New Beer Sunday (Week 740)

NBS beer #1



Belgian Dubbel - Nitro

Left Hand Brewing Company
Belgian Dubbel / 7.90% ABV

3.83/5 rDev +3% | Score: 3.72
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

canned 03-13-19

L-The beer pours a clear almost cola brown with the accompanying nitro head which settles to half finger of light tan mousse. This head continues to persist as I type.
S- The nose is mostly dark fruit like ripe plums and is of moderate intensity. There is a bit of musty yeastiness behind the dark fruit.
T-Dark fruits are less strong on the palate. There is a decent malt presence here which mixes with the dark fruit and overtakes it in the aftertaste. This malt is of a light sweet roast becoming almost chocolatey in the linger.
F-The mouthfeel is on the lighter side of medium and a little light for the style. Carbonation is light after the pour and almost still.
O- Overall its and interesting beer. It's not perfect for the style by any means, but is certainly drinkable as it is. A beer I won't have any problem drinking, but I'm not likely to repurchase.

 

Well, it seemed a nice enough day to get outta the house to do something... like drink a couple beers. Decided to revisit Eavesdrop Brewery and sit out under the pergola. Hoping the breeze doesn’t blow away anything like it did when our neighbors’ table got doused as the flight card acted as a sail to capsize the patrons’ flight vessel.

Actually the wind blew the coaster into its seemingly unsupported position as I took this pic:


What we have pictured (and now imbibed) are the brewery’s versions of a German Helles and a Belgian Saison. Both beers had a pepper bite which affected my enjoyment adversely, though in different ways.

Armando (the saison) is of the fruity variety, which is not my preference. The pepper clashed a tad with the orchard fruit (but more red apple than pear).

Festbier (obviously, the Helles) was a little too hot, whether directly from the pepper note or the above average ABV for the style or a combination thereof.

I enjoyed the Helles more and thought it was better put together overall. I felt both beers could have been a bit drier, with the Helles also benefiting from a lower starting gravity. We’re willing to give this brewery another try or two to see where things are going, as I don’t think it has 2 years under its belt yet.

 

Good Sunday afternoon, New Beer Samplers and commentators. And thanks to @lordofthewiens for hosting today. My only comment on vaccines is that I'm very glad my wife and I finally received the shingles vaccine! I know some people who really suffered with that condition and I'm grateful the risk of getting it has been reduced. On to beer. I always enjoy drinking a Wee Heavy. Not enough brewers make them. So I was thrilled to receive this can from @woemad in one of his (seemingly endless) BIF boxes. Cold Smoke Scotch Ale from Kettle House Brewing Co. in Missoula, Montana. This touched all the bases: barley grain, peat smoke, and caramel. Thanks so much, Fred!

Here's my full review:

3.94/5 rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I received this from @woemad in a BIF box. Canning date: 2/26/2919. Poured into a nonic pint glass. It pours cola-colored with almost two fingers of creamy, ecru-colored head and thick lacing. On the nose there is caramel, roasted barley, earthy peat, and peat smoke. The taste is caramel-forward with hints of cola and barley bread, and an earthy, burnt peat which accentuates as the glass warms. It finishes with notes of spicy bitterness. I'm surprised it's only 11 IBU. This ale is lite and crisp with lively carbonation, and with its 6.5% ABV it drinks easily. Overall, I always look forward to drinking a Wee Heavy and this one is well-crafted and full of flavor. I'd describe it as a notch below Dirty Bastard or Traquair but that should be taken as a compliment.

I was a little surprised my rating was below the average but the average was skewed by a couple of 4.75's. Hope to be back with another @woemad delivery.

 

Good evening NBS, hope everyone is enjoying the end of the weekend once again. Thanks to @lordofthewiens for the introduction this week. Nothing new this weekend other than making another huge beer haul and receiving a trade box. I need to pack up mine today or tomorrow. I will be busy for a few weeks of reviews now for sure.

Beer:

Excellent Belgian pale ale. Nice head retention/spotty lacing. Aromas and flavors of big lemon, orange, peach, pear, apricot, melon, red apple, peppercorn, banana, bubblegum, and clove yeast; with moderate wheat, cracker, white bread dough, toasted biscuit malts; herbal, floral, woody, grassy hops and yeast earthiness. Light-moderate peppery yeast spiciness; and herbal, floral, woody, grassy bitterness on the finish. Medium-plus carbonation, medium body, and fairly crisp finishing. Balanced bready/grainy malts and sticky hops in the mouthfeel. Light-moderate increasing bitter/spicy/carbonated dryness, no hop astringency. Very flavorful/refreshing, not watery for 5%. Perfectly balanced classic Trappist yeast complexity, Saaz hops, and bready wheat/munich malt backbone. Minimal residual sweetness with crisp dryness. Very impressive, spot on for the style. No complaints. 4


Cheers

 

Poured into a 13 oz Teku glass not sure when it was canned but I always trust @jzeilinger to send it fresh. Pours a slightly hazy dark yellow with a 2 plus finger sticky white head that leaves thin wisps of lace. 4

Smell is mango, melon, passion fruit, some hints of clove, and a little grapefruit rind. 3.75

Taste follows mango, melon, some clove, passion fruit, and grapefruit. 3.75

Mouthfeel is about medium, rather soft but a little dry, and at 7% easy enough drinking. 3.75

Overall this is pretty solid, but missing that true NEIPA feel. 3.75

 

What a fun video - thanks a ton for posting! I only wish they'd shown us what the actual beers were. My only guess is that I think the distinctive Negro Modelo bottle gave them away as the cheap Munich Dark Lager.

Mr. Oliver is an absolute natural in that setting. I'll have to look around and see if he's done other sorts of instructional/educational things.

 

Hey @lordofthewiens measles vaccines have made news here in Rockland County as well.
My new beer is from Rockland County and that is Industrial Arts in Garnerville.
This is a collab with Interboro from Brooklyn also intended to be an invite for their upcoming beer fest, L.A.B. Fest.
It is a wheat IPA, and let's just say I'm not the biggest fan.

16oz can into Nonic Pint
Canned on 4/24/19
Pours a hazy dark gold with a white head, great retention.
Aromas of mango and guava, along with dough, and grassy dankness.
Taste is heavy on 'dough', followed by a 'lighter' fruit, with a dank finish.
Feel is medium bodied above average carbonation, slightly watery...
Overall this an average beer that has a great aroma, but overall too malty for me.

Cheers BA!

 

Kuhnhenn Bourbon Barrel American Imperial Stout, 12.9% ABV. Pours incredibly thick and very black, with a slight dark brown head. Nose is bourbon and chocolate. Taste is oak, bourbon, coffee, roast malt, chocolate, and other subtle flavors I couldn't identify. Very complex. Excellent mouthfeel, overall outstanding.

4.33/5 rDev -0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Another excellent beer send by @drunkenmess

 

Delicious NEAPA. Fantastic lasting fluffy head retention/thick foamy lacing. Flavors of big tangerine, red grapefruit, lemon, lime, peach, pear, pineapple, apricot, passion fruit, papaya, mango, honeydew melon, strawberry, blueberry, gooseberry, white grape/wine, citrus peel/rind, wood, peppercorn, and pine hops; with moderate wheat, cracker, white bread dough, toasted biscuit malts; and herbal, floral, grassy hop earthiness. Similar/muted aromas. Light pine citrus peel/rind, herbal, floral, woody, grassy, peppery bitterness on the finish. Medium carbonation/body; creamy/breadygrainy malts, some sticky hops, and slight lingering resins/rinds in the mouthfeel. Lightly increasing lingering bitter dryness, no hop astringency. Very smooth/soft, no warmth of 5.5%. Great Mandarina Bavaria, Hallertau Blanc, Huell Melon, Mosaic, Citra profile. Very juicy and fairly dank/earthy hops; with a great balanced wheat/oat/malt backbone. Mild residual sweetness with lingering dryness. Really well made for the style. Was getting a bit of a stale wheat note in there, but the BB dating was 4/2019, so I am not going to complain about it. 3.91


Cheers

 

NBS #2; also from @woemad: Pfriem Pilsner. This is not a style a drink often but wow, this is good! The tart citrus is balanced by the cracker malt and notes of honey and the spicing really adds to the complexity of the taste. If Pfriem distributed to New Jersey, then this would be my go-to après lawn mowing beer. Thanks again, Fred!

4.09/5 rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Received from @woemad in an NBS BIF box. Canned on 3/1/2019 and poured into a Pilsener glass. It pours a clear, golden-straw color with slight greenish hues and a thin bright white cap and spotty lacing. The myriad tiny bubbles ascending the glass give it a champagne-like appearance. On the nose there is grassy, crackery malt, lemon, and spice. The taste is great! It opens with a nice juxtaposition of tart lemon and slightly sweet cracker malt and just a hint of honey. What really makes this beer special is the spicing. I can't say exactly what it is but its peppery and really adds to the complexity of the flavor. The feel lite, crisp, and clean with lively carbonation, and the 4.9% ABV is barely noticeable. Overall, this is a delightful German Pilsner and I'm most thankful to have the chance to try it.

 

Never had the beer, but Rocky Patel, the Vintage line, are some of my all time favorite smokes. Cheers.

 

New IPA from Finback, this time in collaboration with Civil Society (making this the first time I've had a beer they've been involved in brewing, but I've heard pretty good things from people here!). Pours a little too pallid for my taste... looks like yellow oat milk Tight, well-formed head with great, sticky lace and decent legs. Completely opaque, as you'd expect.

This one is dry-hopped with Mosaic and a new hop called Lotus, otherwise known as Hopsteiner Experimental #06297. It is described as having elements of orange, vanilla, berry, and tropical fruit. Very interesting. The nose right upfront has a lot of bright key lime, reminding me a ton of Motueka hops, which is interesting. Orange creamsicle and berry-driven earthiness are also quite present. The interplay between Mosaic and this new experimental hop seems pretty unique just from how this beer smells.

This is an absolute doozy on the tongue! Wow... just super-saturated with candied citrus, grapefruit peel, overripe mango, grassy dankness and ripe red berries. Strong earthy flavors in the mid-palate. A little "hop candy"-like which I know not everyone is into these days, but it works to the advantage of this beer because it has such an otherwise-dry and dense character. Chewy and full-bodied feel with low-mid carbonation. A good new NEIPA, and an interesting hop combination that gives off a good bit of complexity while still remaining drinkable and fun.

 

You just touched on a significant reason why I like Bell’s so much (in addition to their lineup of excellent beers): their strict adherence to the 12 oz/16 oz formats. Bombers are fine, but my preference for 12oz/16 oz formats is a factor of 5 or greater.

Glad you liked the beer, it’s a favorite of mine, too.

 

@The-Adjunct-Hippie provided this one. Fantastic milk stout. Great rocky head retention/foamy lacing. Aromas and flavors of big milk chocolate, cocoa, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, vanilla, cream, roasted nuts, toasted biscuit, and dark/brown bread crust; with lighter notes of bourbon, coffee, smoke, char, dark fruit, herbal, grass, pepper, and yeast earthiness. Mild herbal, grassy, peppery hops; and roast, char bitterness on the finish. Medium carbonation and medium-plus body; very creamy, silky, velvety, bready malts/oats/lactose; light sticky hops and chalky roast in the mouthfeel. Lightly increasing lingering bitter dryness; no cloying/acrid flavors. Super smooth/soft, no warmth of 6%. Amazingly rich malt complexity; with balanced lactose, cocoa, and bourbon vanilla bean flavors; and just enough earthy hops to balance sweetness. This is one of the best mid ABV milk stouts I've ever had. Superb execution. 4.25


Cheers