New Beer Sunday (week 501)

I was originally planning on trying out Stone's Xoxoveza today, but since several others beat me too it, I went another route and pulled one from the cellar.

Today's new beer is 17 Mint Chocolate Stout from Perennial Artisian Ales. I picked this up during a trip through St Louis this summer, and was waiting until the weather cooled a bit to pull it out. I was a little worried that the mint might be overpowering, but not the case here. This reminds me of a gooey fudge cake. Lots of sweet dark chocolate flavors with just a touch of mint like a garnish.

Had a fairly large positive rdev on this one. Enjoyed it quite a bit to say the least.









http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/25888/79705/?ba=richj1970

 

That's a damn good manager! My manager wouldn't even buy me a Bud Light! ...Wait..he did. It was at an O's game. I still drank it though.

 

New Red IPA Sunday happening over here-


Many thanks again to @beertunes for sending this fantastic beer my way- Boundary Bay Traverse Red IPA. Those wanting to know if there is a difference between hoppy red ales and red IPAs need look no further than this example.

The aroma starts like like you would expect- pine/orange/dark caramel, but there is also a waft of freshness that elevates it a bit higher. It's gently floral- maybe carnations- and provides a splendid counterpoint. The flavor picks up with the dark caramel and citrus again, but quickly gives way to a huuuugely resinous bitterness assault. To say the finish is lingering would be an understatement. If you don't appreciate bitterness like this, it could be described as the guest who wouldn't leave . As it is, though, it's really working for me. The lasting flavors even start to show a hint of spice, particularly vanilla. The bitterness also provides such an angular, bracing slap that you are left startled but wanting another hit. That seems to be the main difference to me- with a hoppy red ale, the flavors quickly become rounded off by the malt base; that is not happening with this one. The malt is there for sure, but the hops are just not letting go of the spotlight.

Very nicely done: solid A-.

Something to groove on-

 

New American IPA Sunday

I'm back with my second beer - from Three Sheeps. I've liked the few beers I've had from them. This one wasn't exactly "impressive". Like I said in my review, sometimes "different" is good. This wasn't horrible - to me - though I really wouldn't have cared if it was half of the 22 oz. bottle that I had. But, sometimes, "different" is just "different". I had the sense that there was a pretty good IPA under the squid ink. Other than an odd appearance and texture and a salt component that didn't quite fit, I don't know that the ink did much for it. But, that is just my opinion. Maybe others will appreciate it more than I did...

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/28879/138310/?ba=jwc215

Cheers!

 

Greetings All:

Checking in from eastern Washington on a no Seahawks weekend.

Today it's Rounder an OK Belgian Style Pale Ale. I make it more of an American Amber, but what ever.
http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/306/90228/?ba=RJLarse

Funny to see pictures of canned beers in NBS. For so long cans were taboo in the craft brew industry, but I see more and more of it, and I have had some damn good beer from cans. But in my lifetime I have also drank a lot of cheap beer from cans as well. maybe that's my bias? Used to buy a 12-pack of Rainier in cans for less than $5.

Better than seasonal here in the great northwest. Sunny with temps in the mid 70's. We went to a beer fest in Spokane yesterday, and enjoyed some fine Octoberfest beers, Icicle Creek and Boundary Bay in particular, and Night Owl Pumpkin from Elysian. Great beer and a great afternoon.

Until next week,

Happy Trails!

 

Boulevard Imperial Stout - 2013

 

Great Lakes Elliot Ness -



I am enjoying the hell out of this beer.
Rich and full of flavor.
Slightly sweet, malty and a little hop spice in the finish.
6.2% ABV
Extremely smooth and easy to drink.

 

This brew is so good though. Clever is crazy generous!

 

New American IPA

Second new beer was Mosaic Promise by Founders. Unfortunately, it was straight from the bottle (who am I to turn down a generous neighbor who's drinking in his driveway). So, I'll have to buy a couple for a proper review.

Not knowing it was a full IPA, I was thinking it was a perfect APA. Lots of fresh hops (grapefruit) with a decent malt backbone (sweet and a little bready). That said, it might be a touch thin for the style. Still very drinkable. I'm not going to hesitate going after a full sixer on my next beer run.

 

This one is new to me, and I was blown away.
Port Brewing Hop-15, a very aromatic and flavorful offering. I am going to grab a few of these to consume over the next couple months. Enjoying it with my wife of 23 years, celebrating our anniversary today.

 

Happy Anniversary! *Tips Hit*

 

Ditto that

 

Love the yuengling porter glass...

 

Good evening NBS! Hope everyone had another good week. I have been working from home all week due to having my would dressings changed 3 times per week. Good thing I have a desk job . I finally have an end strategy for my homebrew kegerator. I just need some foam board insulation and a drill bit for pilot holes and I should be able to finish this all up by the weekend. That Munich Helles I brewed and lagered since in June still hasnt been carbed or tapped yet. Need to do that.

Onto the reviews:

Very nice Munich Helles. Aromas were pleasant and balanced, but a bit weak. Taste of lemon, cracker, biscuit, light honey, herbal, grass, light pepper, and yeast earthiness. Light earthy bitterness on the finish provides balance. Very good robustness and balance of clean pale malt and earthy hop flavors. Very crisp and clean finish, minimal esters present. A very enjoyable example of the style. 88/100; 3.9


This is a great Gose! Taste of tart lemon, lime, green apple, white grape, pear, apple, wheat, bread, coriander, sea salt, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast earthiness. Good amount of fruity tartness and salinity on the finish. Great robustness of flavors. Very smooth and crisp finish with balanced acidity and salinity. Love it. 92/100; 4.1


Great brown ale despite that label. Taste of milk chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, toffee, toasted oats, brown bread, nuttiness, and some herbal/grassy hops. Light earthy and roasted bitterness on the finish. Great complexity of dark/bready malt flavors with moderate oat presence. Very robust with a moderately creamy mouthfeel. Delicious brown. Now if only these werent so damn overpriced. 92/100; 4.1


Cheers, have a good night NBS

 

Holy crap this is spicy! Very tasty though

This is a new (old) beer


Not really my style but I'm glad I got to try this

 

Yeah, like you, I found this beer to be a stellar example of balance. Normally I don't get excited over this style, but now I "see the light."

 

Started with beer #750 as Brooklyn Local 1 (was a year old, but not by my own aging techniques). I REALLY like the beer, I thought it was very balanced, if a tad over-carbonated. It had a bunch of the things I like about Belgians without some of the things I don't like.

Moved on to another new beer:


This beer, as well, I liked thanks to its more subdued flavors. Instead of being in your face, there is a nicely melded blend of flavors that are there to be enjoyed. To me, I get a decent dose of the woodiness (undoubtedly from the barrel-aging), so much that it intrigues me enough despite not having any bold flavors to otherwise cling to.

 

I don't think I've ever noticed this series of threads before. Oh well, first time for everything, right?

Busted out an Overgrown APA from Otter Creek Brewing located in Vermont that I received as an extra in a trade with @BeerPilgrim11 (who's a fantastic trader, FYI):



Appearance: Light yellow and flirting with white in certain lights. Hazy and a bit tough to see through. Leftover yeast on the bottom of the bottle; this stuff sure as shit wasn't filtered. Good and bubbly with sticky lacing as the drink goes down.

Smell: This beer is labeled as an American Pale Ale, but it smells more like an IPA. Tropical fruits such as pineapple, mango, and banana dominate, and a slight whiff of bitterness deep down.

Taste: Follows the smell to a tee, but the bitterness asserts itself more and balances out the tropical notes.

Mouthfeel: Nice and bubbly with a slick oily resin that coats all my insides. Crisp finish.

Overall: Solid stuff from a brewery I've never heard of before, which is always a great surprise. Mostly impressed by the hop-punch-to-the-face from an otherwise unassuming pale that clocks in at 5.5% and 55 IBUs. 4/5

Speaking of punches to the face:

 

Gooooooood EEEEEEEvening NBSSSSSSSS (ala Robin Williams in Good Morning, Vietnam)


Well all of you Marzen Menches must be enjoying the season greatly. Although I've had a few festbiers this week, but I'm gonna share a different beer. I popped by the Bruery and got to try 3 versions of So Happens It's Tuesday. This is a more approachable, dare I say sessionable, Imperial Stout version of Black Tuesday. Really good stuff.

The first, and best, was the coconut version.

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/16866/137926/?ba=2beerdogs

4.26/5 rDev -4.9%

look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
On tap at the Bruery

First off the nose is incredible. Toasted coconut.
Now the appearance...it's fine.
Taste has a hint of the barrel aging with a leaning toward a roast and molasses, but the coconut lingers, beautifully. This is where the Bruery does it sooo well. They take the time to blend, and blend, and blend until they concoct a batch that melds the flavors they want, yet allows one to still discover the different flavors in the profile at different times during your imbibing.
Mouthfeel is hefty enough
For those who think Black Tuesday is too much of a force to be reckoned with I'd recommend giving this one a shot. Hell, even if you can handle BT, you should try this one.

The second. And I mean a close second was the Cacao & Raisin version.

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/16866/137924/?ba=2beerdogs

4.21/5 rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
On tap at the Bruery

Smell gives hints of dark fruit like fig, raisin and dates. Slight hint of the cacao.
Taste is sublime. The cacao is present but hilites the dried fruit with dates coming more to my mind.
Mouthfeel is sufficiently hefty but not overstated.
Finish is slightly slick with raisin, date and fig gently lingering.

The last, and least favorite, was the cherry & vanilla version.
http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/16866/137925/?ba=2beerdogs

3.58/5 rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
On tap at the Bruery

This version was a bit more befuddled.
Smell had cherry but little vanilla.
Flavor was a bit confusing. The vanilla was lost and the cherry didn't really come together. Hey, the Bruery can't hit a homerun every time. Of the 3 variants, this was my least favorite. But not bad, just didn't quite come together for me.