New Beer Sunday (week 563)

Trying this Left Hand Bittersweet. Very nice. Cheers all.

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/418/182398/?ba=cindyjeffsmith

 

Boulevard Tell Tale Tart

A noticeable pink berry color while pouring, leaving a tint to the overall deep orange-amber color. There's a finger of white head that's quick to dissipate. No lacing.

Very dry, slightly sour aroma without much else there. Good sour flavor, fairly tart, but aside from a little malt in back, there's not much else to the flavor. The taste isn't as dry as the nose, and there's a little body to the mouthfeel. With effort, you can pick out some apple and pear cider as it warms.

There's nothing bad here, and I can see how some might appreciate it as an "entry level" sour, but I found it pretty boring. Hopefully the Iggles-Pats game will be a bit more interesting -- although I'm not holding me breath.

 

Hello all. Dropping into NBS to see what exciting beer journeys everyone has been taking today, ahead of my own here. In tandem with the advent calendar in my picture below I am definitely trying to have a good few new beers to enjoy across the month of December.

I had given myself a mini end of year task to try and get to grips with the Quad style. I've had a bottle of Trappist Rochefort 10 sitting in my beer fridge for the best part of 2 years waiting for the opportune time to (friar) tuck in.



Here we go. First off the bat this is a fantastic looking beer. My Galaxy 6 photo doesn't do it justice by any means. Held to the light i'm getting a spectrum of amber into light brown, with a flickering of sediment that is beginning to settle. Kicks up a pillowy, cloudy head which sticks around and leaves a smattering of lacing as I sip away. I'm getting dates and molasses off the nose with dark rye bread and melba toast. A great many layers to this one, many more as it warms, with plum and apricot coming together in a sweet symphony like a Belgian ale Hall & Oates. Despite the high abv the alcohol burn is not overwhelming - more of a satisfied glow and aftertaste. Satisfying is a good word for this one - it could be the original winter warmer. I'm reminded of the first time I heard 'Pet Sounds' by The Beach Boys in its entirety at 18 years old and feeling glad that I could enjoy a classic for the first time.

I'm a big fan of this one.

Cheers all!

 

Happy NBS Everyone!!!

Had to make a trip to Charleston today for a friend..finally got back so I can watch some football, eat and join you guys and gals to drink a new beer!

Today's new beer is- Saint Somewheres Saison Athene.

Last saison I had from Saint somewhere was fantastic so I had high hopes...

Anyway....




3.67/5 rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

L: Cork started to self eject as I twisted the cage off then proceeded to gush out bigtime ..... Poured with a nice orange juice like color with a thick shaving cream foam head.

S: Hay, spices, pepper, very mild funk.....some lemon.

T: A dry spice taste like sage or something some hay some pepper and a chemical like taste..

F: Super sparkly and dry maybe a bit powdery...

O: A bit too carbonated way too much spice and not enough funk. Didn't really do it for me at all.



See ya next week everyone!!

 

New Old/Strong Ale Sunday (week 563)

What a crazy day at work this morning. Super busy, hectic, and had to stay 40 minutes late to catch up. A customer who knows I collect bottles gave me 6 of varying ages as a tip, including one that he may have misidentified, and it could be worth a lot of money. If it turns out to be the one my friend believes it may be, I will definitely return it to him, doubtful he meant to give me a $600 tip. He also gave me an old embossed cork cap bleach bottle of a brand I don't have, and some nice pink glass examples. No beer bottles though.

I did get this full non-antique beer bottle at my local, though and it is going down sweet and easy. A bit too easy, if you can believe it. Supposed to be a barrel aged old ale. Definitely too thin and a touch overcarbed for style. But really tasty. Have you ever had a beer like this? I mean, so good, but one characteristic keeps it from being that next level of greatness? Very enjoyable as I unwind from a killer day and wait for the pot roast to fill the house with that great meat and garlic aroma I love.

Hope you also have a Great American Beer in your glass. Cheers!

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/34273/171286/?ba=cavedave



My favorite song of the 22 covers the band I play with plays.

 

Ok, 4pm games started, and I've already won my Fantasy league game that is meaningless as I can at best get 3rd in division, which doesn't make playoffs. Bortles and Robinson might beat my opponent on their own (not quite). FanDuel not as well, but I have a few players left, so really hard to tell.

Local winter sports teams did well in games I caught this week, Caps beating a tough Montreal team that I won't want to see in the playoffs. The Wizards gave a nice retirement gift to Kobe's Lakers, but won 2 others games. What's with all the turnovers, guys??!?

On to the beer, one that has been reviewed here before, and yet another collaboration. Stone with 4 Hands and Bale Breaker. Of course have had Stone, but also have had one 4 Hands (which I was impressed with), but none from Bale Breaker. Sorry, Not Sorry.


Pours with a nice froth on a vigorous pour, and the pic shows the clarity of the copper colored beer. The nose has a nod towards a Stone IPA with light onion/chemical scent; and head bob towards IPA in general with pith and pine. But there is a definite peach note I get as well. Actually the pine notes come out a little more as I sniff, giving me a weird visual in my head of sliced peaches in a holiday wreath centerpiece on the table.

Taste behaves more like that later nose. The beer hits me with pine first, and seems to want to turn towards spring onion flavors. However, something bringing a little heat (alcohol?) and mineral flavors wrests the wheel and we're back on a spruce or pine flavor, with something added. It is likely the peach; I can imagine it being peach; I can't however say it is definitively peachy (double entendre intended).

Actually it isn't the peach-ish note that fails this for me - it's the mineral/metallic note combined with that spruce/pine with a little alcohol bite that leaves my tongue almost feeling like it's been hit with a light dose of novacain.

My descriptions are a bit harsh sounding, and in re-reading them I am wondering why this isn't down the drain. The sum of the parts somehow isn't as bad as the individual elements I picked out. Still not going to grab any more of this one.

 

Helloooooo everyone!

So it's been a crazy few retail weeks for me since the last time I had posted here, but I'm back! As everyone can imagine working retail this time of year can be tough, long hours, but I'm a retail badass and have it on lockdown. To celebrate a successful November (and my brothers birthday of course) I treated us to a special bottle given to me from a super cool BA!


http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1146/87402/?ba=zoober911

It's been a long crazy road that has led us here, but it's been real. Until next week (or a few hours from now.)

Catch you all later!!

 

??? Idk the package at the store said Cuban bread

 

New Coffee Stout Sunday

Hello NBSer's! For my first new brew of the day, I had some 3 Floyds Wig Splitter Coffee Stout:

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/26/174523/?ba=bluejacket74




I liked this one a lot, it's definitely one of the better coffee beers I've had lately! I should have another new beer review on here in a while. Cheers!

 

A little late to the party but I grabbed myself a Toaster Pastry and thought I would let you know how I liked it.



Here is my review of this wonderful red ale.

4.1/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Clear reddish brew with an off white head that left some nice lacing. Sweet malt, citrus and yeast with a hint of what I believe could strawberry but it could be the fact that I expect that in there. The taste is slightly yeasty, sweet and loaded with citrus and pine. Again if there is strawberry in there I may only be imaging it. Regardless this is a nice tasty red that I would drink again.

 

Happy New Dubbel Sunday!

Pretty nice day here in GJ, 40s, sunny/cloudy. I have the Pat's game on, they let them come back. Today's brew is pretty tasty. It's also been a very long time that I've had something from them.

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/848/85762/?ba=Wasatch

 

Re-read this after my review. Like the descriptor of musty for the muddling of the fruit note I get later in the taste.

I liked that the "cuvée" worked out well. I could see it working, and not sure why I didn't do the same after the blind tasting was over .

I do happen to like Gose style, but wasn't sure on this one initially - too "orange soda" and not enough Gose (tart/salt). I've come around on it and keep a supply when it's available. Have you tried other Gose? Guessing from your review maybe not, and might not be your cup of tea, as you say.

Hit up Charelston Beer Exchange at all? We randomly ran into that place on a trip to Charleston a couple years back. Walked out with about $100 worth of beer.

 

That's a tasty one!

Cheers!

 

Looking forward to my bottle!

Cheers!

 

Not sure, but if it tells you anything, I almost mistook it for a sixer of Celebration.

 

That's some very nice shit, the best they ever done.

Cheers!

 

Coming back for NBS beer 2. This is so good.




4.38/5 rDev +10.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Dark black in the glass with a thick foamy tan head that left nice spotty lacing. The smell is mainly roasty malt sweetness with notes of cocoa, coffee and vanilla. The taste is amazing cocoa and chocolate with a super creamy mouthfeel. I swear I am reminded of pancakes when I drink this for some reason. Another great beer from Bell's.

 

Funny you say that...we were ready to leave at 11 which is when I thought they opened..then checked for directions and apparently on Sunday it's noon and I was the only one who wanted to wait lol

It is only and hour and a half away tho so gonna make another trip soon and stock up!

 

What's up NBS players? A pretty nice little Sunday going down here on the island. Sunny, and cool, but nicely tempered for December. Enjoyed a nice little Jets victory as well.

My new beer today is Double or Nothing, a maple barleywine. This is yet another collaboration beer between Lawson's finest, and Otter Creek. No bottle date but it just hit here so pretty fresh.

A ruby/amber pour with a decent head. The nose gives notes of syrup, sugar, and decently floral. A sweet start on the drinking with plenty of malt up front. The sugars really dissolve nicely into a smooth finish. I really get the maple on the flavor note with also notes of heavy syrup, and candied dried fruits. A bit boozy but I feel it hides pretty well for 10.5%

Overall, I really enjoyed this beer. I really enjoy well done barleywines and I really feel this is a great example of the style. I'm in the mid to low 4's all around.

 

Winding down after a glorious day here. Sunny with blue skies in the high 50s. Mixing it up with a new style (for me):



An inviting, hazy orange-amber color with a large fluffy bright white head. Aromas were mainly clove, some banana, some wheat, and cereal. Taste followed suit with big clove and banana, followed by a nice spiciness and fruity hop character, with a nice wheat background. Seemed very well-balanced. Dry finish. Medium carbed and light on the palate. I have no idea how old this bottle is, but this is tasting great on an unseasonably warm day.