New Beer Sunday (week 480)

Best of luck Matt. Your input has been tremendous. My contribution to the continued life of this thread is the Fiddlehead Chocolate-Vanilla-Coconut Porter from Vermont. I tell you that it is as good as it sounds.
i.

 

Going for second new one today. This one from Monday Night out of Atlanta. It's a Scotch Ale and I liked it quite a bit. Bourbon barrel age this sucker and it would be a home run!







http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/26516/71870/?ba=richj1970

 

I've only contributed to this thread a couple of times but I've always enjoyed checking it out, and Matt's passion to the cause has always shined through with every intro he's made. For that he deserves a big round of applause from each and every one of us.

It's been a strange day as far as the weather goes in the Portland, ME area today. It will be sunny for an hour or so and then rain for several minutes. It had already done that twice today, and as I began to write this the sun went away again and we got about a minute of hail before it turned to rain. I have a feeling it's going to be a wet summer this year.

My new beer for today isn't just new to me it's new to the beer world. Goose Island The Ogden, a Belgian Style Tripel checking in with a 9% abv. Brewed with Citra, Brewers Gold, and saaz, and dry hopped with Brewers Gold and Citra. My 4-pack was bottled on April 14 and purchased this morning. Slowly center poured into a nonic pint glass. Wait, what? Yeah, the back label says "Serve in a nonic pint glass." That seemed like an odd choice of glassware for the style to me but I decided to go with it anyway. I got a smaller than expected white head that didn't stick around very long but I must say this is a beautiful looking beer in the glass, slightly darker than a pilsner and crystal clear. Another thing that struck me as odd because I don't think I've ever had a filtered Belgian beer before and the Belgian labels usually mention to pour it slowly to not disturb the yeast sediment. No yeast sediment on the bottom of this bottle. The aroma is spicy and floral. The taste is spicy and tropical with a tang of Belgian yeast. The alcohol is well hidden, I got just a tinge of heat on my throat and this is a pretty easy drinking Tripel. As far as hoppy Tripels go I prefer Pretty Things Fluffy White Rabbits, but The Ogden is certainly a better value when you're only paying about another $4 for a 4-pack of 12 oz bottles as opposed to a single 22 oz bottle. If you enjoy Belgian ales with an American twist you should check it out.

With today being May The 4th I couldn't help but throw in some Star Wars shenanigans. Cheers!

 

Today my new beer was Bigfoot Barleywine 2014, i heard great things about the beer but was completely floored by it. I have a couple more of the '14 to taste every so often and a '13 as well. Cant wait to see how these things progress.

Sad to see this thread go. Although i dont post much i love coming on here and seeing the new beers people are trying for new ideas.

 

Oh, NBS, isn't going away. We are talking to some folks who can get it posted regularly, and a few of us regulars will be available as backups. What Malty started, and what Matt grew, will continue.

 

Happy to be a part of keeping this thread rolling. In many ways NBS symbolizes all that is Beer Advocate. Often I am unable to be a part of this, but it would be a pleasure to be part of a team effort, especially as I know @utopiajane and others are there as well to carry the ball, just as Matt did for malty for so long before taking over the reins.

Matt, you will be missed, and allow me to speak for all of us in thanking you for the wonderful way you kept this thread focused, informative, lighthearted, and fresh. If we replacements can do half as well I think things here will continue excellently.

 

Damn, Matt, sad to see you go - perhaps you can poke your head in every now and then as a participant, but if that's not in the cards, best wishes to you and yours in your endeavors!

I'm pretty sure that the thread'll persist - I have no problem starting it off on days no one else does - think there's enough regular new beer drinkers on Sunday to keep things going in any event - right, people?

Onto my new beer for the day, Goose Island's The Ogden, a Belgian-style tripel (is that redundant?)

Says on the bottle, "We dry hopped our Belgian Style Tripel to balance spicy, tropical American hop flavors with a unique Belgian yeast, giving it a bold, more complex palate"

9.0% abv, 35 IBU - brewed with Citra, Brewers Gold, and Saaz hops; dry hopped with more Brewers Gold and Citra.

The bottle advocated a nonic pint glass, which'd not be my usual choice for a tripel, but I'm game (as you can see). No bottle conditioning, so no sediment; wasn't sure about the carbonation, so I did a rather cowardly pour and was rewarded with a rather small head - but the ale didn't suffer for my restraint.
Delicious flavors and smells - I'm sure this'll appeal to any fans of the featured hops or the style - juicy, citric, spicy, and clean. Shoulda bought more than one bottle (classic bonehead move) .
Here's my official review.



Cheers, all, but most of all to you, Matt!

 

Kudos to Matt for his contributions here! I can't host weekly due to a monthly weekend at work and occasional weekend travel but would be happy to host on a monthly or so rotation as this is one of my favorite recurring BA threads.

Today is cool but gorgeous in Cleveland and I'm taking a break from yard work to open this bottle from a great producer not available in Ohio. I've had several Lost Abbey beers, sadly this one is too boozy/sweet for my palate. Good flavors but too much sugar/alcohol. Still always nice to try something new from a producer that's well-regarded overall; my full review is on the beer's page.


Cheers!
(edited for a better picture)

 

First off let me thank you @mattcrill for being such a dedicated BA for these many years! As I have not been all that much of a faithful poster over those years I have checked out the thread every week.
This and the WBAYDN threads are my favorites and I would hope that @Greywulfken @utopiajane or perhaps @BeerKangaroo pick up the torch!
Anyway here's this weeks entry and hoping this won't be the last!

Pours a jet black color with a frothy tan head

Tastes nothing like I was expecting. Very light and easy drinking nice spiciness in the middle and a nice dry finish.

Nice smoothness to this that makes this bad boy soooo easy to drink! Not a fantastic beer, but very interesting and tasty.

Cheers!!

 

Can't do it, I'm on the west coast and work a crazy schedule. Sorry, thank you though, I'm actually not here enough.

 

Matt, I have appreciated this thread greatly. I'm sure someone will take it over but I'll tell you what, If I try a new beer and nobody else has started the thread I'll just throw it up there and the fine BA's can take over from there.

This is my new to me beer this week:



This is a very delicious Belgian ale. It's brewed with maple syrup but it is only slightly sweet, the maple actually gives it an earthy note (admittedly I borrowed that from Southern Tier's web site, but it is true!). It has a bit of a spicy kick like a good Belgian will. Otherwise it's light in body and color despite it's 8% ABV. The best part is that i picked it up at the factory... it's cheaper that way Seriously, I did get it at the brewery for $7. The bottle stores sell it for between $10 and $12. I rarely buy bombers honestly because of the price point, but every time I go to Jamestown (er... Lakewood) I will get some. Well, if they have it, not sure if it's a seasonal or year-round. I have one more in the fridge I will enjoy at some point this summer. Probably with a cigar.

 

I agree with cavedave that @utopiajane or @Greywulfken are our best bets since they're on the East Coast. Me, I just post at crazy times when I can as most people can see how sporadic my posts are.

 

Well I have to admit I was stunned by Matt's announcement today. BUT I am happy about all the BA's who have messaged me about contributing their time to keep this thread rolling. I would love ti if someone could take ti over full time but I feel honored to be mentioned as a possible candidate and so I will do my best. This was one of the first threads I really identified with on BA when I first joined. I have met lots of you here and what I like about it is the few minutes we all take each week to say something about our lives as well as the beer. That's the spirit of BA right there. I am going to miss Matt and how he starts the thread each week with those clever quips. I can't fill his shoes. BUT I can get this thread up each Sunday and then you all can do your beer thing!

Here's my beer. This is one the last beers I have from my trip to vermont with @cavedave . I loved it. It's one of my favorite from the tirp and a darn good barelywine.



Did I tell you mys story from this week? I went to order a pizza from dominos which I have not done in a few years apparently because when I phoned they said you have a credit from 2009. I voiced my raised eyebrow and asked are you sure? I got two pizzas. It reminded me of two beers in WBAYDN.

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1805/38776/?ba=utopiajane

Cheers everyone and see you next week.

 

New Imperial Stout Sunday!

No more NBS? Say it ain't so. (sniff)
First of all, hats off to Matt. Nice work. Each and every Sunday, firing up this thread, that's quite a commitment. All the best in what comes next.
Oh, and thanks for letting me tag along. Like I've posted before: NBS is the best "strictly INCLUSIVE" virtual bar / taproom / club - in town!!

I've capped another one of life's great weeks with an equally great beer:http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1141/10325/?ba=NiceTaps







This beer is as winner, as are the NBS gang and thread!

Here's a tune that comes to mind as the mattcrill era of NBS expires:


All the best, everyone.

 

New IPA SUNDAY, On a sadder note...



This is a new beer to me, even though I've seen the "Notch" bottles forever. I gave in and bought it. Trying it now and this brew is good. Pours a nice Orange, Medium Amber body. The aroma is dense citrus and floral with a hint of wood. The flavor is just a slam of citric fruits (Oranges, Grapefruit) and under layers of tropical fruits. The body on this beer is amazing! The malts are balanced with the hops. Finishes dry and slightly bitter. Why I haven't tried this brew before is beyond me. This brew is worthy!

@mattcrill sorry to hear of your recent departure from hosting this thread. I know we as humans have reasons why resigning seems logical. In my short time posting on this thread I thank you for the privilege of sharing new beers with you and other BAs! I hope everything goes well with you. You will be missed. Cheers! Nate.

 

I've been busy today and the weather has been cool, but pleasant. I see we are in store for a nice warm up the middle of next week.

I decided to break open Prairie Beer That Saved Christmas to see how it compared to Central Waters BB Cherry Stout. There are definitely tart notes, but not as cherry intensive. I enjoy the chocolate, vanilla, slight smokiness, and a bit of oak that has some earthiness to it. All in all it is a good tart barrel aged stout.

 

Happy Sunday! La Rulles Cuvee Meilleurs Voeux (7.3%) (750mL). Solid Belgian Christmas Ale. Very typical and tasty Belgian Dark Christmas Ale stuff going on here. Raisins, figs, prunes, candi sugar, oats, juniper (maybe!?!?), pine. It's about 4-6 months old, but it's alive and tastes very good. Oh yeah and it was $5.07. Cheers!

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/4663/23194/

 

You would be fantastic! And if you ever couldn't do it, just message me and I should be able to cover. You are very active on here and always have great input to add. You are my #1 choice to keep it going.

 

Second this!

 

Haven't been on this thread much but for you I'd like to throw out my first drink from the Lost Abbey
Witch's Wit
Pours a bright golden .
Fantastic beer Imo has a great citrus and pineapple flavor with a great dry finish delicious summer drink probably the best Wit I've drank