppercorns and coriander.
Fermented and aged in French oak fouders with wit yeast and brettanomyces"




_______________________

3.99/5 rDev +1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

L: Super light slightly hazy golden...basically no head or carbonation.

S: Oaky old house funk ..lemon citrus tartness some grape/white wine.

T: Tart citrus funk ...oaky wine barrel some dry pear and apple.

F: Very light slightly on the watery side.

O: Great funky witbier worth a try for sure.

__________________________

See ya next weekend!

 

By the second half of the fourth, every time I thought it couldn't get any crazier it immediately did.

 

Actually visited this place when in Asheville earlier this year. If I recall, they seemed to be doing more English style offerings, and offered a bunch of fine beers with a few duds. Be interested in seeing how they've grown if/when we make it back.

@Mantooth @jwc215 - look what I have:


This beer lived up to expectations for me but didn't exceed them.
Pour was like an IPA, clear dark brown that turn almost black when gathered in a glass. The head you see never completely left, and provided some lacing. It actually seemed darker on a second pour. Nose was quite nice, bourbon-centered, but nice.

Taste was very interesting. From my review:
All the flavors expected are actually represented in the taste; I'm fairly impressed. They all seem to hit at once or in rapid succession, and my mind takes a second to catch up. First is the barrel, then then bourbon, which brings coconut/vanilla notes; wait, there's the maple, though not too sweet; uh-oh, the roasted malt and bitter green hop notes (black IPA personified) gain strength; maple and bourbon hang on and meld. In the end a little bite (spicy hops? Bourbon? Can't tell).

Interesting, mildly complex, and definitely layered example of a beer. It is a Black IPA, it is a bourbon barrel beer, it is a maple beer, it is a good beer.

 

Back in WI, eh!? How about some New Glarus . Sorry I missed your Farewell...

 

I want to know what the lighter's for because I happen to know for a fact that you don't smoke cigarettes and, if you tried to light a candle with that, you'd only burn your fingers.

 

It's for opening bottles as you can see in the picture.

 

I'm being real, we need more DP pics in these threads. It shows the emotion behind the drinker, when they find a beer is not worthy of the Calories nor Liver Space.

 

I use a Lighter once in a while to open a beer. I have an opener on my keys, but when I get home I just put them on the cabinet hook. So when I'm in my room and want a brew...the ole' Lighter gets used. Makes me feel like a man.

 

Higher Math. Another love it or hate from DFH. Put me down for deep love. Cheers all.

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/64/177543/?ba=cindyjeffsmith

 

Hey All NBSers. Busy work Sunday so I must apologize for my Tardiness. Thank you Maria again for being so gracious as to get up before the crack of dawn and reminding us its NBS with your fine review.
Well its certainly not going to be a white Christmas in these parts. There is a certain charm though when that happens occasionally. I think it brings back the memories of a time when there was truly a mysterious and magical feeling about the holidays no matter what your belief or faith. Nowadays I think alot of that has gone with all the social media and other ways we connect. I may be wrong since my kids are now 19 and 22. Anyhow not complaining about the way we can communicate just harkening back to old times. And my condolences go out to @JamesStreet for his loss. The holidays are always tough because the memories come flooding back. But they are always happy ones. This will be year two without my youngest brother so I know the feeling. The tough part for me is just thinking that the phone will ring or he will walk through the door. Still back and fourth between reality and state of denial.
Anyhow I have all you here to share beers and thoughts with and that's a good time! So with Christmas around the corner I chose this as a nice holiday beer. And boy I'm glad I did.

KRIEK Mariage Parfait 2013 oud kriek - old style cherry lambic.

Pours a beautiful dark Ruby red color with a rose tinged head. The foam rises lovingly to the rim and then settles to a ring with some spotty lacing. Great looked.

Smell is of course black cherry, wild yeast and barnyard funk. There is also some dark fruit nuances- plum and possibly blackBerry. The smell of oak winds its way throughout.

Taste follows with gorgeous mouth filling sour cherry. There is a slight bitterness reminiscint of cherry pits but this helps balance the wild yeast and funk. The oak Barrel ties this all together with almost a wine like quality. This beer is not sweet.
Can't get over the fruit in this beer- just delicious. Label says they add 8 oz of fresh cherries per pint! Wow.

Feel is medium bodied. Carb is spot on and this finishes crisp and dry. Honestly each sip demands another. The flavor lingers on and on.

This is a perfect holiday beer. And honestly I think I can say this is the best Lambic I've ever experienced. The beer entices in every way. From the gorgeous color,to the wonderful aroma, to the delicious mouthful of fruity/oaky goodness this beer is first class in every way. I only wish I had purchased more than one bottle!!
If you the opportunity don't hesitate.

And for NOVS I'm spinning Genesis- Duke. Track first cut: Behind the Lines.
I liked Phil Collins when he was with the band before he went solo and became a weinie.
Hey folks enjoy your holiday week. And as always thank you for taking the time to listen.