New Beer Weekend #248

Welcome one and all to New Beer Sunday #1052., and Happy Easter.

Was too emersed in baseball yesterday, but will join @jonphisher listening to my favorite teams today (Devils post White Sox and Golden Knights) and perhaps hitting the bar tomorrow to watch Les Habitants & the Winepeg Jets. I like the playoff mix, but don't like these years with no games on OTA TV.

As promised, my final Deep Woods from the season, with a Chicago beer to celebrate Easter Monday during the extended New Beer Weekend.

Revolution Double Barrel V. S. O. R.

3.81/5 rDev -15.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75



4/20/25 - (Can - Home) (Chicago, IL) Can Notes: Received from Revolution Brewery as part of the Deep Woods Season ticket package on November 15, 2024, refrigerated where it remained until opening this morning. 12 oz, canned 11/1/24 @ 6:44:31 AM, 16.3% ABV. Rye Ale aged in Rye & Bourbon Barrels. Ethereal Elegance and Astral Spirit. Revolution Beer LLC, 3340 N. Kedzie Avenue, Chicago, IL.

Appearance: Poured full can into a Deep Woods handheld snifter, yielding a very dark brown near black base and very brief tan bubbly head leaving no trace. 4.0

Aroma: Let this sit for 15 minutes to warm to proper temperature, with mild bourbon aroma, some plums and raisins, and not much else. Much lighter in strength and depth than anticipated. 3.5

Taste: Fuller flavor than the aroma, a very strong smooth bourbon and nice rye competing for attention. The base is relegated to the background as this deep aging has the barrel front and center, with nowhere else to turn. Very strong, perhaps too, though consistent with marketing / labeling. 4.0

Mouthfeel: Bourbon and rye continue to emerge, and the strength grows near harsh, drinking above the high 16.3% ABV. This is the double version, but I'm longing for the base that can't be found. Strong barrels restrain sweetness to a minimal malt sensation, coupled with Bourbon and the Silver Medal Rye from start to finish. 3.75

Overall: I typically enjoy the to me much more balanced treatment of the standard great Deep Woods offerings vs. adjuncts or extra barrel time, and this is no exception. Overall, I'm glad I'm trying today, but if I didn't have a season ticket and just tried this at a preview party, I would likely be happy with the one pour and forego the $50 + tax retail four pack price. If you like a very strong barrel presence, this is one to try to score. Solid, but not a favorite from this season. 3.75

 

Good day BAs! Posting yesterday's New Breakfast Beer:



Firmly Rooted from Free Will Brewing. Purchased from their website 11/03/25. 12.68 fl oz capped bottle, $ 11.00 (Including tax)/ $ 0.868/fl oz. Reviewed 19/04/25 (Review 3508). Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
Undated bottle. Stored in at 39 degrees F at home: served at 44.0 degrees F in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. The final temperature is 52.7 degrees F.
Appearance – 4
First pour – Pale straw (SRM 2), clear.
Body – Pale Gold (SRM 4), opaque. Under direct light, same. When rear-lite, golden glow with many rising bubbles and a slight haze.
Head – Average (Maximum 2.6 cm, aggressive center pour), high density, white, average retention. It eventually recedes to a 1.3 – 1.5 cm head and rocky cap.
Lacing – Excellent! As the head recedes and the beer level drops, the head coats the inside of the glass with a sheet of tiny to near-microscopic bubbles. As it ages, a few windows open.
Aroma – 4.25 – Lemony with spruce. No yeast, no malt, no alcohol.
Flavor – 4.75 – Begins slightly acidic with lemon and spruce – very refreshing and cleansing. No yeast, no malt. No alcohol (5.3 % ABV, according to the label). No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl. No gastric warming occurs. Ends with the taste but not the bitterness of lemons, a little bit sweet.
Palate – 4 – Medium: watery: lively carbonation.
Style: Follows the style guidelines as condensed by BA.
Final impression and summation: 4 (After deducting 0.25 point for an undated personal container) Best spruce-tip beer I’ve had, bar none! The spruce is present in both the flavor and aroma, although it fades a bit as the nose ages. The lemon-ness seems to accentuate the spruce terpenes. The label seems to be original block-printed art, marked with what may be the artist’s initials –if so, kudos to Free Will for producing unique labels and giving the artist credit!

Rating 4.36, rDev +1.4%

 

Glad you like it. Ironic that Elm has oak!

 

Annnnd... Today's New Breakfast Beer:



Negation (Ghost Negation) from Adroit Theory. Received from their website 25/03/25. 16 fl oz can, $ 6.50 (Including tax)/ $ 0.406/fl oz. Reviewed 20/04/25 (Review 3509). Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
Undated can. Stored in at 39 degrees F at home: served at 56.1 degrees F in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. The final temperature is 60.6 degrees F.
Appearance – 4
First pour – Deep Brown (SRM 30), opaque.
Body – Deep Brown (SRM 30), opaque. Under direct light, same. When rear-lite, same.
Head – Average (Maximum 2.2 cm, aggressive center pour), high density, Tuscan tan lightening to tan as it oxygenates, average retention. It recedes to a 0.3 – 0.5 cm head and thin cap, fed by continuing lively carbonation.
Lacing – None – not unexpected at 12% ethanol.
Aroma – 4 – Mild roasted malt with hints of char. No yeast, no hops, no alcohol.
Flavor – 4.25 – Slightly bitter turning slightly sweet. Roasted malt, coffee, chocolate. Hints of “dark fruit.” No yeast, no hops. No alcohol (12 % ABV, according to the label). No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl. Moderate gastric warming occurs.
Palate – 4 – Full: creamy: lively carbonation.
Style: Follows the style guidelines as condensed by BA.
Final impression and summation: 4 (After deducting 0.25 point for an undated personal container) Typical unsigned symmetric metal label art. This is a good but not outstanding take on the Russian Imperial Stout. Roast malt, coffee, hints of dark fruit, beginning slightly bitter and ending slightly sweet.

Rating 4.1, rDev 0% (First Review)

 

Special Pale Ale from Wellington County Brewery

Poured a 473ml can into a pint glass. A big two finger head on a almost imperceptibly hazy copper. Good head retention and sheets of lacing.

Malts in the nose. Some fruit. Some mild caramel in the taste. A low level hop finish.

Smooth. Medium body and good carbonation. The brewers have taken advantage of the hard water in Guelph, this is a fine English Pale Ale.

rDev +14.5% look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

 

My wife loves the Mortalis sours: as fresh as possible the juicy is bright, she rolls the can before opening, and the carbonation changes with time.
She likes the daiquiri style, I figured you are a sweet tooth you might like it

 

4.3/5 rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Courtesy of @muchloveforhops3

Pours pitch black with two fingers of mocha-colored, airy head. Ample lacing. Strong maple presence on the nose, almost akin to nosing straight syrup. Coffee is there and hints of caramel. Taste makes sure the coffee is known and balances out the abundant maple sweetness. Dark chocolate shows up late and carries through to the finish. Mouthfeel is moderately carbonated, silky and creamy. Finish is dark chocolate and more maple. The 11% ABV is well-hidden. While this skirts the line of a dessert beer fridge-temp to say 50 degrees, this turns more into a dessert beer as it warms; the mouthfeel goes more oily and sweetness amps up. My recommendation is don't let it get to room-temp.

 

Good Easter Sunday morning NBS/nbw and thanks to @Beersnake for hosting this weekend.
The 250 year annivesary of the Battle of Lexington and Concord was yesterday, with the annual reenactment viewed by thousands of spectators this year.
Today's offering is from Back East Brewing, we stopped at the brewery on our way home from an overnight in New Haven after seeing St Vincent perform.
A very good Kolsch (style) with a nice round mouth feel and crisp dry finish
Make the most of your day

Find Your Way Back Series: Kölsch

Kölsch | 5.7% ABV
Back East Brewing Company in Bloomfield, Connecticut

Reviewed by SABERG from Massachusetts

3.94/5 rDev 0% | Average: 3.94
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from an undated 16 oz can, purchased at the brewery yesterday.
A - Excellent clarity, forsythia yellow color. There is a quick to exit white cap. Carbonation in clear view is steady and fun to watch.
S - A bit of honey, light malt, a bit of grassy hops
T - Biscuity malt, a bit of minerality in the water profile. some honey notes and a light citrus kiss
M - Soft water feel, again a bit of chalky minerality, Semi sweet start with a nice neutral finish
O - A very good offering, easy on the palate and very enjoyable

 

4.29/5 rDev -1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
2024 release (14.6% abv) courtesy of @JayORear

Pours pitch black with one cm of mocha-colored head. Head quickly dissipates into a ring of bubbles and thin covering. Smell is notes of vanilla, chocolate, rum-soaked cake, brown sugar, molasses, graham cracker, hint smoke. Taste carries much of the aroma but brings in barrel attributes, bourbon, oak, char. Mouthfeel is moderately carbonated. Finish introduces an espresso bitterness and almost like a faint agave/tequila vibe and trace smoke as it warms. Lots of flavor-action going on with this one.

 

WilLiquors Single Barrel Stout from White Elm...last beer last night before collapsing into bed. Happy Easter, heading to the airport tomorrow for Japan again...

12oz can served in a snulip. Don't see a date. Got it from @bbtkd in Stout/Barleywine BIF #2.

Pours black with basically no head. Smell is decadent coffee and chocolate, oak and alcohol. Maybe some black licorice, maybe some cooked plums.

Taste is boozy, dark chocolate and hazelnut candy, sweet and roasty. Hazelnut, walnut, maybe water chestnut. Lots of alcohol.

Mouthfeel is big, thick, not quite chewy. But not much shy of it. Pretty good.

 

Fair Isle Himmat, foeder aged Sasion with raspberries. 5.8% ABV



Pours a reddish/pink color. With a bubbly white that quickly rises and falls at that same rate. Which fizzles out to leave just the vibrant pink colored liquid behind.
Aroma is yeast, and berries all the way. A light funk, but the berry fruity aroma is very fresh.
Taste wise, that dusty, musty yeast leaves a bit more "funk". Acidic and tart uber fresh raspberries which is just really enjoyable. With just enough oaky/vanilla character to balance the acidic/sweet fruits.
A lighter body, with crisp and effervescent carbonation. Which becomes refreshing and bright. All leading to a really enjoyable fruit Saison to drink and come back to.

There is enough yeast character that I can accept this as a Saison, but really its a fruit beer through and through. A really good one at that. A fresh fruit character shines and is vibrant throughout. As always from this brewery, really well done.

Overall score is 4.18, easy A- bordering on an A
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/57519/559675/?ba=champ103#lists

Goes really well with my assortment of cheeses out in my courtyard on this late Easter morning.

 

Fauve Craft Biere (France) ‘Marriage in Vegas’ DNEIPA

33 cl can into a taster’s glass.
Packed on Feb 24, 2025 - 7 weeks to the lip.
Pours a short finger of white foam atop yellow orange hazy brew.
Huge nose brings intense peach, mango, mixed berry, and guava from the use of a new US hop strain, Kush.
Taste follows right along, with Mosaic and Talus hops amplifying the fruity profile and accelerating the experience with a sharp bitter note, a tad of tartness, and some residual -and welcomed- alcohol bite.
Mouth is silky, yet prickly. Medium carbonation.
Overall, getting a taste of a new and modern Yakima hop strain elevates this beautiful DNEIPA above the ordinary. A right fine creation indeed.

 

Double Haze. 8.5%
Brouwerij Kees

Poured from a twelve ounce can, the body is an off yellow. Hazy with neither head nor lacing.

A yellow hazy fruit bomb with ABV well hidden. Very easy to crush. No earthy hoppiness and no sign of bitterness as it's billed as a New England DIPA.

Mouthfeel is not great as the carbonation was low.

Refreshing on a sunny day but a bit too sweet and fruity for my tastes. Might be a good choice for fans of the style.

 

Have a good Easter Sunday. We are out in Wadsworth at galaxy restaurant for Easter with my sister/uncle/mom.

Starting off with breakfast food at the galaxy restaurant.




Aeonian blood orange blonde. Awesome Belgian style. Aromas of very vibrant blood orange juice and citrus peel/zest. Taste of big blood orange juice, lemon, pear, red apple, white grapefruit, wood, peppercorn, citrus peel/rind, pine, cracker, bread, herbal, floral, grass, light banana/bubblegum and yeast earth. Medium pine/citrus rind bitter and spicy yeast finish. Medium carb and body. Balanced bready grainy malt and sticky resinous hop mouthfeel. Fairly crisp from resin dryness with minimal hop astringency. Mild warmth of abv. It's pretty hoppy for a Belgian and has plenty of vibrant orange presence. 4.1/5


Cheers

 

Forsythia yellow was very apt, as I look out my front window and see that around here the full bloom of the neighbors bush has yet to hit.
The semiquincentennial of the battle of L n C: very interesting. When we go to NH we often stop at various local town’s historical society for a visit. Those colonial times and stories are fascinating . Cheers!

 

Our son is visiting this weekend, and he brought me another beer from Flock of Moons Brewing Company. They are rapidly becoming one of my favorite breweries. Today I'm drinking Amalthea Dawn, a Maibock.
The beer is a clear amber color. A one inch head recedes quickly, but doesn't disappear. Some nice lace.
Aroma of white bread and floral hops.
Taste of white bread, something sweet, bitter hop finish.
Crisp. The bitterness lingers.
Very nice beer.

 

They got the prime rib here. Woooo


Blue heron hazy wife hazy life ipa. Awesome neipa. Aromas and flavors of big red grapefruit, tangerine, peach, pineapple, passion fruit, papaya, mango, honeydew melon, guava, red berries, citrus peel/rind, wood, peppercorn, pine, wheat, oat, white bread dough, herbal, floral, grass, yeast earth. Light to medium pine, citrus rind, herbal, spicy bitter finish. Medium carb and body. Balanced creamy bready malts and sticky resinous hop mouthfeel. Lingering resin dryness and minimal hop astringency. Great soft feel for the style. This tastes like a straight up classic neipa with citra and mosaic hop character clearly represented. 4.1/5


Cheers

 

Happy belated 10K reviews!

 

Padron maduro 3000? One of my favorites.