New Beer Sunday (week 496)

This Week's New Beer Sunday- Harviestoun Ola Dubh Special 16 Reserve


Alva, Scotland
Style-Old Ale
8% ABV
11.2 oz. Bottle
Bottle# 07755
Bottle Date: April 2013

Hope everyone had a good week and was able to try some great beers. For me this week I tried a style that I was quite unfamiliar with, an Old Ale. I tried to do some research on what the difference is between an Old Ale and an English Barleywine. Some web sites said it was one of the same, some offered differences. Maybe some of the experts here can share their knowledge to a novice.

According to the bottle, this ale is matured in whisky casks and Ola Dubh is translated as "black Oil". There is a 12, 16 and 18 reserve versions. I honestly could not tell the difference between a 12, 16 or 18 year old whiskey. I poured the beer in my Duval Snifter in which it presented an almost non existent head and if anything a dark brown stout appearance. Very dark in the glass but certainly lightens up as you get closer to the bottom. The aroma was of a strong smokey, whiskey aroma but not like Schlenkerla's Rauchbier. The taste is a quite strong whiskey flavor and the aftertaste of smoke. Alcohol is very well hidden. A winner. I would also like to know if this beer is a good candidate for maturing?

 

Hey Maria, funny you posted this today; I've been watching Wicked Tuna on Natgeo all morning!
You can chum for fish when you get out there on a boat!
Oh, and here's a lil sea ditty for ya!

and of course one of mah fave's...

Cheers! I'll be joining you later with something.....

 

New Coffee Milk Stout Sunday

Whats up head bangers and stogie tokers!? Had a busy, but really great week. Kids went back to school, celebrated my 16th anniversary (thanks for the messages), took the kids to see Guardians of the Galaxy at drive in last night (enjoyable and bonus meteor shower since its that time of year), and drank some beer with my brothers. We always have a 4 man MNF hosting rotation that is right around the bend. In the offseason, we instituted Thirsty Thursdays. We usually try new beers. Had a few this week. Clown Shoes Space Cake, Lagunitas Imperial Red, and Founders Dissenter. Also tried peche mortel http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1141/10325/?ba=WesMantooth fantastic, and Oracle. Did not enjoy it. Found it too unbalanced. http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/287/52361/?ba=WesMantooth
On to today's. Dropped the cap and this happened, since it isn't a Boston Lager.


A good beer. Not what I was hoping for though. I had Left Hand Milk Stout meets FBS in my head. I thought it was pretty one dimensional. More detail here http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/147/124424/?ba=WesMantooth
3.6 overall. Taking in some Every. Simpsons. Ever. Man, I miss Phil Hartman. There should always be a 24/7 Simpsons channel. Thanks to @LeperJim again for keeping it real.

 

Good morning peeps! Haven't played NBS in a while so decided to chime in again. Another big fist pump thank you to @jzeilinger for this tasty brew!

Pours a burnt orange with a very ample frothy egg white head. Aroma is pine, caramel, some tropical fruit. Very nice appearance and aroma.

First thing I notice on the first sip is the mouthfeel. It kind of reminds me of Apocalypse Cow with a thick lactose like quality to it. Flavor is a pleasant hop bite of pine, some citrus, and a caramel malt flavor on the back. Finishes on the dry side which leaves me wanting more. Don't know if it was the humidity today, or the dry finish that caused me to pound this one rather quickly?

In all a very well balanced drinkable beer for a heavyweight that weighs in at 9.0 abv. Glad I got the chance. Enjoy your new beer endeavors today!

 

NEW IMPERIAL STOUT SUNDAY

Hey NBSers, hope this Sunday finds you well. The wife and I were up until the wee hours watching a movie (I'm too embarrassed to say what) while enjoying this.

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/26753/91785/?ba=DIM



The little guy (16 months old already!) and I spent the better part of the morning sorting acorns by criteria known only to him. He's now napping and I'm off to do a little beer shopping. Great day so far, cheers!

 

Good morning NBS! It is down right tropical in Southern WI today, so we will be headed to the pool. Kind of depressing that this is the last weekend it is open. Where the hell did summer go? At least I have September and October to look forward to.

Shout out to long time BA @BobZ for sending me today's treat. It is my first ever Hill Farmstead offering, and my oh my is it a beauty of a beer. I love Saison's and this is now my all time favorite. too bad I'm not able to pick up more at the store whenever I want.

It is very citrusy, with plenty of lemon/lime and orange notes. Floral and earthy hops along with a light bready or cracker malt keep it balanced. The finish brings in a light peppery and funkiness that builds on the palate. What a terrific and full flavored Saison. If I get to retirement, I may have to consider moving to Vermont.



Did I mention how damn delicious this is yet?

Here is one for you Maria.

 

Brash Texas Exile brewed with coffee out of Ipswich, Massachusetts. 10.5% ABV and it felt like it. The booze was prominent in the nose and flavor to the point that I thought I was drinking a bourbon barrel aged beer. The coffee felt like a dark roast. This is a beer that might have tasted better after a year of cellaring. That's not to say I did not like it because I did. But it definitely put my head into a spin.

 

New COUNTRY Sunday!
Greetings, NBS'ers! It's turning out to be a beautiful afternoon here in Cleveland; yesterday I stopped by my local store and saw two beers from not only a new producer but a country I've never seen available before - Switzerland!


(Yesterday also featured the wedding of two very good friends and fellow fine beer lovers; what a useful favor!)
The beers themselves are only okay. The Bootlegger was immensely drinkable though very simple. The Hobo had great IPA aromas but the palate was sweet and not balanced. They also were a bit pricey though not out of line with many bombers. Not complaining though as it's the exploration and experience that matters, which is the entire point of this thread.
Cheers!

 

Good afternoon fellow NBSers! Trying this offering from August Schell Brewing Co. today, since @jzeilinger gifted it to me.
Helluva week! After spending Sunday, Monday, Tuesday at the beach... the rest of the work week just draaaaggged!!

Poured from a 16 oz. can into a stange glass.
Dark amber colored body. 1 finger white head. Left no lacing.
Not picking up too much on the aroma, what is there isn't really enticing.
Tastes like a low abv lager, with not much of a body; very easy to drink - definitely a picnic or beach beer.
Nothing really great or good with this beer other than it's ease of drink-ability.
Had this song stuck in my head all damn week!

and this one, which I don't really like all that much...

Cheers!

 

Another from my North Carolina haul last month. Review coming; first impression is three words: "Malted milk ball."

- Not that that's a bad thing, mind you.

 

Good afternoon NBSers, long time no see!

Though I had a taste of King Sue at the last Dark Lord Day, I think it's fair to think of it as "new" for me given my very, very fuzzy memories of pretty much everything that day once we started going through the guest tap line!

I made the trip to Decorah last week to grab an allotment of King Sue from Toppling Goliath. So, my non-beer friends think I've completely lost my marbles that I drove 10 hours round trip to get a few bottles of beer. It may be true, but I have to say I think it was worth it for the King Sue alone. I've had the fortune of having a fairly regular stash of PseduoSue in my fridge these past few months and it never disappoints. King Sue is everything PseudoSue is and then some!

First, I love the label. There’s a kitschy kind of 1960s Godzilla monster-movie flick kind of vibe to it that I really dig. I also love the way this beer looks in the glass; it’s hazy and completely opaque promising an over-the-top hop experience, it’s really quite beautiful. Given that this is a Citra hopped beer, it’s no surprise that the aroma literally jumps out of the glass at you—very tropical and grapefruit. The taste of the beer follows the aroma with an added distinct onion bite at the end. It is definitely much thicker with more of that sticky, resinous quality than PseduoSue. The 8.5%ABV is definitely a noticeable bump up from regular Sue as well. Overall, King Sue is a big, hazy, tropical bomb that is designed to dazzle. I’m thrilled that I got to get some of this and will definitely make the trip again next year! Thank you Clark and Brewmasta Mike for creating these incredible beers, I consider it nothing short of a privilege to drink them! Happy Sunday all!

 

Good afternoon everyone. We were in Vermont this week and stopped at Lost Nation Brewing in Morrisville.
Fabulous kitchen offerings, and the beer is really good as well.
Today is the Gose,
Rated 4
Poured from a fresh growler into a pilsner glass.
A - Slightly cloudy, golden hay color. Active but not over carbonation. Lacing is short lived.
S - Wheat, a touch of sour lemon drop. Tickling the nose is delicate effervescence.
T - An initial light maltiness, quickly snaps to a lite tart bite, some salinity.
Nothing over the top, which I appreciate. As with the nose lemon drop and a light biscuit.
M - Lite crisp body, slight dry finish, a slight longing for a pretzel and coarse mustard!
O - Wonderful beer, delicious after some yard work (or any time) Lost Nation has balanced
well the salinity and body. A treat to enjoy.
Cheers All

 

Hey what's going on!?

What's new for our hero today... ho ho... it's a doozy too..

Beachwood Brewing - Mocha Machine - Imperial Porter


Beachwood Brewing - Mocha Machine by imbibehour, on Flickr

Review here, or read below: http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/25959/91466/?ba=smakawhat

Poured from the bottle into a snifter glass, sure why not!

A little bit wet coming out of the bottle, but with a light chestnut, and almost red color. Fills the glass with very little head production, maybe about a finger of light tan before settling to a bubbly coloar. Body color is filled with almost cola sized stuck bubbles, a nice reddish brown body and fine cola carbonation, with a soda like appearance.

The nose is fantastic. Great ripping coffee roast and dark thick chocolate, practically like fudge. Really does feel like mocha, chocolate mousse, thick heavy cream to match. A big amount of spicy quality, and hints of dark drying nibs. A real coffee beer winner aroma going on.

Palate surprises in more ways than expected. An almost silky body, a big surprise since out of the bottle the pour looks and hints at a flat wet beer to come. Coffee flavors burst everywhere. There is soft coffee acid in the mid palate, piping heat in the middle, and a great dry roast, mixing with a hint of dark chocolate cocoa like powder. Surprisingly it stays close to light roast and porter simplicity. The body calms down to settle into much lighter and thinner territory, but not getting wet. Dry chocolate comes creeping out, like a candy bar, with barista like warmth and freshness, even a good deal of roasted barley makes itself present.

Overall though, just a great solid coffee brew, really refreshing, and one that doesn't go out of kilter and manages to stay true to its beer created brew roots. Excellent stuff.

Final rating 91 out of 100

Cheers!

 

Hi everyone! Enjoyed reading through all the posts so far and hope everyone is enjoying their sunday.

I am finishing up my run of summer saisons today with the Smuttynose Farmhouse Ale from their big beer series.

I was very surprised by the tart/acidity on this beer. Sour/tart fruits balance wonderfully with sweeter malts and fruits, definetly get the pineapple. Someone stop me if im going too overboard but its almost like a semi-sweet type white wine with the slight sourness and the fruits (maybe like a pinot gris?). Anyway, your typical yeasty/earthy flavors smack you in the face and remind you its a belgian beer, but they blend in seemlessly and spices almost compliment beautifully. I am really enjoying this beer today and give this high marks.

I'd have to say after my long trek through american craft brewery's takes on saisons my favorite is a tie between this beer and ommegang hennepin. Hennepin is more to the style whereas this beer incorporates a lot of different flavors which mesh wonderfully.

Cheers to everyone

 

Review for my NBS entry; very enjoyable and easy to drink. http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/25370/78798/

Appearance - Pours very dark brown; fairly robust light tan head.

Smell - Roast malt and dark chocolate abound; perhaps some vanilla in the mix as well. Very pleasant if you're a fan of the style.

Taste - More roast malt, with a lingering coffee flavor and a bit of bitterness in the finish. Very smooth and easy to drink - though I would have guessed that this beer had a higher ABV than it actually does.

Mouthfeel - Very smooth and creamy mouthfeel; goes down well.

Overall - This beer is not available in my part of the country, but I would partake fairly regularly if it was. Very drinkable chocolate / coffee stout that doesn't overwhelm the senses, but makes for an enjoyable experience.

Actual score was probably between 3.75 and 4.0.

Have a happy Sunday, everyone!

 

New Fruit Beer Sunday
​

Happy NBS my better beer loving brothers and sisters! I hope you are all enjoying a fine tasty ale in your snifter, tulip, or nonic today. Weather in Central OH is hazy, cloudy, and humid. Had this gem at our annual block party last night and I must say, it was quite refreshing on a hot and humid summer Saturday. It seemed only fitting that it needed to make an appearance in this fine forum to share with you good people.

Peace, love, and malty-ness,

Matt



http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/692/42200/?ba=mattcrill

4/5 rDev +9.9%

Ellicottville Blueberry Wheat Ale

Aroma: Light bright crackery aroma up front. Light bread crust notes with low berry character. Fermentation character is clean and dry.

Appearance: Pale yellow slightly hazy pour with a low bright white head.

Flavor: Pleasant mix of blueberries with some crusty bread –like notes. It reminds me of taking a bite of blueberry pie! There is an underlying earthy bitterness to balance out the fruit and malt character. Finish is clean and dry. There is a slight sourdough aftertaste that is pleasant and adds depth of character.

Mouthfeel: Light bodied with high carbonation. A slight carbonic bite is noted. There is no alcohol heat or astringency detected.

Overall impression: A refreshing, clean fruit beer. There is enough base beer character to enjoy it with light fruit accents that keep things unique and interesting. Well done!

 

Happy New Scottish Beer Sunday Folks.

Greetings to All (And a BIG THANKS to jconrick1 for this gem)
Hot here in SoCal, so couldn't enjoy this properly 'til last evening. But oh how enjoyable she was.

Pipeworks Last Kiss
http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/28178/86969/

Pours a rich, near mahogany. 2 fingers of frothy malt o'meal colored head in my Bruery tulip.

Nose is sublime. No peatiness that I assumed would be present, instead I have a rich, slightly burnt sugar with hints of cocoa that are sweet with a tease of bitter.

Taste is graceful. Starts with the charred sugar in the fore, then rounds out into a meld of chocolate, brown sugar, dried fruit (maybe date, maybe raisin). This is where I start to hear bagpipes and taste the fog lifting from the Loch. Just kidding. Love this drink!

Mouthfeel is fine, if I'd change anything this would be it. It could have a hint more heft. But not complaining at all.

Finish is more of the meld carried mostly by a gentle blend of malt, chocolate, date, and a hint of warmth.

Overall: WANT AGAIN.