New Beer Weekend #215

Good Labor Day Sunday afternoon, New Beer Sippers and Commentators. First, let me join others in saying how fun it is to have both @utopiajane and @cavedave post reviews today! They were the weekly hosts of NBS when I joined this special group of BAs and their ability to write descriptively and with wit about the beer they were reviewing elevated the thread and challenged the rest of us. I've spoken with countless brewers who told me they prefer BA reviews to Untappd ratings because it helps them in their craft. I also want to thank @lordofthewiens and @cjgiant who continued the excellent tradition of this thread. While I'll occasionally post a new beer on Saturday, for me Sunday afternoon is still a very special time and one of the highlights of my week. Enough gushy stuff.

Last weekend was Rushing Duck's 12th anniversary. It's one of my very favorite brewery experiences for many reasons, including ambience, the nice people there, and the very good beer. I met @cavedave for the first time at RD. Rushing Duck is skilled at blending Stouts, Barleywines, and Strong Ales. For this anniversary they released Off-Brand Cookiee Mostrr, a barrel-aged blend with cocoa and coconut. I had a 4 oz. pour (it's 15%) at the brewery but on draught it is too cold to appreciate. This ale definitely is not for everyone. It is made to resemble chocolate milk and I understand that could be off-putting to many. And while there is abundant chocolate and coconut sweetness, beneath lies a first rate American Strong Ale.

Poured at 64° It resembles chocolate milk: a murky, turbid, muddy brown with a frothy head and large bubbles. As the cap recedes there is some unappealing detritus floating at the top - it appears to be coconut. It more resembles a Kettle Sour than a Strong Ale but I think that is the intent so while it isn't the most appealing look I give it a good rating for achieving the desired effect. On the nose is sweet milk chocolate and coconut balanced by bourbon. Again, it's a little weird but apparently that is what was intended. I'm glad I let it warm because the flavor pops more than it did on draught - and much colder - at the brewery. While it certainly has the taste of chocolate and coconut, it isn't as sweet as the smell would indicate and the barrel effect is strong and hot. As it breathes the flavors become more complex with notes of black cherry, raisin, and toffee. Although the bourbon taste dissipates as it breathes, it is still quite hot and boozy. The mouth feel is more ale than stout. It is neither watery nor viscous. You can feel the 15% ABV. Overall, this is a brew that many will either love or hate. While it is undeniably gimmicky, it is also well-crafted and enjoyable. I bought four bottles of this behemoth and I don't know how well they will age.

4.24/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

I'll be back shortly to review a brand new DIPA from our local brewery. Cheers!

 

Sierra Nevada — Tumbler

The third one in the Fantastic Pack is the legendary Tumbler.

The beer is ruby-red dark brown, again with a quickly disappearing think head.

The nose is of roasted grain, toffee, and hops.

The taste is rich black ale, not like a brown ale.

The mouthfeel is not too heavy and refreshing ale.

Overall, it reminded me of Allagash Haunted House and Founders All Night IPA, both Cascadian IPAs, which is a good thing.

 

Too much beer in the cellar means sometimes I fail at following instructions. Case in point, this bottle of Crescent from Suarez Family Brewing clearly says "Please do not cellar" and I've had it since 2019...oops!


Straw color with good clarity and a persistent quarter inch head. Aroma has some lemongrass and pepper. Taste mostly follows...muted lemon with a crackery pepper kick on the finish. Extremely light and easy to drink. Overall, good beer.

 

yep

 

Love the name & art for this!

 

Brewing Projekt Grapefruit Gunpowder IPA, 7.1% ABV. Pours pale orange with a four-finger white head that left a lot of lacing. Aroma is grapefruit and rind. Taste follows, slightly sweet, moderately bitter. OK mouthfeel, overall very good.

3.83/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

 

Nothing's Left Brewing ( Tulsa, they proclaim to brew weird beers, they are correct on this one ) All Killer, No Filler West Coast IPA, 6.5% ABV; 3.61 overall


Pours an effervescent & chill hazed amber/orange with 2 fingers of cream-colored head. Stellar lacing & above average head retention, never drops bright

S: Biscuitty malt/cakeyness & woody hops

T: Follows the nose, very dry, toffee, in your face pineyness up front. Super piney, some toffee tries to achieve balance, very dry, some other woody hops at play here as this beer warms up, hints of orange as well. Finishes with plenty of pine, caramel , toffee, cakeyness & pronounced dryness

MF: Medium body, dialed back carbonation, skew astringent at times

Seems very much like a 90's IPA, just too much pine. I feel like some more citrus could've carried the day here. Not hard to drink, but helps when you know what you have gotten yourself into...

 

So after the Strong Ale from Rushing Duck I craved an IPA. Yesterday, I bought cans of a new one, White Shores, from our in-town brewery, Autodidact Beer. I hadn't planned on stopping there but for various reasons I did and was rewarded by meeting up with a friend who is a brewer at Oak Flower and a guy who works at my favorite bottle shop. I bought a pack of the brand new IPA, White Shores, hopped with Citra, Hellertau Blanc, and Motueka.

Holy brewer's droop, Batman, this is good! In fact, I think it's the best IPA that Autodidact has released to date. It pours an opaque, dense, pastel tangerine color with a robust, creamy, bright white head and lots of soapy lacing. A big, aromatic nose featuring lemon, lime, tangerine, and white wine. While there is nothing to indicate that lactose is used in this ale, the grist is soft and sweet and almost fluffy. There is lots of tart citrus from the Citra and Motueka but the Hellertau Blanc is used exceptionally well. The white wine notes are so subtle but they play a key role. The tastes blend terrifically. Everything is mellow except the overall taste! The mouth feel is extraordinary. It's so plush and creamy, rich and thick. The carbonation level is perfect and the 7.2% ABV gives it good substance but it's very drinkable. I'm totally impressed. I think this is Audidact's best DIPA to date. I could drink this every day!

4.43/5 rDev 0%

look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

It's interesting. Some breweries seem to "get it" from day one and others never do. I'm telling you. It won't be long before the NYC metro area is hearing about Autodidact. It's already blown past many competitors. The big question is whether they can brew beyond IPAs. I'll let you know.

Have a great Labor Day weekend, everyone!

 

Hey what's going on?!

Enjoying some extra time, and thankful for it. Definitely seems like the Summer switch is being turned off real quickly too..

that said always enjoying new beer, so what's new for our hero today?



Poured from the can into a nonic(k) pint glass.

Frothy and rich topped bright white head, reaching a solid three fingers and just filling the cup. Slightly clingy lacing, but with big staying power more impressively. Body color is opaque gold, kind of buttery looking, with just a hint of carbonation in places. Big rich looking beer.

Subtle but great sensing hop aroma. Light touches of tea and herbs, mixing with an almost floral note kicking in as well. Touches of thick malt and cookie dough like character also.

Palate reaches excellent senses. Floral and slightly peach flavors in mid palate and finishing with lots of biscuit and dough like sweetness. Slight pine bitterness in the aftertaste mixes with some marmalade like fruit flavors in the finish. Juicy but not overly sweet. Light in abv but feels full bodied, rich, and decadent.

Rich tasting pale ale, with big hop forward character, but sticks to pale ale truth and easy drinking. Excellently done.

4.25 all around.

Cheers!

 

Boulevard Chardonnay Cask-Aged Saison, 9.5% ABV; 9.5% ABV; 4.35 overall

Pours an effervescent gold with a sliver of rapidly falling eggshell colored head. Stays effervescent throughout the glass, some head retention & lacing

S: Orchard fruit, white wine

T: Pear, oaky white wine, hints of peach & Fuji Apples & dryness up front, some leafy hops as well up front, some band-aid notes as well. Plenty of Chardonay as this beer warms up, oakyness, pears & little green melon as this beer warms up. Finishes with pears, white grapes, golden raisins, oakyness & a little dryness

MF: Medium body, delicate carbonation, warming

Well made, not much on wine, but this is one you could give to a Wine Snob & they should love it, works great as Ale to be sure. Drinks light & crisp for the heft

 

Happy NBS!

Having a very juicy/tasty NEIPA from Cerebral Brewing (CO).

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/41719/711748/?ba=Wasatch#lists

Cheers!

 

Thanks to @jonphisher for the Jersey love!

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/44263/705365/



16 ounce can packaged 06/26/2024.

Moderate to vigorous pour yields a skin of a head that disappears instantly on top of a fairly bright, straw colored body

Nose of slight cracker, fresh hay, and the slightest bit of hops.

Taste is slightly sweet corn, malt, and a tiny bit of hop bitterness at the finish.

Mouthfeel is a tad thin with low to medium carbonation.

Overall, never a fan of this style as this is only the 2nd AAL rated by me.
It's just ok in my book.

 

New Rye IPA Weekend... @cavedave

I'll be joining our friend @shkin in a much missed style of mine, and I will also highlight another Vermont brewery that I thoroughly enjoy.

This weekend has been a long one, three soccer games for the oldest in two days, a family gathering yesterday, and another one today. The exhaustion is real but I'm taking a minute to join you all while the family is entertained with the Phillies game and I listen on from the next room.

This weekend I bid farewell to summer; as we return back to school. As someone who enjoys peace and quiet, and loves nothing more than silence going back to teaching each year is always a shock to the system but after a week or two of surrendering to the flow a calming sense or routine slowly returns.

Black Flannel - Rojo Amarillo (Rye IPA 6.6%)



This beer is beautiful it pours the deepest of reds with great clarity; head is a brown tinged white; fluffy, sticky and it leaves a substantial cap that lingers and lingers, also shows lots of lacing.

The nose is a mix of all things biting and sticky; sap, orange skin, light sweet toasty malts that present as caramelized; a floral nectar hides in the foreground.

The taste is like biting into pinecone; but then tampered by orange citrus, light caramel flavor with some toast quality; the pine and sap come back full swing on the finish and are most definitely enhance by that little bit of rye spice; I could see someone that doesn't like this style yelling "ew this tastes like pinesol," to which I'd say "yup, and it is glorious!!!"

Medium body; the hops are sticky, resinous and biting all over the tongue; high-moderate bitterness on the finish; quite drinkable and clean finishing, the sticky sappy feel just lingers on the tongue so pleasantly.

This is a wow beer for me because its everything I enjoy in an IPA, I miss beers like this but it makes it that much more special when they come my way.

-----------------

That is probably it for me on this holiday weekend, I had a great time here as always and I'm already looking forward to seeing all of you and your beers again next weekend. Have a great evening and week everyone!

 

It was a pleasure to chat with you for a bit @bobv. I really appreciate AAL and love that one but I can see why others are not a fan of the style. With that one it was more about giving you some Jersey love and that name was just about perfect. I had 5 AAL during our tasting and this was my second favorite out of the lot, only losing out to Schilling.

I'm currently drinking some Vermont goodies here in South Jersey!! If you didn't see my post yet, this is one awesome beer I'm drinking.

 

I can see how Rye IPA fills a huge gap in the IPA category of names. Can't wait for the English, Italian and French versions

 

Happy NBS!

Having a very tasty pumpkin ale from Elysian (WA).

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/700/103229/?ba=Wasatch#lists

Cheers!

 

Well this seals it for me--if we're ever in the same neck of the woods we need to grab a beer. We can get a pour, sit down together, and not talk to each other. It will be great.

 

The second of the old 4 pack from Duvel, Triple hopped Cashmere

Might be a little past it's best by date, but it's still really tasty. Retained much, if not all of the carbonation, looks great in the glass that came with the 4 pack.
The taste leads with melon and bubble gum and very little bitterness. I think "soft" is what I was thinking when I was drinking it.
The feel is, well, soft. Not really crisp, not viscous, just smooth and soft. Way too easy to quaff considering it's ABV.
OA, it *is* very tasty, I enjoyed it very much but not sure I'd buy a a 6 pack for myself.