New Beer Sunday (week 514)

New Imperial Stout Sunday!

Today was going to be a gym day but when I went to lift weights I was still sore so I scratched that and found a good beer to share. I am pretty impressed with this ale, way more so than our local sports franchises . The last week has been fun Christmas was a good time It has been my personal goal for the last few days to demolish the leftovers. I'm halfway through the fine cheeses/meats; killed the mac and cheese along with baked beans; and have maybe two more days of honey baked ham for breakfast. Life is good, hope you all have a Happy New Year and great beer in 2015.

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/13371/31548/?ba=FatBoyGotSwagger



*small disclaimer You all know I am anti bomber but this was ~9 bucks so I said whatever man and I don't regret it.

 

Good evening NBSers. Took it easy earlier today, having an alcohol-free brunch before heading to a friend's engagement party. Luckily the party was right around the corner from a decent watering hole, so stopped by after we left and am now enjoying a Mikkeller's Santa's Little Helper.



It's dark in the bar, but the beer seems darker than I expected. The nose is dark as well, molasses mainly, taste follows pretty well. Feel is medium bodied at best, little carbonation. Not quite what I was expecting overall, but quite enjoyable.

My girlfriend grabbed Habanero Sculpin. Definitely some bite on it in the sip I had. I think I could slow sip that one to the point where warmth (temp) might begin to hurt the taste.

 

For all who noticed my absence the last two Sundays- I'm here, I'm alive. I've taken a small hiatus from NBS, I'll be back in the new year. Still drinking great stuff, and I know you are too.

Merry Happy.

 

Funny. I stopped at the Kenny Rd Market while I was in Columbus today and was starring at the "Elektron". Amber I believe. I havent had anything from Actual yet, but would defiantly grabbed the one you just shared

 

I still haven't tried the regular Conductor or Elektron yet. But I think you might be interested in seeing my next NBS review....

 

Don't feel too bad. I have missed leg day for almost 20 straight years now. Also, I share your general disdain for bomber format. However, there are a few that are good deals, and situations where they are appropriate, such as local places that dont generally bottle, or special/limited releases. Kind of like "Sucks". Compared to 6 packs, I hate the 32 oz bottles, but its better than not having it at all. Long winded way to say you aren't alone. There are other conflicted (hipocrites) people out here.

 

New Barrel Aged Amber Ale Sunday

I'm back with my 2nd and last new beer review today. I'm staying local, and I'm sticking with the same brewery too. Just finished a bottle of Actual Brewing Elektron Aged in Bourbon Barrels: http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/32148/151693/?ba=bluejacket74





I think this might have been the first barrel aged amber ale I've tried, and I liked it. It was certainly interesting, I could tell it was a barrel aged beer but the bourbon aging didn't overpower the beer at all. Now I can only hope that they'll make a barrel aged version of their Fat Julian Imperial Stout! I'll be checking back here later today or tomorrow to see everyone else's new brews. Happy NBS everyone!

 

Finished with dinner, and I figured I should get one more new one in before heading back to work tomorrow.

My evening choice is Brooklyn Brewery's Hand & Seal. The $21 price tag had me a little weary, but this is one nice barleywine. All of the flavors and aromas you would expect in an English style barleywine. The two things that stood out to me were that the sweetness was nicely controlled, and the alcohol well hidden. If there is a such thing as a crushable 13% brew, this might be it.





http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/45/138765/?ba=richj1970

 

Well how is this for unusual....two new beers for me today. Like there isn't enough food in the house already, we cooked up a small beef roast with chili pepper crust. Oh yeah...after all the poultry, pork, appetizer foods, etc, the beef really hit the spot. Meaningful football now rolling around, rooting for Green Bay. Spend a lot of time in Wisconsin Rapids and Tomah so they are my adopted second fave. Steelers and Bengals to follow...I can just watch.

So...we are on to Berkshire Brewing Raspberry Strong Ale, which according to the label is a barley wine but I don't think so. It pours nicely, a reddish hue with a compact tan head that goes away right quick. The raspberry is obvious on the nose with an underlying malty sweetness that is like caramel...strikes me as very candy-like. The taste more or less follows. Unlike Founders Rubaeus, this raspberry is more like an alcoholic Jolly Rancher than fresh berries or even jam. The mouthfeel seems thin to me, not much carbonation, some sweetness, some bread/biscuit flavors.

We both like it - it is an OK beer. For the price, will give it another shot to see if fresher is different. We are a big fan of the BBC coffee Porter. Expected more from this raspberry ale, which may be unfair.

 

Greetings, NBSers! Such interesting happenings in the past week- congrats to @utopiajane first and foremost. Our BIF is starting to get cooking as well- just a few short weeks and we'll be posting the rewards of that endeavor. I'm really looking forward to that, and thanks again @beertunes @Lehighace06 for all it has taken to make it happen!

A great little side effect of participating here is that I look towards Sunday every time I shop. Gotta get something new and interesting, ya know- no more fence-sitting . If I'm considering it, then that's enough a reason to pick something up. And it's just crazy how many new thing are showing up on the shelves these days, sometimes from surprising places. My latest impulse purchase comes by way of the recent German 'Craft Bier' movement-

Braufactum Roog- a smoked hefeweizen (rauchweizen).

Like you'd figure, it does have a cloudy appearance, albeit dark in color too. The aroma is pretty intriguing, bananas and cream first and foremost, but that soon shares center stage with that prototypical bock-like melanoidin malt profile. It's rich and dessert-like. Lurking underneath is a phenolic smoke-like character, essentially taking the place of any yeasty spiciness that you'd expect to be there.

All of this has not carried over to the palate, unfortunately. My first impression is that it is too dry, chalky and truncated. I was expecting the luxuriance of a bock, but have been hit with an astringency stick instead. A few more sips and I can see where they were trying to go, but the balance just isn't there to pull it off successfully. The dry finish does lead to the clean beechwood smoke character popping out a bit more, especially on the lingering finish, but the effect is still jarring. Something in here, whether it's the malts or water profile, needs more residual sugars to tame it down a tad.

It seems the if the bock sweetness and estery banana fullness carried over to the palate, then that delicate smoke quality would be overwhelmed. But the way the beer is ultimately put together belies any delicateness in a different kind of way. I like many of the pieces here, but it's just not adding up for me right now. Maybe it'll grow on me by the end of the bottle, but for now I'm giving it a solid C (2.5) and leaving it at that.

I'll have to take it slower from here on out-

 

Outstanding brew that is worth every penny. Wish I had another one

 

Good evening NBSers! Hope everyone's Christmas or Hannukah was good; spent with family, friends and beer!
Tonight's offering:

Got this as part of a mix-a-six gift from a friend.
Unfiltered, cloudy, amber colored body. Frothy white head leaves plenty of lacing behind.
All down hill from here, bland bitterness overly malty taste.
Leaves behind a dry burnt grass flavor behind.
Overall, not good. Not impressed with this one at all. This may have been old, but this still won't make me want to even attempt to try it again.
Might be a better beer, but for me this ended up being a drain pour.



Cheers!

 

New Sunday Night Football Pairing Beer


Quick notes on this one as kick-off is quickley approaching.

I have to avoid any biased ness on this one as I am a Bengals fan who digs this can.


3.63/5 rDev -9.7%

Damn! Another -rdev. That is 17 of last 20. I fell like I am becoming a super beer snob. Most are in the 1-5% range though.


A deep copper orange color. Very appropriate.

Lots of sweet malt grains in the aroma. Also hops that seem piney.

Very sweet carmel malt up front, and on the back end. Some citrus and pine hop flavor. Not a lot of bitterness.

Very light bodied. Easy drinking. Average carbonation.

Overall, this comes across more as an imperial amber/red to me. While I think it is a good beer and enjoy it, I have to rate it based on the DIPA stamp on the can. Maybe I have wrecked my tongue already. I will readjust as needed in the future, but my suspicion is that I am right. They make a lot of good to very good beers, but nothing outstanding. Nothing wrong with that. Had one yet @bluejacket74 ?

 

New Imperial Oatmeal Stout Sunday

Hey NBSers,

Thankful for a quiet holiday and a few *********s in the High Desert this week. Thankful for the new relationships and friendships made in the past year, both here on BA and in my recently adopted town. Congratulations to @utopiajane on her well deseved accolades, but I'm still unsure what the title means/ how it functions. Is there an old hockey trophy that gets passed around? Do you get free beers for the year at your favorite local brewery? I'm starting my campaign for 2015 right now if the latter is true, but I want to be clear on the rules.

Imperial Oatmeal Stout by Boundary Bay Brewing of Bellingham, WA




Another thanks to @beertunes for this beer, it arrived this month by surprise (with last week's beer and a few others). I thought it would be gauche to nominate him in the BAotY thread after he nominated me, though he's equally worthy of the title. But enough, on to the beer.

A semi-vigorous pour reveals a fluffy tan head, and the legs suggest moderate to low residual sugars. Light lacing. The beer is darker than a tootsie roll with a thin rim of mahogany around the edge when held to the light. Aroma is dark chocolate and slight alcohol. Taste is more dark chocolate, subdued roastiness, and a dry finish that's more coffee than hops. Reminds me of an Espresso Frango without the sweetness. The 8.5% is reasonably well hidden with a little warming in the back of the throat. Oatmeal reveals itself in the mouthfeel, though the dryness keeps it light and fluffy vs. thick and chewy.

The "old beer guy" in me appreciates the execution of a solid stout recipe that's been "upgraded" (boost alcohol, add oatmeal), but the "new beer guy" in me wonders what it would be like with a bit of vanilla, or some other adjunct to make it more flashy. If they don't already do cask infusions of this beer at the brewpub, it would be a prime candidate. 4/5

Happy New Years!

 

I thought about buying some the other day and passed on it, mainly because my buddy at the beer store I usually go to didn't have a chance to try it yet so I grabbed something else instead. But as a Bengals fan, I might grab a sixer this week anyways!

 

We will leave a light on for Ya! Happy New Years!

 

Well, looks like I'm managing to get one in after all. A solid Red/Amber from a regional brewery: http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/28665/82312/