New Beer Sunday (week 599)

Greetings, fellow NBSers, and thanks to @JackHorzempa for taking the challenge to herd this particular group of cats,

Mid-70s and sunny in the Republik of Spokanistan, with the high expected to be 95 (ugh). It was 94 yesterday, and I was working out at Felts Field, where this was a thing:





I wound up hitting a newish bar in the Garland district afterwards called Beerocracy, where I had a couple Fremont Session Ales and a “Cucumber Cream Ale” from Little Spokane Brewing. Named after a tributary of the Spokane River, they will be sharing a “brewery incubator” space with a couple other nano-breweries within walking distance of my digs, and will be opening pretty much anytime now. The beer, light and refreshing. Cucumber aroma was present without being dominating. The cucumber flavor was really more an aftertaste than anything else. I ordered it out of support for a brand new brewery, but found it quite enjoyable.

Earlier in the week, I had myself a Bender for the first time courtesy of @SammyJaxxx. One of the better brown ales I’ve had and easily the equal of any around here:


http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/13014/28165/?ba=woemad#review

If it were local, I’d probably have some in my fridge on a regular basis.

Today, I’m probably going to stay indoors, as I spent quite enough time outdoors in the heat yesterday, which means big dark beers will not be off the table! There might also be a moment when I beg the court’s indulgence as I drink and review a canned PNW IPA that I’ve had for about a week or so, and dispatched half a sixer of already.

 

Actually, the bottle price usually discourages me- but I've had a few others including the Golden Brett. I'm with @smakawhat , though, no burnt rubber for me and really quite enjoyable beers all-around. Whether it was a particular beer or the tap lines, it's probably too late to say at this point, but I wouldn't peg it as a 'house character'.

 

I absolutely agree,
Cheers

 

It is a rainy Sunday here on New Hampshire but we need the rain. It has been beautiful over the last few days but dry. The pollen has been a nuisance. This beer is so new that I had to add it to the BA database. Just released in conjunction with Memorial Day weekend is Oddball Postmortem Pale Ale from New Hampshire. It is 5.4% ABV. Murky looking copper pour with a thin off-white head. Seems like there is a malt presence but also a spice presence. Lingering bitter finish. This is probably one of the weaker ones I have had from this less-than year-old local brewery.

 

Hi everyone. Thank you, @JackHorzempa for subbing for Maria today. She's a tough act to follow. I had planned to sample a couple of new IPA's today, one from the left coast and one from the right, and I'm not going to let a cool, rainy day change my plans.


New beer #1 is Bear Republic's Racer 5. Bear Republic has just begun distributing in New Jersey and if this IPA is representative of their work, I'll be sampling more soon.

4.19/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured into IPA glass. It pours a golden-honey color with a fluffy, two-finger milk-white head and lacing. Excellent retention. It smells sweet malt, pine, grapefruit, floral hops, and perhaps a whiff of caramel. It has a solid malt base with lots of fruit, both grapefruit and sweet apricot or peach. It also has the bitter, hoppy finish you'd expect from a West Coast IPA. It definitely has a bite to it. This ale is medium-bodied, moderately carbonated, and the 7.5% ABV gives it substance without being overwhelming. Overall, it is a very good West Coast IPA. It's right up there with the leaders of the style.


#2 is Red Clay IPA from Sunken City Brewing Company in Hardy, Virginia. It's a good example of the maltier IPA's that seem prevalent in the South. It's no hop bomb but I enjoy this style.

3.79/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Poured from can into IPA glass. It pours an attractive reddish-amber color with one-finger of khaki-colored head and lacing. Its primary smell is malt with discernible caramel and grapefruit. Although the malt base is solid, the bitter hops are present throughout. You can also taste caramel and nuts. It has a candy bar like quality. What seems to be missing is the grapefruit. This ale is medium in body, moderate in carbonation, and the 7% ABV seems just right. Overall, Red Clay is a good example of the maltier IPA's that are prevalent in the South. If you prefer West Coast-style hop bombs, then you might want to pass on this one. If, like me, you like the maltier style, then you will probably enjoy this one. Someday I hope to try it on draught.

Cheers everyone. Maria, hope to see you back next week!

 

Tallgrass Buffalo Sweat



Appearance: Very dark brown with orange tints around the edge. It looks like, well, a stout. Light tan cap that quickly goes away.

Aroma: Dark malt with a touch of sweetness, I don't get much hops.

Taste: Full and rich, dark tones with little hop presence. For me it drinks more like a cola than a beer. Touch of sweetness, lingering richness in the aftertaste with no noticeable bitterness. It's as if the brewer was going for easy drinking and if so that goal was achieved.

Texture: Good texture with an almost airy feel. A bit light for a stout but it wasn't designed to be a powerhouse.

Overall: Our house Guinness fan (my son) likes it. Our house doppelbock fan (me) thinks it needs a bit more oomph.

 

We spent the weekend with my in laws who live outside of Detroit. Always great to see them (yes, I really mean that). I played a couple less than memorable rounds of golf with my father in law, but did get my swing worked out. Now on to the short game work. My wife and mother in law paid a visit to Sasha farm, where they did some volunteer work. The goats enjoyed the attention from my wife.


We had an easy flight home today into cool and cloudy/rainy New England. This Stillwater Gose Gone Wild has been staring at me for some time.
The beer is a faint hazy gold color with a tiny white head that disappeared quickly.
Nice aroma: lemon, floral/earthy hops, tart.
Better taste: sour lemon, salty, mineral-like.
Very crisp and refreshing.
Will drink this again.

 

At the local brew pub, El Dorado Pale Ale? This is an APA brewed exclusively with El Dorado hops. Very pale golden color with a thin white head. The aroma and flavor are just about the same citrus and tropical fruit with a strong hop presence .Body is light and the finish is crisp and dry. A nice warm weather beer.
That was the regular tap beer. One can also get this brew on a hand pump. This is not a cast ale but it is served warmer and is less carbonated. The color is the same but the head lasts longer. The aroma is stronger as is the flavor. The finish is not as crisp and is less dry.
I enjoy doing comparisons like this. It's fun to see how different the same beer can be from it self. I prefer the regular tap version . There is a refreshment factor in beer for me and the older one is more refreshing.

 

How far out from Detroit were you? I spent a lot of time in the Detroit suburbs as a kid, hanging with the grandparentals. Turns out their house was about a ten minute walk from a great bar (Berkley Front), but I never knew it!

 

Second growler Bellefonte Xtra Pale Ale, as nice tasty pale.

4.08/5 rDev n/a
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

32 oz growler poured into a tulip

A- A hazy orange/amber with a small white head.

S- Pine, resin, caramel malts, some citrus/grapefruit, faint wet grass.

T- Citrus, grapefruit, resin, some pine, balanced by a big caramel malt backbone, faint wet grass.

M- Smooth, medium body.

O- A solid pale ale, easy drinking and tasty. Worth picking up, would love to try a dry hopped version.

★ 386 characters

Feel like they are brewing some solid beers at Bellefonte and they are only five minutes from me, love supporting local people, cheers!

 

Time for another brew!

Paideia Pale Ale | St. Boniface Craft Brewing Company


Saint Boniface - Paideia Pale Ale by imbibehour, on Flickr

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Poured from the can into a nonic pint glass..

Super soapy head. Creating a big bubbled cacoon four fingers tall, thick bubbled swiss cheese and soap clings everywhere. Crazy dissolve to with a bathtub soap cling and very large bubbles in the head. Body color is a nice pale amber, almost glowing and fairly solid. Solid if sort of aggressive pale ale looking brew.

Light toasty malts of honey and caramel whaff on the first smell of the nose. A floral and pine trip seems to come as well on the hop angle but is simple and subtle just like a pale ale should be. Sweet smelling but not overbearing. Solid.

A nice solid palate. Mid palate washes real easily but supportively. Mild caramel at first but then a good lingering hop bitterness that comes in on the mid palate with a good pine sting. Lingering pine and woody aftertaste that really lingers, with oily hop mouthfeel and zesty citrus dryness. Slight sweet malts but more hop forward but luckily gets brought back without going overboard by a nice honeyed malt flavor.

Real good basic American pale ale. Could see myself pounding these on a good day.

look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4 | BA Generated Score: 4

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Good afternoon. Glad to be back from business trip, but still had fun loading up on Ohio beers.

First up is Rhinegeist Zen, and APA masquerading as a session IPA. ...




Looks great. Lot darker yellow and hazier than I'd expected with a pretty dense white foamy head. Lacing is nothing that poets will ramble on about, but otherwise a nice looking beer.

Nose is a little grassy, not much else. Immediately tell that this is very thin, but goes uphill from there. Taste right away of lemon and followed up quickly with just a bit of maltiness. Everything fades away quite quickly, leaving behind a lingering bitterness.

One nice APA right here, and it should be pimped as such, not a "session"...

 

South Lyon, I guess about 30 miles west of Detroit.
My father in law took me to a relatively new brewery there, Witches Hat. Nice place.

 

With the wind gusts, we decided not to go to the pool today as it would feel too cold out of the water.

Guess that means I get to enjoy more beer! 5th Element from One Barrel brewing in Madison is a Rye IPA. Hazy burnt orange body with 1 finger white head. Fades quickly and leaves webbed lacing on my glass. A soft rye scent with a sweet citrusy aroma. Orange, grapefruit, and pine hops with a caramel malt. The rye flavor is rather soft and pleasant, but still has a spice to it. Hops are citrusy, orange, grapefruit, along with pine. Malts are sweet caramel. Finish is bitter. Soft carbonation and medium feel. Dry and spicy on the finish. This was well made and very similar to Great Lakes Rye of the Tiger.

 

Aloha NBS! Coming at you with the a beer that's been eating up space in the fridge for quite some time.

Sierra Nevada Dunkelweizen Bock bottled 3/30/16 clocking in at 7.2% alcohol. This is the last of the 4 beers from the Sierra Nevada high altitude series and I honestly was really not looking forward to trying this one but I am pleasantly surprised!

Here's how it broke down...
4.24/5 rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

The appearance is a murky caramel / dark brown color. Pretty good head retention and minimal lacing as well. Smell is of banana, dark fruit, and a bready aroma. Taste is heavy on the banana bread, caramel malt, cloves, more dark fruit and molasses. The feel is really thick and chewey for a 7 percenter but it still goes down really easy. Overall a very solid beer and even though I don't drink many Bocks or Dunkelweizen, combine the two and damn it's pretty good!

 

Quite a ways from where I was usually at, then. My grandparents probably never went their either. They seem to have made no attempt to explore Michigan at all, instead always opting to go back to the town in Kentucky they were from. My Mom was born in Michigan, and didn't see the Upper Peninsula until she was over 50.

 

Three things:
First, welcome to NBS!!!
Second, we don't judge...usually. At least, we shouldn't.
Third, Good Morning!!! I prefer a rye wake up over a coffee wake up.

 

And, @Lingenbrau ...I've always enjoyed your avatar!!!

 

Note to self...No Stone. Bring a different piece of glassware to northern Indiana next week...

 

What's up NBS players. A pretty warm but wet and soggy day here on the island with periods of heavy rain on and off. Keeping my ass inside and not doing to much at all. Eating, drinking, and watching the mets get shut out.

My first new beer today is my final beer out of the NBS BIF #3 box. Thanks to @Prager62 I have been able to enjoy some awesome new beers. Highlights for me were having my first brews from 3floyds which were mind blowing good but also the quality of beer that greenbush is putting out was also equally impressive. Jim, you can expect a small thank you box very soon.

The beer is Prince of Valpo, a dry hopped sour ale with cascara. It comes in at 6.5% and has no apparent bottle date.

A cloudy pour with an amber/tea color. The nose is big with sour, must, and fruit. A really dry start on the drinking with lots of pungent sour tones. Herbal and clean on the finish. The brew is pretty well hopped and that seems to sort of off set some of the sour flavors. Lots of herbal/fruity notes with tea, lemon, melon, and I really get a pretty distinct cherry flavor.

Overall, not as bad as I thought it would be. It drinks pretty well and the dry hopping really helps. Sours just continue to simply not be my thing. I just can't get over that flavor which becomes rather rancid to me. Cool to try and if I were to score it honestly probably a 3/3.5 but that is not doing the beer any justice.