New Beer Sunday (week 571)

I tend to overthink things. In life in general. As such, this thread is no different. I've also not been to the beer store in quite some time: the contents of my fridge, such as they are, are primarily cans from the brewery down the block from my apartment. Old favourites hardly suited for a NEW Beer Sunday. The last couple of weeks I've opted to dig into the 'cellar' (aka all the extra cupboards found in various parts of my apartment: I keep having this vision of ever having company over and having them look for... really anything in the kitchen/clothes closet/bathroom that isn't readily obvious and being confused when they open the cupboard to reveal mixlabeled sixpacks, loosies, boxes, etc containing nothing but beer) to present my 'new' beer. I have a couple of new brews in the fridge, mostly picked up from out of state. BUT! Most of them have been earmarked for specific events. A comparison with this. To be drank at X time of year. Etc. Well, I finally broke through the OCD to make an excuse to crack not one, but TWO of the brews that have been taking up space in said fridge!

Today I opted to undertake a side-by-side of two Jester King beers. Ironically they both came to me from Texans, but from different Texans, independently, and without knowledge of one another. @Domvan sent Black Metal as part of his predraft box from the Fantasy Football BIF I participated in this year (the less said about my performance in that league the better... Suffice to say that my first two picks were Eddie Lacy [Intentionally] and Jordy Nelson [most definitely NOT intentionally]), and is the last remnant of that tasty box. @BullDoza shared with me the secrets of Funk Metal as a part of NBSBIF#2 (Side note: if NBS end up putting together a third BIF, any and all of you should join in. It's loads of fun, and everyone thusfar has done an amazing job in packing their boxes to bursting with great mostly local examples, sharing not just the regional heavy hitters [though there tends to be plenty of that as well!], but some local gems which may otherwise have flown under your radar), though I still have a small few others from his box awaiting my judgement in the fridge.

So about that thematic appropriateness.
Layer one: I awoke in a funk last night. Just couldn't shake some unknown malaise that I blame partly on lack of sleep, partly on death, and partly on just good old self-indulgent ennui. Key word: funk. The other biggest indicator that it was finally time to crack into this pair is the fact that my little brother is currently driving to Texas to move to Austin. It's all kind of odd. He'd asked me a couple of months ago if I still knew anyone in Austin from when I lived there that might have some input as to where to go what to see where to live because he found the location compelling and was considering finally considering setting up a home base. I asked my old roommate and her best friend who seemed the best resources I had available, but didn't really have anything new to add to what he already knew.
Speaking with my mom, she mentions driving to Austin to visit an old family friend there, and driving there with my brother. Then last week he sends me some pictures of his old bedroom at my parents place, commenting on how empty it feels now that it's finally all packed down (since graduating college he's primarily worked as a fisherman up in Alaska during fishing season, traveling in the off season, and using my parents' house as a 'home base'). Then he starts sending picture of their roadtrip. I guess he's moving to Austin and finally building himself a base of operations and really getting himself his own place for the first time ever (not including the house he lived in in college). It's exciting, but seems kind of out of left field. I'm not aware of any housing leads (he's planning on staying with friends for the time being), nor a job yet, and as such, it kind of reminds me of my own move to the same city. I wish him considerably more success than I found there (which knowing him [and I suppose myself -- though I guess my stint in ATX did serve as the final catalyst to get my shit together and get myself to nursing school, ultimately leading to my current position in {literally} my dream job] is a safe bet).



So back to the issue at hand:
I've had Black Metal once before -- during the aforementioned, ill-fated stint living in the People's Republic of Austin -- and remember being less than impressed at that point. As such, I suppose it's technically cheating to include it here on this hallowed ground, but the inclusion of its partner seems to me to mitigate any concerns, and serves as the REAL entry-ticket. BM is just a hanger-on.
*Black Metal Farmhouse Imperial Stout, simply put, didn't really work for me. Part of that is labelling. I came into it (both times) expecting something closer to an RIS (as it is [erroneously, in my opinion] labeled on this website), and was put off to some degree at every step of the judging process, as presented by BA.
*With the sour presence I felt in Black Metal, I was concerned for what may await me in the bottle sitting next to it. Thankfully, Funk metal took the themes present in its precursor and refined them into something significantly greater than it's base.
Hard to read on one, but BM is Batch #16: 03/26/2015. FM is Blend #6: 02/24/2015

--BM poured thinner than I prefer in my RISs, more that dark ______ with reddish tinges at the corners. The head mounts, mounts, mounts high, but it's still granular: bubble stacked on top of bubble as opposed to an integrated matrix of foam. Sure.
-+FM, in contrast, initially appears pretty much as I would expect from a big stout. Clean cold black sides befitting the obilisk from 2001, with a minimal head presence settles quickly into a comfortable corner and appears somehow -- not obscene -- but enticingly sexy. Like, actually sexy, not in the overused sense that we see everywhere that seems to mean 'appealing to many people in a gratifying sense.' It keeps bringing back memories of youthful days and finding something compelling about the image on my Stankonia or Midnight Marauders/Low End Theory CDs.

--Immediately I could see that my expectations were not placed correctly. The nose conveyed hints of cherry, berry, and sherry. Red wine was as present as chocolate. Currant was current. Fruit sweet met booziness moreso than anything else I expected.
-+FM presents primarily sour as well, but much more refined. Soft and inviting without losing the distinct notes which make it its own. Sour, soft, creamy, accessible. Oak and sour cherries, if I have to start naming names. I may be over-crediting the oak for its influence, but it seems to play the role of Splinter from TMNT. Wild energy and gruff personalities come into focus, becoming something greater and mellowing the edges which could detract from the goal of the group with the assistance of a wise elder overseeing the development.

--Drinking this beer continues in many of the themes presented on the nose, unsurprisingly. Initial berry sweet inclinations are soon subverted to a sour cherry agenda, sharp and tart in its manifestation. Sure, there are hints of roasted grains, and what might pass for a consideration for chocolate in the shadows but you really have to look for it. Coffee might be there, if that's what the bittering truly is, but make no mistakes; this bloc belongs to the sour/tart of sharp cherries with the sharp acidity urgency and snarl of underdeveloped plum skin. Bitter and sour combine to form a punishing finish that is more memorable than enjoyable. For this soft soul, anyway.
-+If BM is flailing elbows, sneers and misplaced anger, FM is sleek and refined. That same rage focused and directed. There is intention here, there is a sanding to the edges which renders a jagged cut tree into a masterpiece of interconnected slopes and curves. Cherry and stone fruit are still the primary motivators, but there is something which mellows it all. Whispers of chocolate surface, which could be as much desire as presence. But the mellowing influence of what I assume is the oak let the rough edges sand off to defined elegance.


As a comparison, my personal preference is easy. The subtle refinement of Funk Metal takes the wild-eyed ideas presented in Black Metal and realizes them as something directed, focused, and manifest. After working through BM and its sharp sour edges, I was concerned as to what I might find lurking in the colourful bottle sitting next to it, but my concern as unnecessary. I would probably not drink BM again on my own, but would certainly reach for FM if a dark sour presence was needed in my life and I had access to the pride of the Texas Hill Country.



Well, even by my standards that was long. tl;dr version: Black Metal is a bit of a mess. Funk Metal, on the other hand, focuses this mess and delivers a mastefull blend of styles and influences to produce a drink to which I would (will?) happily return.
Big huge massive thanks to @Domvan and @BullDoza for making this NBS possible!

I hope your Sunday manifests itself well!

When thinking of Funk Metal, my first thought was RHCP, but honestly their early stuff was less hardcore than I remembered, though the funk brought by the Flea...
RAtM, on the other hand, definitely trends more Metal, but with a distinctively funky edge to some of their tracks (regardless of how you feel about their politics, or about the concepts of rap/rock hybrids, the musical talent is really undeniable).

 

This brew pours a clear golden color with a one finger head, some of which lasts until the end and moderate to heavy lacing.

The smell is, well pine, lots of pine along with grapefruit and light cracker and caramel malts.

The taste follows the nose, kind of like drinking a pine cone with some grapefruit mixed in. There is a light cracker and caramel malt in the middle then the beer finishes with pine. Pine resin remains on the tongue after swallowing. Can a beer finish be bitter and dry and wet at the same time? This one does just that. This does not blow me away but I think it is a serviceable, (sessionable)? IPA. It is worth a try especially if you like piney hops.

 

As I'm sure many of you are aware, yesterday was the Central Waters anniversary party with Eighteen release. A couple friends and I made the trip. I haven't cracked a bottle yet, but they had plenty on tap along with a limited tequila barrel-aged american strong ale called The Promise. Picked up my allotment of 8 for myself, friends who couldn't make it, and a few trades.

Eighteen is REALLY hot this soon out of the barrels. It isn't an overpowering hot like I've experienced before (I'm looking at you, BA Narwhal), but it was enough that I doubt I'll open any of my bottle for at least six months. Still, you really experience the flavor profile of the beer. Chocolate malts give way to the booze, and vanilla brings up the backbone. There is some coffee floating around in there, but it takes a backseat to the rest of the profile.

The Promise was interesting, and great. I'd never had a tequila barrel-aged brew before, but I can see myself enjoying something like this during cooler months of the year. The tequila doesn't rear its head until the backbone, but it rounds out the brew with more elegance that I would have imagined.

Overall, great trip with friends. We should all be so lucky to spend our days off chatting with good people while having the chance to enjoy good beer.

 

Poured this into a 13 oz tulip glass best before July 11, 2016. Pours anattractive bright orange with at least a 2 finger fluffy white head, that settles slowly into a thin layer of foam and leaves behind streaks of lace. 4.5

Smell is vanilla, coffee, biscuit, and some hints of pine. 3.75

Taste follows coffee and vanilla take cHargett on the beginning, with some biscuit, herbal tea, and faint pine lending a hand in the finish. 4

Mouthfeel is medium, nice amount of life, not dry, and very easy drinking. 4.25 Overall I was expecting much and I half to say I was pleasantly surprised with this. It is different, almost like a blond stout. 4

 

That may be one of the most masterful posts and reviews I've read in my time here? It was very insightful to the point I felt like I was there drinking with you. Great work!

 

New English Porter, American Made, Sunday!

Good morning from a cool and mostly overcast Jersey Shore. I hope that all is well, as it certainly is here.

Well folks, I'm in early at NBS today because I'm drinking a toast to two founding members of the Jefferson Airplane, Signe Anderson and Paul Kantner, both of whom passed away Thursday.
Mr. Kantner never waivered from the ideology that he promoted through his music. 'We Can Be Together' and 'Volunteers' were more than songs, they were his way of life. I envy that he maintained the conviction to freedom and remained nonconformist. When his Airplane and Starship eroded to the 1980s hit factory, he bailed, having no part of 'We Built This City', etc . Mr. Kantner would approve of 'People's Porter', today's new brew.
I'd be remiss not to mention that his rhythm playing allowed his band mate, Jorma Kaukonen to wail. Some great examples can be found on a live recording from 1969 called "Sweeping Up The Spotlight".
Mrs. Anderson recorded one record with The Airplane and then left the band to raise a family. Her final performance was on 10/15/66 at The Fillmore. Had she stayed with her low smoky vocal range, 'Surrealistic Pillow' may have never been. 'Chauffeur Blues', Mrs. Anderson at her best.

First, the beer: http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/11036/26788/?ba=NiceTaps





All the best, everyone!

 

Awesome! Always look forward to @kemoarps NBS posts!
Cheers!

 

Good morning New BSers! It's another typical summer day here in NW PA - cool and overcast with no sun seen. Thanks for getting us started Maria! Another insightful review as usual - think I'm going to have to drive back to Wegman's at Millcreek to pick up some. And @kemoarps - Jesus! What a massive missive! Gotta agree with your evaluation of Black Metal - to me saur stouts just don't cut it. I haven't been lucky enough to find Funk Metal to try yet, maybe next trip (maybe March, maybe May). There's a brewery in New Braunfels (' burb of SA, New Braunfels Brewing, duh!) which seems to make nothing but sours - hefeweizens, dunkelweizens, weizenbocks, etc., styles which don't lend themselves to souring, at least as far as my palate is concerned. Anyway, a much shorter evaluation of a new brew for me:



First, I have to admit (head hung in shame) that I love rye whiskey (and scotch, but that's another story)! When I was stationed in Wurzburg my DROS was delayed because my drug test hadn't come back (Over Xmas, surprise!). My barracks buddies referred to me as "Old Holdover", an obvious play on my favorite rye Old Overholt (also the only one available at the Class VI store).

$ 22.00/500 mL + $ 2.68 shipping ($ 1.46/oz) from Blackwell’s, SF CA.
Unmarked bottle at 42 degrees into a hand washed and dried JK snifter, allowed to warm to 50 degrees
Aroma of rye whiskey and roasted malt
Head large (5.5 cm, aggressive pour), tan, creamy with rocks, diminishing to three mm ring and partial creamy layer
Lacing – none. Basically standard for barrel-aged brews
Body dark brown, opaque
Flavor begins with a hit of rye across the palate, followed by roasted malt. The roasted malt is the predominant taste with a good hang time. No hops, no alcohol, no diacetyl
Palate medium to full, creamy, soft carbonation

Aroma 4.5, Appearance 4.5, Flavor 4.25, Palate 4.25, Overall 4.25. Rating 4.33, Avg 4.29, rDev +0.9%

 

Ballast Point just released for the first time into 6 pack bottles and cans, fruity twist off of their original sipa, ipa, and iipa.
Mango Even keel session IPA - WINNER!! Fantastic
Pineapple Sculpin IPA - Not bad, but not as well balanced or as tasty as grapefruit sculpin.
Ginger Big Eye IPA - Woah. just, woah.
Watermelon Dorado IIPA - Nasty. Tastes very artificial, like a watermelon jolly rancher but not nearly as good.
Sorry for the super short rates, look them up for more in depth reviews. And if you want to try any, I have all for trade!

 

3.19/5 rDev -15.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Samuel Adams Scotch Ale has a thin, bone-colored head, a clear copper appearance, and some lacing splotches left behind. The aroma is muted, but the drinker might pick up some sweet bread. Taste is of peat smoke, predominately, but sweet, brown bread crust and low-level, rounding bitterness is present. Mouthfeel is light to medium, and Samuel Adams Scotch Ale finishes crisp and semi-dry.

 

Morning, NBS! Feeling a little more into a beer today than I did yesterday. A very late night for my aging body - along with a few beers catching up with me left me feeling tame yesterday. Friday's night involved a Springsteen concert, which was probably the best I've seen - even though I've better experiences (including being down near the stage) before.

Not many options up in the press box, though the bar was in a convenient location. I went with Labatt's Blue, the GF did some Mich Ultra. Afterwards we got our fix at RFD with some Nugget Nectar as we waited for the throngs to clear out.

Then, upon getting home after 2am, I was walking around the cars and stepped off the curb without much thought and - ice!! For the second time in 2 years (the last being wet outfield grass), I am sure my feet went in the air like a cartoon character slipping on a banana peel. This time the curb was there to "cushion" the blow by "caressing" my lower back as I crash landed. Luckily I didn't hit my head, but I knew I'd be feeling it for a few days. Official report: yes, still feeling it.

So, moving on to today's first beer. Local shop had this Depth Charged Arrogant Bastard separated from the four pack (I don't think they broke up the mixed 4-pack Bastards, as it looked like about a case on the shelf, but who knows). I appreciate the base beer, but am not a huge fan. Let's see if the posts I have seen about this beer being quite tasty holds true for me (edit: forget the damn pic!):


The beer looks a little murky, amber and brown swirled together so that it is neither color any longer. Has the impression of being cloudy or even muddy; either way it is not seeming clear by any stretch (note, by the end, shadows came through fairly well, leading it to a more cloudy to highly hazy level of clarity). The head is rust-hued white, grows lightly, but stays thick at the edges and provides lacing - a pretty/handsome face makes up a tad for the fact this beer needs to get its body into shape a bit.

The nose is what you would expect, a decent coffee scent atop a Scotch/strong ale base. It smells like someone threw some Arrogant Bastard into a light coffee. The coffee nose in general is reminiscent of other cream coffee beers, like Calm Before the Storm and a couple coffee IPAs I've had. The coffee isn't a bold rich blend, but like a generic cup o' joe you'd get at a diner with your breakfast.

The feel of this beer is fine, medium to just above weight in the mouth, with a nice pillow of tiny bubbled carbonation to lighten it slightly. To me, the beer flavor flips the nose over in a nice reversal for 2 points. The Bastard's lightly burnt caramel opening, and a lot of green bitterness, grass and pine in nature (but as they wrestle with the malt and coffee, hard for me to pin down distinct flavors). A little heat in there that could be spicy hops or alcohol-influenced. The coffee somehow seems to add a little sweetness to the match - oddly enough. Maybe not sweetness, but with the hop bitterness, maybe it just seems to support the malt side of the competition more than the bitter side (as coffee can sometimes do).

Unfortunately, for someone who is not a big fan of the base beer, making that flavor more prominent didn't work so well for me. However, I can see why the ratings might be what they are, as people who like the base beer I'd assume would enjoy this beer. The coffee is integrated well in that it doesn't stand out as an adjunct, but I also feel it is overshadowed by the hop "boldness" that is the hallmark of the base beer.

 

I really enjoyed the BA version of this beer in the past, but I was interested in the volume change (even though the bottle looks like it's still a 25.4oz bottle ). I had to buy one for my work friend (my "project"), since he enjoys the base beer and was one of his first beers on his journey into good beers. Even talked to the beer shop guy, who shook his head at the pricing as well - and then he told a story of someone who wanted to buy a case, more or less. I would've bought more, but not at that price.

@utopiajane, @kemoarps - I tried to match, but in quality and length I still couldn't meet the standards you guys set early. Always fun to wake up to a little light reading .

 

Poured into a 13 oz tulip glass bottled 12/4/15. Pours an attractive orange with a one inch sticky white head that leaves spots of lace behind. 4.5

Smell is pine, tangerine, earthy, marijuana, hints of garlic, and grapefruit. 4.50

Taste follows nicely pine, tangerine, garlic, and marijuana up front, with nice shot of grapefruit in the long lingering finish. 4.5

Mouthfeel is surprisingly medium,spot on with the carbonation, maybe a little dry, and drinkability is off the charts. 5

Overall this is my new favorite Pale Ale, this drink bigger than its 5.5 ABV and is loaded with flavor for its size. Wow..... 4.75

 

He was one of those singers back when I was into "classic rock" that I could take or leave. My friend is a huge fan, and always gets tickets when he comes to town. I get "dragged" to the show on many occasions (5 now), and am usually (the acoustics at his Nats Park show sucked where we were sitting) happy to tag along.

As some may know, he is doing the whole River album on this tour. My friend commented that the sound system was so crisp and clear this concert, something he sent me that a reviewer noted in his review as well. As I said, this might be my favorite concert of his I have been to, perhaps partially due to there being almost all older songs, no new album to promote (well, there is the reissue of a 53-song version of the River, but...) where I don't know the songs.

 

My first Olde Mecklenburg beer – Capt Jack Pilsner

I was fortunate to be gifted some beers from Olde Mecklenburg Brewery over the holidays and today I will discuss the Pilsner: Capt Jack Pilsner.

Olde Mecklenburg was not a widely distributed beer and as of a few weeks ago its distribution got even smaller since they decided to pull back and concentrate on the Charlotte area. It is an artifact of the beer distribution laws of North Carolina which the ‘interested reader’ can learn more about here: http://www.bizjournals.com/charlott...lenburg-pulls-out-of-triad-cites-n-c-law.html

There is some interesting history on the beer label for the naming of this beer:

“We created this crisp, smooth pilsner as a salute to the courage and vision of Captain James Jack and the members of the Mecklenburg Convention of May 20, 1775 signed the first declaration of independence in America! This straw colored lager captures their rebellious spirit with a subtly assertive hoppiness that complements the beer’s malty backbone. Enjoy the unmistakable taste of freedom in every fresh, delicious swig.”

I was unaware of the Mecklenburg Convention of May 20, 1775; I must have been sick that day!?!

So, let’s see what freedom tastes like!

Served in my Polish Pilsner glass:

Appearance:

The color is straw yellow with a white head. The head dissipates rather quickly to nothing by mid-glass.

Aroma:

Pilsner malt aroma dominates the aroma. There may be a hint of hop aroma but frankly I am not really picking it up.

Taste:

The flavor follows the nose with Pilsner malt flavor being front and center. Moderate bitterness.

Mouthfeel:

Medium-thin bodied with a dry finish.

Overall:

I enjoyed drinking this beer. Olde Mecklenburg did a fine job brewing this beer.

If I ever find myself in Charlotte I would definitely like to drink this beer again.

Cheers!

@nc41

 

I can't account for the head or lack of in this case. Every beer I've had from them holds a dense thick head to the bottom of then glass. There's usually enough left you could use a spoon. Too bad it will be a long time to get another, I'm not driving to Charlotte. How was the Alt brew?