New Beer Sunday (Week 661)

Today was a gorgeous mid 70° day so I tried to spent as much time as possibel running errands outside while I still can. I ended up starting the grill at around 6:30 for a nice steak and now I'm cooking some chicken for lunches for the week at work. I wanted to go a little darker than I typically would in this weather but I mostly have older porters and stouts so here goes; Sam Adams' Holiday Porter from 2016

This is old, from 2016 so I'm sure it's better fresh.
L: Poured into a teku glass. Dark brown/black color with minimal head. 4/5
S: Mostly malt, with a hint of cinnamon 3.5/5
T: milk chocolate, cinnamon 3.75/5
F: Medium bodt and carbonation. 3.75/5
O: A pretty nice porter, especially consdiering it sat in my fridge since last December. 3.75/5

 

So I got up today, did my normal Sunday routine (breakfast/Sunday paper, emails, frequently visited websites, then the NBS thread) - and normal went out the window, as it was clear that anarchy had seized control of the most stable thread on this magnificent website. I will let Vince convey what my thoughts were as I read the opening post in the thread today .....



I keed, @HorseheadsHophead, I keed. Welcome to the best thread on this site, IMHO.

I have a couple of beers tonight, I hope that my theme is easy to understand. First up, an IPA that’s part of a series that I happen to enjoy - a lot.



4.25/5 rDev +7.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Brilliant, vivid golden yellow color on the pour with a frothy slightly off-white head. Aromas are all about the dank hops - mandarin oranges, pineapple, passion fruit. Glorious.

The taste is also all hops - there’s no discernible malt quality. At the ABV (5.9%), this is almost a session IPA, but there is significantly more body in this than the session IPA’s I’ve had. Just a really excellent beer, IMHO.

 

Schlafly Coconut Creme Ale

This isn't my kind of beer. I'll try anything by Schlafly if I can buy a single bottle and take it home, and this is no exception. It's a good way to expand one's horizons or confirm one's biases. It's well made though. If you want a dependable American blonde that tastes like you're drinking a liquid with lots of coconut flavor, then this is a beer for you. I'm not a purist. I had chocolate chip cookies with a little coconut in them earlier today and the coconut there adds a nice little extra something. For me, this isn't the case here. The bottle date was missing and I have a feeling that this beer wasn't brand new, but I have a stronger feeling that it didn't matter. Cheers.

 

I first tried that back in February, and found it quite enjoyable:

 

Still trying to killoff that sixer I think, a clunker for sure...

 

Nice review and glad you enjoyed it! Loving the glassware also . I actually haven't had that beer yet but will have to grab a bottle after seeing your thoughts on it.

Cheers!

 

#2, my theme should be readily apparent when you see the picture. I don’t know how I did it, but I held this for a couple of months. I can hold back no longer .....



4.44/5 rDev +4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Golden-hued copper color, very light tan head, first thing I get on the nose is bourbon and oak from the barrel, with just a touch of vanilla.

The taste, though ... huge vanilla notes, plus some honey, and coconut, too, with a slight burn from the barrel. And then, at the very end of the taste, the slightest hop tang. Truly magnificent. The subtlety which Firestone used to meld these flavors into a cohesive high-ABV beer is a testament to their prowess as a brewery.

I only purchased one of these, but I could’ve purchased more. I didn’t, and I will be the first to admit that I screwed up, because this is truly world-class, IMHO.

 

Was hoping to get two more new beers in tonight but looking at the time this will probably be my last beer of the night. Westbrook Rinse and Repeat Mosiac IPA, thanks @Dragginballs76!
4.27/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Thank you Dragginballs76 for this
16 oz can, dated 10/4/17, poured into a teku

A- A slightly hazy golden straw color with a three finger white head.

S- Mango, citrus zest, some biscuity malts, dank, touch of melons.

T- Ctirus zest, some mango, pineapple, touch of honeydew, biscuity malts, slightly dank finish.

M- Smooth, light to medium body.

O-A good single hop mosiac beer, drinks more like a pale ale instead of an IPA, but still worth seeking out.

Cheers!

 

Good evening/night NBSers, and happy New Boozy Sunday! Its finally time to "way" in myself @cjgiant . Been a long week and productive weekend, but still had time to get out and have fun today. Took the family on a nature walk through the Smyth and Bybee Wetlands where we saw a lot of birds including some Bald Eagles, and plenty of other stuff including some more mushrooms! I think I have a fascination with them, but still need to brush up on my education. Paging @cavedave (again )!







Anyhoo,I guess it's time for my new brew. Another one courtesy of @SomethingClever

Jacki O's
Coffee Bourbon Barrel Aged Oil of Aphrodite with Walnuts





From the bottle into a gold rimmed snifter, Coffee Bourbon Barrel Oil of Aphrodite comes out of the neck a wonderful, deep black walnut brown that shifts itself to near black in it's temporary home. A thin, tightly knit dark tan ring around the glass is only accompanied by a small island in the center.

A neck turning, big, boozy waft let's me know this beer isn't messing around. A few minutes later to allow the temperature to rise, and deeper inhalation, reveals lightly roasted coffee, black strap molasses, vanilla, toffee, nuts, tobacco and marshmallow. All the signs of a great bba stout are there to please the mind, and drive a pleased smirk to my lips.

The first sip is one to ponder. Despite the dominance of bourbon, I can't help but notice the real deep nutty presence. A hard feature to capture, I find, to hold true in such beers. The coffee is minimal. Semi sweet chocolate, charred wood, and dark pitted fruit (plum like) flavors blend together as the supporting cast.

Aside from the obvious booziness, a lightly slick and oily feel, though still a bit thin, adds a good backdrop to this beer. It really isn't all that sweet and surely not too bitter either, making this decidedly well balanced.

I have to be honest, this was one of the more difficult reviews I have done. I think this beer would be an A+ with more coffee and a more roasted presence, as well as a richer (thicker/ feel. Otherwise, this is another outstanding beer from Jackie O's, that proves how great their barrel aging program is. Cheers and thanks again Dave!

For my official review, I gave this a rating of 4.33 with an rDev of -0.7%

 

From my friends over the border.
I need more of this!



A gift from a band mate of a Montreal friend.
Brewery only release.
Moderate pour yields a one inch creamy white head over a slightly hazy golden body with thick creamy lacing. Nose of apricot, Sauvignon blanc grapes, and slight funk. Taste of said fruit and finishing dry, wine-like, and so very nice. As it warms, some slight sweet candied fruit aspect comes forward in the flavor balancing the dryness wonderfully. Feel is adequate for the style and overall I think the SB wine barrel treatment works wonders with this tripel and I feel pretty blessed for this opportunity! Just, wow!

4.39/5 rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

 

G' evening NBS-ers, back atcha with my 3rd entry for today and my 1000th beer ticked!
Figured since this a big milestone, I'd go with a big beer.

Epic Brewing Double Barrel Big Bad Baptist

Poured from a 22 oz bottle into a JK Snorkel snifter. Release #3.

Appearance: Jet black body, with very little amount of brown along the edges when held up to the light. Thick and creamy khaki tan head, much more than I expected from a 12.9% barrel aged beer. Small islands of lacing and plenty of alcohol legs on this one.

Aroma: Layer upon layer of oak, deep dark roasted malts, coffee, bakers chocolate, cocoa, burnt sugar, whiskey...And that barrel aroma just smacks you in the face!

Taste/Mouthfeel: First off this is the smoothest, easiest drinking barrel aged stouts I've ever had. Chocolate, oak, whiskey, molasses, toffee. I don't get any heat at all, which I was expecting a hotness that just isn't there.

Overall: One helluva great BA stout! Hands down one of the best I've had and one that will be hard to match moving forward.

Thanks to @SammyJaxxxx for sending me this one in the last NBS BIF round.

Cheers!

 

Harpoon Captain Kolsch

Oh boy. First off, I screwed up. I took a sip of this and thought: "Tastes old." So I looked at the date and this one is a month past the best by. Whoops and darn. Second, oh dear... the color. I had an idea what I was getting into because it says "clean, crisp, & crimson" on the label. Under average light, this beer looks like a cola... but it does look crimson when you put a light behind it (and I have to keep in mind that oxidation could have darkened this one a touch).

Last week, I ranted a little about certain "Kolsch" beers:

I'm feeling the same way with this one. I just don't understand why a brewer would opt to call a beer that looks like this a Kolsch. I'll give credit that this is "clean and crisp." It's a touch sour but I will give benefit of the doubt and chalk it up to age. It also tastes toasty (and of slightly burnt caramel) in a way that coincides with the color. This could be the power of suggestion - sight provides a component of flavor. Bitternes is really just a balance here... it might have had a little more punch earlier on.

I normally respect Harpoon's approach to styles. This isn't a bad beer at all. I'd be more receptive to it if it identified itself as a dark lager though. I still would have purchased it if it was labeled as such.

This

 

L - pours black like a cup of coffee with fine lacing that lasts till the last sip
N - dried figs, plums, raisins, banana, clove, sweet potato pie, and a hint of maple syrup
T - hello Belgian Strong Ale with a whiff of sweet potato pie and drizzle of maple syrup at the end
F - medium with fine champagne like bubbles
O - a great take on brew that is going out of style. Makes me wonder why other breweries aren't doing the pumpkin/fall spice twist with a Belgian style brew. Will pick up another for Halloween night and at $9 a bottle it's one of The Bruery's less pricey bottles.

 

Happy New Beer Saraunacday (Week 661), Mk III!

Have no fear, 'tis only I, your favorite impish pseudo-monk up to my usual deviltry as long as there is an open mic in the forum! "@lordofthewiens might be able to use some of that when he hosts NBS #666" & he has my expressed written permission to do so! That said, nothing should be assumed where I am CANcerned as it absolutely, unequivocally has the potential to make an ass out of U & me.

I just could not seem to break away from the Lager portion of today's madness, so I kept up the good work with:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/99/6797/?ba=woodychandler#review


which, in turn, led to my opening:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/99/33301/?ba=woodychandler#review


but now, I was out of Saranac Lagers! Or was I? I needed something to bridge the gap as I prepared to segue over to Ales. Lo & behold:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/99/906/?ba=woodychandler#review


And for my next act of stupidity, an ale! Ale, yeah!:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/99/55183/?ba=woodychandler#review


& on that upbeat note, I am going to end my New Beer Saraunacday (Week 661). See yinz next week for more madness!

 

If I had an entire sixer, I'd immediately try to figure out how to cook with it, and failing that I'd just give up.

 

Your old post definitely describes my beer.

 

Hello New Beer Sunday!!!

Home from work, and after taking pretty much the whole week off from beer, a good beer is in order. So here it is.

This beer is from Confluence Brewing, but ignore the label, it isn't the Oktoberfest, it is their East Side Attitude Vienna Lager. 5.9% ABV.

I had this filled from a guest tap at West O Beer in Okoboji, Iowa last week. This is the 4th beer I've had from them - first one rated on here - and I'm pretty happy with it. Really has a nice flavor. Decent, full body feel. Next time I'm in Iowa again, I'll be looking for more of their beers, besides, I've got my growler of theirs to fill up again.

Review

3.9/5 rDev +6.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

This beer pours a nice darker red color. Fairly clear. Minimal head when poured from the 32 oz growler. What was there was off white.
The nose is nice and malty. Slight booze aroma, surprising since it is listed at 5.9%.
Taste is malty up front. On the backside there's a slight sweetness to it. There's also a very slight hop presence.
Feel is quite full bodied. I also feel some carbonation going down.
I like this beer. Nice flavor, and it feels good all the way down. It is also fairly easy drinking.

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Will there be another? Not sure yet. If not, see you all next Sunday for this fun filled thread.

 

Good Evening NBS
I had a "magically" easy shift today where nothing got destroyed. My new beer is Arabicacadabra from Bell's.


12oz bottled 10/4/17 poured into a tulip pint glass at fridge temp 5.5% ABV. The beer pours very dark brown and dense with mocha brown head and some thick, sticky lacing. The head recedes to a paper thin cap and ring, but never goes away. The aroma is cold brewed coffee and it is prolific. The taste is roasty coffee first. The milk sugar sweetness creeps in mid-palate (but remains subtle) and then it finishes with a bit of tang. Mouthfeel is medium bodied, well carbonated and mostly dry in the finish. Overall, great. If you like milk stouts and coffee, you should pick this up.

I ended up at 4.29 on this one and am kind of regretting not grabbing 6 instead of a single. Enjoy the new beer in your glass tonight folks. Cheers!