New Beer Sunday (week 572)

Good morning @cavedave and thanks for getting us up and rising today with another New Beer Sunday! Ithaca has been temperate and I think my beer choice reflects the sweet climate here of late. I will say of my hometown that Ithacan's are known for their love of the sensual aspects of life. Wine, beer, cuisine and the arts. Everywhere you go in town you see people expressing themselves. Everything in town is adorned with some kind of art. It's a sidewalk thing and I think the reason people walk so damn slow around here is because they are rapt and looking at stuff.

Anyway Cheers! and Happy New American Coffee Oatmeal Stout Sunday





The hand and the eye-







Ithaca beer has created a unique interpretation on the oatmeal stout that I think is dynamic and very well done. They are adding coffee beans from Ithaca's very own Gimme Coffee to this style that traditionally does not have many specialty additions and with some unique and delightful results. Coffee has a palate and a terroire very much like hops. It can be citrusy or winey, mellow or bold, nutty or earthy. In this beer Ithaca said they wanted to show you the herbal quality of the coffee bean. The hops are East Kent Goldings which is a very herbal hop that offers honey, lemon, thyme, earth and floral. And Challenger which offers green tea and floral; and if used a late edition hop a crisp fruitiness. They are adding white wheat malt which gives fullness to the body of the beer and improves head retention.

The pour is black not brown with a ruby hue that can just be seen. It gives to the minds eye the color of a roasted coffee bean. The head is just tan and tall with some soapy bubbles from the oats and lots of creaminess from the white wheat. It falls slowly clinging and is not oily looking at all. Exceptional appearance.

Nose is vibrant with earth and a bracing herbal scent of coffee. The hops are like honey, and crisp like a flower petal, a light fresh sweetness. There is a boldness to the coffee that is roasty but not too dark or burnt. Cold it smells like cold coffee with a tempting bit of herbal sweet honey. A very unique interpretation on the style.

The drink is smooth and even though the malt imparts fullness it does not give any heaviness. These oats show no astringency in the finish, they temper the wheat breaddiness to a soft fullness. The earth in this beer is dynamic and complex. It's hard to describe. Cold it is a bracing shot of herbal coffee but as it warms it mellows to the traditional lightness and clear flavors of the oatmeal stout. Hops are vibrant in this beer but never overdone. The balance is exquisite as to show everything they have , except fruit. GOOD! The crispness they offer balances the herbal from the coffee bean as it also stays green and does not really show citrus or astringency. The bitterness they give is just enough and does not strip any of the flavor from this beer as it finishes bold. It's like a crisp flower petal, it's earthy. It has all the demure softness of oats and the lightness they give too. Warmer, that herbal softens as well and a roastiness comes forward to show you glimpses of nuts and even sweeter earth.

This beer was exceptional. Unique and I would say that Ithaca has quite an affinity for coffee . . . and hops.


The Monophonics. Like Yesterday

 

This brew pours a dark color with a two finger head, most of which rapidly dissipates but some sticks around until the end. The color changes to reddish brown when held up to the light, kind or reminds of a plumb.

The smell is full of sweet earthy malts, a little licorice, some brown sugar and molasses; spicy and nutty.

The taste follows the nose with sweet malts dominating. Then some licorice, brown sugar/molasses, then a slightly nutty taste followed up by lightly spiced hops. The feel is fairly thick and rich but just a little creamy on the back end. The spicy hops balance out the sweetness and there is just a slightly boozy aftertaste.

Overall this is another good beer from Penn Brewing.

 

Poured into a Sam Adams perfect pint glass, best before June 2016. It is just above room temperature. Smell Pours a very attractive dark brown with a two inch fluffy tan head that leaves very nice lace. 4.75 Smell is chocolate, coffee, vanilla, and oats. 4.25

Taste follows nicely, roasty coffee, vanilla, dark chocolate, and not sure if it really oats, but that is the best way for me to try and describe it. 4.5

Mouthfeel is larger than medium, really creamy with no carbonation, only slightly dry, and I can not possibly describe how drinkable this beer is! 5

Overall wow! I liked the Nitro IPA, but this thing is fantastic. 4.5 Jim is a genius taking coffee and nitro and two very popular fads right now and putting them together and doing it right. I really liked the coffee stout they had in the Winter Mix pack 3 years ago and I feel like this is that on nitro.

 

Happy Birthday Shiner (Spoetzl Brewery)!

I have family and friends who live in Texas so I visit them regularly (at least once a year). A few years ago while visiting a few of us traveled down to Shiner to take a tour of Spoetzl Brewery. The town of Shiner is a small town with a population of a little over 2,000 folks. The story is that most of the current residents of Shiner are of German and Czech descent from immigrants who settled in the area in the late 1800s – early 1900s. The Spoetzl Brewery was opened in 1909 as the Shiner Brewing Association, founded by the German and Czech immigrants who had settled around Shiner. You just gotta love a brewery that started as a club (Association). Those folks were serious about their beer!!

So, in celebration of their 107th year of operation Spoetzl produced a special beer they branded as Shiner Birthday Beer 107 - Hoppy Pilsner.

I am down with celebrating Spoetzl’s 107th Birthday so I will say Prost and Na Zdraví and drink up!!

Served in my Polish Pilsner Glass (Poland is next to Germany and the Czech Republic):

Appearance:

The color is straw/yellow color with a BIG fluffy white head. Beautiful Belgian Lace is formed as the beer is consumed.

Aroma:

The dominant aroma is bready malt aroma but there is spicy/herbal hop aroma as well.

Taste:

The flavor follow this nose with bready malt being the dominant flavor but the hop flavor of spicy/herbal is noticeable. Low-Moderate bitterness.

Mouthfeel:

Medium bodied with a pleasant carbonation level. This beer has a nice dry, crisp finish.

Overall:

This beer is very good. The balance of bready malt and spicy/herbal hops is quite enjoyable!!

Cheers to Spoetzl Brewery (Shiner) on their 107th Birthday!!

 

I'm not huge into coffee beers, but I really enjoyed this one. I've actually seen it described as 'watery' too, but didn't find it to be that way at all. I guess that's one of those words to disregard when you see it posted here, like 'malty' . Anyway, well-balanced and extremely drinkable definitely add up to a very enjoyable experience. Cheers!

 

Happy 11th Anniversay, NBS! And thanks to all of you who host, participate and celebrate the longest continual running craft beer thread in the history of the Internet! Cheers!

 

Cheers! Omg WoW!

 

That's a sharp-looking glass.

 

7.4% alcohol. Introduced in 2008. Brewed in Belgium.

Slaapmutske Christmas (Kerstmutske) has a thin, off-white head, a murky, standard brown appearance, tight bubble streams, noticeable tan sediment, and minimal lacing left behind. The aroma is of raisin, plum, spiced brown bread, bread crust, and a yeasty component. Taste is similar, with low bitterness. Mouthfeel is high medium and prickly, and Slaapmutske Christmas finishes semi-dry and fairly rich. RJT

 

Good morning New BSers! It's a beautiful day in sunny NW Pennsylvania, using two adjectives that are extremely rarely used to describe the weather around here. Thanks to @cavedave for getting us started, and to @utopiajane for your usual in depth and insightful review - what, no food? I must get at least 50% of my non-beer caloric intake from your food fotos!
Well, it's been another week here. I gave my first exam Wednesday in my microbiology class - range was from 60% - 86%. To say that I'm disappointed would be somewhat of an understatement, especially since we spent the entire previous class session reviewing and NOBODY asked any questions. I kind of feel sorry for these guys - they're respiratory therapist students who have a mandatory micro class (and essentially NO biology background) while the nursing program students do not have any micro requirements. This week we start biochemistry and microbial genetics - my personal favorites - oh well, I'll work it so they all at least pass and don't have to retake the course - as long as they know how to collect specimens and properly label them.
Oh a higher note, I was finally able to bottle my coffee stout yesterday - I didn't have quite enough to fill that last 17 oz bottle so I was forced to drink it. Flat, but veeeery coffeeee.

Today's New Breakfast Beer is:



This is an OK beer - I'm swallowing the last of it as I type this.

$ 9.00/bomber + $ 2.68 shipping ($ 0.531/oz) from Blackwell’s, SF CA.
Bottle marked “Batch 1835 1151 111615 at 42 degrees into a hand washed and dried JK snifter, allowed to warm to 50 degrees
Aroma of roasted malt and cocoa
Head small (< two cm, aggressive pour), light brown, creamy with rocks, diminishing to three mm ring and thin partial layer
Lacing – ephemeral, small islands rapidly sliding back into the ring
Body dark brown/black, opaque
Flavor – cocoa predominates followed by a mild chili burn, rather passive, and a hint of salt. Not picking up any oak or any sweetness directly attributable to malt. No hop flavor or aroma, no alcohol, no diacetyl.
Palate medium to full, creamy, lively carbonation

Appearance 3.5, Aroma 4, Flavor 3.75, Palate 4, Overall 3.75. Rating 3.82, Average 3.92, rDev -2.6%

Obviously, I'm a KISS type of person, even after my discharge (honorable) from the KISS Army. If you want to see me wax poetic, it won't be on this site ('cause I'm kind of a wane's world guy). All that crap under the bridge, this beer is definitely OK - the chilis are still slightly burning but not enough to be disturbing and are well balanced by the cacao nibs. A number of years (decades) ago, one of the television chefs (later busted for some child-related charges) talked about the melding of chocolate and chilies in food items from the Central and South American regions. This started me adding chopped chilies to my brownies (Eeewwhh, said everyone at the lab, you eat weird stuff). This beer shows how well this can work.

 

Good mornin' NBS! Ended last night with a Virginia-brewed spiced stout, so I figured I'd start today with a Virginia-brewed spiced stout. This morning's offering is from Apocalypse Ale Works from Forest, VA. This is Winter Snack, an imperial oatmeal stout... that isn't on their sight, although their Sixth Seal Snack is, and the bottle appears to be the imperial version of that (listed at 7.5% on site, this bottle is 10.1%). Reading their site, it's pretty confusing, but they are a smaller brewer, so I'll forgive them slightly.


This bottle says it is their "world famous...award winning..chocolate stout" - though I'm going out on a limb to say that first descriptor is a bit of an exaggeration. I will believe, however that is "is enhanced with oatmeal, orange peel, raisins, and cinnamon." Then more marketing: "Never before has...such an abominable force roamed...since the splitting of the Alpha and Omega."

Ok, typing that up should have warmed this beer, so let's check it out. You can see the head build in the shot above, but I could've embedded a 10 second video to show you how it disappears fairly quickly - ending up attached to the glass in a thin line.

The nose is orange and raisin, so kudos to Apocalypse for truth in advertising on that front. I don't actually get coffee per se, but the impression is of sitting in the breakfast nook with an OJ, a coffee, and some toasted raisin bread. Really it's the latter that sticks out most in the end (though the orange peel hits up front).



The orange peel comes on strong in the taste, maybe a little too much so. It is juicier than some IPAs that get that same descriptor. Luckily this beer brings more to the party (even though the orange never leaves completely). The raisin and toast (could be the oatmeal) notes come next, and at this point they are reminding me more of a Dubbel than a stout. The feel backs up this impression - very wet/not very full, with microscopic carbonation that help roll the beer over my palate.

The additions I think kill my ability to discern the chocolate stout, although if I focus on that, the does seem to be a little sweet chocolate note way in the background - so faint I could be making it up, though. Overall, I think the orange notes are too strong and overwhelm the rest of the flavors in the beer. There are other notes there, but always competing with the orange juice.

Oh well, turned out to be an okay breakfast beer. Sure I'll be back with at least one more later. Cheers all on Super Bowl Sunday!!

 

I enjoyed this beer, too. I am one of those that found it "watery" - or at least a little thin - when chilled down. I see that @SawDog505 was drinking it above room temperature, and while it never got that warm for me, I do feel the coffee flavor came out and made for a quite enjoyable beer. As I said yesterday, when you are used to bold, ~10% coffee imperial stouts, other things may seem watery.

Also keep in mind, also, that there are a lot of people who don't like what nitro does to a beer. For a beer I actually thought was improved by nitro, for instance, there is only one that comes to mind: Boulder Beer's Shake.

We could get into the debate over the years not dividing evenly into 52 weeks like we did for the 10 year anniversary, but I'll go with, "Happy Anniversary"

 

I suppose temperature could have something to do with it, I'll give you that.

I think we're making the same point, though (albeit mine was a touch snarky )- peoples' baselines in regards to certain aspects of beer are, on the whole, set to a different level with this group.

 

Good Morning (I think it still is, at least here, anyway) fellow BA'ers. Today Im reviewing Boulevard's Love Child No. 4 (2014 I think?). This beer comes in at 9% abv, on the higher side for this style. I poured this into my Tree House teku glass. This beer produces a nice, quickly dissipating foamy head on top of a burnt caramel color that was crystal clear.



The nose, which shoots the normal tart lacto smell, blasts with a big, woody barrel aroma. No trace of whisky or wine, but the wood is dominant.



The taste is big, tart, astringency. Really strong on the lactobacillus. Soured apples, funky pear, and still some of the wood is apparent. Teeth-scrapingly tart.

Feel is light and finish is bone dry. Prickly carbonation. Overall, I scored this in the 4.3 range. Still have the 5 and 6 to knock off as well. This one is just as good as any others in the series. Cheers!

 

Hello NewBeerSundayian's XD
For today I picked up La Barberie's IPA, This is brewed in Saint-Roch Quebec Brewed by Microbrasserie Cooperative De Travail (work cooperative brewing company) I guess the name should have said it all. I didn't like this beer one bit but I'll let my review explain.


3.18/5 rDev -6.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Appearance - This beer pours a very cloudy orange color with a finger and a half of thick foamy off white head, the head fades and leaves a thick film over the top of the beer. This beer is bottle conditioned and I see quite a few floaters, at not even 3 months old yet this is a little alarming for me from a quality standpoint.

Aroma - leafy floral and earthy hops dominate the nose, then I get toasted and pale barely malts some breadyness and a freshness usually found in AAJ's

Taste - Like the nose those leafy floral and earthy hops are all here at the forfront and produce a very bitter taste, they are followed by some biscuity/cracker malts and some white bread at the back of your mouth. I'm really not a fan of the way these flavors came together.

Feel - watery light medium body with mostly creamy carbonation, a light tickle on the tongue as well.

Overall - This is a bad IPA and as a beer its mediocre at best, the flavors are odd for the style and they dont mesh well, Its like saying lets take the worst style of ipa a leafy earthy one (with no pine at all) and throw it in a belgian pale ale let them sit a couple days and poof we have our "ipa"... no thanks I wont be having this again.

★1,212 characters
Well there you have it, one of the worst "IPA's" I've had to date.

 

I just tried it yesterday. Saw that and the Nitro IPA at Wegmans and bought them on a whim. I really enjoyed this one, too!

 

Poured into a Sam Adams perfect pint glass, best before June 16,2016. Pours a dark yellow with a 3 inch sticky white head that leaves excellent lace. 4.5

Smell tangerine, lime, pine, and grapefruit. 3.75.

Taste follows loaded with citrus, with some pine blended in, pretty bitter actually. 4

Mouthfeel is almost medium, with lots of life, a little dry, and very drinkable. 4

Overall this is nice, was expecting more. I think if I never had a grapefruit beer I would have been more impressed. 3.75

 

SUPER Beer Sunday!
As with many of you, I find myself pregaming before the pregame starts. I honestly question the 325 million gallons statistic that's floated around every year but happy to do my part to contribute. Starting light as knowing the friends I'm watching the game with, much heavier stuff will be poured later.

Honestly a bit disappointed here as SN usually does a style well. This is gose for the masses, very light and the flavors aren't that strong. I'm missing the herbalness/saltiness in the better examples of the style. 3.75 across the board which may be a bit generous. Certainly tasty and refreshing, though I guess technically the bottle says "gose-style" so a little leeway can be given.

I'm off to join some coworkers for a dim sum lunch, I'm sure I'll be revisiting this thread later with whatever else new we open for the SUPER BOWL! <--- PS NFL Trademark lawyers, have at me. I'm sick of every radio and tv personality being forced to say "The big game" instead of its proper name.

 

Lol-I figured I'd try to match you in snarkiness (passively) as a part of "scientific research":




So I pulled this out and warmed it slightly wth a little run under some warm water, then let it sit before popping it. My non-scientific analysis reinforced my thoughts. I think the nitro first, then the lower ABV base beer could lead to a "watery" feel.

In other words, I think to a lot of people (me included), find regular stouts "watery" when compared to their imperial brothers. The thing to consider is that I think this should be expected - though it should also be considered relative (and I try to treat it so). However, I think imperial stouts are actually more the norm than regular, so they generally are the baseline for comparison versus the other way around.

So, on this beer (with a warmer beer), I do get a nice roasted (and woody bitter) flavor. There is a decent bold flavor that pushes through the smooth feel that makes me interested in what the non-nitro would taste like. However I literally just read in BA #107, from Jim Koch, even:

Anyhow, to end a longer post than I intended, I think temperature does have an effect, as do expectations - so I would agree that we are saying similar things, at least, if not exactly the same .