New Beer Sunday (Week 745)

There are many ways in which our interests mirror each other... but putting a cutout of Moebius art in a cassette case... you must be my brother from another mother.

 

I do get that finish in IPAs occasionally, never in the beers listed by Jack. It could be the wheat (I don't know), but always assumed it was due to hops if any specific ingredient was the culprit. Just a guess.

 

Another first review. This was outstanding! Great fluffy head retention/spotty soapy lacing. Aromas and flavors of big tart/sour lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, citrus peel/zest, peach, pear, melon, red/green apple, white grape/wine, coriander, sea salt, hay, straw, and grass; with moderate wheat, cracker, white bread dough malts; light peppercorn, lacto funk, and yeast earthiness. Light-moderate fruity/lactic tang/tartness; light zesty bitterness, and coriander spiciness on the finish. Medium-plus carbonation, light-medium body, and fairly crisp/clean finishing. Balanced creamy/grainy wheat, lactic acid; light sticky spice, and salinity in the mouthfeel. Light-moderate increasing tart/tangy/spicy dryness; zero puckering. Very flavorful/refreshing, not overly lactic/salty, not watery for 4.2%. Perfectly balanced vibrant citrus, Lacto complexity, coriander, salt, and pale/wheat malts against acidity. Minimal residual sweetness with crisp dryness. Glad I got the 6 pack as expected. Extremely spot on stuff. 4.15


Cheers

 

So far, that's gotta be the most impressive new beer of 2019 for me. I enjoyed your post (and George Thorogood immediately popped into my mind when I read the OP too). It's hard to believe an owner of a glass like that wouldn't have had a Dupont or Allagash beer before.

 

I was very hesitant to send you that beer. I really liked it (shocking, I know), but there’s a wide disparity in the reviews, primarily because of the banana.

Then I said WTF and sent it. You either like the banana or you don’t.



Thank you, thank you, I’m appearing nightly at 7 pm and twice on Sunday. Don’t forget to tip your server.

 

Glad you enjoyed. One of my favorites.

 

Well... if people want to reserve the NEIPA tag for the brews that really embody every so-called element of the style, then I can somewhat respect the purity of the thinking behind that position. Keep in mind that brewers like Tree House and Trillium just call their beers "IPA" too. Personally, when I see the beer in the glass in your picture, just based on appearance (and I do think that this is a very important aspect of the distinction) - if we couldn't call that beer a NEIPA I'd question the usefulness of the term at all. If it wasn't a NEIPA, it's certainly taking elements from NEIPAs... and that's going to be the case for many beers all along the wide spectrum that is the American IPA. Cheers.

 

FWIW my guess is that it is 'hop burn' that equates to "abrasive" here.

Cheers!

 

New BA Baltic Porter Sunday (Week 745)
Greetings fellow NBSers from on the ridge in Mid Hud Val, NY. Thought I would save 10..00 on perlite by hitting Home Depot south of here. Their website showed that store had multiple brands and sizes in stock. You'd think I'd learn by now their website is fiction. Lowes is just as bad. Gonna hit Agway tomorrow. Easy peasy for ten bucks more. Also struck out on finding Ithaca 20 Anniversary. The search continues.

I love to drink beer with the other folks in our loose band of miscreants known among ourselves as the South Mountain Men. Love to get out and mingle too. And to share beers with others at bottle shares. And to drink beer with my brother and my cousin Mike. Neither wife liked beer, but that is only one of the reasons I got rid of both of 'em. Haven't been able to spend as much time doing any driniking with friends lately though, for many reasons, and my drinking recently has been done solo (unless you count the characters I create when I write).

I do have this wonderful beer to enjoy finally. IIRC it was a couple folks here gave good reviews of this variant, which came back to me as I spotted it on shelf at a store I only visit occasionally. Drinking out of area again lol, and pretty psyched for this Jack's Abby BA Framinghammer, Mole variant.


Pitch black pour with big, fine bubbled tan head (as you can see)

Aroma is rich, med. strength. Vanilla and chili goodness are sensed first, joined by light bourbon, dark caramel, bitter chocolate, cocoa, and a bit of coffee too. As it warms brown bread and cinnamon smells join the party. Woaahhhh.

Full strength taste, and then some. A bit boozy for sure, with stronger bourbon notes in the flavor than expected from the aroma. Strong vanilla and bitter chocolate join hands and go marching to the siege of my palate with cinnamon and chili notes sneaking into the end of the sip. Not super hot, but a nice warming note that adds nicely.

Forget judging to style, this beer is its own category. It is rich, coating, viscous, med. carb., with a strong finish that is not over the top. The mouthfeel works excellently to frame the taste.

Strongest booze presence of all the variants so far. Also most complex taste profile. Tasteful use of chili and cinnamon. A sipper for sure that I recommend.

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

 

A few years old on this one apparently, freebie beer from my trade yesterday. This is very good. Nice fluffy head retention/spotty foamy lacing. Aromas and flavors of milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, vanilla, bourbon, toasted oak, roasted nuts, biscuit, and dark/brown bread; with lighter notes of coconut, licorice, molasses, raisin, plum, fig, date, smoke, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast earthiness. Very muted aromas. Mild herbal, floral, grassy, roasted bitterness; and bourbon/oak tannin spiciness on the finish. Medium-high carbonation and medium body; creamy, silky, bready malts; light sticky hops, chalky roast, and oak tannins in the mouthfeel. Lightly increasing lingering bitter/carbonated dryness; no cloying/acrid/astringency. Very smooth/soft, no warmth of 6.9% or barrel booze. Well balanced between nicely rich malts and bourbon barrel presence/integration; mild earthy hops and restrained fruity English yeast notes. Mildly sweet with lingering dryness. Not a ton of barrel, but definitely adequate; and well made for the English base style. Over-carbonated, but not detrimental to drink-ability. 3.78


Cheers

 

I'll review The Gem after dinner.

 

Long Ireland King Keltic

Long Ireland is a local brewery on Long Island. I really loved their ESB back in the day. Other beers from them ranged from OK to uggh. I tend to cross my fingers if I ever buy their beer. They’ll probably never package their ESB again. This beer is for Long Ireland’s 10th anniversary. I have the impression that Long Ireland is brewing 10 different anniversary beers over the course of the year. This is beer #2 in that series. It’s a bigger version of their flagship Celtic Ale.

Great head. Attractive brownish red color. Tastes of caramel, dark bread, dark berries, and some hop bitterness. Relatively light given everything (including the 8.2% ABV). This one is really quite nice for the first half of the can and then begins to wear on you before the end.

@beerloserLI

 

Just one beer today, as I'm heading over to my sister's for dinner soon.

Clown Shoes Bubble Farm IPA. Pretty good. A classic West Coast style IPA. Lots of grapefruit and orange peel, caramel malt, pine and peppercorn with lingering bitterness.

 

Hudson Valley Brewing - Verdant


Pours a clouded orange color with a creamy, medium sized head.


Smells of riper oranges, together with lots of lime and a slightly funky tartness. Got a pleasant floral, herbal side note, enriching the fruits perfectly well.


Has a creamy, soft mouthfeel with a well nuanced, on point tartness to it, making up for a light, refreshing drinking experience.


Tastes of a floral accompanied lemon presence from first glance, together with a light herb dryness and dried orange rind. Follows up with more bitter lemon pulp, accompanied by a slighty funky acidity, which appears as a result from the fruits. Finishes with more flowers, more lime and a nice wet cellar feel to it, amping up the so far lighter funkiness perfectly.


This is pretty great for a pleasant refreshment. Due to the well integrated tartness in this, the fruits stand out and last till the very end, while changing a bit on the palate, due to the late, prominent funkiness of this.

 

I knew I should’ve opened that one. Hah. Just got done with the Coconut Migration. I might have room for The Gem later, but don’t know. Either way, we’re all sharing.

Cheers buddy!

 

Next up is one from @r0rschach and is my first stout from Turning Point.

Beer: Coconut Migration (German chocolate cake imperial stout with coconuts & pecans)
Brewery: Turning Point (Bedford, Texas)
ABV: 13.3%

Pouring this from a 16 oz. can into a Willi Becher, it delivers a very dark brown pour and forms a pinky width of caramel colored crown. Looks would get higher marks if the crown retention was better.

The nose brings a borage of sweetness. Layers of fresh cut coconut, toasted caramel, fudge like chocolate and even slight vanilla cake batter all tangle together.

The taste delivers on all aspects previously mentioned. There is a slightly roasty dark malt aspect as well. It is thick with sweetness, but that’s to be expected from something like this. I would say a very slight, salty pecan presence shows but you would never guess it if not told. I do like the balance and how the layers are working together, none being too dominant over the other.

It doesn’t have the thickest body ever, but I wouldn’t say by any means it leaves you wanting more. The body works really well and gives a nice tickling finish. The ABV is nonexistent throughout, and I honestly didn’t feel it until I stood up. Hah.

Overall, as my first stout from Turning Point, it doesn’t disappoint. I would wish for not pecan presence, but that might just be me. Otherwise, I’ve got no complaints.

 

Fantastic NEIPA. Opaquely hazy green color. Great rocky head retention/soapy lacing. Aromas and flavors of huge tangerine, orange juice, red grapefruit, lemon, lime, peach, pear, pineapple, apricot, passion fruit, papaya, mango, honeydew melon, red apple, blueberry, gooseberry, citrus peel/zest, and light pepper/pine hops; with moderate wheat, biscuit dough, light honeyed malt sweetness; and herbal, floral, grassy hop earthiness. Very mild pine, zesty, herbal, floral, grassy, spicy bitterness on the finish. Medium carbonation and medium-plus body; very creamy, silky, velvety, bready malts; light sticky hops in the mouthfeel. Slightly increasing lingering bitter dryness; no cloying/astringency. Super smooth/soft, no warmth of 6.6%. Amazing Citra/Simcoe profile. Enormously juicy, and lightly dank/earthy hops; with a perfectly balanced wheat/oat/malt backbone. Not overly sweet/heavy from lingering dryness. Amazing style example. 4.25


Cheers