New Beer Sunday (week 616)

Discussion in 'The Bar' started by cavedave, Dec 11, 2016.

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  1. Victory_Sabre1973

    Victory_Sabre1973 Grand Pooh-Bah (4,561) Sep 15, 2015 Minnesota
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    And now to the next beer. I picked this up at a local liquor store last night. Sounded interesting, so I had to get it. Trooper Red 'N' Black Porter. This one I'm going to take slower than the last, but it is also a top notch beer, and I'm glad I got it.
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    Review

    4.31/5 rDev +12.2%
    look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

    This pours a nice dark brown. The head was 2 finger, off white color. The nose is interesting. To me I get hints of a barrel aged beer. It's rich smelling. The taste is well, I also get that barrel note in the flavor, as well as the nose. There was some sweetness before it kicks in. It isn't a BA beer, but has the feel of one. delicious.

    ★ 339 characters
     
  2. Prager62

    Prager62 Grand Pooh-Bah (4,126) May 7, 2010 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Greetings NBS friends! I'm back for another stout on this snowy day. Next up is Buckley Light from Transient Artisan Ales of Bridgman MI. I recently purchased this bomber at a store in SW Michigan. Yes, I spend a lot of time around the lake! Let's pour this 10% beer brewed with Tugboat coffee, vanilla and maple syrup in the signature Transient pub glass for the occasion.

    It pours a thick oily black with a generous finger of mocha colored foam. It slowly settles leaving behind generous lacing. The smell is dark roast coffee, bakers chocolate, molasses, a kiss of maple and vanilla hiding in the back. Taste is chocolatey-coffee, dark fruit and oak. There is a slight hint of vanilla in the finish and I'm not tasting any maple syrup. The feel is oily, thick and very dry.

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    I got a chuckle out of the 'Light' on the label for a 10% abv. beer. It drinks considerably larger with the rich coffee, chocolate and woody taste. I'm not sure where the wood comes from, but I'm guessing the maple syrup? I know authentic maple syrup is much different from the sugary sweet mass produced garbage. I'm a big fan of BLiS myself! All said this is another winner from the rising star brewery in SW Michigan. My score is 4.21 / rDev -0.2%.

    I've been hitting the stouts hard today so I'm going to put the wine stopper in this to share a pour with my bro when I walk over there later. Going to enjoy another short pour as I watch a pretty boring Bears-Lions game. Have a great afternoon, here's the review......

    https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/34258/253666/?ba=Prager62#review
     
  3. Harrison8

    Harrison8 Grand Pooh-Bah (5,771) Dec 6, 2015 Missouri
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    We're a week out from our annual Egg Nog Mile. Trying to get the final pieces in place for the event. Also, got a fun little line-up for New Beer Sunday today. Starting with something light. Well, at least as far as the color goes.

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    Manor Hill's Citra Splendor.

    Pours a burnished, foggy orange with a finger of off-white head. Head retention is moderate, with lacing dotted here and there. Aroma teeming with wonderful hop notes. Pineapples, mangoes, and oranges give Citra Splendor a wonderful mouth watering fruity aroma. Resin hops, and biscuit malts sit back stage to the center light of the tropical fruits. Mangoes, papayas, and pineapple open the flavor profile up, evoking memories of days spent on beaches, or simply walking down a tropical fruit aisle at the health food store. A slight sticky resin hop note with some biscuit malts help substantiate the otherwise fruity flavor. Despite the heavy presence of fruit, the beer does taste a bit heavier. Make no mistake, it doesn't sip lightly like some fruity IPAs. Mouth feel enhances the boldness of the flavor with its medium-thick consistency and texture. There is certainly a presence in the body and feel of this beer, making it easy to sip and savor. Overall, Citra Splendor is a wonderfully done imperial IPA. The citra hops stand out boldly, while refraining from giving this beer a bitter, back-handed IPA bite.

    Score: 3.75 | 4.25 | 4 | 4 | 4 | BA Score: 4.05 | rDev: +1.5%
     
  4. WesMantooth

    WesMantooth Grand Pooh-Bah (4,820) Jan 8, 2014 Ohio
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Looks like a Euro milkshake
     
  5. utopiajane

    utopiajane Initiate (0) Jun 11, 2013 New York


    Did you just hear all the pilsner people sigh a little ? Nice find! Cheers!
     
  6. Smakawhat

    Smakawhat Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,727) Mar 18, 2008 Maryland
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Hey what's going on?!

    Still on a great natural high and buzz from last night! Couldn't post any pics after dinner as I was far to consumed in seeing a show. Great show too seeing the Rev on my b-day!

    Thanks also to all of you for the b-day wishes yesterday.

    Can't believe Christmas is around the corner. Sure doesn't quite feel like winter here yet, but it's coming. I am going to be in office Christmas party gluttony next week it's going to be crazy.

    Right now I am brewing up some beef stock instead. Big pot of it too. Man the house smells so good rendering the beef bones in the oven right now. Best air freshner ever I must say.

    Well with that it's time for a new brew!! What's new for our hero today?

    Mocha Marlin | Ballast Point Brewing Company

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    Ballast Point Brewing Company - Mocha Marlin Porter
    by imbibehour, on Flickr

    ----------------------------

    Poured from the bottle into a nonic pint glass.

    Real big winner in the looks column here. Dark walnut black out of the bottle, nearly oily pour. Liquid hits the glass in silence nearly and creates a great cascading head of easily three dark tall fingers of truly light mocha color. Fine bubbles almost nitrous but nice light clumpy ring lacing matches out as it settles to a solid light tan. Great looking porter.

    That's some nice coffee joe on the nose for the aroma. Soft coffee fruity acidity a bit, and an almost milky chocolate sensation coming off the brew. Good vanilla and milky tones matching with this. Slight hint of roasted malts go for some porter quality, but the beer also feels larger because of this excellent coffee/chocolate/cream combination.

    Oh here we got on the palate. Nice rich milk chocolate quality on first sip. Mid palate has creamy but also classic light bodied roast and coffee flavors without the harsh sour or acidity. Very nice finish, a great lingering hop oil that really slowly builds and adds some hints of fruity and sharp pine towards the end, which really pulls out the coffee character of the brew. Excellent creamy palate, that really tops of the sweetness and vanilla like tones but doesn't go overboard.

    A real nice topped up high accented porter that feels also very grounded. Great job from the guys at BP.

    look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25 | BA Generated Score: 4.27

    -------------------

    I am brewing up a different storm right now instead... See you all later! (who says a brewpot aint just for beer making!)

    [​IMG]
    Get Stock Ready
    by imbibehour, on Flickr

    brown them bones!!

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    Brown them bones
    by imbibehour, on Flickr
    [​IMG]
    Those bones are brown!
    by imbibehour, on Flickr
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    Get Stock Pot Filled
    by imbibehour, on Flickr
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    It's a different brew day
    by imbibehour, on Flickr

    My brewpot sucks... ergo... two for 1 power!

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    Brew Pot Sucks, time for splitters
    by imbibehour, on Flickr


    Cheers!
     
  7. RutgersBeerGuy

    RutgersBeerGuy Savant (1,047) Jan 16, 2007 New Jersey
    Deactivated

    Chalk that up to poor camera work. The beer was clear. I was watching the Eagles' game through it.
     
  8. Harrison8

    Harrison8 Grand Pooh-Bah (5,771) Dec 6, 2015 Missouri
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Moving onto to something I didn't expect to see from the local guys at Martin City. It's a coffee stout, featuring the roasters based in Lawrence, Kansas - Alchemy. This beer was released about two weeks ago with only 600 cases of this beer being produced (6-packs of cans). 300 of which were distributed to Kansas, and the other 300 to Missouri. Unfortunately, the only sample I've had of Alchemy coffee is a bottle of cold brew at a posh pizza place in town. It proved quite delicious, and I'm always down to try a new coffee beer. I don't know that I can wait anymore, so let's get into it.

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    Martin City's Alchemy.

    Pours black, with a finger of caramel colored head. Head formation is quite reluctant, and disappears quickly after. During its peak, it's nice and foamy. Lacing covers the glass in strands here and there. Unsettling the beer produces a hearty dark caramel color foam ring to appear. Aroma is coffee, espresso, chocolate, and cocoa nibs. Boom. Nice and thick, with little guess-work as to where the coffee ends and chocolate begins. A little zip of vanilla adds to the sweet-sided aroma, while keeping the beer smelling dark overall. The flavor profile is slow and lethargic to open, with watery notes of roasted malts at first, before the coffee, cocoa nibs, and vanilla show up. Mouth feel is slightly grainy, with some carbonation abrasion, but otherwise it has a medium thickness. Its stuck nearly in the middle between slow sipper, and pound-able. Overall, Alchemy provides some excellent coffee notes in the aroma and flavor, while remaining remarkably drinkable and enjoyable. That's a huge win. Packaged in a can, it's even better for sipping in situations where I'd want a coffee stout, but I don't want something too thick or difficult to transport (i.e. tailgating, and camping in the heart of winter). Lovely brew.

    Score: 3.75 | 4.5 | 4.25 | 4 | 4.25 | BA Score: 4.26 | rDev: n/a (first review/rating)

    Full discloser:
    I love coffee, and coffee beers. I have a soft spot in my heart for Martin City since they can some damn good beers. I was also pretty hyped to try this beer once I saw it. That said, I actually already had a taster of this at a beer tasting event, which just so happened to fall a few hours after I bought one can to review on New Beer Sunday. I do not work for Martin City/Alchemy. While I'm a local guy, I actually have never visited their brewery, or any alchemy establishment for that matter.
     
  9. do_ob

    do_ob Initiate (0) Feb 12, 2015 Kentucky

    Alright, alright, so I'm technically cheating here. This is actually the second time I've had this, but it IS my first time having it in a relaxed setting, where I had time enough to write a review and post a photo. So here goes:

    Da Beer
    Jackie O's Noble Sorrel
    Imperial Brown Ale Aged in Bourbon Barrels
    2016 bottling, 11.0% ABV


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    Da Re...view

    Bottle into a snifter. Pours a medium brown and settles as a dark, opaque chocolate color in the glass. A thin, cream colored lacing sits on top, but dwindled to a light skirting after a moment. Appears to have relatively low carbonation. Nose is very sweet, roasted chocolate malt, vanilla, caramel, oaky bourbon, salted nuts, and maple & butterscotch. The taste is a close parallel, with big notes of chocolate, bourbon, vanilla, and butterscotch. Very sweet. There are residual traces of sweet & salted nuts on the aftertaste, along with light notes of charred oak. Not terribly complex, but very tasty. The feel is quite dense and syrupy, but lacks a real chewiness, which works out well in the end.

    I always end up enjoying Jackie O's beers, especially their BA series, and this one is no exception. It is very tasty, though on the borderline of being too sweet. For those who are fans of BA Old Rasputin, Créme Brûlée, and the like, you will enjoy this. For those less inclined to partake in those types, maybe split this one with a friend.

    Da Scores

    4.18/5 rDev -1.9%
    look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
     
  10. NiceTaps

    NiceTaps Pooh-Bah (2,034) Nov 21, 2011 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

  11. lester619

    lester619 Initiate (0) Apr 17, 2009 Wisconsin

    Looks great. If I could offer some advice, get yourself a pressure cooker. I invested in one a few years ago and it's by far the easiest way to make a stock. What's the end result going to be used in just out of curiosity?
     
  12. Smakawhat

    Smakawhat Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,727) Mar 18, 2008 Maryland
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Just a standard brown stock I make all the time, that is if I get my rendering bones... I get a 1/4 calf every year and sometimes I can get the bones for free (last yeast I didn't they didn't have any).

    Use it for just about anything, stroganoffs, soups, all sorts of stuff of course just a good stock.
     
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  13. lester619

    lester619 Initiate (0) Apr 17, 2009 Wisconsin

    :grinning:
    I make a venison stew about this time every year with homemade stock. I think you inspired me to get going on it. Cheers sir!
     
  14. Smakawhat

    Smakawhat Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,727) Mar 18, 2008 Maryland
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I had an excess of bones so my normal stock pot wasn't big enough, so I thought the extra weight would keep my cheap brew pot from buckling..

    nope no sir...

    So that's that... new brew pot and future crab and stock pot gallon big guy in the future for me! :wink:
     
  15. strohme2

    strohme2 Pooh-Bah (1,927) Nov 3, 2007 Michigan
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    [​IMG]

    Inspired by @superspak 's NBS last week; I was going to open this beer last week too but then 6 hours of OT happened. One more week's not going to hurt...

    Finally getting some snow around here. Winter is my second favorite season. Spent the morning snow blowing and playing with the kids and dogs this afternoon. On to the beer!

    Chestnut, autumn red colors, 1 finger of head that receded quick but left a smallish ring in the perimeter.

    Earthy, vanilla and maple dark fruits

    Taste is sweetness, wood, vanilla and maple. Figs, dark chocolate cocoa powder, maybe grape jelly finish.

    No alcohol detected, smooth mouthfeel and easy drinking.
     
  16. 2beerdogs

    2beerdogs Grand Pooh-Bah (4,878) Jan 31, 2005 California
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Congrats Corey!!!
     
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  17. lester619

    lester619 Initiate (0) Apr 17, 2009 Wisconsin

    :slight_smile:
    Write your letter to Santa.
     
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  18. cavedave

    cavedave Grand Pooh-Bah (4,145) Mar 12, 2009 New York
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    New Old Ale Sunday (week 616)
    Haha, new old ale.

    Greetings fellow NBSers from on the ridge in a chilly Mid Hud Val, NY. Finally home after a killer weekend of work. Finally sipping a warming treat of a beer. Life has returned to excellent.

    Big congrats to @WesMantooth for the impressive family swimming feats. Being great with liquids obviously runs in the family:slight_smile:

    I hate to embarrass @2beerdogs with thankyou's and praise again, but holy fuck man! We had Monday, both Tuesdays, and Wednesday at our stout tasting 8 days ago and to say those beers are immense and beyond delicious is an understatement. Sadly no coherent memories translatable into reviews remain, but here I am drinking another Bruery beer, and can't believe my good fortune to be able to enjoy it!

    No pics today due to my camera is still MIA at the Doom Saloon, but here is a stock photo of the bottle and just imagine a hippie with tie dye headband and pony tail beard drinking a thick beer in a Peekskill Brewery balloon and you have the scene. Gonna c+p my review, and just say if you ever have a chance to try this one, do so.
    [​IMG]
    2014 Sucre aged in Madeira wine barrels. @2beerdogs thank you sir, you da man!

    Pours with expected opacity, carrying a quick to reduce half inch of beige foam. It's a deep brown beer with a maroon cast, and has a thick and menacing look to it. In a good way.

    Date, fig, raisin, plum, molasses and wine laden breadiness, warm deep alcohol, with an elusive blended tart yeastiness that is there if you search it and really adds an alluring complexity to this aroma. Hard to stop sniffing this beer, its full strength bouquet is intoxicating and alluring. Sweet.

    Much more wine forward than anticipated, in fact it dominates the sip. But this beer is so big it has room for all flavors, while hiding none. During the course of the beer's warming all of the flavors in the aroma rise, combine and shine, and it is a wonderful thing to have this morphing mix of strong flavors. Regular Sucre is a sweeter beer than this one, the wine flavors go far to making it pleasingly sweet and no more than that. Alcohol spice adds immeasurably to the wine notes, and goes a long way to drying the end of sip, which otherwise might be overly sweet.

    Thick, low carb., highly viscous, and a perfect frame for an over the top mix of strong flavors. It finishes clean and doesn't build.

    What a beer. The only distraction is an occasional overpowering of the sip by the wine taste, but it is such a great flavor it is hard to ding it for that. Highly recommended.

    Hope you also have a Great American Beer in your glass. Cheers!
     
  19. zid

    zid Grand Pooh-Bah (3,058) Feb 15, 2010 New York
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    I hope to feature a bunch of Against The Grain beers today. We'll see how it goes.

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    Against The Grain / Three Floyds - Too Dumb To Be Evil

    The can says this is a "festbier." If I was given it blind I'd say I was handed an APA. Regardless of ingredients or process, the experience of drinking this is one of APA. It's a light amber color and a little hazy. Hops are at the forefront. Flavors are in the usual ballpark of citrus and resin. The finish is quite bitter. The only thing that makes me think "lager" is perhaps a little sulphur. I see that's it's classified as an "IPL" in some places. Here it's an Oktoberfest/Marzen. The idea of this beer being in the same style box as Spaten Oktoberfest indicates a problem somewhere. Rate it low? If the same beer was sold as an IPL would we rate it higher? How about a Three Floyds pale ale? This beer was very enjoyable taken on its own without any baggage. I was disappointed because I expected something different (not that I was expecting Weihenstephaner). Why call it a festbier if it doesn't resemble one? In all fairness, it says that it's a hopped up riff on a festbier... but that still didn't set the mood properly. Can't it just be inspired by festbiers without mentioning the term on the can? Nonetheless an enjoyable drink.
     
  20. 2beerdogs

    2beerdogs Grand Pooh-Bah (4,878) Jan 31, 2005 California
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Good Afternoon NBS!!!
    I adored our alliterative A.M. commencing, commanded by comrade @cavedave .
    We, the well-intentioned and wanton, whacky and wayward, who waddle well meaning, and when whimsy welcomes-well spoken zealots of zymurgy, gather gratefully.

    I am grateful for this. Another kind offering from our very own @SammyJaxxxx

    Rushing Duck Brewing Co. Chained to the Dead Imperial Stout w/ coffee, cocoa & lactose
    3.73/5 rDev -5.1%
    look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

    Poured a deep mahogany with an active rise of 2 inches of fluffy, oatmeal colored foam.
    Smell is a gentle amble through smooth dark chocolate, deep roasted coffee, roasted malt.
    Taste goes further into all the aforementioned. Begins with a round, full cocoa. Then turns straight into a smooth yet dark roasted coffee, and then a creamy sweetness comes through that hints toward brown sugar. No alcohol heat to be detected.
    Mouthfeel is full enough, but I admit I prefer a tad more.
    Overall, a very pleasant drinking Impy stout. And it's in a CAN!
     
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