New Beer Sunday (Week 686)

As far as personal relationships go, my wife and I just celebrated our 5 year anniversary on Wednesday. The good times have far outnumbered the bad. But the bad have certainly been trying. She's battling both an auto-immune disorder and a circulatory disorder, leaving her unable physically to work in her chosen profession (equine veterinarian). Definitely exhausting at times to try and remain upbeat and optimistic that some form of medical treatment will be successful, and enable her to return to her chosen profession and passion.

My first wife and I remain good friends. We were married far too young, but realized it early enough (7 total years in). We separated mutually and with minimal conflict. In the end I think things worked out the best for both of us.

My relationship with my beer today is a different story. Had planned to get the cattle dog out for some trail miles today to get him in shape for backpacking in the Sierra this summer. Original forecast was 50% chance of rain starting at 11:00. OK, I can start early enough and get most of the miles in before that time frame. Woke this morning to a very different forecast, 80% chance of rain starting at 07:00. Time to find something else to do... While I own plenty of rain gear, I don't particularly enjoy hiking in the rain unless necessary (i.e. multi-day trip and unavoidable). So I'll spend the day catching up on yardwork instead. So my relationship with this beer is a bit bitter.

That fits to a good degree, as the beer is Modern Times City of the Dead. The unique aspect to this beer is that the coffee is barrel aged prior to addition.



Pours nearly jet black with just the slightest of brown hues at its edges. 1+ finger of medium density khaki head has moderate retention but leaves no lacing. Nose is heavy bourbon and chocolate. Coffee undertones show increasing prominence as it warms. Follows the nose to a good degree but with greater contribution from the coffee. Finishes with moderate bitterness that hangs on the palate a bit. Low-medium bodied with medium carbonation. Very slight tingling of the tongue from the ABV and carbonation, and slick on the finish. It's a very nice coffee stout, wouldn't go out of my way to seek it out but will happily grab another if our paths cross again. Rating link, BA score = 4.16, rdev = 1.5%

 

Hey what's going on?!

Well odd weekend, but can't complain too much. We hit like 80 yesterday, I mean it was crazy, and now it's like 50?? I mean I went from shorts to flannel in less than 24 hours... crazy.

Guess I got some sports diversions as well, some playoffs, some new starts... we shall see... a good diversion. I had a project/homework to take care of this weekend and I got it done, so I am pretty stoked about it.

Now it's time to settle for a good brew. Need to warm up a bit, so this is hitting the spot nicely. Good choice!! Fun finding this too, it has been on my wants list for a long time too!



Poured from the bottle into a snifter glass.

Color and appearances seem to hit on a lighter and murky shade. Copper muted, closer towards orange than dark expected browns, but a nice touch of copper orange if a bit muddy. Minimal head creation, faint tan possibly, and a small flat top, slightly slick.

Very impressive aroma. Bursts of marmalade and sticky syrup aromas. Jam like touches of citrus and caramel rich toffee. Hints a little bit of herbality to this as well which compliments the marmalade quality so nicely. Flirts with darker fruits such as plum and raisin too, and a bit of possible Amerian hop expresssion?

Oak aging may have not contributed too much in mouthfeel, but it sure seems to hit with dominant flavors. Richly fruit forward and a soft caramel mixed warmth, with a light texture. Simple malt backbone, not too supportive but enough to get by, and doesn't seem to carry much of an oak quality. However, the mid palate is rich in plum, cherry, and orange marmalade qualities, with an excellent sweet not overbearing toffee flavor.

Pretty solid barleywine, flirting and going between American and English flavors too. Fun times!

look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25 | BA Generated 4.2

Cheers!

 

Good afternoon, NBS! It's good to see you all, and I'm looking forward to catching up on all of your posts. I've spent quite a lot of the morning and afternoon digging myself out of this blizzard we're currently experiencing here in MN. I believe the last report indicated that we have at least 17" of snow, just from this one storm. I've lived through more, and I'm not really bothered - I have a gigantic trove of beer provided by three fantastic BAs in NBS #7 BIF: @akatz821 @TongoRad and @JBowenGeorgia please take a bow, and thank you again, gentlemen!

Here's a couple of photos of the snow:



That's my tiny lil' house. Had to rake my roof earlier. My arms are sore!



That's my mailbox. Yep - it's nearly buried. I'm anticipating having to dig it out in the morning. How else are my beer deliveries going to arrive?

Speaking of beer...



I'm enjoying this delicious IPA sent along by @JBowenGeorgia - thanks John! Bearded Iris makes some terrific IPAs, and this is no exception - the Citra hops are quite noticeably present, lots of juice and sweetness with very minimal bitterness. It smells terrific, and I'm enjoying the hell out of it after all of this shoveling and snowblowing nonsense.

Anyone in a tropical climate have a spare room for me? I'll bring plenty of beer - I promise!

Cheers, NBSers!

 

Yeesh- what a crazy weekend we're having here. Yesterday was gorgeous and warm, feeling like Spring has finally sprung, and today we're back to barely above freezing. At least I got to enjoy the sun yesterday- my son was at his grandparents for the week, so I made the trip up there to bring him home and spend the day with my folks, and we had a wonderful time breaking in the deck furniture for a new season.

But it certainly could be worse- and from what I've seen on the news it actually is pretty bad in other parts of the country. Here's hoping that any of you or your families in harm's way escape the worst of it.

I'm starting off today with another great beer sent to me by @jdell15 as part of our (ongoing) NBS BIF:


Lost Forty Wild Barrels No 6- a dry hopped American saison.

The nose is nicely bright with spices and flowers. I'm getting oak and funk deeper down as well as apricot jam, peppery spice and straw. On first sip, it's a more straightforward beer, and the floral hops don't exactly make their way to the palate. There's a bit of tartness added to the equation, while the wild yeast seems to dominate the flavors as well. Not just funky, but something is also coming across like dirty hay bales, especially in the long dry finish. I'd like to see it balanced out with more fruit, myself, but if you enjoy wild yeasty qualities you won't be disappointed here. Halfway through the bottle and it's starting to dominate even more. A bit more balance would bring it to the next level, but it's a fine enjoyable A- (4.15) as it stands. Thanks again, Jake!

 

The bank clock now says that it's 48 degrees at 1:25pm, the Mariners are on the radio, Marinering along in their very Mariner manner (although, at least according to the radio voices, the umps screwed up a call. maybe being near to Seatthole is rubbing off on me, it's always the officials fault! ), and I'm working a big bottle from @bl00 , a decent but unimpressive Quad (a style I love, therefore might be a bit more critical of): https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/31535/269927/

 

Great story - thanks for sharing this one!

 

Happy Sunday, New Beer Samplers and commentators. And kudos to @lordofthewiens for deftly handling a tricky subject. I'm blessed to be married for almost 34 years to my college sweetheart. I don't know how she puts up with me. At 4:00 PM on Sundays she tells me, "have fun with your friends" on NBS and leaves me alone for a couple of hours. Actually, she says she feels like she knows a lot of BA's because share lots of posts with her She enjoys the photos of dogs and food pairings almost as much as I do.

On to the task at hand. In his BIF boxes, @sweeny916 sent me three IPAs from Narrow Gauge Brewing in Missouri, along with a really nice pint glass. All have been great but OJ Run is stunning! It's Equilibrium-good with which is high praise from me. It's packed with both sweet tropical fruit, tart citrus, and a bitter hop blend that bites hard. I understand that, like many of the best breweries, there's no distribution other than can releases on site. So I've been privileged to try these gems. Thanks Jay! Here's my review:

4.49/5 rDev +0.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I received this in @swenny916's BIF box. Poured from 16 oz. can into Narrow Gauge pint glass. It pours a cloudy, muddy-tangerine color with almost a finger of fluffy, bright white head, and lots of soapy lacing. It has as fruity a nose as I've encountered: huge orange, tangerine, grapefruit, lemon, ripe honeydew melon, vanilla, and subdued but fragrant hops. From the time I popped the can you can smell it. The taste is fantastic! It opens with vanilla/lactose and sweet orange, tart lemon and grapefruit, and a flavorful blend of Citra, Galaxy, and Amarillo hops that begins fruity but quickly turns bitter and finishes with a peppery bite. There's a touch of astringent burn at the finish (in a good way!) This ale is rich and creamy with lively carbonation, and the 8.6% ABV gives it a really nice kick. This is a fun beer to drink! Overall, this is absolutely first rate and given its rarity on the East Coast I'm grateful to have tried it.

I hope you're all enjoying your new beers today. Cheers!

 

New Tripel Sunday (Week 686)
Hope you don't mind this flashback to my more alliterative days as temporary head NBS maniac, but I am back with another beer to share with all you lager loving leaders, faro favoring followers, porter praising pleasure seekers, wild ale wanting worshippers, maibock missionaries, stout stalwarts, koelsch cravers, and dunkel devotees. A Belgian Inspired Tripel (from label) - Miracle Worker, which is what I'm gonna need after this almost 10% brew and the bomber of barley wine someone, likely me, seems to have finished here. From BIF 7, thanks @richj1970

Light aroma, but I get pear, apple, and a sort of light sweet spice that really lays back but makes it soft and alluring. Advertised floral notes are absent.

More spice in the medium strength taste than expected, nicely so, pepper and clove add balance to the sweet pear juice qualities. Along the way I get peach, apple, doughy pastry notes, and as it warms herbal bitter notes join the spice to end the sip cleanly and deliciously, right in between juicy and dry.

Clean, low carb., soft on palate but highly viscous, coating, and eventually a bit of resiny cling in finish becomes a bit of a distraction. Add points for no alc. presence.

Had to ding this for mouthfeel, but this is a high ABV, solid, delicious, well crafted beer, and I would gladly drink another now if I had it.

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

 

Alright, second and final new beer for this NBS!



Canned 3/26/18, this is a hazy/juicy NE-style IPA hopped with Simcoe lupulin powder as well as Mosaic hops. I have really been enjoying these guys' hoppy offerings lately... both of the recent Orbital Tilt IPAs, for example, have been solid as hell. I have decently high expectations for this one, which I picked up a four-pack of after attending NERAX in Boston yesterday afternoon!

Pours a nearly opaque orange color with a rather intense head of pure white. It builds up to about three fingers, but settles after a few minutes to about a single finger or so. A little bit of lace here with a meringue-like dollop of foam still sticking around atop the surface. Decent legs as well. Not the best looking NEIPA ever, but it essentially fits the style profile well enough.

The nose here is very dank and tropical, with elements ranging from pine resin to grapefruit to overripe mango and papaya. Really solid stuff... although it isn't out of the ordinary, it does what it sets out to do very well and I appreciate that. I get some tangy lime notes here, too, almost reminding me a bit of Motueka hops, as well as some white wine grape must and catty funk. Definitely on par with my expectations!

The flavor profile is surprisingly biscuit-y and chewy with some strong oat-like malty/doughy notes toward the early-mid palate. Right after that, of course, this starts to go into a much hoppier direction, with flavors of passion fruit, mango and papaya mingling with the trademark woody/dank/pine resin-forward Simcoe elements. Mosaic holds down the fort with a little bit of light wild berry flavor and more grassy notes in the finish. Very well-balanced and enjoyable. Feel is medium bodied with good chewiness and a smooth, not-so-bitter finish that nevertheless does display some tangy floral notes that last for a while after each sip. This is actually really, really good. I could drink plenty of these and never really get tired of it. CL continues to display their newfound prowess at juicy/hazy IPAs! Don't sleep on this one if you see it!

 

Sure am enjoying seeing all of the great beers everyone is drinking! Tonight is steak night and I'll fire the grill up pretty soon. Maybe I can find a new beer in the fridge to post!

About relationships, I try to not offer advice. I only dated 5 or 6 girls before my Wife and I got married. I was 18 and She 19. We'll have # 43 pretty soon. There have been a few ups and downs. A lot of give and a lot of take. Some trials and tribulations. I had a very demanding and dangerous career and She dealt with it like a solder. She does not drink but is pretty supportive of my beer hobby.

 

Decadent's Multiflora.

Pours a slightly foggy orange with a finger of white foam. Head retention is okay with a few strands of lacing left behind. Aroma is dank, resin, citrus, and papaya, giving it a sticky, but tropical fruit, citrusy aroma. Flavor profile is resin, dank, and pine followed up by papaya, orange, and mango. It's a pleasant blend of traditionally west and east coast style IPA hops. Mouth feel is medium in thickness with a decirnable stickiness to it. It's velvety smooth with a frothy feel. Overall, a nice mix of varying hops to create a DIPA with contrast.

Score: 4 | 4.25 | 4.25 | 4.25 | 4.25 | BA Score: 4.24 | rDev: +1.4%

 

Cheers NBSers! Got to crack into my first ever wooly pig beers today and whoa boy what a treat. Coming to me from Ohio by way of the ever generous @WesMantooth



The crispness in this beer is off the charts. Been awhile since I have had a legitimately great IPL and this might be my favorite one I've ever had.

Huge floral notes with awesome tropical fruit on the nose. Then that first sip, wow just immediately makes you want another one. The german yeast comes through spectacularly. Not too much here to muddy it all up and get in the way of the great fermentation profile. Perfect bitterness and jeez it is just so incredibly clean. Finishes so dry, it is perfect for chopping down all this dang bamboo overtaking my backyard. Wish I had a couple more of these.

 

Awesome post Tyler!

 

DOH!!!! I just realized that I somehow didn't actually enter my review of 2017 Black Note (I blame the Relationship discussion. Some of those women can still effect my thinking, apparently. )

Anywhoo, here it is: https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/287/37265/

 

Stopped by 2SP earlier and grabbed some 8 oz pours, first with Up, Up, & Away NEIPA. It was enjoyable be I feel the Up & Out is better, would rate it around a 4. Just too much stone fruit comprared to citrus or tropical fruits.

Next up was Strawberry Switchblade Saison, would rate it in the 4-4.25 range. Strawberries were a little on the weak side, but the hibiscus and basil were a really nice touch, good balance.

Now up more awesome beers from @y2kawakami, Modern Times Booming Rollers!
4.15/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Thank you y2kawakami for this
16 oz can, dated 2/19/18, poured into a teku

A- A slightly hazy golden copper with a two finger white head

S- Citrus, oranges, herbal, touch of stone fruits and tropical fruits, some pine and caramel malts.

T- Citrus, oranges, orange rinds, caramel malts, piney, slightly herbal. Falls a little short of the goodness of the nose

M- Smooth, medium body

O- A solid classic West Coast IPA, easy to drink and enjoyable.

 

Whoa!

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/12516/94714/?ba=woemad#review
Some of you may find this review a little over the top.

I don't fucking care.

This is incredible. Thank you so much for this and all you sent me, @WesMantooth!

 

Yikes, I just re-read my post. It's @swenny916. Sorry, Jay. That wonderful 8.6% OJ Run must have hit me harder than I thought! Typing is already difficult enough for me.