New Beer Sunday (Week 749)

Please figure out some devious methods to get your teenagers out of the house so you can join us more often.

 

Excellent fruit wheat. Great fluffy head retention/spotty foamy lacing. Aromas and flavors of juicy, lightly tart/tangy watermelon, cucumber, honeydew, cantaloupe, fruit skin/seed, lemon, peach, pear, red apple, wheat, cracker, white bread dough; lighter notes of herbal, floral, grassy, peppery hop, and yeast earthiness. Light herbal, floral, grassy, peppery bitterness; and fruit tang/tartness on the finish. Medium-plus carbonation, light-medium body, and fairly crisp/clean finishing. Creamy/grainy wheat, light sticky hops and fruit tang/acids in the mouthfeel. Light-moderate increasing bitter/tart/carbonated dryness; no pucker/astringency. Very flavorful/refreshing, not watery for 4%. Awesome balance of big authentic melons and fruity American wheat yeast flavors; with a great clean pale/wheat malt backbone for the ABV. Minimal residual sweetness with crisp drying. They did a great job as expected. Spot on stuff for the style. Would buy again. Lots of great summer beers coming out this year. 4


Cheers

 

Happy New Russian Imperial Stout Sunday!

Kinda weird day, rained a little on the way to the trailhead, got there, cloudy, around 83. Go over to the market, hear thunder while inside, come out pouring rain. Not a new beer, but a new vintage, very nice, always a joy to have it. Watching some Star Trek Discovery, season 2.

2019 Parabola | Firestone Walker Brewing Co.

look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Revist: 30 Jun 19
12 oz. Bottle/Box
2019 Vintage
No. 10
Cases Produced: 6000
ABV: 13%

Poured into a Tree House glass a pretty nice dark brown color, pretty nice carbonation, with a nice thick/creamy/kinda quick small tan head, which leaves a pretty nice medium size oil slick/island, with some minimal sticky lacing. The nose is very nice, malty, with a very nice touch of chocolate/toffee, vanilla, very nice dark fruit complex (cherries, figs, plums, dates), pretty nice bourbon/oak notes, some licorice, slight coffee. The taste is really freakn' awesome, malty, very nice vanilla sweetness, very nice touch of bourbon/oak, licorice, with a very nice dark fruit complex (cherries, figs, dates, plums), chocolate/toffee notes. Full Body, ABV hidden very well, this is a very complex brew. Overall, a very very tasty brew.

Cheers!

 

This one pours a beautiful hazy golden color with a fluffy head that dissipates quickly. Pretty much has a static pour but there are some nice blush-like overtones to the hue. Alright looking stuff.

Overripe (nearly rotting) peaches, Brett funk, and a touch of mango/guava are the most prominent notes here. I don't think the "rotting peaches" thing is off-putting, as I've had some other peach wilds that almost have this element to them. Sure, this is the most intense one, but it also does have some nice tropical elements that balance it decently.

Super nice and complex flavor with big, bold aspects of guava, peach, apricot, red berries, and tangerine... very fruity and strikingly sour... almost shocking tartness on this one. Low-medium carbonation with a thick body. Finish is juicy and quenching, but also really herbal and grassy with more apricots layered on. Funk and earthiness in the finish. Plastic/diaper-like Brett really runs amok on this one... not sure how great that element is, but I can tell it's not just a generic kettle sour. Maybe I would prefer it to be that way, though? This is an interesting one, but not something I would get again.

 

Greetings and salutations, NBS friends. On the first weekend that felt like summer here off of Lake Michigan (which is another way of saying it was finally hot and humid), @cjgiant picked at a scab for me and Mrs O.

I have a LOT of beer glassware.

The middle shelf is all beer glasses (except for the far, far right) .....



..... and one (a pilsner glass)even snuck onto the top shelf. And there’s more .....



The Surly tulips are seen a LOT in WBAYDN, and there’s a couple of New Belgium snifters behind those - and how about a couple of Westie XII glasses for kicks.

I also have a half dozen or so pint glasses in the basement that didn’t make my regular glassware rotation (the beer nerd equivalent of “glassware purgatory” - do they even really exist?), so needless to say, I have plenty of glassware, to the extent that I had to agree that, for every new glass I purchased, I had to reduce my on-hand inventory by the same number.

That’s a fair trade.

As for when I drink, you all see it here and on the WBAYDN thread: I begin to drink between 6 - 6:30 pm, and wrap up by 7 - 7:30 pm. I am NOT a morning drinker. At all.

On to tonight’s beers, my childhood buddy is stopping by to drop off some Chicago beers, so I am winging it a bit. This first one is a very nice summer beer.



3.81/5 rDev +2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Pours a hazy straw color with a foamy white head, a perfect picture of a summer beer. The nose is all coriander, with very little discernible citrus aromas.

The coriander is likewise the dominant note on the taste, with evidence of the orange peel confined mostly to my imagination.

The mouthfeel is on point for the style, I just wish I had more participation from the orange peel, because I think that would improve this significantly - it’s still a nice witbier, but a bit more citrus would serve this beer well.

 

May I humbly suggest, with no ties to anything or anyone, that your positive experience is due largely to CCB brewing across the board the best beer in Florida, if not the South Eastern USA (willing to debate if Westbrook holds South Eastern title)? Cheers buddy!

 

One more new beer for today, and this The Bruery release is an interesting one.



L: Hazy orange body; strong head formation, but the head dissipates immediately, leaving no lacing.

S: Hints of cucumber and lime; the aroma is quite pungent and very pleasant.

T: Tart base with lots of cucumber flavor, that somewhat surprisingly works very well. Similarly to the smell part, this is delightful. The best thing about this beer is that it still doesn't taste at all artificial.

F: Relatively light body (though obviously expected for 4.3%), high carbonation, obviously, no apparent alcohol on the taste.

O: So tart and so refreshing. With its cucumber flavor, this is the perfect summer beer from The Bruery.

 

Liefmans Goudenband

Before today, this was the beer that I considered to be my biggest beer hole. To explain what I mean, let's say someone was a big Ramones admirer. If they never heard Acid Eaters, I wouldn't say they had a huge Ramones hole, but if they never heard the debut album, I'd say they had a big one. If someone was an obsessive IPA nut and they never had Heady, I'd say that was a big beer hole. Well, now that I've had 2.5 glasses of Goudenband, I'm not sure what my new big beer hole is (barring travel). (I'm pitching you folks such easy setups here )

At some point I realized I needed to try this beer, and when I got to that realization, I never saw the gosh darn beer in stores. Hopping the border to Connecticut changed all that. Things are crazy over there. Wishes come true in Connecticut. Well, at least wishes for bad people come true there. I should visit more.

It's in a green bottle but it's thankfully not skunked. Side note: This past week I had 3 Jester King beers, one in a green bottle. When Jester King announced they were going with some green glass (not to be confused with Barney Greengrass), it caused some controversy. The Jester King beer I had was skunked. I really don't like skunked beer, but I really do like how Jester King is willing to push against beer nerd convention. Back to our program: Goudenband wasn't skunked in the slightest. Was this due to the pretty blue paper wrap or the type of hops and beer?

This beer didn't have a huge head (as in the bazonka Belgian kinda head). It's a pretty dark brown that's almost black and it has nice red highlights. The smell is cherry and acidity. The taste is also cherry and acidity. There's a mix of black cherries and some sour cherries. The acidity is tempered by the malt character. This isn't like a bright white vinegar acidity, but a mellowed earthier type. It's like fruit cake without that level of sweetness - and none of the heaviness. It works quite well as a 750 because the more you drink it, the easier it is to drink. The third glass practically disappears.

This is quite a nice beer and it feels like a brother to Rodenbach.

 

So, how did you take your first sip? With a straw?

 

Good Lord, are you! Too easy, so I pass!

 

Happy Sunday, NBS crew! I’ve had a handful of new beers today, but this is the first one I’ve felt compelled to write about. @Dragginballs76 knows my love of anything scotch aged, and thus sends me his local favorites. This is the best one yet!

Scotch Dark Arts - Wicked Weed
Scotch Barrel Stout - 15% abv
Vintage 2018
Score: 4.41 (+7% rDev)



Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/30581/382127/?ba=CanConPhilly#review

Synopsis:
I am amazed at how well the booze is hidden here. 15%?!? This does not smell or taste like something with an abv north of bcbs. It smells very inviting, like a still-crackling campfire onto which dark chocolate bars are being melted, just for a moment. Taste starts with the barrel, but it’s not a boozy barrel. I get peat, vanilla, and molasses, followed by ever-so-tasty dark fruit and moderately bitter chocolate glaze. I’m baffled by the low average rating on this, but I guess only a few have had a chance to try it. If you have any interest in scotch barrel beers that don’t destroy your soul, this would be very near the top of my list (along with another stellar scotch-barrel beer from @Vidblain , the name of which escapes me now). Thanks again Mike!

 

New fruit IPA. This was awesome. Lasting fluffy head retention/thick foamy lacing. Aromas and flavors of big lightly tart/tangy tangerine, mandarin orange juice, pineapple, pink guava, passion fruit, red grapefruit, lemon, lime, peach, pear, apricot, papaya, mango, honeydew melon, blueberry, gooseberry, citrus peel/zest, wood, peppercorn, and pine hops; with moderate wheat, cracker, white bread dough, light honeyed malts; and herbal, floral, grassy hop earthiness. Light pine, citrus peel/rind, herbal, floral, woody, grassy, peppery bitterness; and fruit tang/tartness on the finish. Medium carbonation/body, and fairly crisp/clean finishing. Creamy, bready, grainy malts; some sticky hops, light fruit tang/acids, and resins/rinds in the mouthfeel. Lightly increasing lingering bitter/tart dryness; no astringency. Very smooth/soft, not aggressive, minimal warming 6.66%. Awesome mixed hop profile: Chinook, Simcoe, Centennial, Citra, Crystal, Cashmere, AU Summer & Mandarina Bavaria. Super juicy/vibrant hops/fruit, with light dank/earthy notes; and a great balanced wheat/malt backbone. Light residual sweetness with lingering tart/tangy/resin drying. Glad I got the pack as expected. Need to revisit the base beer! 4.13


Cheers

 

I agree, actually. I can't argue that a nonic pint makes a pale ale look any better than other glassware objectively; it is, after all, a pretty pedestrian glass. However, coupled with my first-hand experiences in English pubs, to me it makes the best aesthetically pleasing presentation for pale ales (including IPAs, BTW - and most pale beers of an English heritage).

Pretty much the same for the Maßkrug and Oktoberfest. First-hand experience in Munich beer halls sets the aesthetic.

 

G

Glad you enjoyed it, I opened one for the group at DLD and still have one left. I had to make up for the Westbrook Scotch Panther!!!

 

I will read later...lets post. @rgordon thanks for posting one of my favorite songs. The missus hates it, so it somehow finds its way onto every playlist I make!

The question of the day...answers for me vary. Vacation is coming, consumption should increase. I drink more when I travel, using the can't get these beers at home excuse. I do try and hit NBS as much as possible, but other than that maybe one or two a week. Most consumption is at home. Exception... We love visiting new breweries and we enjoy flights. Hmmmm...glassware....sometimes I get all proper, but usually I go for the shape that fits my hand and feels comfy. Mainly I usually don't remember what style goes into what, so I sometimes I just take a swag. It doesn't matter too much, maybe have to work harder to get the aromas, but good beer is good beer, even in the hotel room plastic chalice.

So, one of my favorite glasses contains my new beer this week.



This is Vitamin Sea Baby Waves, and yes that is the dreaded session IPA label on that can. BA has it down as a NEIPA. Yeah....it ain't quite there, but it actually tastes pretty good. It is a 4.2% beer.

Citrus dominates the aroma. Grapefruit and orange. May have a little pineapple. We be done here, move along.

The taste follows,decidedly citrus forward. Grapefruit first, then a pleasantly lingering orange and a little sweetness. No bitterness to speak of which makes this a bit monotone in character.

The feel is thicker than expected, but it isn't in the silky territory of a NEIPA. The head does persist and sticks nicely to the glass. Its watery more in the flavor intensity, but it isn't watery mouth feel, just light. Yeah, I don't get it either.

I find myself enjoying this, but the feel is weird. It isn't watery yet it isn't full enough either. Its somewhere in no mans land with mouth feel and doesn't really creates presence for itself. I don't have my undies in a bunch about the concept of a session IPA. I rather enjoyed Harpoon Take 5, but it is more of a WC traditional IPA brewed light, but with brewing steps taken to maintain the overall feel of an IPA, albeit light. This, seems to me, is kinda liked a detuned NEIPA. I believe it would have benefited from a bit of a different approach. I think 3.75 is the neighborhood for this beer.

@cjgiant I wholeheartedly share your loathing of the pathetic display in London. My boys from Boston are rapidly heading to laughingstock territory. I don't care if they lose, but tucking compete! Whatever the Celtics are up to is distracting people here, I think.

 

I really wanted to like that Scotch Panther...but, well, you know. A harsh mistress it was. This Wicked Weed is damn near a perfect scotch beer. Trying very hard to savor it and not guzzle it down!

 

Well like I said I got another bottle!!

 

Surprise fourth NBS entry! Not a good idea, but here goes anyway... my (likely) pain tomorrow is to your benefit, BA!




Picked this up with my other three new beers today... didn't really intend to have it, but here we are.

Pours like a Singlecut DIPA. Nothing special or out of the ordinary. Hazy orange cloudy beer with a fluffy head that sinks to about a half-finger. Okay, it's a bit weird that the lace is so "meh" here compared to some fresh Singlecut DIPAs I've had.

Nose is grassy and earthy with strong mango and pineapple. Light passion fruit and pine after a bit in my glass. The press release talks about "pear/plum" which I kind of get... kind of like Azacca/Loral? But this says it uses "experimental Washington State hops," so I dunno. Cotton candy, apricot, lemon/lime hard candy, and raspberry are some subtle notes I pick up in the back.

Bitter and heavy on the palate with a helping of oats that intensify the full-bodied hop flavor. Strong grassy and herbal hops with an earthy spice that comes through in the finish with a lot of dark fruit (there's the "plum" they talk about in the press release) and orchard fruit... apricot and papaya. Pine and mango in the back... lots of herbal and floral notes too.

Feel is fluffy and detailed... good stuff. I was initially unsure about this beer, but after about 20-30 minutes in my glass it's really coming together. The unusual hoppiness coalesces into something bigger than the sum of its parts, but it still stays within the defined realm of a New England-style DIPA. Fun stuff. Sure, it's basically like a bunch of other Singlecut beers, but it's a good and enjoyable iteration, and it deviates ever-so-slightly from the norm.