New Beer Sunday (week 544)

Mornin nice lady (and all the other NBSers).

Ah so its Two New to speak of is it?

Hoping to be back later this evening after a family birthday party for a growing boy. Not sure yet what my final choice will be but depending on timing it will be either the Leinenkugel Big Eddy Nektar (a Braggot and a style I've never tried) or the Weyerbacher Tarte Nouveau, a beer that is relatively new to their year round line up and sounds delicious from the descriptions.

Cheers!

 

Thank You Maria for that wonderful start to NBS. After reading your review I must say my mouth is watering and my senses are anticipating the day I have the opportunity to taste this Pilsner!!! Your post is truly a work of art!
Happy Vacation NBS. I'll be back later.....

 

Good morning New BSers! Maria, thanks for starting the thread. When I was stationed in Germany it was across the river from the brewery - the first and only wooden barrel of beer I ever tapped with a wooden tap was Wurzburger Hofbrau for the July 4 party at Emery Kaserne - that sucker was heavy! I don't share your delight in that brew - it was what we drank when we couldn't get anything else. I do have to admit than when I tried it a few years ago on a vacation in Germany it seemed to have improved or maybe my tastes had matured somewhat. Anyway, I'm glad you enjoyed it!

My new brew for today is this:



Gotta say I don't feel it's up to the hype. Yes, for a brew with chilies it is not overpowering, but it certainly isn't worth the price point ($ 10 +/12 oz bottle). I'm glad I tied it once but won't be returning.

Bottle dated 1/21/15 at 46 degrees into snifter
Aroma – hint of coffee and peppers; picking up neither vanilla nor cocoa.
Head – none. A fizzy narrow ring appears as it is poured. This is gone in less than five seconds.
Lacing - none
Body – dark brown/black, opaque
Flavor – some coffee, some cocoa, lots of chili pepper, no vanilla, no hops, no malt, no alcohol, no diacetyl. A brief stomach burn follows.
Palate – full, creamy/oily, lively carbonation

Appearance 3, Aroma 3.75, Flavor 4, Palate 4, Overall 3.75. Score 3.83, rDev -14.9%. This is an passable imperial stout in which the chilies do not completely overpower the rest of the flavors. I’m glad I tried it but at $ 10+ for a 12 oz bottle, I won’t be revisiting it.

Sorry gang, not my cup of stout.

 

I woke up to this. Fortunately, our resort has a little market that sell cerveza, and I scored some new-to-me beer. I took a stroll on the beaches of the Yucatan with one this morning:

I then walked back to our villa and did a proper pour in a plastic cup. Oh well, I guess that's about as proper as you can get, considering:


The beer is a clear golden color with a quickly receding white cap. Light lines of lacing remain, surprisingly.
The aroma is syrupy sweet with a good malt bill and likely corn adjuncts. It tastes thick, not unlike a malt liquor. A bit of metal in the overall taste. Finishes smooth.

Overall, not my thing. I'd prefer a typical light Mexican adjunct. This was interesting though, a little more punch at 5.5%.

Salud! My in-laws are taking me to a place in Cancun today that sell some kind of dark beer in kegs or growlers? Sounds like it could be an opportunity for a second New Beer In Mexico post .... ? Cheers. I'll try to keep up with the NBS posts today or tonight.

 

Beer #770: Acadian Groove Canadian Maple Porter by Flying Monkeys



Many thanks to @TurkeyFeathers for sending me this beer. Flying Monkeys distributes to Michigan, but I hadn't seen this beer anywhere. It sounded too delicious to pass up. No matter how delicious this is it probably won't match my expectations, I'm about to find out.

Appearance: Pouring down the center of the glass quickly gave a two finger slightly orange-brown colored head. After a minute or so it becomes a thin layer on top of the beer. Acadian Groove is a deep amber color that looks like, sure enough, maple syrup. I don't get any lacing on my glass. (3.75/5)

Smell: Maple syrup bomb. I could smell this easily once I poured and set it down a couple feet away from me. This really just smells like maple syrup, and with the malt and slight alcohol in the nose, it manages to also smell a bit like pancakes. To my nose, it's essentially liquified pancakes loaded with maple syrup. I can also tell this is a Flying Monkeys beer -- if you've had Chocolate Manifesto, you'll smell this beer and likely find remarkable similarities. With Acadian Groove though, instead of getting a bunch of chocolate, it's maple syrup. (4.75/5)

Taste/feel: The comparison again -- it reminds me of Chocolate Manifesto quite a lot in terms of flavor, just with a maple syrup sweetness and flavor over chocolate. There's a very distinct "this really tastes like pancakes and syrup" vibe. I think the maple syrup may be more apparent on the nose, but it's still easily tasted. It comes in with some syrup, then quickly hits with that delicious base beer. Alcohol creeps in and dries up the tongue, and I'm left with sweet maple syrup and a very slight roast flavor. As this beer warms up, I get the slightest doughy flavor so, to me, this starts to taste like doughy pancakes. I know, call me an idiot, but I tend to get a dough/doughnut-like flavor in some big porters or stouts when they warm up (or if they're barrel aged, especially). Somehow, this beer doesn't ever quite come off as intensely sweet for me, and I'm not sure why. It's a very sweet beer, but I keep coming back for another sip without thinking it's cloying, even though I feel like it should be. Maybe the mouthfeel helps with that, as it's more medium bodied than full bodied to make it a little too drinkable (despite really being a sipper), and has just a subtle prickly carbonation. (4.5/5, 4.5/5)

All-in-all, I feel like this is simply the same recipe as Chocolate Manifesto, just with maple syrup in place of chocolate.. and I LOVE it. Because it's so similar, I'm going to give this beer a nearly identical rating. This is a can't-miss beer and is one to be sipped by anybody who likes the flavor of maple syrup... which is pretty much damn near everybody.

Cheers, and thanks again @TurkeyFeathers !

4.5/5 (4.47/5)

 

Victory Wild Devil

Last summer I purchased three 750 ml bottles of Victory Wild Devil with the notion of aging them and seeing how these beers evolved over time since they were brewed with Brett. The bottled on date is 11 June 2014.

I had the first bottle in February; I brought it along on a ski trip and shared that bottle with others. I have no notes from that tasting but I remember enjoying that beer and noticing that there were indeed some funky flavors that were produced by the Brett.

Below is the ‘story’ of Victory Wild Devil from the Victory website:

“Wild Devil

India Pale Ale

It’s arguable that our menacingly delicious HopDevil has always been wild. With bold German malts and whole flower American hops, this India Pale Ale is anything but prim. But add a touch of brettanomyces, the unruly beast responsible for the sharp tang and deep funk found in many Belgian ales, and our WildDevil emerges completely untamed. Pour yourself a glass today—if you dare.

Composition

Malt: Imported two-row malts

Hops: Whole flower American hops

ABV: 6.7%”

So, let’s see what this beer tastes like after 1 year of cellaring:

Served in my Gulden Draak Tulip glass:

Appearance:
An orangeish-amber color with a HUGE rocky head.

Aroma:

Brett funk with a light hop nose,

Taste:

A mélange of flavors: some cherry, horse blanket, a bit of hay, some musty but mostly just awesome!! There is just a hint of hop flavor on the finish.

Mouthfeel:

Creamy and soft once the beer opens up.

Overall:
Dominated by Brett produced flavors; I love it!!

I am typically not a fan of the big bottle format but for this particular beer the large format was a plus. There is so much going on simultaneously flavor-wise in this beer that having more than 12 ounces was a benefit.

@rotsaruch

Cheers to Victory for making this glorious beer!!!!!!

 

Hey what's going on?!

Well I am getting one in a little bit early, as I have an engagement early afternoon for some good ole tailgating!! Looking like the sun is shining and perhaps the heat returning here in the DC area, but that just means... it's July and August

I am getting a little excited as I am finally working on a big beer vacation and cycling week up in Vermont! Things are a little tense as they always are at the end of July with work, so this should pull through and be a good excuse to take a break after the madness. If this works out like I've planned it should be one of the most epic beer times for me.

So anyway... what's new for our hero?!? Luckily the latest new goodies arrived last week and been partaking of it's contents. Here's one I have always wanted to try as I missed out on getting a bottle last year. Glad to have grabbed one this time around finally and check out it's contents.

Framboise De Amorosa - The Lost Abbey


The Lost Abbey - Framboise de Amorosa by imbibehour, on Flickr

-------------------------

Poured from the bottle into a tulip glass. 2015. Good solid pop off the cork, great sign, and a whisp of white gas out of the neck.

Deep plum red body color, with a nice simple opaque appearance and some great chestnut brown highlights, definitely a unique color spectrum somewhere between deep crimson and chestnut to rust brown. Head is tan light two fingers, lots of snapping carbonation cola sound out of the pour but not too much. Head settles to the simplest creamy light tan puck and collar of just about three millimeters, always being repopulated. Solid looker with a real unique body color.

Excellent bouquet on the nose. First whiff is of classic raspberries with fresh picked from the bush fruitness. Wild esters come afterwards with hints of mild acid and light funk, moderate sweetness and hints of balsamic vinegar get mixed in quite a bit. Raspberry angle even move to cherry and peach tones, almost fuzzy smelling. Earthy bent of funk like a classic gueuze aroma kicks in as well after some time, soild, fresh tilled dirt, a real nice mix of sweet and acidic, can't wait to taste this.

Palate is a bit more unexpected. A big tart whomp is hit right in the kisser, and comes off very unexpected from the nose. Puckering tart fruit with a lighter body that doesn't seem to give the impression of big oak aging as suggested. Quite fizzy a bit as well, but luckily not too distracting from the large flavors present. Big raspberry bursting with a light touches of red wine vinegar in the mid palate. Palate definitely bounces to the sour and tart side, where-as the aroma seems to hint mostly at sweetness for a wild ride. Finishes extremely clean, mostly cause it comes off so light, with good amounts of cherry and raspberry juiced flavors. Teeth and lip coating, light and somewhat effervescent, earth with a touch of acidic sweetness.

Listed as equal part lover of sweet and sour, it's very well achieved that, but where is the big round body taken from oak and lift? I think if this wasn't even barrel aged I'd score it even higher, but I was hoping perhaps for a bigger rounder mouthfeel that the oak could give. Either way it's only taking the score and enjoyment down barely a hair, from perhaps world class to just simply excellent. Rough times I know instead of ending up with the BMW instead of the Ferrari but hard to be disappointed.

look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

--------------------------

Lots of people seem to want to knock Lost Abbey and I am not sure why. I may have had one or two duds, but I am even more impressed by their core line ups, Inferno, Serpent Stout, Avant Garde, Deliverance, Witches Wit... those I find just really solid to fantastic. I am always looking though for the other specials from Tomme... hope to always cross those new bottles paths in the future..

 

New American IPA Sunday

I have an agenda, ladies and gentlemen...

...and I'm not wasting any time...

Starting local...

With Greenport's Harbor Ale IPA, based in Peconic, out on the north fork of Long Island...

Deep golden body under a few fingers of off-white foam. Just short of clear. Effervescing bubbles. Woodsy and earthy with some chew - bitter hops brought mild pine and more wood, some high points of citric pith, some underlying dankness. Medium-weight and soft - carbonation muted - nice rounded bitterness on the tongue. Leaves a little aftertaste that calls for another sip. A real nice local IPA. Features Warrior, Glacier, and Cascade hops, and a 30% wheat malt body. A good start...

Cheers

 

Gotta agree - this is the rare beer that says it uses maple syrup and actually smells and tasted like it! Very good - my score was 4.54.

 

Aging seems to be the key for this one. I bought a case about three years ago and was unimpressed. However, when I finished the last bottle a couple of months ago I was really wishing I had a few more. The Brett doesn't come into its own for at least two years, IMHO.

 

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/268/183397/?ba=Bitterbill

C&Ps out of the way. G'day NBS faithful!

It's gonna be another hot one in Casper...breaking the 90s again. What better beverage to enjoy than....beer!

I had to add my new beer for today to the BA database. A delicious Tripel that is a Wild Tripel. 150 IBUs!! But do not fear the Brett as it isn't overpowering by any stretch of the imagination.

Cheers and toodles!

 

Yet Another New Vermont Beer Sunday

Have I drank all of the beer in Ohio? It seems that way recently. Anyway. Some awesome chipotle infused maple syrup (that you will likely see featured in a chili soon) thanks to @Roguer Although I have to admit it did not pair well with the stout for some reason. The beer is courtesy of my other east coast friend @paresis. This one broke a long streak of -rdevs for me thankfully! 11 of the last 12, with one being 0. There were some really good beers too.





http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/119/47140/
4.09/5 rDev +2.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

No bottle date visible, but I know it is at least 2014.

Pours pitch black and viscous. Not much head on mine, even with an aggressive pour. It does have a nice tan ring that leaves some lacing.

Smells mainly of dark roasted malts and chocolate with a hint of tobacco.

Lots of tobacco and some licorice up front that is too strong for me. However, as this beer begins to warm up, the almost overbearing tobacco flavor starts to meld nicely. Now the malts really start to shine, complemented by some cocoa and slightly bitter dark chocolate and molasses. Decent bitterness with an ashy/charred and roasted coffee beans aftertaste that is balanced by some brown sugar like sweetness. Alcohol is not noticeable.

Not Ten Fidy viscous, but close. Very full bodied and creamy.

This is an excellent example of a RIS. It reminds me of an Expedition stout after about a year of aging.

 

This brew pours a copper/straw color with a fluffy three finger head which dissipates in a few minutes but leaves a collar and moderate lacing. The brew is about 60% opaque and has lots of carbonation.

The smell is amazing with earth, musty, straw, wet hay, with floral notes and bubble gum.

The taste mostly follows the nose with a lot of sweetness, probably from the honey, which you can taste when you first sip it. There are some spices in there, though I can't tell exactly what, and the finish is a bubbly, dry champagne like taste with a little bubble gum. I can't pick up any hops.

Overall this is a nice clean tasting beer to drink. It is good for a hot summer day.

 

I tried this one, last year (bought mine in Matamoros, Mexico).

 

Happy NBS! Not much going on for me today so I'll relax and enjoy a few beers.

3 Sheeps Happy Summer blew me away earlier in the week with it's huge tropical and citrus notes from the Citra, Mosaic, and Amarillo hops. I went back for a second bottle, but it was sold out. More should be arriving this coming week.


This morning I am enjoying 3 Sheeps Oaky Dokey IPA that is aged on different oak and birch spirals.

This smells like a blend of wood, earth, and citrus. Oak, earthy and big notes of grapefruit citrus hops. Some sweet bread, caramel, and toffee are also inviting, very nice aroma.

First and foremost I get a quick, sweet taste of bread and caramel malt, with some oak notes. This is quickly cast aside to let the bitter citrus hops into play, with grapefruit, some pine and hints of earth. Wisps of vanilla and toffee are also found throughout.

This is really nice and the more I drink it, the more I am enjoying it.