New Beer Sunday (Week 682)

We are in for a cold spell as spring nears. However a few days ago they were predicting another New England Nor'Easter for mid week. It is looking like we will miss that thanks to the cold front that is keeping it further south. But things could change.

The 603 Brewery in New Hampshire recently began a series of small batch limited runs and calling them 'E09,' which is '603' upside down. This one is one of their latest offerings, the E09 Airhorn Double IPA at 8.4% ABV. So new that I had to add it to the BA database.Murky yellow-orange tones with a wafting aroma of grapefruit, orange, citrus, and biscuits. The taste is about the same. The body is soft and velvety-like. It's another one of those New England IPA's from New England.

 

Happy New Tattered Flag Beer Sunday (Week 682), CANtinued!

I'm back! I want to try to get to a movie in a little bit & having CANpleted my mission, this is a good time to submit my SITREP report.

I forged on with:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/46535/313701/?ba=woodychandler#review

but then I was haunted by my ghosts in a PTSD setback of Survivor's Guilt with:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/46535/308541/?ba=woodychandler#review

& so I purged myself with a scouring beer that could be classified as a Chemical agent:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/46535/241194/?ba=woodychandler#review


Time for a break! I CANnot guarantee that I will return this week & I will be in Allentown, PA next weekend for the NCAA Frozen Four Midwestern Regionals, so even then is not guaranteed. From "Gallipoli" - "I'll see ya when I see ya!"

 

G' afternoon NBS-ers! Thanks to @lordofthwiens for the start.
Today's entry comes from Coppertail Brewing and is the popular, at least down here, Florida Weisse.
BOMP (Blood Orange, Mango, Passion fruit)



Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Tired Hands Teku. Best by 03/18/18.

Appearance: Golden orange body, quickly forming then dissipating head.

Aroma: Tart nose with orange and mango.

Taste/Mouthfeel: Slightly sour and tart body. Nice tropical fruits come in at the end, blood orange and mango. Finishes clean and fruity. Super easy to drink.

Overall: A tasty offering from Coppertail that is enjoyable, not too sour/tart and not too sweet.

Cheers!

 

Kasteel Donker belgian ale
A rootbeer brown semi solid brown color
Body..just above average body, almost champagne like carbonation but not overly bubbly
Aroma.malt, candied dark fruit , yeast, and caramel.
Taste... definitely malt, a little caramel, and candied dark fruit. A little sweet but very appropriate for the style and worked well with this beer.
Overall... really nice, not overly sweet, nearly perfect
It's a dark Belgian ale and if you like this style it is definitely worth a try

 

Golf. Well. I worked a summer on a 36-hole course, changing carts, cleaning the driving range, and various other menial tasks. Main perk of doing was the ability to play the course and use the range for free (outside peak hours, of course!). I refuse to say I got very good – I don’t think I seriously scored a round. But it’s been something in the background of my life ever since, the clubs watching me every day as I pass by them on my way out the door. I hadn’t played in a good 5 years, up until last July, when I certainly didn’t score it! Going to be playing again in the beginning of April – perhaps I best find my way to the nearest driving range for a little practice.


New Grimm Sunday

NYC is not the best beer town – there I said it. For the number of people we have, we don’t hold a candle to Portland, Seattle, the other Portland, Burlington, insert-favorite-beer-city-here. That being said, there has been a huge growth in breweries since I moved here and many more yet to come as demand has not nearly been supplied. Of those coming, I think Grimm ranks highest in terms of most everyone’s anticipation. Gypsy brewing for a while now, the finish line on their new brewery in East Williamsburg/Bushwick, or Bushburg as it’s becoming known (in fact, Grimm made a pilsner with soon-to-be neighbor Interboro and named it just that), is not far off in the horizon. I think I can speak for many in saying opening day, whenever it is announced, will be cleared in my schedule.

Enough rambling, beer time! Grimm has been able to release more beer recently, and yesterday I was able to buy a trifecta of IPAs that I hope to share with everyone today. We’ll see how long my palate holds up!


My photography does not do the beer justice. It's brighter and clearer in real life.

Grimm Dreamweapon
My Score: 4.44
BA Score: 4.02

A – 4.25
Pours a very bright golden yellow. Opaque, hazy, but nothing approaching turbid. Frothy white head that lasts a while, leaving a fair amount of lacing behind.

S – 4
Peach and apricot up front, in a fruity way. A slight floral note, but it’s well in the background. Floral becomes slightly dank with a little warmth. Herbal joins the floral side of things, creating a more diverse aroma.

T – 4.75
Melon, mango and pineapple, sweet bubblegum, cotton candy. A distinct bitterness on the back end of the sip that rounds out the flavor very nicely. At the beginning, it was verging on being just another NEIPA, but this is different with that bitterness and is much more balanced to my palate.

M – 4.25
Soft, pillowy. Light to medium body. Low carbonation, slight resin.

O – 4.5
I’m very much enjoying this beer. In a world where everything needs to be “juicy,” this avoids that and present the fruity flavors with more complexity. The aroma is slightly lacking, as is normally the case for me with Grimm beers, but that’s a side product of (1) most IPAs bludgeoning me with aroma these days, and (2) my overeagerness to take a sip and not let the coming warmth reveal more notes.

 

Modern Times' Fraxos is the next brew viable for NBS. Currently drinking this with a turkey & cranberry sandwich, so I hope the flavors don't intermingle.
Poured from 16oz can into 20oz tulip glass. Canned on 03/09/18.

Look: 4.25
Pours dark yellow. Looks light pineapple juice or watered version of orange juice with pulp. Formed 3/4" of thick foamy white head. Loads of lacing remains on glass.

Smell: 4.5
Loads of citrus and tropical fruits. Orange, tangerine, grapefruit, papaya, mango, lemon and pineapple upfront. Lemon grass hints present subtly in the background. Peach, nectarine, apricot and pomegranate also present on the smell. Minimal evidence of hops smell, but still present. Subtle floral smell to the beer, which is a nice addition. Primarily fruit on the nose.

Taste: 4.75
Dayyyuuuumm. Follows the nose, but with greater intensity. Massive amounts of citrus fruits, coupled with stonefruit and tropical fruit complexity. Orange, pineapple, mango, papaya, grapefruit and apricot I am getting really upfront. Lemongrass, peach, pear, and pomegranate on back end. Mild bitterness, with no unwanted flavors. This is definition juice bomb to me, with a slight yeasty taste (I believe it is made with London Yeast I believe I read).
Feel: 4.25
The worst part of the beer, but not bad my any means. Light in body, and somewhat thin on the mouthfeel. Has a creamy feel to it, but just comes up thin. Still by no means a deal breaker.

Overall: 4.5
I hadn't heard of this beer before, and was complete circumstantial that I was able to pick it up. It is one of those things where I am very glad I was able to try it. Really easy drinking and incredibly enjoyable. Hats off to Modern Times, this is one for the books. Cheers!

My Final BA Score: 4.56

 

Wow. I didn't know @cavedave was a Michigan fan!

 

Ive always been a double bogey golfer and so the best approach is to make it social, no pressure. I'm going to hit some good ones but put a few in the trees!

Drinking this excellent Kolsch and watching Spartans, beer pours a pale crystal clear yellow, head receding to a cap, aromas of malt goodness, bread, taste follows with a balanced malt hop profile, very crisp and clean finish, fantastic carbonation.

 

Bottled 3 months ago.

The nose and taste are coffee, dark chocolate, tobacco, licorice, and raisin. Medium mouthfeel with above average carbonation. Some bitter pine in the background.

Overall, reminiscent of Breakfast Stout. Big roasty coffee with some hoppy herb and chocolate malt. Like Breakfast Stout, it also veers slightly more toward the roasty/charred end of the spectrum than I'd like it to, but it's very good. Nice cold brew coffee on the frontend. 4.25/5

 

Yeah, because half my family is from Detroit and well represented at UM, plus my friend @Oldladyfingers is marrying a woman who is a proud graduate. Gotta love the way they won y'day!

 

New American-made Pilsener Sunday:

Altstadt Lager, a German style pils, 4.8% ABV

I looked for a bottle code at the store, couldn't find it, said "F it!" and bought a 6-pack anyway because I was tired of passing it up, which I've done for months now. After pouring it today, I found the code: best-by 11/26/17.

But good news: It's not bad at all. In fact, if it's this good this "old", it's got to be a 4-plus beer in the A- or better range when it's fresh. The malt is kind of in between what I call "cracker" and "bread", which is to say lightly sweet but not fruity/peach/apricot. The hops have tamed down to an earthy generic bitterness that reminds you of lemon peel. Not quite that tart. The mouthfeel is perfect, plenty crisp, and the light skunk note (more in the aroma than flavor) almost helps it in my weird opinion.

The review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/49210/301704/?ba=Premo88#review
3.88 (+12.1% rDev)

My annual projects sometimes take, sometimes don't. Last year's did (speaking of golf) when preparing for a Texas Amateur qualifier helped get me outdoors and out of the house. This year's project has been a London trip, and after some healthy procrastinating, I've got about 80% of it booked, paid for or planned ... the best news being the "paid for" part.

Unfortunately a concatenation of events has conspired against me getting outdoors as much as I should be so far this year, but I did finally get outside and get the gang of bougainvilleas repotted.


Btw, @lordofthewiens: For what it's worth, short game practice has always translated the fastest and quickest for me in comparison to all the other things I work on. I swear about 30 minutes or an hour of chipping practice makes more difference than 10 large buckets with the irons. Good luck!

Cheers!

 

Now up more amazing barrel aged beer from @bstyle, Revolution Deth’s Tar, very BCBS like!

4.51/5 rDev +4.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Thank you bstyle for this
12 oz can, dated 11/9/17, poured into a teku

A- Black with a three finger mocha head

S- Bourbon, chocolate, some vanilla, touch of dark fruits, some oak, some roasted malts.

T- Bourbon, chocolate, roasted malts, some oak, touch of vanilla.

M- Smooth, medium to full body.

O- Another great barrel aged stout from Revolution. Worth seeking out, very similar to BCBS.

Cheers!

 

5 New 4.2 Beers - Week of March 17 - Happy St Pats

Trois Pistoles | Unibroue
4.27/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
wow. As powerful as any Belgian, the Quebecoise beers of Unibroue are amazing and a great value.
A) Big frothy, pillowing tan head over a mahogony body hat lasts and laces.
S) Complex with fall and fallen orchard fruit pear, apple, spices, raisin and figs with sweet malts.
T) As with the aromas, and different facets with each sip. Smokey with angles of dark fruit and spices, flavored with cocoa and yeast. Evolving.
M) Medium body and moderate carbonation.
O) Overall, great.

Sour Monkey | Victory Brewing
4.24/5 rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Another 4.2 beer this week. Lucky me.
a) Clear golden body with suitable energetic white head that spouts scads of white lace while lasting in a rim.
s) Exciting sour yeast and clean inviting, with lime, green apply, astringent chardonnay as the key notes.
t) Follows smell but brings more: wild yeast sours the beer in a puckering astringent (happy if you like sours) arc that lands tart, clean, dry. Along the rainbow are tart green apple, lime, sour white grape, pickle brine. I dont know a wine or beer that delivers so much interest and pucker.
f) Acidity keeps rising as it peels the green apple and then your palate. Never overwhelming.
o) Might have to up my rating, as it warms. Would love to taste in a flight of sours.

Tanto | Barrier Brewing=
4.2/5 rDev -0.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

American style IPA brewed with ID007, Motueka, Citra and Chinook
Love this brewer. 7.1% pineapple PEN!
a) Sorry, but I like my brews more copper, this pours dully, fully hazed, cloudy yellow supporting a big lasting and lacing head. Otherwise a looker. (I like mine brunette v blonde)
s) muted flower and pineapple shop, with perhaps pineapple upside down cake baking and just out of the oven.
t) More pineapple shop, with very BIG first flavor impression, that supports a broader array of complex flavors.
pine prominence. Also pine, grapefruit rind, tangerine, orange flower water, flowers, lemon all balanced by drying, peppery bitterness. Juicy but clean, sweetens as it warms. Would score well (for being big) in blind taste tests.
f) Juicy, the finishing faintly drying, and wine like astringent. Smooth.
o) Gets better as it warms. Barrier is a great NY Bight brewer along with Carton across the bight.

Booming Rollers | Modern Times
4.2/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Loving SD beers and Modern Times.
A) The beer pours a very hazy, golden yellow color, with a finger of bubbly off-white head. Lasts and laces fine.
S) Beer smells more of pear and pineapple juice, than of citrus. Low notes of leafy and dank piney hop bitters.
Blended tropical fruit, and mildly dank hops.
T) The carbonation and body are middle weight.
O) OVERALL - agreeable and approachable west coast IPA that's notable for being juicy, chalky, pearlike and round.
Citra and Motueka combo is sweet.

Blind Pig India Pale Ale
4.2/5 rDev +7.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Thrilled to write my first Blind Pig review.
a) Pours hazed light golden body with a spritely head that laces and lasts.
s) Big bright aroma filled with pineapple, grapefruit, flowers, tropical fruits.
t) Big and follows the nose, with big grass, flowers along with citrus, and tropical fruit flavors. Nice light biscuit that's balanced by building wave over bitterness. A real IPA.
f) Medium body, crisp and effervescent, on the lighter side, finishes dry. ABV well hidden
0) LOVED it.

 

Within the week that I complained that I can't find fresh craft light lager for my wife during the winter around here (https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/livin-in-a-lager-desert.562959/), Founders blankets all the surrounding outlets with this in all kinds of package formats.

Nice easy drinking low ABV lager. Pours gold (huh?) with big white head. Plenty of rising bubbles. Nice and light taste with a bit of biscuit and pepper. Dare I say the dreaded word, yes it is very crushable. We're not even to spring yet but this beer says summer.

 

I literally had this in my hands earlier today, but went with something fresher. Maybe I should have checked this thread first . I think it would have been exactly my sort of thing. Always a next time...

 

Howdy NBS!
It is a bright, frigid day here in Montreal today but on the whole it is very nice. It's great to have the sun back. Today I'm trying a beer that I got completely out of the blue. When I woke up Monday morning it was in my fridge. Now it will be in my belly.

It looks and smells good right off the bat. Not as turbid as some. Just as fruity-smelling.

The aroma and flavor are both of very sweet tropical fruits without any of the oily, pithy, citrus bitterness that often accompanies. Soft, sweet, drinkable, aromatic, barely bitter. These guys make very enjoyable beers from what I've had and this is no exception.

Here is my review if'n you are so inclined.
Cheers!