New Beer Sunday (week 566)

Had to run out to get some avocados for homemade guacamole as the bag I bought contained all bad ones. While out, decided to cash some checks (including parents Xmas gift). Need a new computer, so the money can go towards that. After snack and whoa!! It's afternoon ! Time for another new beer.

This beer might unofficially be out of date a few days, as the solstice has come and gone. The first saison I had by this brewery was delightful (and happened to medal at GABF). I had their Summer Saison and it was decent, but sweeter than the regular (it seemed). Another season, another offering, although we are getting away from the true season of the Saison, as I understand it.

No matter, this is Blackberry Farm Fall Saison:


Pours a cloudy trying to get to hazy sunburst orange with copious fluffy white head. The head stays as a cap on the beer. Snow driftsof lacing slide down the beer after each sip.
Nose is apple (apropos for fall around here), peppery spice, maybe a little hay but not really any barnhouse wood or funk. Mostly dry fruits, apple, apricot, and a little honey.

Taste is somewhat surprisingly not so fruity. Dry opening with hay/drying grass, earthy herbs, light pepper spice note. The fruit notes come mid-taste, but are indistinct-a little fleeting tart bite, then a general balancing sweetness that puts just a slight dent in the dry grass and pepper notes from the opening. A second pour and some warmth brings the yeast notes forward (the bottom of the bottle sediment might be the main culprit), adding a little breadiness (and maybe a bit of a floral note) to the mix.

Feel is definitely dry, light, tending towards medium. Carbonation is on point, prickly on the tongue.

After writing, I noted this on the side:
Malts: floor malted Pilsner, floor malted Pale Rye, and character malts
Hops: Styrian Aurora and Styrian Goldng
Yeast: Classic Saison

My thoughts are the Classic Saison is still the best, but I believe I enjoy this more than the summer version.


Edit (from back):
"A blend of floor-malted barley and two types of rye malt gives this Saison a copper color and a silky sweet body with a hint of rye spiciness. Additional conditioning on oak lends pleasing accents of light toffee and vanilla."
I do get the woody oak buildup eventually, but no notes of vanilla at any point.

 

Next up is Moerlein Bay of Bengal DIPA



Big beige head, fizzy lacing and clear orange honey colored.

Sweet smell, little bit of grapefruit mixed in with candy sugar sweetness.

Immediately bitter that seems equal parts sugary, piney, mango.

Pretty full bodied at first but thins out to a dry finish with a little alcohol thoughout.

 

Narragansett Big Mamie Indestructible American Pale Ale from Rhode Island and New York. 4.5% ABV. This was released in early November 2015 so it seems to be a new beer. But then again it could be an old beer that they re-released. Narragansett has been around since 1890. For all I know this was brewed in 1910. But I had not had it before. So I apologize if this is not a "new" beer for New Beer Sunday.

This is your typical American Pale Ale with a big caramel malt and grassy hop character on the nose and in the taste. It is textbook but nothing beyond that. If you like this style, you will enjoy this beer because it does not go beyond the boundaries of the Pale Ale style. Fairly easy to drink.

 

Happy between holidays NBS! I'm trying something sent to me by the generous @jvgoor3786 from the Adroit Theory Brewing Co. called God Is An American. It's an Imperial IPA aged in Sauvignon Blanc barrels with 11 percent abv. poured in a 13oz. snifter. Let's taste what's in this glass!

It pours a deep reddish/orange color with a generous creamy off white head. Exquisite lacing graces the sides as the foam slowly settles. Aroma is sour grape and something band aid-like in the background. A bit odd and unpleasant, but not gross. The flavor begins with a kiss of ripe green grape sweetness, followed by some sour apple. Next up is some hop bitterness and slick malt. The earthy wooden barrel flavor is last and complements this bottle of complex flavors quite nicely.



Overall this is one symphony of flavors that shine when consumed at the 54-57 degree recommended serving temperature. I found the aroma odd, but it in no way detracted from my overall very positive experience with this beer. There are some characteristics that remind me of Russian River sours. I'm thankful for having the opportunity to try thanks to a thoughtful fellow BA.

My score was a 4.07 and I had the honor of being the first review. Here's the link to my 2 cents worth of knowledge.
I hope everyone is enjoying some new holiday goodies today. Happy New Year/Beer as well!

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/31535/198714/?ba=Prager62

 

Pretty sure the concept is more like "New [to you] Beer Sunday", so this would seem to qualify .

 

Adroit is an "extreme brewery" in their mentality. I almost wished they would dial it in at times. They have some real winners, a bunch of solid (the base G/I/A/A is one), and then a bunch of crazy stuff, usually involving barrel aging. Glad to see people outside the area getting a taste of their stuff (thanks, @jvgoor3786).

 

Bear with me, I'm a newbie and never reviewed a beer. It was an easy drinking beer for being close to 8% ABV and had a nice smell of spice to it. I did taste it the other night and remember liking it more than I did today. Part of that is probably because I had two strong valvored porters before this one. It's a good holiday beer but not sure I would want to drink more than one in a sitting of this beer.

 

Clown Shoes' Evil Crawfish. Don't drink this too cold. It becomes more complex and tasty as it warms.

4.18/5 rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured into pint glass. It pours an orange-ruby red with a two-finger milk-white head and thick lacing that did not dissipate. The primary smells are pine and grapefruit, with a whiff of caramel. When first sipped, the bitter, hoppy pine and sweet caramel compete for the taste buds, with the grapefruit and other citrus (tangerine?) following closely. As the glass warmed, the caramel reappeared at the finish and the ale became more sweet overall. The flavor really grew on me as it warmed. This is a well-carbonated ale and the ABV, while 9%, isn't overly noticeable. This is a well-crafted ale, which is not surprising for Clown Shoes. I enjoyed it.

 

Hey again NBS, Back with my second new beer again from Belgh Brasse. This one is less favorable in my opinion. I mean They have a grasp on the style and all the right flavors were there but they just didnt mesh as well as I had hoped. Ill let my review do the talking. so without further ado.
Mons Abbey Dubbel

3.36/5 rDev -11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.75

Appearance - This beer pours a very dark amber, almost a black but when put in natural light has a red hue. It had 2 fingers of foamy offwhite head that fade to a thick half finger layer. The carbonation is extremely lively and active.

Aroma - Ginger, molasses, floral hops noticably present as in the blonde, raisin, plum, to a lesser extent figs and dates. a hint of peppery spice from the yeast. These smells come together to remind me of grape soda To be completely honest.

Taste - plum and raisin dominate some toffee in the background, floral hops combined with the yeast make a strong pepper taste on the finish. It starts out completely sweet and finishes completely spicey there is no balance. I gave it a 3 because it has the characteristics of a dubbel but its a mediocre one as far as fkavor and aromas are concerned, I'm also noticing a lasting dark fruit aftertaste as it warms.

Feel - mouth feel is the best part This is a heavy-medium body with loads of creamy carbonation sending this beer down the throat very smoothly .

Overall - There doesnt seem to be much going for this beer in terms of style. I mean all the flavors that should be in a dubbel are there. but they just dont come together as I would like. A beer that fits the confines of a dubbel will already be a decent beer its just when a style is so good you expect to be wowed by the smaller breweries and I'm not, try it if you can get your hands on it and let me know what you think.

 

Happy New Quadruple Ale Sunday!

Pretty nice day here on the Western Slopes, sunny, upper teens, some nice snow. This is my first from this brewery, pretty tasty.

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/24075/99030/?ba=Wasatch






Cheers!

 

Christmas is over.

Time to work on Ten 2016 New Years Resolution list.

1. Drink more beer that has been piling up in various nooks
and crannies in the domicile.

2. Drink more beer per day, and encourage others to drink more.

3. Work less. Arrive late. Leave earlier. Stay home more.

4. Do not work when it snows or if you don't feel like it.

5. Utilize the f-word more often.


It's been determined that looking at boobs 10 minutes a day
reduces stress. (Sorry, couldn't find an appropriate pic for this.
I mean there's A LOT of boob pics out there...
but nothing appropriate.)

[ BOOB PIC WOULD GO HERE ]


6. Look at boobs at least 10 minutes a day. Or more.

7. At least TRY not to buy more beer.

8. Clean my room.

9. Obey the Golden Monkey

10. Appreciate, love, and enjoy my wife, family, friends and BA's worldwide.

This Triple IPA (remember the Trouble with Triples NBS episode?) that
arrived the day before Christmas Eve from the amazing and seriously
disturbed @WesMantooth is really quite remarkable.

At over 11% ABV, it is incredibly dank and resinous but also packed with
fruity citrus flavors that I believe includes peaches with a nicely balanced malt
component and finishes with the feeling of tiny pine needles poking my tongue.

I'll try not to gulp this. But damn! It's gulp-able!!!

Hmmmmm...




...it would be interesting to drink this while looking at boobs for 10 minutes...or longer.

Cheers NBS gang!

 

I wish I could follow number 4 but being in Canada if there isnt 10 feet of snow overnight its frowned apon

 

I've held on to this for a while. It's a May, 2013 Southern Tier Plum Noir



All kinds of dark, not even much colour around the edges. Smallish head recedes to a thin foam film, leaving some stubborn lacing.

Nose is silly with dark fruit and little else.

While thinner than I would have imagined, there is plenty of taste. Begins sweet like molasses and the plums, as billed, but takes a solidly roasty turn with hints of coffee, chocolate and smoke.

Finish is dry, think and leaves behind a little phenolic thing in the throat.

 

Hit beer #250 today with Black Husky brewing here in Wisconsin. Small operation, great beers, moving to Riverwest in Milwaukee soon. Sproose Joose instantly reminded me of Dogfish Head 90 minute. It's piney hop forward, then melds wonderfully into a malty backbone that begs for a second sip. The nose is subtle pine, hop and malt present.

If double IPAs are you jam, check this out the next time you swing through WI.

 

Love that label.

 

Last one for today before some family stop by and we watch the Packer game.

Mosaic Saison has a nice tart funk aroma with yeast, grass, and some floral hops and herbs. Lemony scents and some spice mixed in as well. Brett has really added to the aroma. A slight tartness along with yeasty notes. A nice citrus, lemon and floral hops with a wet straw/grass funk. Good amount of light spice to finish it off. Light bodied with nice carbonation that finishes dry and spicy with some white wine characteristic. Reminds me of Saison-Brett from Boulevard.

 

Hope that everyone had a nice Christmas holiday! Probably the strangest holiday weather I can remember. We set a new record high on Christmas Eve, and a new record for rainfall of almost 6 inches on Christams day. Even today it is over 75 degrees, but I hear things are getting back to normal before next weekend...

Today's new beer is Tyranena's Doubly Down 'N Even Dirtier and comes to me courtesy of @egrace84.

Fairly small and short lived head, but wonderful chocolate and vanilla aromas mixed with light bourbon and oak. Flavors following suite with a full body and creamy texture. An excellent stout and highly recommended.



http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/784/63455/?ba=richj1970

 

Happy Sunday! Hope you all had a peaceful, relaxing holiday weekend with family and friends.

Here we have Saison Première from de Garde Brewing out of beautiful Tillamook, Oregon. Nice, light, crisp, tart. Similar to the many Berliner weissbiers de Garde has come to be known so well for. Wish I could send each of you a bottle. Cheers!

 

Bon Bon 2x TNT IIPA from Singlecut Beersmiths. Have to admit, I never heard of these guys. My favorite store just got this and strongly suggested this via e-mail, I really trust the buyer there that writes the e-mails. Ironically, before I could get to the suggesting store, my wife bought it for me at another store first, and I never even discussed it with her. It is shown above with a funky, diagonal-cut tulip glass my son go me for Christmas. Not shown, top of bottle capped with re-usable silicone bottle cap from a set that was another Christmas gift. Beer and beer things for Christmas is great.

First the glass- I have quite a large traditional glassware collection. I was really just using this today to make my son feel good. Have to admit, I was pretty skeptical. However, this is an AROMA glass if there ever was one (kind of obvious if you look at it). The aroma focusing almost makes up for the asymmetry that keeps you on your toes when you pick the thing up for a sip. This will go into steady rotation in my collection depending on what I am drinking.

Now for the the Bon Bon. Pours cloudy, medium head. Aroma is kind of malty alcohol, especially for an ipa (I know malty alcohol is not a traditional term but it really comes to mind). Taste though is balanced, but offset in timing. Malt comes first, then a hop finish. Not bitter hop taste, more like Vermont-style IPA hop. Mouth feel is accented with appropriate, slightly delayed carbonation that spreads the joy all over the mouth. Alcohol notes in aroma are not present or well hidden in the taste. Next bottle I will try in a more traditional nonic or something see if that alcohol aroma goes away.

This is a fine beer. I will definitely buy this again, if I can.