New Beer Sunday (Week 768)

Happy Sunday NBS players. A rather cool and grey fall day here on the island but also a bit of a relief from the bone chilling cold of yesterday. Spent most of the day working and now I'm spending the rest of the evening watching plenty of mindless football and drinking some brews. I've got a ton of new beers on hand and it's tough to pick which one to try next. Hoping to get through a couple of reviews but we shall see.

My first new beer is again from @Lingenbrau and the latest NBS bif. This is Junior Prom, a double ipa, from Great Notion. Loved the maple stout last week so onto my second beer from them. The brew checks in at 8.25% abv, and it has a 10/4/19 canning date.

A murky off-yellow/vanilla color on the pour with a strong head of white foam . Slight hops on the nose but not terribly floral. The drinking hits with soft and plush hops upfront. The smoothness of the flow is very evident from the start and it really seems to highlight the beer. Very clean and easy with virtually no bitter. A moderate mouthfeel that drinks tangy and juicy. The fruit notes are somewhat subtle and even a bit muddled at times. Still, decent notes of mango, orange, mixed berry, and peach.

Overall, this is pretty decent hop juice. I wish the fruit notes popped a bit more. I'm not gonna score it as high as you Phil but I'm probably in the 4 range at least. Seems to be a very solid brewery you gots there. Thanks again.

 

Yet another from last week's mini-haul via my brother.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/49298/449301/



16 oz. can.
Canned 10/14/19.
Moderate pour yields an over one inch white head with big bubbles over a hazy golden body and little lacing with the head dissipating down to a ring after a few minutes. Nose of sweet citrus and a bit of tropical fruit. Taste mirrors nose somewhat with mostly orange and grapefruit with a citrus pith bitterness on the finish. Nice feel and overall, a pretty solid IPA from Brooklyn.
Cheers!!!

 

Happy New American IPA Sunday!

Number 2 for today. Nothing like I hoped it to be, would not recommend.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/24659/445541/?ba=Wasatch#review

Cheers!

 

That's ok, I'm biased. I thought that was a fun one to send you as it's a "collaboration" with Other Half. Glad you liked it though. Cheers!

 

My second CBS today, I’m gone sweat it out this week though, I’ve been bad this weekend.

 

I just realized it was an OH collabo. Didn't even notice the oh logo till now or piece together why the groom is a piece of broccoli. Talk about being out of it- I am dumb.

 

May be a coincidence that prior to today we have been seeing below normal temps and I have been craving stouts, stouts and more stouts (or at least dark and malty). I had my first bottle of CBS last night and it lived up to the hype for me. Tonight I am trying Victory Java Latte Cold Brew Milk Stout . Four 16 ounce cans at a good price, why not?

It's okay, thinner than I would have expected and the flavors are a bit muted, will see if it opens up a bit as it warms. But again for the price was worth the gamble and it certainly won't be a chore to drink through the others. For those interested, the stats:

8.2%
Malt: Pilsner, Munich, Chocolate, Roasted Barely, Oats
Hops: Experimental HBC 472
Additions: Milk Sugar, Coffee

 

Sorry it took me till the 4th page to get back. I was planning on reviewing Gestalt that I brought to my friends house to share. I was too busy BSing with them to actually review it. I can say that we all liked it. I have to think @CanConPhilly for sending it to me.

I then went to Bad Habit Brewing with some other friends, and had 2 more new beers there, but was too busy BSing to review them, either.

Now I'm back home, and I will finally get a review in, and this is a beer that the previously mentioned @CanConPhilly sent to me.


I DON'T FEEL LIKE TAKING THE SUBWAY. LET'S TAKE A CAB ALL THE WAY THERE from Evil Twin NYC.

Damn, that was a mouthful.

This is more of an old school IPA with the taste. I'm getting a lot of pine from the hops in this beer, and I'm digging it.


Review:

4.04/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Pours a orange color. 2 finger white and frothy head. The head retention is pretty good. Some lacing on the glass.
The nose has a decent citrus aroma. Orange, I'm thinking. Some grapefruit.
Taste - It is way more of a pine flavor than a citrus flavor. Nice deep pine flavored.
The pine from the hops lingers in my throat. Sticky feeling. Somewhat of a pop in my mouth from the carbonation.
Solid IPA that's more old school.


I think this is going to be it. Have a good week all, and see you next Sunday.

 

I’ve been on the other coast. Just got back from the stunning Joshua Tree National Park and I’m having some new beers in my hotel. I’m using the glass I got at the beer fest I went to yesterday - the Cask’s Not Dead cask beer festival at Yorkshire Square brewery.





Schonramer Pils

I might be an oddball - when I travel, I’m often more excited to see what imports I can find rather than the area’s locals. I grabbed some Schonramer coincidentally at the time the thread about Craft Beer & Brewing’s 19 best of the year came to life. I already drank the Gold and Dunkel. I loved the Gold but didn’t care for the Dunkel (sometimes Dunkels aren’t a good match for me). Today I’m trying the one on that best-of list.

This beer is a beautiful gold. Super clear. Nice head. Smells and tastes of pils malt. It’s very clean. There’s some nice hop bitterness and character, but I feel like this aspect of the beer was overstated in the article when compared to other German Pilsners. This beer just doesn’t feel like an unusual example of the type. I’d even say the malt is the star here. This bottle is a few months before the best-by for anybody wondering.

In the end, this is a great beer, but I liked the Gold even better thanks to it’s powerful bready character.

@JackHorzempa

 

Sixpoint The Mayor

Happy Sunday, BAs. Picked up this evening’s new beer at the “Can Draft” during a share last night. I believe it came courtesy of @CanConPhilly. New enough that I had to add it to the database. It calls itself a New England-style DIPA, so I listed it as a New England IPA. Guess I could have gone with Imperial IPA, too?

The Mayor pours a cloudy yellow-orange with a finger-and-a-half of creamy-looking, yellowed head that has retention and leaves rings of lacing.

It’s juicy smelling — orange and mango — with some savory herbs in the background.

Sweet Orange Julius shows in the taste when it first hits the lips, but that’s replaced by an immediate wave of those savory herbs. There are touches of mint and pine, too, but it’s mostly meaty grilling herbs mid-palate. Orange juice and a splash of cream linger behind that in the aftertaste.

It’s appropriately thick and creamy feeling with a little fizz cutting through.

I’d definitely put this in the savory category of New England DIPAs. There’s a lot of sweet fruit juice here, but there’s enough oregano, marjoram and other Italian herbs to take over the spotlight. No cheese, but Matt, I think you’ll like it.

Here’s a photo of (some of) the draft options...

 

Any idea what the best by duration is?

My experience with German imports is they use a 12 month (or longer) duration for their best by dates. If this beer is just a "few months" from its best by date it very well may be well over 6 months old which is too old for a Pilsner IMO. Maybe this explains why it is malt forward?

Cheers!

 

No idea about their time frame. 6 months isn’t unheard of either, but I usually assume 1 year. This beer could have been more hop forward when fresher, and although I think that played a part, I tend to think that personal circumstances play a bigger part. I have no problem buying a typical German Pilsner before it’s best-by... this particular beer was still far more enjoyable than many American made pilsners in my eyes.

 

Stift Schlagl Urquell

Alright, I was pretty sure that this one would be badly oxidized from age. There’s no clear date on the bottle. I bought it anyway since I’ve never seen an example of the Austrian type of Marzen in the US. My fears were correct. The beer is a deep gold color. It’s badly oxidized. Tastes of paper soaked in apple juice. It’s just in really bad shape.

 

Good evening NBS
I'm going to get one more in before they close up shop...

The review:
12oz can stamped BEST BY 03/16/20 poured into a Spiegelau IPA glass at fridge temp 7.5% ABV. The beer pours barely hazy with some floaties in a medium brown color. The head is light brown, somewhat persistent and leaves a nice lace. The aroma is roasty and chocolate malt with pine and earth. The taste is more chocolate at first transitioning to roasty, piney bitterness on the end. The mouthfeel is thin to medium bodied, adequately carbonated and dry in the finish. Overall, good. I've always enjoyed black IPAs and this one is pretty solid. Could have done without the hop particulate, but one of the better beers I've had from Heavy Seas.

I'll never pass on an "American dark ale", especially if I can get a single. I still wish I could get SSR and Dark Penance just to see if I would still love those beers or if it's a sentimental memory. Cheers all!

 

Enegren - The Lightest One

I’m cheating a little here. Bought a six-pack of this on my trip, and I’ve been drinking it for a few days. I’m considering it a final impression of a new-to-me six-pack. This beer is a Helles from a local California brewery. It’s fantastic.

It’s crystal clear. It’s lighter bodied and drier than many other takes on the style. Tastes of white rice, camomile flowers, crackers, and a touch of herbal hops. Love it... but it has a terrible name.

 

If you have the time and patience, that one ages wonderfully. Takes it about 6-12 months in the fridge, which should be about 3-6 months in a typical cellar. The sweeter malty notes shine very bright with that much aging (and it will age for much, much longer — I can't seem to keep one longer than 2 years because they get so good before then).

 

A. Le Coq - Imperial Extra Double Stout

Are you kidding me? The A. Le Coq stout? I was shocked to find this one. Ridiculous.

It’s black and relatively light bodied. Smells of licorice. Unsurprisingly, this is a fruity stout rather than a roasty one. Tastes of prunes, cherry, dark chocolate, licorice. It has a slightly bitter finish and a hint of acidity. It feels like a continental porter/stout - a beer type I’m not fond of drinking.

@TongoRad

 

Late arrival to today's festivities, after a full week of new beers via participating brewers at FOBAB. Congratulations to Bottle Logic for the Best of Fest Award, to Fremont Brewery who had great offerings and the hundred plus brewers who participated in the festival. This is an awesome event, and anyone who loves stouts, sours, porters or any barrel aged beers you will not be disappointed with this festival. Thanks also to Beachwood who not only participated in FOBAB but also offered an outstanding tap list at one of Chicago's great Beer bottle shops / bars, The Beer Temple.

On to the new beer pour of the day. Bell's Blackbeard's Bear Hug has been enjoyed by folks at the brewery before, but this is the first year of wide distribution. I was fortunate to secure two bottles and definitely enjoyed this pour.



Packaged 10/9, purchased shortly thereafter. Block pour quickly dissipating tan bubbly head. Floating protein and light coconut floaters on top. Very strong coconut aroma, rum backs followed by cinnamon. Very sweet. Sweet taste, rum hits you strong first. Cinnamon and coconut back. I am not a big rum drinker, but this really works well. Creamy rich texture, medium/full body, easy smooth drinking, clean finish. Overall Excellent Pour!

Appearance 4.0; Aroma 4.25; Taste 4.5; Mouthfeel 4.5; Overall 4.5.

Cheers!!!

The Bear Beers > Da Bears