New Beer Sunday (Week 640)

Greetings, fellow NBSers, and thanks to @lordofthewiens for getting us going this Memorial Day,

Gorgeous day in the Inland NW. Normally, Memorial Day weekend around here features the local news interviews shivering campers in raincoats in Riverside State Park, but it was sunny and 80 yesterday, and probably nearly the same right now.

I skipped last week's NBS because at the conclusion of Spokane Craft Beer Week, I was kinda "beered out!" I probably had a month's worth of NBS material between Thursday and Sunday, and was needing a few days off from alcohol. The new beer highlights for me were the Iron Goat/Black Label collaboration Passion Fruit Guava Sour and Whistle Punk's Karelin, a barrel aged RIS, but there were all sorts of goodies to be had. Some non-Spokane beers were consumed as well, such as an IPA from Silver Moon and a "pale stout" brewed with coffee from Ordnance, both heartily reccomended. So glad Spokane has become a city with a nice, though still mostly low-key beer scene.

Today's new beer was courtesy of one @MacMalt and his dwindling but still potent box from the last NBS BIF. An Imperial Cream Ale that is also, a coffee beer, a dessert beer, maybe a multicultural beer!
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/26817/205179/?ba=woemad#review
A tricky beer in that it first comes across as a sugary booze bomb, but packs more subtlety than that. One is enough at this moment, but wouldn't mind having another after dinner.

There's no picture because, again, photobucket is being difficult. Funny how I can post a pic on Untapped so easily, but here I have to jump through the capricious hoops of a third party.

Probably back with another today.

 

Here's to the deceased veterans in my family: my paternal grandfather, Zygmont V. (1890-1934) decorated with a Silver Star (for valor) and a Purple Heart with an Oak Leaf Cluster (for being wounded twice) during World War I, my father Vincent V. (1924-1988) decorated with a bronze Star (for valor) and a Purple Heart (for being wounded) during World War II, and my older brother Jim V. (1951-2008) who served on CVA-63 (aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk) during the Vietnam War working on its flight deck catapult and arresting gear.
RIP and Cheers!

These are pictures of the medals and citation signed by General John J. (Black Jack) Pershing which Zygmont received in 1932.







Moderate pour yields a 3/4 inch white head over a very bright, almost clear body with some lacing. Nose of hops, biscuit, and a bit of spice. Taste mirrors nose with a nice crisp finish. Average mouthfeel for the style and overall a good job!

3.77/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

 

My next new beer came from a very generous BA @FFFjunkie who sent me a ton of beer and so far all have been gems, this one is no different. Oddside Ales Hazel's Nuts, a BBA stout with coffee and natural hazelnut flavoring. It clocks in at 10% and was bottled on 2/16/17. This thing is amazing just tons of hazelnut and chocolate in the nose and the taste. It is very easy drinking and makes me wish I had a never ending supply!!

Appearance 4.25 - Pours dark chestnut color with nice thick tan head. lost of stringy lacing down the glass.

Aroma 4.5 - This thing is loaded with hazelnut for sure, lots of dark chocolate roasted malts and coffee beans. there are hints of oak not getting a ton of bourbon but you can tell it is lurking.

Taste 4.5 - Wow this thing hits the mark, wonderful hazelnut more dark chocolate and coffee. There seems to be a good bit of vanilla as well and just a touch of bourbon and oak. This thing is really well balanced all of the flavors play well together and nothing overpowers.

Feel 4.25 - Full bodied creamy mouth feel very smooth slightly warming from the alcohol.

Overall 4.46 - A wonderful hazelnut stout, I am surprised at how easy drinking this is to be a 10% stout. The flavors are so good I never want this beer to end.

 

Cheers!

The beer is awesome however that label is terrible....

 

Happy Memorial Day, I thank my brother for serving 24 years in the Army with two tours in Iraq, retired now and living well, thank God!
Drinking a Shorts Slurm, their entry into the NEIPA, pours a hazy orange, with small one finger head, disappears quickly leaves a little sticky lace, smell is very piney, taste is tropical fruit, lemon, orange, mango, creamy mouthfeel, very little carb and slightly bitter finish. Nice entry, I like it, cheers

 

Can 't get enough of that beer (i.e., more than 1 ), so yes to the beer, & no to the 200mph demolition derby.

 

Hello fellow BAs ! Happy New Beer Sunday! At the suggestion of @beertunes and @jhavs and @Dragginballs76 I have decided to be a little more participant in this thread.

Please don't take my review often as I haven't done very many so far.... also, this week's review is to see if this beer is worthy of shipping off. Next week @Dragginballs76 I will be reviewing one of yours!

Without further ado....

Appearance 4 - nice light burgundy with minimal head retention and lacing.

Aroma 3.5 - some strawberries and lemon , also some type of lagery smell.

Taste - 3.5 nice hit of tart strawberry up front however some sort of bittery lemon rind on the back.

Feel - 3.5 smooth almost watery feel, minimal carbonation not too bad

Overall - 3.5 This Kolsch is just ok. A little more carb and a better lemon punch and this would be $. Until then it will not be included in any outgoing boxes....

 

A new beer for me and one I knew I'd love:

Jester King's Ol' Oi! — an "American wild ale" that's really a funky Flanders oud bruin


We should throw this dude and Founder's old curmudgeon into a cage match:

It's a wacky journey to the place where "vinous" and "fingernail polish/remover" in you beer gets you all excited, but that's where me and Ol' Oi! are at. You can smell the vinous note as you pour, and then the tart cranberry aroma and flavor take over for about the first half glass. *Then* ... the best part of this beer ... Jester King's yeast marches in and funks up the whole joint. Musty barn air, dried hay, old dusty stacks of hay that are wet on the bottom and the oldest, deadest hops that have been stored in the barn attic for a year or two give the beer JK's signature.

Until that yeast kicks in, the fingernail polish/remover note and overall presentation reminded me much more of a Jolly Pumpkin beer. The fact that this beer has shades of JP and JK while giving off the tart cranberry pop of an oud bruin? My over-rating is underrated.

The review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/24018/74478/?ba=Premo88#review
4.4 (+6.2% ABV)

Anybody ever go back-to-back bombers with a "sour"? I'd consider it with this brew. It seems to be getting better with each and every sip.

Cheers, NBSers!

 

Creepy clown!!! i like.

 

Welcome. Can you tell us a bit about the flavors and aromas and whether or not you enjoyed the beer?

 

YOU ARE NOT FORGIVEN!!!!!

You must send all NBSers a minute-growler of your tasty looking beverage.

 

Pours dark rich amber brown with quickly dissipating head.
The aroma is red wine, woodiness from the barrel, vinegar, dark berries and some cherry juice.
The flavor follows the nose, it's super juicy. Tons of berry and red wine flavors. It's nice and tart with a slight funkiness. It's delicious.
I would seek this out, it's a very good sour, and I'm normally not a fan of high abv sours.
4.53/5

 

I had to edit it. As soon as I had added the photo it had posted before I could give a review. It's all fixed now! Thanks!

 

Super, thanks!

 

Nothing special, but not bad. Maybe a little warmer than ideal*. Aroma is light malt. Flavor is light bready malt, with a touch of nuttiness & this morning's (cold) coffee. Just a touch of bitterness, & fine carbonation on the finish.




* Pulled it out to warm a bit, & walked to the post office with some bills. Should have been a 2 minute round trip, at most. Mailed 'em, & then I see it. Some rhododendron at a house I used to take care of, looking spectacular. Went up there (4 houses) to take it in, & peek at my other babies around the corner.

Then on the way back, I see that the neighbor has mulched his whole place.....except....he has eschewed the whole strip-the-sod-and-make-a-bed thing. Decided to kill the grass by piling on a foot or more of mulch. Nobody home, so I unburied the new Rose of Sharon, hoping he will get the hint. (16" of mulch on a 30" plant)
"Hello, my name is Mike, and I'm an addict."

 

Happy Memorial Day weekend, NBSers. I have a couple of beers today that will go from one end of the beer nerd spectrum to the other, both stylistically and geographically. First up, a NE-style IPA from Michigan.



4.5/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

My first beer from these guys, I hadn't even heard of them a month or so ago. The pour produces the obligatory pineapple milkshake appearance associated with the NE-IPA style: a turbid, murky straw color with a finger or so of off-white head.

The aromas are heavy on citrus (Citra hops!!!), plus pineapple and a sweeter aroma - maybe berries? I am now salivating.

The taste is heavy on the citrus and pineapple - ginormous pineapple, plus a little sweetness that is indeed berries on my palate.

It is the feel, though, that distinguishes this. It is not so pillowy as to be watery, but rather has an effervescent feel on top of the pillowy nature of the malts to make this much more like a "regular" IPA, which I enjoy. Truly world-class, IMHO.

 

Busy day trying to catch up on chores around the house, and finally settling in after dinner for a new beer.

This is Straight to Ale's 7th anniversary beer - a barrel aged Quad. Hard to believe that these guys have been around for 7 years, and how different the beer scene around here now.

They did a Quad for their 5th anniversary that I really enjoyed, and this seems to be a similar recipe and bourbon aged. Very tasty!



Poured from 32 oz growler.

A: Very dark brown with a purple tint and 2-3 finger beige head. Lasting retention and generous lacing.

S: Sweet bourbon combined with a medley of dark fruits.

T: Bourbon up front and center. Blend of dates, raisins, plums, and figs. Alcohol is very well hidden

M: Medium body with lively carbonation.

O: Excellent beer. Reminds me of a BA version of their 5th anniversary brew.

 

Here's to all service members past and present.
Cheers!



Moderate pour yields a 3/4 inch white head over a medium amber body with some lacing. Nose of hops, pine, dankness, and some citrus. Taste of piney hops, very slight citrus, and even slighter tropical fruit. Nice mouthfeel and overall a fine IPA at 6.66%.

3.92/5 rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

 

Back unusually with another NBS post. What do we have here but-
Shploing!!
Pours a burnished gold with a slight haze and nice white head leaving "world map" lacing.
Aroma is initially mango and pine with a touch of red grapefruit.
Taste is very similar to a well crafted tropical IPA. Lots of fruit with again a pale malt base, there is just a touch of sweetness from lactose and maybe some graininess from Graham flour. Salt edges in at the end but nothing crazy.
Really just tastes of a quality IPA.
Feel is well carbonated that whisks away a oiliness on the tongue. Does dry out and there is no excessive sweetness.
Overall a very enjoyable brew though I didn't have any excessive sweetness from marshmallow, Graham cracker or lactose. Tastes well made but thankfully not like a smore.....

 

Good evening NBS, hope everyone is enjoying the middle of the holiday weekend. Thanks to @lordofthewiens for getting us started off this morning. Not much going on here, did some overtime work this afternoon to catch up. Will be working tomorrow too, from home. Got a nice beer haul yesterday to stock up on new beers again. Was running really low, with almost no bombers left; except for the big 15%+ ones I have in reserve. I'll be good to go for another couple weeks now. 5400 was last Wednesday. Getting stormy out there this evening, my cat went to hide in the closet with the booming thunder rolling in lol.

New Beers:

Amazing helles! Great head retention and lacing down the glass. Aromas and flavors of big cracker, bread dough, lightly toasted biscuit, and light honeyed malts; with balanced herbal, floral, grassy, peppery noble hops. Light-moderate herbal/spicy bitterness on the finish, Medium bodied; bready/grainy malts and some hop stickiness in the mouthfeel. Light-moderate increasing bitter dryness; no hop astringency. Moderately crisp, and perfectly clean lagering. Insanely refreshing. Wow, just wow. Best Helles I've ever had(out of 25). Very flavorful for 4.9%. World class. Perfectly balanced. 4.35


Really nice Scottish ale. Amazing head retention and thick lacing on the glass. Great clarity. Aromas and flavors of caramel, brown sugar, brown bread, toasted biscuit, and nutty malts; with lighter notes of roast, dark fruit, herbal/floral/grassy hops and yeasty earthiness. Light herbal/spicy hop and roast bitterness on the finish. Medium bodied bready, grainy, creamy, silky mouthfeel; touch of chalky roast and sticky hops. Slight dryness. Very clean, flavorful, easy drinking. Nice take on the style, really spot on. Never had one on Nitro before, but it works well. Nice clean malt showcase, with restrained yeast/hop backing. 3.81


Apparently this is pretty damn limited. Never had a FW sour before, glad to have good beer friends. Have a Zinskin also in the fridge. This is awesome! Great head retention and lacing for the style. Aromas and flavors of big juicy/tart/tangy peaches, apricot, lemon, lime, green apple, white wine, oak, pepper, hay, straw, grass, wheat, and cracker; with lighter notes of leather/musty funk, white vinegar, almond, and oaken vanilla. Light-moderate fruity/lactic tart/sourness, and light yeast/oak tannin spice on the finish. Light-medium bodied and moderately crisp. Balanced grainy malt, lactic acid, oak tannins in the mouthfeel. Increasing lactic/tannic dryness, with minimal pucker. Super drinkable! Very well rounded Brett/Lacto complexity. Balanced fruit, funk, and oak; all supported by a solid malt backbone. Wonderful, never overly sour. Just the right amount. 4.15


Amazing porter!!! Aromas and flavors of huge nutty medium roast coffee, milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, caramel, fudge, toffee, brown sugar, toasted dark bread, and light vanilla/smoke/fruitiness. Bit of herbal hops. Light-moderate herbal hop and roast/coffee bitterness on the finish. Medium bodied bready/grainy creaminess; light silkiness, sticky hops, and chalky roast in the mouthfeel. Light-moderate increasing bitter/roasted dryness; never acrid or astringent. Holy crap this needs to be in 6 packs. The coffee presence is huge and complex; and the base porter is spot on and not overly roasty. For a 6% beer, I am beyond impressed. 4.3


Cheers, have a good night NBS!