New Beer Sunday (Week 688)

Love the theme you have going, here. Have you ever tried the Drie Fonteinen Zwet.Be? I think you'd enjoy it better than the De Dolle, although it also leans heavily towards the wild/sour end, and there are more roast malt characteristics than you're describing. It's definitely worth a shot if you ever run across it.

 

Today's macro review. Decent AAL. Great head retention/lacing for the style. Aromas and flavors of cracker, corn, white bread dough, lightly toasted biscuit, and mild herbal/grassy hop earthiness. A bit too fruity aromas, but not overwhelming. Mild herbal, grassy, spicy bitterness on the finish. Medium carbonation, light-medium body, and fairly crisp/clean finishing. Bready/grainy malts, and light sticky hops in the mouthfeel. A bit thin, but not watery finish. Lightly increasing lingering bitter dryness. Very flavorful/refreshing, 4.5%. Nicely clean lagering, not too fruity. A little too heavy on the corn sweetness, but this is enjoyable stuff. 3.31


Excellent Brett saison! Fantastic head retention and soapy lacing on the glass. Aromas and flavors of big lightly tart lemon, lime, orange, peach, pear, red/green apple, melon, red grape/wine, hay, straw, grass, peppercorn, clove, oak, and light banana/bubblegum yeast; moderate wheat, cracker, white bready malts; light leather/musty funk, white wine vinegar, and yeast earthiness. Light-moderate pepper yeast/oak tannin spiciness, and light Brett tartness on the finish. Medium-high carbonation, medium body, and moderately crisp finishing. Bready/grainy malts; light stickiness, oak tannins, and acidity in the mouthfeel. Light-moderate increasing spicy/tart/tannic/carbonated dryness. Never astringent or puckering. Very refreshing for 7%. Really great well rounded Brett/Saison yeast complexity; nice oak foeder presence and pale/wheat malt backbone. They really nailed this one. Will definitely seek out again since it is year round apparently. 4.03


Cheers, be back later NBS

 

Just hit this from @beerloserLI. If in a bar, this would probably be a one-and-done for me. While an excellent showcase for the featured hops (Motueka and Citra), it's a little too close to beery fruit juice for this PNW IPA freak for sessioning. Still, I'd hit it again as a change of pace IPA were it available, locally.


https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/12959/290194/?ba=woemad#review

Before that I hit a crowler of an Imperial Saison brewed by a tenant of the local nanobrewery incubator that's about a 15 minute walk out the door:

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/46166/336582/?ba=woemad#review
Pretty good stuff!

I might possibly be back with one more before this NBS has run it's course.

 

Carton Nitro Cupid

Thanks for the kick off today, @lordofthewiens, and congrats on the new home purchase and pending move. The beer I've had from New Mexico has been phenomenal.

My wife and I lived in Maine in our young adult days, and we both dream about retiring there -- but as I get older and older I become less and less confident in my future shoveling ability. Just wrenched my knee badly again today. Suspect I may crave warmer weather in my golden years.

Anyhow, today's new beer comes courtesy of @MacMalt in a LIF associated with the 007 NBS BIF -- the gift that keeps on giving.

This is a nitro, chocolate malted stout brewed with roses. It pours a lovely dark brown color with two thick fingers of soupy tan head that settle into a denser, long-lasting cap of about a centimeter. The head clings a bit at the sides but doesn't leave much lacing.

Milk chocolate and a definitely "pink" floral smell stand out in the aroma. I might have misplaced it for raspberry if tasting it blind, but it is more floral than tart.

The nose carries over to the taste. It's a chocolatey, dry Irish-style stout with surprisingly strong roses layered on top.

It's on light side of medium bodied for a stout, with a certain slickness to the feel.

Honestly, this is better than I thought it would be. I'm getting bored with overly chocolatey stouts and wasn't that enthused about the roses gimmick before I popped it open. The chocolate isn't too sweet or thick, though, and the roses have a quality right on the border of fruity and floral that's actually quite pleasant here. I appreciated the opportunity to try it.

Oh. Carton also had this recommendation on the back of the can...



I don't have any Jameson or Bailey's in the liquor cabinet, but I hate to pass up an invitation like this, so I decided to give it a go with some bourbon when I got down to half a pint.





Not bad! I recommend following this particular serving recommendation. Thanks, Rob.

 

So, I needed to see what the Big F#@&ing Deal was with this Beer For Drinking from Sierra Nevada while I was preparing my Baked Fish Dinner.



Moderate pour yields a 5/8 inch white head over a bright and clear, golden blonde body with a little lacing. Nose of grass with some floral notes and very faint dank hops. Taste of more of the same with a crisp and ever so slight sweetness on the finish. Okay feel and overall a real good example of the style, but never my thing. Cheers to Chico!

3.8/5 rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

 

I might only be having one beer tonight so I should make it count with some Hammer Heart Mání from the ninja box that @Vidblain sent me.

4.6/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thank you Vidblian for this
750 ml bottle, dated Feb 2018, poured into a teku

A- Black with a three mocha head.

S- Roasted coffee, charred oak, some bourbon, smoky, dark chocolate, some cherries, touch of vanilla. Very complex.

T- Espresso, dark chocolate, some cherries, touch of vanilla, charred oak, smoky, some bourbon. Again very complex.

M- Smooth, a little creamy, medium to full body.

O- Big, robust and complex stout. Bitter and easy to drink, complexity of this keeps me wanting more.

Cheers!

 

And it's easier to breathe.

 

Hello all you NBS regulars! I don't normally participate, but when I do...it is noteworthy!

Yesterday, I happened upon a fresh drop of Dankwood from Founders, so what better way to greet a new Barrel Aged offering from them than with a review for NBS:

A - Pours a deep and semi-clear, ruby red color with a creamy, off-white head that reached about 1 finger of depth. (4.75)

S - Orange, Tangerine, Coconut, Caramel and Bourbon all titivate the olfactory hues. I have always been a fan of Doom, but the balance of hops, malt and barrel is really pleasant. (4.75)

T - Citrus and Tropical fruits hit first but are followed by a good dose of Coconut, Vanilla and Bourbon courtesy of the barrel. Nothing is overdone and if balance is what Founders was seeking, they nailed it here (much more so than Doom). Despite the label, it drinks well under its advertised ABV (4.75)

M - Medium+ body with decent carbonation (I have never found Founders to undercarbonate their beers which allows for deep pours with great heads, yet still enough left in solution to enjoy over the course of a bottle). The residual hop bitterness leaves the palate dry, but nothing overwhelming. (4.75)

O - Dankwood is a welcome surprise, as I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I do! As a matter of fact, the additional Crystal malts make for more balance as compared to Doom (which has taken quite a bit of time to mellow with regard to residual bitterness). Dankwood is ready to drink now and would not age this, as the balance of malt, barrel and hops is really well done. Tickle me impressed and might just have to jump on another 4-Pack before it disappears! (4.75)


Freshness:


I wish everyone a pleasant evening and a great start to another week!

 

A-A very beautiful rose color with a nice head and lacing
A-Aroma had a very subtle refined fruity hints
T-The taste followed the nose with refined fruity hints
M-A very light well carbonated beer
O-A very well thought out and made nicely refreshing beer!

 

Strawberry m43.

I'll write more later, but this is delicious. Real strawberry right at the beginning and then light linger. @SammyJaxxxx I'm not saying expect it, but it might be why your last box was delayed and a certain cart horse might have delayed it as well

 

I am allergic to all native hardwoods and grasses and try not to pay attention to them, but still I have these wheezes. Sometimes my closed eyes itch. I wake my neighbors with three 6 AM sneezes. The rest of the time I'm OK...........This is a very heavy pollen season...Cheers all.

 

Congratulations on your new purchase!

I have been to almost all of the Unite States (but my wife has not been to that one particular state), so I could not stop telling my wife how beautiful the state is. I hope you both enjoy living there.

ps-And they have a great brewery in La Cumbre!

 

Late to the game today because there is too much work to cram into the weekend. Blame it on a severely delayed spring and a winter that ruined my lawn.

I'm enjoying O'so De Peches a la Mode. It pours a hazy gold and apricot hues with a 2 finger white head. Decent retention that fades to a collar and leaves webs of lacing on the glass. The hops seem mild, with plenty of peach and vanilla with citrus notes. Malts are more laid back. A light peach flavor with some tangerine and orange, followed by light vanilla notes. Medium creamy mouth feel with ample carbonation and a light bitter finish. Not as peachy as I thought it would be, but I enjoyed more that I thought I would.

 

Marshal Zhukov's Imperial Stout - Zhukov's Penultimate Push. Pours black with a thin khaki head that disappeared quickly and left zero lacing. Smells of vanilla, chocolate, roasted malts and some dark fruits. Tastes of coffee, vanilla, bittersweet chocolate, dark fruits, roasted malts, molasses and a hint of tobacco. Full bodied, minimal carbonation and a creamy mouth feel. Great beer to sip on. Cheers!

 

I live in a place where the the flowering weeds never die and when the kid finishes his Masters I'm moving to a place where they do.

 

This one was so good that I had two during the review:
Braupakt Hefe Weissbier, Weinstephaner and Sierra Nevada Collaboration

Very hazy golden amber color with a huge delicate white fluffy head. It took several minutes to complete the pour as it settled slowly. There were bright aromas of clove, banana, bubblegum, and wheat, in that order. Best clove aroma that I have experienced. The taste was a balance of wheat, clove, banana, and fruity esters. Faint citrus was also present but way in the background. There was a clean bitter finish that was a counterpoint to the wheat and seemed to be the American influence. An outstanding pillowy soft feel. Medium carbed. Fantastic. Cheers!

 

My best friend in New Orleans can have two crops of tomatoes and squash. I like NOLA except for deep Summer. It's hot here too, but that turnaround on tomatoes is very nice.

 

Good evening, all, and Happy New Shelf Turd Sunday! Great opening by @lordofthewiens today. Step out of my comfort zone with a new beer? Hell, you almost got me talked into moving to New Mexico! All in good time, though. Now on to the new beer.

I've seen this Rogue Brutal IPA in the grocery store singles cooler for some time now, so today I decided to take a chance on it. It turned out to be a very pleasant surprise. As soon as I popped the cap off the bottle and caught a whiff of the malty aroma, I thought "English IPA." The brewer indeed describes this as a hybrid of an English IPA and a "very extra special bitter." Handsome pour, hazy dark orange colored body capped off with a thick white head that left some pretty ladder lacing as it settled. Big malt presence on the nose and palate, with lots of bitterness and a clean, dry, and slightly astringent finish. Giving a nod to my recently-discovered British heritage, this would make a dynamite pairing with bangers and chips. Sometimes it pays to go "Rogue"!



4.27/5 (rDev +7.6%)
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

 

Congratulations and best wishes on the new place, @lordofthewiens ! New Mexico is on my list of places where I visited and thought "it sure would be great to live here." As it goes with me lately, I was hoping to downsize a bit once my youngest graduates High School in 2 years, but still stay close enough to the city to work until I can retire. But after looking into it a bit, in order to save any real dough on taxes and whatnot I'd have to move further away than I'd want to commute, so that's not looking so good. At least I'll have more time to plan things out, though

Tonight I'll have to ponder such things as I slowly sip the last of the Hammerheart beers sent to me by @Vidblain :


Barrel Aged Imperial Dublin Raid, a peat smoked strong red ale at 11.5% AbV.

The aroma starts out richly malty (toffee), with a soft bourbon barrel quality (vanilla and some coconut as well) and gentle hit of smoke. There's actually a really cohesive blending of the bourbon and peat, that doesn't quite come across as Scotch Whisky, but is really pretty seamless nonetheless. And the palate doesn't disappoint at all- the peat smoke comes out stronger at first but stays in control, and after a few more sips allows the malt to shine. Wow, this is beautiful- like a mouthful of Werther's candies and pecan pie. The feel is lush and full, while the bitterness and alcohol are at their upper limits and you know they're there. They're still nicely balanced by the residual sweetness, and any potential for a cloying finish is kept in check. It's coming across like your favorite BBA wee heavy with a bit of a smoky twist, delicious and well put together. A solid A (4.6) effort, with only a bit of alcohol burn keeping it from the top tier.

Thanks again for these beers, Chris, and I really love what Hammerheart is doing! And it goes beyond the fact that they tend to feature some of my favorite flavors- you can tell that there is a really skilled brewer behind these beers with a deft touch and great sense of balance.

 

I'll just say that that was my review, OK? Completely agree, but not bubblegum, but an odd collection of sweet spices, but spicy perfectly to leaven the seeming sugar.