New Beer Weekend #82

Greetings All from the Great Northwest where spring is in the air. 50 degree air, but we'll take it.

Today we have Strata IPA from Worthy brewing in Bend Oregon.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/31004/298313/

It's a fruity brew with an earthy presence. Nice prelude to the football game.

No real rooting interest for me. We are in Kupp Country, but he's not a Seahawk, so....

Until next time

 

Okay all, technically this is a yesterday beer, but I finally got a chance to spend a few minutes at the computer. Literally, as we leave in 10 minutes for the Superb Bird (Or whatever @BBThunderbolt calls it) party.
One I should have tried ages ago, but it took a trade to get one into my hands:

Received this cellared version in a trade with @Providence - Date code is L11-545 So bottled in 2011? No idea, but he said it was old.
Poured rather darker than expected for an Ale; almost cola brown. The tall, ivory colored head lasted a very brief time before retreating just to the circumference of the glass.
The aroma was potent! Lots of dark fruit (Think figs and/or prunes) and a surprising amount of spice - almost akin to a Christmas ale - curious as I wasn't expecting that at all.
The flavor follows, the malts lead the party but the spices (cinnamon, nutmeg?) want to play too. It may be my imagination but it seems they didn't want to get along. Didn't matter to me, I enjoyed it anyway.
The feel was better than expected if this is indeed an 11 year old bottle. Not thick and chewy, not thin and watery. I would not have guessed that at all; but now I kick myself for not grabbing a fresher one for a side by side.
Really good beer, but then, that seems to be the consensus.
Cheers All!

 

Slightly edited cross post from the Cellaruary thread.

I walked on by this beer many times in the store (when I still went to stores) because I considered it to be overpriced (yeah, I know... it's a "99 World-Class" here, but we're suckers for a BA Imperial stout...).

Anyhow, in a weak moment, I did order one from my favorite curb-side pickup store a while back, and it sat in my 'fridge, and sat, until I finally moved it to the cellar to make room for other beers.

Lift Bridge 2020 Silhouette Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout
ABV: 11%
IBU: NA

Taken from a ~42° refrigerator and allowed to warm for 30 minutes or so unopened. Drinking started at mid-50°'s (a guess).

Opaque black topped by a ½ inch creamy-appearing dark tan head with short retention. Little visible carbonation and what lacing does appear with a tip of the glass quickly slides back down into the tan ring. The ring eventually disappears completely, leaving a still surface.

Very strong aroma. Bourbon first, then barrel. Molasses. Slight hint of vanilla.

Rich flavor, mirroring the aroma. Bourbon, oak, vanilla, sweet molasses. Adding to the party is roasted malts and dark fruits. Toward the finish and into the aftertaste, dark chocolate appears along with the alcohol, slightly warming my mouth in the after. The finish is sweet vanilla and dark chocolate.

The body is substantial, approaching viscous (but not quite getting there).

Overall, this BA stout is excellent, indeed. A rich aroma and flavor, a substantial body, lots of bourbon and barrel without overpowering the underlying Imperial stout flavors, a sweet, but controlled sweetness, finish. It's not a dessert beer, but an excellent evening sipping beer. If I'm feeling like splurging, I may actually buy it again!

L: 4.0 | S: 4.5 | T: 4.5 | F: 4.25 | O: 4.5 | Rating: 4.45

 

Yeah, but aren't you the harshest critic on BA?

 

https://www.kanelobrand.com/product/glass-repair-fluid/

 

Good afternoon NBS/nbw and thanks @Shanex for hosting this weeks event..
Today we spoke with #1 son via Skype, always good to catch up with them,
The offering today is a bit of an odd duck, Imperial Saison?
All in all a tasty beer that is packaged perfectly in the 11.2 oz format.
Cheers all

Aestatis

Farmhouse Ale - Saison | 11% ABV
De Struise Brouwers in Oostvleteren, Belgium

3.9/5 rDev +2.1% | Average: 3.82
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
by SABERG from Massachusetts

Poured from the 330 ml bottle into the test glass, this is the 2015 versin so 7 yrs.
A - Bottle opened with a lively hiss, carbonation yields a tall off white froth. Deep copper color, lovely clarity.
S - Raisin, brown sugar, a bit of burnt brown toast with fig spread.
T - The aromatics along with, plum skin, a bit of tobacco, with a strong dark honey thread, and dark tea.
M - Medium in body, lite on the palate, sweet start is shuffled along by the carbonation, the mid palate is a bit spicy, Linger is back to sweet. Pleasantly dry
O - A good Belgian strong mascarading as an imperial Saison, Excellent texture, lovely aromatics. I will seek this out again

 

At least it cracked, and didn't shatter entirely (looking at you, my former Jever pilsner glass).

 

Very well done!

 

Another example of malice done by the NE"IPA".

It used to be that hefeweizens and kellerbiers (for example) were hazy. Now, a beer is not hazy unless it is turbid.

 

Oh wow, I remember reviewing that back in 2016! Thanks for teleporting me back in time a bit. Also, nice glass

Here's my last new one of the evening... Southern Grist's Marshmallow Peanut Butter Blueberry Jelly Hill. I have had exactly one good beer that did the PB&J sour thing correctly, and it is one of my favorite beers ever (although the most recent batch was less good, imo), and that is Bastards in a Basket by Widowmaker/Second Wind. Southern Grist is pretty well-liked but I don't believe I've had very much by them, so let's see if they can achieve the nigh-impossible here.



The pour is a jammy red color with some violet/purple/pink hints to it, bringing to mind some blueberry sours I've had in the past. This beer was made with blueberry puree as well as marshmallow, peanut butter powder, and lactose, so it makes sense that they achieved this nice-looking color. The head is quickly-building and slowly-fading, which is nice compared to many other sour beers out there. That said, it does recede to the edge of my glass after a few minutes, leaving behind only splotchy bubbles on the surface.

Bringing this one up to my nose, I am immediately smelling some bread crust and jammy notes that seem pretty promising overall. The peanut butter isn't as prominent as I want it to be, and that's disappointing, but I feel like that's one of those things you'd rather not go crazy with just in case it blows out the other added ingredients entirely and sends the balance out of whack. Perhaps it'll be a case of the smell opening up a bit as it acclimates to room temp, I think, and so I let it sit for a little bit, sipping here and there. After about ten minutes in my glass, there's ever-so-slightly more salty/roasted peanut oil here but it's still missing the admittedly-difficult mark for me. Just being picky, though, as I generally am enjoying the blueberry jamminess mixed with the notes of raspberry and rustic wheat.

More fruit than anything else on the tongue, but the mid-palate is strongly wheat-driven with a flour-laden element that feels like it's trying to bring to mind the peanut butter addition, but it's just slightly below where it should be. I just want a bit more of that bold roastiness, and I think they could have pushed it a tad more to get that in here. The sourness is not over-the-top at all, and, in fact, it feels a little restrained. Not a bad thing at all, but just noticing it. Slightly heavy feel with a semi-prickling carbonation that starts to fade before the finish, which is again quite balanced with dark grassy fruitiness and modest tart aspects. Probably not something I'd get again, but it is alright for what they attempted. Could've been worse!

 

Yikes!

This beer is hitting me hard!

I just finished it, and, wow! Everything is wobbly!

Are they sure it is "only" 11% ABV? Good thing I didn't have a 750ml to finish...

 

Yo another entry for NBW. Need to make up for lost time.
Austin Street Brewery
Bombtracker DIPA.
This ones brewed with Kveik yeast which I tried to start a thread with at some point but it never really took off but I get it. This yeast is very resilient and ferments at higher temps. I became interested when I followed Lars Garshol, check it out.
This pours a very hazy orange with a nice creamy 1/2" head that settles fairly quickly to a thin ring. Some nice lacing as well.
Aroma is tangerine/orange and ripe pineapple, mango.
Taste follows with almost orange creamsicle, candied orange peel, tropicals. There is an almost indescribable taste in this that I can only describe as "meaty". I looked up a few brewers that use this and Daniel Cady of Mikkeller described the yeast flavor profile as "Grand Marnier".. bingo.
The feel is interesting- soft yes but finishes with a citric acid quality- not off putting. Quite dry actually. Warming, but not alcoholic. It thins out on the finish as well with tiny carb that doesnt fade. You will notice the fruity esters absence which makes it more of an interesting and more unique brew.
Good brew.
I remember going to Austin Street with my brother years ago. You could go to Allagash, Foundation, and Bissel all on Industrial Drive...then tucked into a corner in a tiny space was Austin St.
After visiting all the others we tried their brew. They had minimal capacity and were serving a 3.7% IPA.. we though they were crazy but after visiting all those others we were blown away by how much flavor they packed into that beer. Anyhow enough blabbing. Cheers!

 

Much like @Whyteboar I had plans to have some new beers by now but duty has called all day so far. Our youngest feverish and acting sick, I've been entertaining oldest; playing out in the snow, running errands and playing inside. I'm hopeful I have some time tonight to join you all for one last beer. If I can't I will continue to enjoy reading what everyone is drinking.

 

Yeah. I'm learning.

 

Fox Farm Wile Citra IPA, 7.4% ABV; 4.44 Overall courtesy of @sulldaddy

Pours a superhazed gold with 2 fingers of fluffed up pearl colored head. Above average head retention & lacing

S: Citrus, Mangoes & Guava, Green melon once warm

T: Oranges, limes, green melons & passion fruit up front. Dryness asserts as this warms, along with pineapple, green melon, passion fruit & lime. Finishes with lime, green melon, pineapple & a little powdery dryness

MF: Medium body, restrained carbonation that picks up once warm, great balance

Well done, very drinkable. This would be in the rotation if locally available

 

There can never be enough blabbing @tasterschoice62

I’ve only had one kviek yeast beer and I really did not like it. Unfortunately I’m unsure if it was just a not good beer or if it was because of the yeast. I think it was cape may brewing “swinging the lamp,”

Do you notice a certain contribution that beer consistently makes to the beers you’ve had with it?

 

Honestly the last one, which I cant even remember, touted on the label as being a Kviek yeast beer and I did not like it.