New Beer Sunday (week 556)

New Pumpkin Ale

It's another rockin' weekend in West MI. A frosty morning gave way to blue skies and temps in the low 50s.

We wrapped up another youth soccer season, watched my WMU Broncos and Detoit Lions win a couple games, and joined a watch party for that crazy UM-MSU game. Also got in a short run and helped my wife at work today.

Today's beer is a winner.

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/32166/138634/?ba=GRPunk

Griffin Claw Bourbon Imperial Screamin' Pumpkin

9% ABV, 13 IBU

2015, 22oz. Waxed bottle from Copper Vine ($15.99) poured into a Stone IRS snifter.

A- Sweet label. Lots of metallic, comic-like fun. Happy there was a tab to release the cap from the wax. Those waxed caps can be a real pain. A careful pour creates a thin, tan head that drops to the lightest of foam at the edges. Moderate carbonation comes to the surface, doing its best to keep up the light, foamy lace. The body is a hazy, amber-orange-red, somewhat appropriate for a pumpkin. Very light stick on the sides that falls back into the body, almost more of wine-like legs, than lacing.

S- Much like their traditional Screamin' Pumpkin. Lots of pie spice, a combination of ginger, clove, and cinnamon. There's a sweet, vegetal/pumpkin quality as well. A little warmth and I pick up some caramel and a little woody aroma. Some vanilla later still.

T- Now here's the big difference from its lower ABV counterpart. There's a really hefty, sweet, malt quality here. Some caramel at first. The vanilla from the bourbon really makes a statement as well. That said, the pumpkin pie flavors are on display as well, lots of cinnamon and clove. The alcohol is noticeable, but warm and smooth rather than harsh.

M- Very full bodied. The carbonation is moderate, but seems a little lessened by the viscosity. A little tingle from the spice. Warmth and a little added tingle from the higher alcohol content.

O- That's a really nice sipper. With the hefty price tag, more of a treat on my income. Very happy that I splurged. I'd put it up there with the Pumpkings and Punkins of the world. The 22oz. bottle is definitely a shared serving on an empty stomach. Going to finish it off with a warm bowl of homemade potato soup.

A- 4 S- 4.25 T- 4.5 M- 4.5 O- 4.25

 

Another winner of a post. TY. You, you maniac you!!!!

 

New IPA Sunday

Haven't been here in months. Might start coming back more now that I'm starting to see more new beers showing up locally, like this one:



My first ever Alpine beer and it's a good one.

Quick review. Nice clear golden/orange body with a nice frothy head. Plenty of lacing as well. Strong hop aroma leaning toward the pine/grassy side. Perfect IPA balance of hoppiness, stronger pine flavors than I expected. Interesting tropical fruit notes in the finish. An excellent west coast representation and would recommend. Glad to finally see them locally.

Prost!

 

I was going to say, these are one of those Great Shelf Beers. I'm going to be slamming these this winter when all hope is gone of getting to work from the Arctic Blast this east might see this Winter.

 

Beautiful fall day in the deep south. A bit chilly this morning, but bright and sunny. After catching up on chores around the house all day, it was time to settle in with a new beer.

This is 18th Street Brewery's Hunter, and comes to me coutesy of @egrace84.

Nice big roasty malt backbone mixed with some chocolate, vanilla, and caramel sweetness. Creamy mouthfeel lends towards an almost chocolate shake like experience. Very nice beer.

Might need to track down a few more beers from 18th Street...



http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/31042/92662/?ba=richj1970

 

Good evening, NBSers! After yesterday's brutal loss to Rutgers by my beloved Hoosiers, I had to offer this beverage from Bloomington Brewing.



3.52/5 rDev -8.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Look: golden amber, semi-translucent, 2+ fingers of off-white head.

Smell: some hops, LOTS of toffee malt. An inordinate amount of toffee malt.

Taste: there is some hop flavor, but the malt is really present. Maybe even the dreaded butterscotch.

Feel: a little creamy feel from the malt.

Overall: session IPA's are normally very bright and light, this particular offering isn't in that vein. Enjoyable, but not in quantity, IMHO.

 

I think your Hoosiers and my Gophers are destined to never see the Rose Bowl ever again. At least in my lifetime.

 

Now up My highest rated beer of the day, Bell's 30th Anniversary Imperial Stout. They did a great job with this, worth the price tag.
4.4/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

12 oz bottle poured into a teku

A- Black with a two finger mocha head.

S- Dark chocolate, roasted coffee, dark fruit/figs, hint of smoke, licorice, some caramel sweetness. Complex and inviting.

T- Dark chocolate, roasted coffee, some piney hops, some milk chocolate, caramel malts, some licorice, faint dark fruits, nice complexity.

M- Smooth, medium body.

O- A well done imperial stout, worth the $19 a six pack price. Very easy drinking, alcohol is very well hidden. Thought it would be fuller bodied, but I will pick up more. Excite to see how this ages.

★566 characters

Cheers!

 

Evening, all, I'm back! Home that is, kinda nice to settle in back home, although the looming Monday gives a slight sense of foreboding. Looks cold for this NLCS game; does the season really need to go into November?? Another stinker of a game from my fantasy squad, but for once it can be blamed on bad coaching, as a few of my bench players actually did well.

Trying to cope with fantasy loss and impending Monday with a new beer. Saw @Greywulfken pimping this in the last couple weeks, and then it shows up on the shelves here. Knowing the GF loves all IPAs, and I really enjoy a well made one, had to give it a go (review inspired slightly by @cavedave's link with a nod to the stylings of @Shroud0fdoom):

Hop Hash Infused DIPA:
Pour is almost clear - slightly out of focus let's call it. Head doesn't mind my company, so sticks around, he even offers to paint the walls, but does a spotty job of it.

The nose seems to have just sliced some oranges, and I checked: it wasn't the GF's breakfast like it was this AM when I thought I was getting orange from the Stone beer. While typing, it seems the nose has moved on the greener pastures, seriously like a field of fragrant herbs or veggies; and I have no idea why I also get the green head of a pineapple as an impression (hmm... Hop Hash? ?).

The taste must be helping the nose in her endeavors, as I get the same from him. Citrus and grass, but he must've just come in from the field, because the dirt and grass comes on and lingers a little longer. For dessert, there's a little tropical fruit presented in a grapefruit rind, garnished with greens.

Wow! This is a really enjoyable IPA. I get a bit more citrus and tropical notes than the grass as I slowly work through it. Although at the same time, a spruce/pine covering builds on my tongue, lingering. I actually think @Greywulfken was onto something here.

 

Damn I need to step up my Cigar game too! My Bud game is pretty Good though. Booze and Bud is my favorite Cold Weather antics.

 

My thoughts on this beer will be different than most.

The first thing you notice is how pale it is for a quad. The pictures do not do it justice - it's paler than the photos suggest. It defies expectations - which I think of as both good and bad depending on the circumstances. If I read the description on the back, I wouldn't have been as surprised. Thing is, I saw the beer, I like Victory, I bought it. Some would say this isn't traditional or accurate. I'd disagree. I'd say it goes against convention - and by convention, I mean typical American craft brew labeling. Could someone define a "traditional" quad? The BeerAdvocate quad description actually fits... sister of dubbel or tripel, great strength, typically dark. Anyway, this is gutsy of Victory.

Ultimately, I think the beer was a victim of a bad plan. There is some nice hop flavor, Belgian yeast esters, and citrus quality, but at 13%, the alcohol and sweetness overwhelms whats there... even the hops. This "hoppy quad" really can't successfully be both things. The double digit ABV is better suited to the richer quads, and the hoppy Belgian pales work better at 8%.

The hops on the label are fitting. Graphics like these are usually reserved for American pales and hoppy Belgians. If Victory kept the label, reduced the ABV by half, and changed the name... I think we'd have a winner.

Don't let me dissuade you from trying it. My thoughts are probably in the tiny minority here.

 

Their TIPA is absolutely underrated. Should be one of those big release beers IMO.

 

#2, tonight's main event, Barrel Thief from O'Dell. Outstanding.



4.11/5 rDev +1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Look: deep gold, a smidge cloudy, 3+ fingers of off-white head.

Smell: WHOA - HUUUUUUUGE oak aromas as soon as I pull the cork. Stick my nose in the glass after the pour and get whapped upside the head by an oak baseball bat. And then - a hop aroma peeks through, like a lurker on a message board making a singular post.

Taste: oak is definitely present, and there's also a nutty flavor, but as it warms, the citrusy hops come forward - and we're approaching beer nerdvana. Excellent.

Feel: for a beer that weighs in at 9.4% ABV, the feel is relatively light.

Overall: the heavy oak aromas were a bit much, but as it warmed, this beer became a wonderful flavor adventure. Well done by an excellent brewer.

 

Interesting read....well written. Thanks !

 

New Beer Sunday: A New Tripel with Brett

Evenin NBSers, with special greetings to the Tripel Tipplers who enjoy a walk on the Wild side.

Chilly here today with a few occasional and scattered short outbursts of rain and even a bit of sleet once. Not enough to worry about and our neighbors who went on the historic house tour reported back on what a great time they had.

Made great progress today with ticking off items on the "to do" list and only one bit left to do but decided it was time for that new beer first.

This evening's new beer is the Straffe Hendrik Bruges 2015 Wild Tripel. This was preceded about two weeks ago by the 2015 regular version which seems to be the same recipe but this one is fermented with Brett. Now that I've tried them both its time to cellar both for a while and do a side-by-side tasting of the two with one of my friends who likes tripels. Such direct comparisons can be very helpful in understanding what the Brett yeast is bringing to the party. However, doing that too soon wouldn't be helpful as its clear from tonight's tasting that what some folks say about Brett--it takes a while for the Brett wild character to emerge and take over the flavors--is correct. (Something I also noticed with the Russian River Sanctification which is Brett fermented--the wildness takes while to show itself.)

My review is to be found here:

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

and as usual this review is still in progress and subject to revision until the beer is finished.

Basically, while neither this nor the regular version are the best tripels I've tried they are good and filled with lots of the things we all enjoy in a good Tripel Tippel. There are some spicy notes, a bit of orchard fruit, a lot of Belgian yeast character and a finish which leaves a touch of dry, earthy bitterness at the end.

Since I have several more of these I expect not only to do a side-by-side with the regular and wild, but also to cellar some and have one a year up until their "best by date" in 2020.

Cheers, all!

 

Choc Brewing Co. Belgian-Style Whiskey Barrel Quad


I received a 12oz bottle of Choc Signature Series Whiskey Barrel Qual Belgian Style Ale from a good friend in Cookson, OK. I hadn't had a barrel aged Quad in some time and had forgotten how ugly they are, lol! It's a murky brown/bronze with no foam at all. Pretty muddy. Aroma is really over the top - booze brothers to the tits! Flavors are drenched in whiskey, but baked apples, plums, and raisins in thick-ass vanilla is the theme here. Nice. This beer is a full body chew monster to say the least. This one was about 10 months old. Might be a cellar candidate, but not sure. It was probably really booze hot after the bottling line. Oh and the biggie here - it's 14.6% abv! A sipper, no doubt. Worth a look if you're into big boozy quads. Enjoy good beer, y'all!
-DelMontiac

 

Felicitous Fermentations to All in NBS Land.

Much appreciation as always to our benevolent beer bon vivant @cavedave.

Many beautiful libations have been declared so eloquently herein. And many of the luminous images shared are quite simply zymurgical rays descending from the heavens. I find so much inspiration in, and look so forward to, NBS each and every week. You folks are really a great bunch, and I love our virtual share. If I ever hit the lottery, I’m sending some airline tix to quite a few folks here, and we’re gonna have one helluva bottle share. (Guess I gotta buy some Lotto tix-can’t win if you don’t play).

Well, I’m going to take a little creative license here. I had this one before, a few years ago. It wasn’t very fresh, had been shipped across the country, and didn’t wow me. Now that we get it in CA, and I have a good bottle shop, Hacienda Beverage in Brea, CA. I’m getting some pretty fresh stuff.

Bell’s Two-Hearted Ale.
12 oz can. God, I love that they can this now.

Pours a honey, tangerine sunset. White, frothy foam leaps up and kisses me with aromas of citrus, earthy bitter, and I think apricot.

The first sip brings me grapefruit from the citrus spectrum, but it moves past the pith towards a more subtle lemon zest, powdery textured biscuit malt, and something that reminds me of an ever so light homage to wildflower honey (maybe orange blossom- we still have that in the few non-overly developed parts of SoCal).

The flavor really moves elegantly from the bold pithy citrus to the subtle, understated malt backbone like a ballerina. I’m clicking my palate, enjoying the finish, and then looking forward to starting over again with another sip.

Mouthfeel is sufficient for style, and slightly slick.

I now understand the immense love for this elixir. I am born again. This will now be part of my regular rotation…distro continuing of course.