New Beer Weekend #73

As much as I am an Allagash junkie, this series has been a huge let down. I have not really enjoyed any of them. Great idea/concept, execution lacking, imho.

 

Queen Machine OG by Treehouse Brewing

4.28/5 rDev -0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Can poured in a teku



Brewers Notes: Queen Machine is the ultimate expression of our Queen Machine single hop line-up, combining the best elements of each into a crescendo of flavor and enjoyability. Brewed with a more modern blend of hops than the original Juice Machine, Queen Machine takes our ideal of an original hop onslaught with stark drinkability and takes it a step further. The OG pours a juicy orange color in the glass with waves of tropical fruit nearly jumping out! It will make your mouth water and your palate happy!

Two finger white foam cap , good retention , some lacings, settles to a craggy coastline and islands over a hazy orange sea

Aroma is tropical fruit, bubble gum

Taste is tropical fruit with a hint of earthiness on the finish

Smooth , creamy, sudsy, gentle hop nibble on there finish

Good beer

 

Sierra Nevada Atomic Torpedo Imperial IPA, 8.2% ABV; IPA; 4.19 overall

Pours an effervescent honey color with a thumb+ of ivory colored head. Great lacing & above average head retention

S: Catty, weedy, green melon

T: Tangerine, papaya, a touch of pine & dryness up front. Dryness, green melon, pine & a little lemon as this warms, plus some cakey notes. Finishes cakey, a little dry with lemon, & green melon & a kiss of pine & cattyness

MF: Medium body, slight carbonation, great balance

They bill it as a West Coast meets East IPA & I believe that is a fair description, drinks easy

 

#2, finally in California, I haven’t had an Anchor beer in a while - maybe 8 years or so. This iconic beer is working exceptionally well for me.



4.23/5 rDev +8.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Pours a dark cola color that appears nearly black in the glass, like a porter, with a creamy tan head that again fits that porter mold. Beautiful beer. The nose has a HUGE dollop of nutmeg, and some cocoa and a bit of anise. Wow.

The taste has that nutmeg flavor up front, which works really well with the cocoa and anise flavors, and there’s a smidge of piney hops as well. The mouthfeel is medium and slightly creamy.

This is a substantial, complex, flavorful beer that is nicely warming, fitting its style magnificently. What a pleasure this is to drink.

 

I’m very surprised to see that beer in the thread. Who’s the importer?

 

Southern Tier Sugar Cookie Imperial Ale, 8.2% ABV; 3.5 overall

Pours an effervescent gold with one finger of rapidly disappearing beige head. Average head & lacing

S: Vanilla, cakeyness, faded as it warmed, plus a little lemon

T: Sugar frosting, dryness, a touch of lemon up front. Dryness takes over, plus vanilla cake as this warms. Vanilla frosting in the finish, plus plenty of dryness. A little hard to down due to the dryness, a sipper

MF: Medium body, slight carbonation

Delivers on the promised flavors, just ain't much of a sugar cookie fan; usually love their sweet stuff. Had a Beignet beer in NOLA that was way better than this recently

 

Congrats on the 114, stuck at 111, now. One quick kill there, but may never happen

 

Witches Hat, Midnight Train Black IPA, 6.8 abv, pitch black pour with small head, piney hop aroma, taste is all hop bitterness with sharp bite, dark malts add with deep coffee, bakers chocolate, medium body, this is a fantastic beer if you like bitter black IPAs like I do. Seasonal release from great South Lyon MI brewery.

 

Kvass, 0 percent beer, and third one is Happoshu. The 0 %will be easy, the desire to drink it, not so much.

 

Poured into a 16 oz tulip glass canned on 12/2/21. Pours a very hazy orange with a finger plus sticky white head that leaves loads of lace with excellent retention. 4.25

Aroma is ripe melon, tangerine, papaya, apricot, and some grapefruit rind. 4

Taste follows honeydew, tangerine, papaya, apricot, and a hint of grapefruit really well balanced. 4

Mouthfeel is pretty big, not sticky or dry, soft gentle carbonation, and at 8.2% really big flavor, but still easy going down. 4.25

Overall another very nice and slightly unique NEDIPA from Imprint. Thanks @jzeilinger for this can. 4 Cheers all.

 

A good tune to start Sunday morning

 

I'll have to see if they deliver in state. Not really an option for a lot of online beer sales in Arkansas.