New Beer Weekend #208

Can't remember the last time I reviewed an IPA, as I don't generally buy them and I've barely bought any beer in the last two years as I've been focusing on drinking down my inventory. That said, I bought a few different ones last weekend at Hill Farmstead as I knew I had a couple boxes to send out to people, so I find myself with a few new ones on hand.

This is Double Nelson

3.59/5 rDev -20.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Canned July 2nd, 2024.

Good looking beer, highlighted by a dense white head that had excellent retention. Aroma doesn't burst from the glass, but up close there are plenty of really nice tropical fruit notes.

Taste has plenty of mixed tropical fruit notes, with a moderate level of bitterness on the finish. Feel is a little thinner than I would have expected.

Overall, I guess I can see why IPA lovers like this beer.........but I'm not an IPA lover.

 

Newport/Cincinnati separated by the river, so close you can see the other...

 

Traveling, gas station beer.

Goose - Tropical Beer Hug



Not bad. There’s clear hop bitterness, I don’t taste much of the booze but it feels big and full of body. There’s a heft of malt but it’s all Pilsner type malt characteristics, nothing is too loud or offensive. Not too bad for what it is, probably wouldn’t seek it out again but hey!

Cheers and I hope everyone in the heat is staying cool-ish!

 

Templin Family - Ethereal

16oz can served in a curvy Monhegan pint glass. Don't see a date on the can. Got it from @NorsemanOne in a trade.

Pours a moderately hazy pale amber, smallish head, not a lot of carbonation. Smell is cloves, wheat, a whiff of banana, lots of bread yeast.

Taste is similar, but with a moderate earthy/grassy bitterness. Grains and yeast outshine the clove and banana.

Mouthfeel is light, smooth, and contrary to the appearance, prickly with effervescence. Overall, very nice beer -- clearly a hef, but on the drier and grainier side, which I appreciate.

 

Moab - Rocket Bike, amber lager

16oz can served in a curvy Monhegan pint glass. Don't see a date on it. Obtained via trade with @NorsemanOne. This can says 5% abv.

Pours clear, amber, big fluffy head, settles slowly, lumpy and lush. Smell is very earthy and nutty, wet leaves and cooked walnuts. Something slightly green / vegetal about it.

Taste is almost roasty -- nutty as heck, a little toffee, some dark bread, lightly grassy, Earthy bitterness.

Mouthfeel is light, smooth, clean. Overall, very nice.

 

Shilling rennsteig schwarzbier
...an almost cola appearance
...medium light carbonation with about an average body but has almost sticky sweet feel about it
...aroma is roasted malt, roasted barley and grain,cereal and dark bread. Theres some caramel in the background, overall some nice nose candy going on.
...taste for the most part is identical to aroma. Slight bitter rough edge in a nice way from the toasted grain with some mild sweetness way in the background.
..overall I've never had a loser from this brewery

 

Hello beer friends, I'm incredibly happy to be back in routine and posting a beer here. To celebrate weekend normality I opened a beer from our friend @snaotheus. I think he knows how much I love English beers and he always send me a few in his surprise boxes, this is one of those beers. Here goes nothing...

Ilk Beer - Totten's Best Bitter (English Bitter 4.1%)



This is one pretty looking beer; first off it is crystal clear, color is a mix of amber and light brown, the head is off white and lightly clumpy in nature.

Malt leads the nose; little bit of caramel character, light toast, nut skin, hop character is light but I'd go with earthy and some light floral character.

Taste is nice; toast, light biscuit, earth laden hop character; some light fruitiness in the foreground.

Body is light, slightly watery; smooth carbonation, noticeable light bitterness; dry and clean.

Another quality English beer sent my way from Ryan, thanks for being such a beer saint @snaotheus.

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Hunkering down here for heat advisory #3 of the summer from Sunday-Wednesday, after that it looks promising for some possible deck time at night. I hope I don't melt away before Thursday...see you all tomorrow from the inferno known as south jersey.

 

Good evening denizens of NBW! Might have a couple to share with you tonight and the first one is at BJ’s - Tatonka Stout.
I mean, you have to try their stout, right? If they can’t do that well, just stick with water.

Except they did a good job.
Stout black with a creamy beige head that coated the glass with lacing.
The taste was surprisingly good, rich chocolate and mild coffee with dark fruit, overripe figs maybe? The advertised 60 IBU is maybe 20, just no hops presence can be found.
The feel is soft and almost thick. Not viscous in the traditional sense, not sure how else to describe it.
OA, better than I thought it would be, I will definitely have it again.
Cheers all!

 

Dude, way to step out of your comfort zone! Though I’m not sure you put that beer on anyone’s wanted list!

 

Wooly Pig - Keller Pils zwick'lbier, attempted @beergoot pour

500ml bottle served in a footed pilsner glass. Don't see a date on it. Gifted to me by beergoot himself.

Pours a hazy light amber. Big, fluffy head. Strong retention. Eventually settles into a crinkly, dry-looking, crusty cratered moonscape. Moderate to high active carbonation. Smell is bready and grassy, very grainy, lots of yeast.

Taste is light, mineral-y, grassy/earthy bitterness, yeast and grain comes through pretty strong in the flavor just like the aroma. Bread is there, but lighter, something kind of nutty about it, too. Slowly, some citrus builds up, enriching everything else.

Mouthfeel is light, clean, maybe thin. Overall, very nice, like the graininess.

 

It is a requirement to attempt a @beergoot pour if he sends you the beer, so it was written, I hear, or read somewhere, some time

 

I was thinking about not having anything today. After the events of this day, I needed a beer, and this is a just amazing beer that @Whyteboar sent to me.

Dragon's Milk Triple Mash (2024) - New Holland Brewing - Holland, MI - American Imperial Stout - 18.7%

I am amazed how this beer isn't boozy. Damn, there's almost no burn here at all. Very full flavor, and damn delicious.

Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/335/181811/
4.44/5 rDev +4.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
From a 12oz bottle.

A nice billowing cloud of smoke rising out of the bottle as I opened the cap. This is a very dark pouring beer. It looked like cola while pouring. In the glass it is pitch black in color, with no light shining through. The head is a 1 finger tan color. It actually lasted damn long considering the alcohol content. There's no lacing on the glass as the head dissipates to a ring in the glass.
There's a good bourbon hit in the aroma. It is strong, but not overpowering. I also get a good vanilla note as well. There's a boozy aroma to this beer.
Taste - There's a hint of the barrel up front. The barrel isn't overpowering at all. I get notes of vanilla, chocolate, caramel, toffee, and dark fruit. There's a lot of plum I'm getting here.
This beer is very strong, but it really isn't boozy feeling. There's almost no burn here. There's a bubbly feeling to this beer. Nice and smooth feeling. Full beer.
This beer is downright amazing, and wow, what a needed beer on this July 13, 2024.


One and done today. Cheers!

 

Traveling but you take your beer glass with you, sweet!

 

Good evening NBW
As a stroke of good fortune, I stumbled across two new-to-me Hoppin Frog beers while running into a nearby liquor store for a few extra AALs for last week's event. T.O.R.I.S to start


8.45oz can Best By August 2033 poured into a tulip glass at fridge temp 13.8% ABV. The beer pours absolute pitch black with medium brown colored head. The head recedes to a thin ring and single layer of bubbles. The aroma is mild to moderate in strength with bitter dark chocolate, ash and ethanol (not in a bad way). The taste is bittersweet roasted malt with ash, dark chocolate, anise and booze. Big bitterness throughout. The feel is full bodied with less than medium carbonation and a mostly dry finish. You can tell it's a double digit ABV, but I wouldn't guess 13.8. Overall, excellent. Fanatic slow sipper with real RIS character and no added nonsense.

Cheers all!

 

You and I are simpatico here!

Cheers!

 

Jackie os dark apparition
...solid black appearance
...light carbonation with a thick, creamy almost oily feel.
..aroma is bourbon, wood, malt, with a mild but perfect amount of vanilla and coffee. Sweet sticky bourbon is probably the most dominant
...taste is similar to aroma with an almost dry element from the wood and coffee.
.. overall its an excellent beer,many thanks to @Blogjackets

 

Well, I *was* going to have a second stout from BJ’s, but the server was apparently overwhelmed with other people so never got the chance. But I finally found (okay, why are people in distant states able to get this beer before those of us who live in the same county as Founders?) KBS Chocolate Espresso.

Not sure what I expected but I didn’t get it.
KBS itself is really a good BA stout and the variants are often quite good. This one isn’t, for me at least.
The only chocolate was that typically found in a good stout and the espresso was front and center. The expected balance is just off.
The feel is lightly viscous, about what every KBS is. Appropriate for the style.
OA, picked up a 4 pack, we’ll see how they age. Hard to imagine how the balance will improve though.
Cheers!

 

I have two kids under 25 under the roof & a part reptile wife. I do as little as possible July-September.

 

Blasphemer!