New Beer Sunday (Week 772)

Happy CANtinuing New Oliver Beer Sunday (Week 772), Part Deux!
It seems like I made the right decision with these beers. I have heard from Steve Jones via Twitter! He was a bit incredulous, but he knows my affinity for his beers, CANtinuing with:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/46063/368144/?ba=woodychandler#review

followed by: https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/46063/335271/?ba=woodychandler#review

then: https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/46063/351051/?ba=woodychandler#review

& NOW, right NOW, @bowzer4birdie ... Oops! Different thread! I CAN get away with this here.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/46063/302333/?ba=woodychandler#review

All right! Now that the prelims are over, it's time for the main event! I'll be back with more ... stuff!

 

A WOW Beer. Robust Porter by Smuttynose. This beer is rated #2 on this site. Smooth with a fantastic balance of coffee, chocolate, roasted taste and sweetness. It's not all coffee. Highly recomended. This will an A rating later.
Prost.

 

I got home a bit before noon today to see the sun shining and snow melting, so I took it upon myself to finish up the last of the leaf cleaning this afternoon. I knew before I even started that I'd be coming inside later in the day with a chill in my bones and no desire to cook, so I dug out a smoked ham hock out of the freezer and used it to set the crockpot up with the makings of a hearty lentil soup.

Needless to say, the soup actually did its trick, so I can feel free to imbibe in some lower gravity beers if I so choose . This one I got from @zid yesterday has been calling me, and since there's currently a thread going in Beer Talk about the style, I don't think I can ignore its pull:

ALTogether Now, a German Style Altbier by Long Beach Brewing Co.

This is a very respectable attempt. The overall feel is certainly right: moderately full in the palate, with a crisp dry finish. Flavors are very much in the ballpark as well- toasted bread crust and dry-ish caramel leading the way, with earthy and herbal hops, and some gentle pear-like fruitiness pulling up the rear. The bitterness is clean and substantial, and it plays right into that crisp finish.

If anything, I think it's a bit too bold, and could use some finesse to take it to the next level. I'm also getting a slight twinge of astringency on the finish. But still overall, a quite solid attempt in a very difficult style to pull off. Enjoying it very much, high B+ (3.9).

Thanks again, Chris!

 

There’s definitely some batch variation. While not to style, I tend to enjoy the ones that have more of that sulfer/metallic flavor. Which I think he might actually go for with the whole rustic thing.

 

Back with another 2019 BCBS release, Café de Olla...

Featuring coffee, cassia bark, orange peel, and panela sugar...

Bottling has a "drink by" date of 8/8/21...

Pours dark brown and clear, showing black in the glass with rubied-brown translucence around the edges... The coffee, orange, and cinnamon elements come together nicely, with a character that reminds me of General Foods International Coffee's Orange Cappuccino instant coffee - with bourbon lol... Aromas of coffee are solidly-infused with orange, which is a hit-or-miss kinda thing with me, as - similar to cherry-flavors in beer - I am easily turned off by orange as well - in fact, I did not realize this beer had orange peel in it to begin with - woulda bought it anyway, but, just sayin'...

So anyways, lots of oranged-coffee with bright citrusy notes amid a chocolate and molasses and bourbon body... Sweet up front, as expected, with lots of chocolate and orange, as well as sharper hints of dry wood, alcohol, and cinnamon... Bitterness is very subdued, mostly hidden in a wash of dessert-like flavors and a solid body... Sticky, a shellac of orange peel and molasses coffee lingers behind... Not a lot of drying on the close - gets a little tacky, but that's about it...

I thought I'd like this more and the Mon Chéri less, but it turns out to be the opposite... This was good, but not something I want again (though the same could be said for Mon Chéri)... Made me recall the excitement about trying to get my hands on their old coffee and vanilla editions... Had both before I was taking pictures, having had the vanilla for the first time in December of 2010 and the coffee in May of 2012...

Alright, I'm rambling, so I'ma ramble over to WBAYDN and finish this...

Cheers, NBS...

 

Traquair House Ale

Mahogany brown color with red highlights, small tan cap and good lacing.

Aroma is more mild than I expected, a combination of ripe figs and something like Oloroso Sherry.

Taste is rather simple with flavors same as found in the scent. There is a depth of flavor here that's close to me describing as powerful, just a fullness and richness that is quite rewarding. I do get something that I can only call oak barrel influence but it's not very strong, just mildly present.

Full texture with balancing carbonation.

I've read this described as a wee heavy but there's nothing wee about it. A brawny broad shoulder Scottish soldier who walks into the room with a quiet confidence.

 

I don’t disagree with any of that. If you still have some in your glass, see if you get any smoke in it. (I have no idea about the recipe though)

 

I’m curious - Was my take on the beer earlier in this thread similar to yours or way different?

 

Ditto.

 

#2, this time semi-local (90 minutes away), I’ve enjoyed this series a lot thus far, and this is no exception.





4.04/5 rDev +11%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Pours black with liberal leakage to mahogany on the edges and a dense tan head. Gorgeous beer. The nose has some smoke, a nice chocolate note, and roasty char aromas.

The smoke is right up front on the taste, but not overwhelmingly so, which leaves room for th chocolate and roasty char flavors to maneuver. The mouthfeel is full and substantial, perfect for a porter.

Bell’s is one of my favorite breweries, and this beer is another example why. A great sipper for the winter months, I shall purchase multiple 6ers to accompany me into spring.

 

Here's a brand new offering from right up Trapp Hill Road.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/46275/453113/



16 oz. can.
Canned Thursday, the 5th of December, three days ago.
Moderate pour yields a one inch white head over a hazy golden body with lacing. Nose of citrus and slight passion fruit. Taste of citrus, passion fruit, pink grapefruit, a tad black currant, and a bit of peach near the finish which is fairly dry. Very nice! Feel is just fine for an APA. Overall, another stellar offering from UPBC which is brewed and canned at von Trapp Brewing here in Stowe, VT.
Cheers!

 

Hmm, interesting. I think I can see what you're picking up. but it's not coming across as particularly smoked to me, per se. But there does seem to be be an illusory suggestion of it floating by nonetheless. My guess would be that maybe they used a very small percentage of roast malt to darken up the color a bit? Sometimes that will give that kind of feel to the flavor profile.

 

Most of the time it is how you described it for me. Very light in flavor and body. Almost no bitterness compared to most Helles.

 

In a relatively random reply post, I love hearing via your posts about your foray back into the restaurant world. You seem to enjoy it most of the time despite the downsides, which all jobs have, relatively. Cheers, Larry!

 

I had two cans of it so far. I didn’t get smoke the first time I had it. The second time I had it, I was getting some smoke from it and I thought that the contrast of the different beer that I had immediately before it was coaxing it out (either real or imagined).

 

You never know with stuff like that, but it's definitely a possibility. Of the same token, perhaps the smokiness in the lentil soup I just had desensitized my palate just enough to miss it.

Just to make sure we're on the same page: smoke would be seen as a good thing, right?

 

One of my favorites, we keep a few in rotation always, Cheers

 

One of my favorite styles of beer!

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/34222/450798/



16 oz. can.
Canned 11/19/19.
Moderate to vigorous pour yields a one inch tan head over a brown-edged near black body with lacing. Nose of chocolate malt and orange with a bit of herbal/floral thing going on as well. Taste mirrors nose very nicely with the malt smoothing out the hop bitterness, just how I like it! As it warms a bit of coffee comes forward. Feel is just tad thin, but this is still a more than solid Black IPA.
Cheers for a winner from Winooski, VT!!