New Beer Sunday (Week 650)

Happy Sunday NBS players. Another perfect summer day here on the island. Warm, sunny, and a huge let up from the high humidity we've had here all week long. Spent the afternoon at the beach and now I'm settling in for some beers and a little grilling as always. Trying my best to not think about the fall at all despite preseason football starting to get into action.

My new beer today is Wave Chaser ipa, from Montauk brewing. The brew checks in at 6.4% abv and has a best by date of 12/5/17.

A sharp golden color on the pour. Moderate carbonation, hazy clarity, and a fluffy white head. Hops and malt on the nose. The drinking starts with stringent citrus hops upfront with a semi bitter flow and finish. The hops are a tad muted and have a lot of citrus/sugary flavors. I mostly get grapes, grapefruit, and lemon. Subtle bitter pine seems to hit on the finish as well. The mouth feel is on the light-moderate side and drinks refreshingly enough.

Overall, it's really just average at best. I can handle drinking it but I am in no way in love with it and would not seek it out. The hops are just a bitter/citrus/sugar mess and they don't really deliver the way a well crafted ipa does. The cans are also contract brewed/filled in westminster, MA which isn't exactly long island. Regardless, Montauk remains one of my least favorite brewers here on the island. I'm right around a 3/3.3,

 

Probably last one on the day, as this one carries a touch of potency.... probably

Founders DKML



Looks compelling. Ominous clear yet chemical wave looking golden body under what is left of a head that never had a chance. Nose is sweet, floral to a certain extent, but I think "bright" may be a good adjective. Finally I get some of that barrel, which likely contributed to the sweet. This syrup opens up quick and in ferocious manner as I take the first swig. I have to take three, four drinks to even figure out what is going on. And Jesus is this a dry bastard. Crimony.... Ok. Caramel, heavy bourbon, alcohol, hints of vanilla struggling for air. Already mentioned the Sahara mouthfeel after it's syrupy beginning. I guess it's good? I think they nailed what the hell ever they were going for, so mazel tov?

 

I've been to Galway - they aren't all boats...

 

So my son went up to Boston to see his friend this weekend and I realized after he left that I had to text him: Trillium please. It worked.
So Pot & Kettle first because everything he brought back is now at porter temp.

Lots of head on the pour, but dissipates literally before your eyes. By the time I got my camera out it was gone. Color is brown near the edges super dark brown (not black) in the center.
Aroma is sweetened coffee with slight charcoal.
Taste is like I prefer my coffee, on the bitter side. Mouth feel is like heavily creamed coffee (without a hint of dairy taste).
I like this beer a lot. Its no Founders Oatmeal Breakfast Stout (my absolute reference in this category), but way better than a lot of overly sweet stouts and porters out there.

 

I tried telling her.........

 

Crooked line Labyrinth quadruple black ale. 13.2% alcohol is obvious in aroma and taste but it is the licorice that dominates this beer. The high abv is actually somewhat hidden but for my taste licorice and beer dont go togethor very well. Its a bummer because otherwise it would have been great and i was so looking forward to trying it. Side note,if you look at the top of the glass the fish in the background looks like he's in the glass

 

Another flavored IPA. Apricot Juice Packets from The Fermentorium.

The first pour was a cloudy apricot color and the second was darker, murky, and full of what I believe was apricot puree. A 2 finger white head with decent retention that fades to a collar and leaves blobs of lacing on the glass. The aroma is west coast hops with plenty of apricot and citrus, very inviting. The first sip is a blast of apricot and citrus hops, maybe a few tropical notes. It's easy to tell that apricot puree was added to this beer since it stands out. The finish has a slight hop and pine bite. Medium mouth feel with ample carbonation and a nice bitter finish. It's my first time tasting an apricot IPA and I rather like it.

 

Happy New Quadrupel Sunday!

Pretty nice day on the Western Slope, in the valley 92, today at the trailhead 81, sunny. Sometimes I see these differences, but mostly around 3-5 degrees. Having a very tasty brew today, not new, but it's been almost 11 years since the last time. One of the best belgium/overall brews around. Glad to have found it on-line. Watching some Rockies. Let's not forget the pretty tasty chicken tacos.

4.98/5 rDev +12.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

Bought On-Line

Revisit: 6 Aug 17

750ml
Caged/Corked
Best Before End: 17.05.20
Bottled Conditioned

Been almost 11 years since!

Poured into a goblet a very nice clean/clear dark golden/amber color, very nice carbonation, with a very nice thick/creamy one-finger light tan head, with also leaves a pretty nice medium size island, and some pretty nice creamy sticky lacing behind. The nose is really nice, malty, yeasty, with some sweetness, with some really nice dark fruit complex (grapes, figs, raisins, plums, cherries, prunes). The taste is pretty awesome, malty, yeasty, very nice sweetness, with some very nice dark fruit complex (grapes, figs, faisins, plums, cherries, prunes). Full Body, ABV hidden very very nicely, this is a very nice complex brew. Overall, this is an awesome brew. Glad to see these brews still being made. Mostly likely I will not wait this long again to try it. Highly Recommended!

Dated 19 01 11

Poured into a Unibroue Chalice, a clear dark golden/amber color, nice carbonation, nice 1.5 finger creamy tan head which hangs around for quite sometime, tons of sticky lacing around with some foamy puddles. The nose is sweet malty, with nice scents of grapes, raisins, figs, and prunes. The taste is pretty carbonated, sweet/malty, slightly tart/tangy, nice dry finish. The alcohol is hidden very well. Medium body, a nice complex brew. Very drinkable, a truly awesome beer. Glad it is more readily available, than say a Westy 12.

Cheers!

 

Ok for what may be my last new beer of the day Fat Head's Bumble Berry. A honey blueberry ale bottled on 6/15/17 clocking in at 5.3%. I have had several blueberry ales and while most I have been a fan of they all seem to taste about the same, this one falls into the same category. It is a very easy drinking summer blueberry ale and I would enjoy drinking another on the deck on a hot day. There is just a lot of solid blueberry and not much else, solid beer great aroma and taste.

Appearance 4 - Pours clear golden color with nice white head.

Aroma 4.25 - Just a huge amount of fresh blueberry, nice touch of sweetness as well. There is not much else going on but it is what it says.

Taste 4 - The taste is blueberry as well like you just rubbed the blueberry all over your mouth. There is a touch of honey for sweetness and the blueberry provides some tartness. There is a little biscuit there as well.

Feel 4 - Pretty light bodied well carbonated easy drinking and refreshing.

Overall 4.06 - It hits the mark for a blueberry ale, great flavors smells wonderful.

 

Love it. But then again all hookers aren't golfers either. I was trying to make some Higgin's Boat reference but couldn't give it justice. Cheers all. Fun read today....as always.

 

Cracking into something else new. This time, focusing on hops. Want to drink this one as fresh as possible. Here we go @JayWhitson



Odd 13's Codename: Superfan.

Pours a turbid, cloudy bright and light orange with a finger of snow-white head foaming on top. Great head retention, with big, bubbly lacing left behind. Aroma is dripping with notes of orange, tangerine, and papaya with a zing of lemon zest, and supporting biscuit malts. Lots going on in the aroma, giving this beer a bold impression. Flavor profile is sweet, sugary citrus by way of orange, clementine, papaya, mango, and tangerine. A little lemon zest and biscuit malts help develop and substantiate the flavor profile even more. Mouth feel is medium-thick, with a slightly grainy, velvety texture. Overall, an absolute blast of citrus notes, all balanced out with just the right presence of biscuit malts.

Score: 4.25 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.25 | 4.5 | BA Score: 4.46 | rDev: +6.7%

Personal Notes: Big discrepancy in my score versus the average BA score on this one, but I think this beer is well worth it. This beer packs a punch in terms of aroma and flavor profile on par with NE IPAs ranked much higher. This one was well worth mulling back home over a thousand miles. My one regret: I should have grabbed more.

 

Afternoon and thanks for @lordofthewiens for the kickoff and the golf story. Not a golfer myself but I can appreciate the passion. Saturdays, my only really full day off, usually starts with a climb or a long mountain bike ride. Missed yesterday due to rain so this AM I went for a 25.6 miler. Beautiful day for a ride. As many of you know my other hobby that consumes alot of my free time is drummer, guitarist and songwriter. Played almost my entire life and have no plans of slowing down. Anyhow todays beer is from one brewery that is really impressive that I just discovered.
Lamplighter Brewing
So Much for Subtlety DIPA brewed with Idaho 7 Hops.
Pours a beautiful hazy orange-gold with a foamy white 1/2" head that settles to a thin ring and leaves spotty "world map" lacing.
Smell is dank tropical notes of super ripe pineapple, papaya, red grapefruit, tangerine and some peach.
Taste follows with tropical fruits, citrus and grapefruit rind and pine bitterness.
Really a nice mouthful of fruits.
Medium body with nice carbonation to set off any oils. Finshes dry and with lingering flavors.
Im going to make sure I buy multiple packs of Lamplighter going forward. Ive had four of their beers in the last few weeks and all have been outstanding. This one avoided the haze craze and managed to really have a wonderful full flavor. First DIPA Ive ever had with just Idaho 7 and it works.
Didnt realize this hop has only been around for a couple of years. I really recommend anything by this brewery.
Great stuff. Enjoy your evening, have a great week, and thanks for taking the time to listen.

 

That sounded like a weird beer to me when i heard about it. Sounds weird enough to give it a try.

 

New beer number three, Weyerbacher 22, an interesting beer that I feel would be a little better with less nutmeg.
4.1/5 rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle, dated 6/2/17, poured into a tulip

A- A clear ruby red with a small off white head.

S- Tons of nutmeg, cinnamon, some plums, banana bread, hints of vanilla, a little bit of orange peel, cloves.

T- A lot less nutmeg than the nose. Getting cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, banana bread, dark fruits, some vanilla. More balanced than the nose.

M- Smooth, medium to full body.

O- An interesting strong ale, definitely has a Belgian dark ale quality to it. Doesn't really remind me of French Toast, but it is pretty tasty. Interested in seeing what some age does to this.

Cheers!

 

Wychwood brewery Hobgoblin English ruby beer. Got a few just to grab something different. It's definitely different,smells like a dark ale with a simular taste but with a slight bitter finish that seems to linger a long time. Yet overall I would give it a 4 or after giving another bottle a try maybe a bit higher ranking

 

G' evening NBS-ers. Coming at ya with another one; this one was from my first NBS BIF, round #4 when @beertunes sent me some really awesome PNW brews. I've been holding on to this one since and I can't wait any longer....So here it goes.....

The North Fork Son of Freud Special Edition Deming Wild Ale (2015)

You just gotta love that label!




Poured from a 25.3 oz cork and cage bottle into a Snorkel Glass.

Appearance: Dark ruby red to brown body with a 1/2 fingers head. The label doesn't lie, plenty of carbonation in this bottle!

Aroma: Strong acetic aromas up front with a nice amount of funk.

Taste/Mouhfeel: Wow! Plums, raisins, oak, and a HUGE amount of a tingling sourness that just fills your mouth. There's also a nice underlying sweetness to this one. A super dry finish to this one; can't stop drinking this one!

Overall: A beautiful looking beer with a great sour aroma and multiple layers of flavors that keep on coming through sip after sip. This is one helluva great sour!

Cheers!

Thanks again @beertunes !

 

New beer #4. Another new ipa @larryi86 and I picked up at Tired Hands this week.



Tired Hands - Daily Personal Best
TIPA - Canned 8/3/17 (3 days old)

Look - 4 | Smell - 4.25 | Taste - 3.5
Feel - 4 | Overall - 4
3.86 (rdev -9.6%)

L - Dark yellow body with a 1 finger lingering head

S - stone fruits, tangerines, other citrus. Quite potent.

T - rock candy, sugar-coated citrus, a bit of booze. Not as nice as the smell.

F - full. Rather heavy to drink.

O - I've yet to love a Tired Hands Triple IPA. This is decent, but doesn't buck the trend. Too much booziness.

 

First crack at NBS so here goes.

Elk Valley Brewing's Magic Juice
NE style IPA

New release from Elk Valley (Oklahoma City). This one was canned 7/18/17. First IPA I have had from them, and I believe first NE style IPA they have done.

A- Good cloudy orangish yelllow color with some head that lasted the entire time while drinking. Minimal to no lacing.

S- Lots of hops. Smells of citra and grapefruit. Nice fruity smell.

T- Typical NEIPA with heavy juicy flavors. The citra taste stands out to me.

M- Soft easy drinker with very little bitterness.

O- This is a new one from the Oklahoma craft scene. It stands up with some of the bigger names in this style. Glad I found a single of this. I will drink this one again.

 

Greetings from the Great Northwest where the Dog Days of Summer are upon us. Hot and dry with smoke in the air from regional wild fires. Temperature in the mid 90s.

So why not cool of with well balanced IPA from western Montana? Going to the Sun IPA, named for an iconic highway in Glacier National Park.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1477/72689/

Very well balanced indeed.

Until next time,

Happy Trails!

 

Did I really send you that many Anacortes magnets? Maybe throw one in the Swag box this round. BTW, do you still have the carpenters pencil?