New Beer Weekend #187

3.73/5 rDev -6.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

12 oh-ze can poured into a 33cL glass. Canned on 1/12/24, drank on 2/17/24. Plenty fresh!
A fluffy foam makes a momentary presence, but leaves for parts unknown, quickly. Spongy lacing hovers on the top quarter of the glass.,
Nose is pinesy dank, sure, but lots of malt pokes through.
Taste is 9.5% ABV alcohol forward, eliminating any fine nuances the sud has to offer. This Frankenbeer has an O.D. of bittering hops and more ‘dust’ than needed. The brewer is trying too hard to blow me away, IMO., Patience allows my palate to pick up what’s being laid down., and it feels forced. Alchemy.,.
Mouth is thin, low end of medium carbonation.
Overall, despite its ‘classy’ throwback branding, this is no better than any New Belgium gas station beer.
I certainly hoped for lots more.,.

 

Heck, I got beer from Namibia thanks to the last BIF I was in because of @Beersnake .
Now to my next beer, and my good friend @Alefflicted kindly gave this to me.


Breakaway Blonde Ale - Samuel Adams Brewing - American Blonde Ale - 4.7% ABV

Thought I should go lighter here with this. It isn't crazy, but is just an easy drinker. Great malty gran flavor. This would be a great beer on a hot summer day fishing.

Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/35/683837/

3.74/5 rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
From a 12 oz bottle enjoy before May

Clear as heck pouring beer from the bottle. Golden in color. Slight bit of carbonation rising in the glass. The head isn't too thick at 1 finger. Creamy looking with mostly small bubbles. Decent retention with a somewhat of a sticky lacing on the glass.
The nose is very grainy smelling. It reminds me of driving through the country in the summer and smelling the air - sans cow pies - and the beautiful corn and grain growing. Pleasing.
Taste - Very grainy flavor here. Malty. Buttery biscuit. Slight bitterness also pops in from the hops, and it lingers on the back.
The body is quite crisp feeling. Clean bodied.
Easy drinking, and tasty overall. This would be great on a hot summer day.

Be back later for more.

 

Here's a good ol' Bell's Hazy Hearted IPA. Not too shab. Cheers!
3.88/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
12 oz can best buy 02 June 24 into a Becher glass.
L: SRM 4 Pours gold with an orange hue, a thin white head that quickly goes down to edge foam, steady carbonation bubbles, light sediment is visible, medium-light random lacing.
S: Papaya, guava, distant orange.
T: Lightly tart citrus, tangerine, grapefruit, orange, wheat, a hint of confectionery sugar, has a citrus aftertaste/linger that is tropical overall.
F: Gently crisp and fairly juicy medium-bodied feel with a medium length smooth, dry finish.
O: Succulent tasting citrus along with a smooth feel means easy drinking. Easy for being 7.5% ABV. It is simple, citrus-forward and is very good in its style.

 

Thanks for keeping track of this - I try but always lose count. For some reason although I don't mind the new way, remembering NBS matters to me.So....we have nine weeks to get ready for NBS 1000! I'm gonna try and find something cool.

 

Really thoughtful and fun post to read @Roguer, I loved it. Thank you for sharing.

 

Haven’t yet had a chance to catch up on the thread but contributing here quickly.

East Hartford - Leafy Penny (märzen)



Attractive in the glass and great clarity.

Robust malt character carries throughout. Some sharp hop presence atop it all. It’s very approachable, never sweet. Full bodied, drinks above its abv. Just a beautifully crafted, polished pint.

 

Daughter and grandsons coming over for dinner. They requested fried rice, so I need to start putting that together. I'm drinking Brite As Hell, a Munich Style Helles, from Jack's Abbey.
Clear gold color. Small white head that retains well. Some lace.
Aroma of bread, earthy/floral hops.
Taste of white bread, honey, hops.
Crisp, lingering bitterness.
Very nice beer.

 

I am back and it's one that I am a bit not too sure about.


Belgian Golden Strong - Dangerous Man Brewing - Maple Lake, MN - 10.7% ABV

They used Belgian yeast in here, that much I am sure of. There's a ton of bubblegum sweetness here, and that seems to be the main flavor in this beer, so much so, it overpowers the grassy and malt flavors I could slightly get.

Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/30349/89147/

3.7/5 rDev -5.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
From a 12 oz can, no date on it but given to me from the brewery rep.

Somewhat clear golden pouring beer, there is, however, some sediment in this beer. The had that formed is 1 finger, but not extremely long lasting. The end result is a white ring around the glass with minimal lacing.
The aroma hits from afar. I get bubblegum notes. Up close the bubblegum is strong from the Belgian yeast used. Somewhat of a malty hint to this beer as well.
Taste - The bubblegum flavor is off the chart here, and it's the overpowering flavor. This provides a lot of sweetness to this beer. In a way, it's very one dimensional. Faint hints of malts, and a faint grassy flavor shows up under the bubblegum.
Decent and full bodied. The sweetness does linger in my throat.
Very one dimensional beer here. Interesting, and I think they used Belgian yeast in this beer. Not sure as to what I think about it.

I may have one more in me later.

 

Troegs - Double Nugget Nectar, thanks to @jonphisher for making another dream come true.

16oz can served in a snulip. "Fresh by" 05/14/24.

Pours dark amber with about a finger of dense, light khaki-colored head, settles into a thick skin, moderate active carbonation. Smell is toffee, pine resin, grapefruit rind, maybe a little whiff of nuts. Smells great.

Taste is all that again, maybe in a different order. Pine resin and grapefruit rind are very bright, toffee is slightly burnt and brings a lovely sweetness.

Mouthfeel is satisfyingly hefty, not sticky but weighty. Overall, this is super good and exactly what I was looking for.

Shameless plug: Join the madness of NBS BIF #18!

 

God, @jonphisher, this is so good, I love it. This could fill the hole left behind by Lagunitas Imperial Red. Thank you!

 

I strongly appriove of this plug @snaotheus . I was on the fence for awhile on this, but I finally decided to pull the trigger and join this round.

Shameless plug: Join the madness of NBS BIF #18!

 

Makes me happy that you’re happy I had to get it to you

 

Enjoyed White Russian Imperial Stout from Southern Pines. Pretty solid milk stout!

4.17/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Beer poured black with a very nice tan head that has some decent hang time.

Nose has notes of roasted malts and coffee.

Taste is very nice with a large medium roasted malt base that fuses nicely with the coffee, vanilla, cocoa and lactose adjuncts. Finishes nicely balanced with a deft touch of sweetness and roastiness.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied with each sip feeling soft and smooth.

Overall the base beer and the adjuncts work really well together. Would definitely have this again if available in the future.
Cheers!
Tom

 

This is Juice Bomb, an NEIPA from Sloop courtesy of @Mikexw via a BIF last fall.

4.05/5 rDev -3.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Cold stored since acquisition. Beer poured a chilled golden orange with a very nice white head.

Nose is full of tropical and citrus hops.

Taste is a moderately sized pale malt base that gives way to the hopping that is pineapple forward with notes of orange and mango. Finishes balanced with no overt bitterness; 5/10 on my bitterness scale.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied and kind of refreshing.

Overall a tasty beer. Thanks for the opportunity to try Mike!

 

Good Sunday afternoon, New Beer Sippers and commentators. My wife and I spend a lot of time in deep South Jersey (below Atlantic City) and I frequent many of the breweries in that part of the state. One of my favorites is Glasstown Brewing Co., in Millville, Cumberland County. It's probably one of the most out-of-the-way breweries in the state and for those whose New Jersey experience is limited to flying in and out of Newark, it's a completely different world. One of the cool things about the brewery is that it's located adjacent to MIllville Army Air Field Museum, which houses a large collection of vintage military aircraft. There are air shows several times a year.

Glasstown celebrated its 10th Anniversary 2 weeks ago and it released a couple of special beers which I'll review today. The first is Lucifer's Blood, a Belgian Dark Strong Ale aged in Boone County bourbon barrels. I'll say first that I don't endorse the name. But I most definitely endorse the ale! I had the "limit" of two 9 oz. pours at the brewery yesterday and it's just as good poured from a can.

The color is dark burgundy-ruby-cola and it sports a long-lasting half finger cap of creamy, light khaki foam and thin sheen of lacing. The smell is rich and aromatic with sweet malts, raisin, fig, black cherry, caramel, oak, and tobacco smoke. The aroma of bourbon increases as it warms. The bourbon influence is stronger in the taste. The flavor of the base ale matches the complexity of the nose. There is the sweetness of the raisin, fig, and other dark fruit, and brown sugar but there is balancing dry oak, red wine, and Belgian spice notes. The aging in Boone County bourbon barrels imparts a soft, warming influence although it doesn't come across as overly boozy. This ale has a rich, velvety mouth feel but it's not syrupy. It is moderately carbonated and the 13% ABV is surprisingly well-hidden. It also improves as it warms and breathes in the glass. It should be savored - not pounded.

4.43/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I'm glad I bought 6 cans of this gem! Shortly, I'll review Glasstown's 10th anniversary IPA. Cheers, NBW!

 

Kros Strain Barrelywine Volume 10 WilLiquors BBA English Barleywine, 13% ABV. Pours thick and blackish brown with a slight head that dissipated before I could get a picture, leaving no lacing. Aroma is bourbon and caramel. Flavor is strong caramel, bourbon, some fruitiness, moderately sweet, slightly tangy, slightly bitter, no bourbon burn. Excellent mouthfeel, overall world-class.

4.62/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

When there's a style I don't like, I make it a point to keep trying them. That got me over my dislike of IPAs, Sours, and Barleywines. This is the best Barleywine I've had, largely owing to being BBA. This is a collab with WilLiquors, a local liquor store that provided the barrels. I'm getting more tomorrow.