New Beer Sunday (week 569)

3 New Dark Beers. 1 New APA.

Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock
4.49/5 rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
I love when I have not yet rated world's best beers, this double bock is one. Try 24.
A. Comes with ram medallion, readily available and affordable at WFM as single. Beer pours a dark amber/brown body with 1 finger tan head that dissipates slowly and reveals lacy carpet of bubbles.
S. Figs. Aroma is dark sweet malts with dark fruit, as well as roasted smells. There is a dominant, complex fruity smell that leans into fig, fruit cake, cherry, kirsch, brandy, cedar.
T. Follows and increases the smell complex. The taste reveals the darker (fig and plum) flavors. There are some sweet malts, mollasses, char, roasted malt and some floral hop bitterness. Syrupy, and rich, meditation beer. Better as it warms, as complex as old world church.
F. Syrup weight that smooth yet refreshing. Despite complexity which is good for after dinner (as it is for me tonight) probably great with any hearty meal.
Best Doppelbock class. Try 24. Try often.

American Pale Ale - Bronx Brewery <Happy to write first review. Loved our NYC beer.
4.1/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Just found mixed case at WFM from local Bronx Brewery (It's the water), a fine crafter. Try 12.
New packaging is nice. Brewer says : "Do one thing, do it right - NYC Pale Ales." Amen.
A. Pours light amber, coppery body with ample bubbles and a retaining, lacing sticky head of large bubbles.
S. Excellent, sharp, crisp, minerally with candied pine and citrus marmalade like notes astride solid old world malt base.
T. Follows smell, and brightens further like a Sibelius symphony, blaring horns of hops, bright citrus, always slightly sugared, on dark full grained malt toast. Really fresh and food-like. Great flavor profile, yet original and vibrant. For some might be too sweet, but it's tempered by the hop bite. 50 ibu - down the middle.
F. Medium bodied but with the fresh weight and tongue feel of fine craft.
O. Close behind Dales Pale Ale, and a different directlion, but as fresh, vibrant, complex, and distinct. Much more caramel malt and less hop, but I have to try them neck and neck.
Try 12!

Decoy Winter Warmer - Carton < Ditto NJ Beer. It's the water!
4.05/5 rDev +1.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
As always, we believe our own (Carton in my home town), our water, our terroire is best. You gotta love where you live. And I do love Carton beer.
A – Blackish brown color, head retention was not so much, a khaki tan. Spotty, sticky lacing.
S - Sweet, honey, mead, dark cherry, a bit of coffee and orange. Liqueur like.
T – Wow! Lots of flavour pours forth and yes it will accompany winter roasts and succulent food well. Aromas of sweet raisin, wood, resin, dark fruit, orange, dense. A tapestry. Not much hop, or alcohol in the taste. Very meditative.
M – Rich, full body with light carbonation. Nicely drying at the finish.
D - Sweet last beer of the night, or with rich foods, and very drinkable. Needs a tulip or a snifter. Bold and great. Memorable. Save for an occasion. Try 12.
Muddy Imperial Stout - Goose
3.76/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Brewer stands out for Stout. This one's interesting but mid-pack. Try 1.
A: Pours an flat black w ruby highlights, and not much retention or lace for this style.
S: Interesting but too subtle: smoke, plums, licorice, let it warm.
T: Follows nose, roasted malt, a touch of char & balancing dryness. Charred grain, wood, dark fruit, finishes with dark fruit, coffee, licorice & molasses. (More candy than coffee).
MF: Medium bodied, oily, slick, low carbonation. Should offer more for the ABV and style.
O: No game changer here, but worth a try. Try 1.

 

Nice.

BTW how's your weather out there today? Anything else happening in your area today besides the beer?

 

Malheur 12

 

High of 69, low of 46, clear, lovely southern CA weather, I wish it were colder. Not much else.

 

Good evening Advocates. No time for a long review tonight, but I'm really digging on this Hoof Hearted Wangbar - aka super hazy grapefruit juice. Aroma is strong fruit, very raw. Fairly acidic. Moderate bitterness on the end. Somewhat thicker mouthfeel from the oats is apparent.



Cheers BA!

 

Good evening NBS, hope everyone had a good day today. Thanks to @utopiajane for getting us going again this week. Long holiday weekend for me, not sure if that applies to everyone though. Work has been pretty busy this month with the new programs I have been working on, but I have been getting everything done on time thankfully. Here are today's new beers:

This is a very good pale ale. Aromas and flavors of grapefruit, orange, melon, berry, wood, pepper, and pine hops; with some light caramel/toasted biscuity malt balance and herbal/floral/grassy hop earthiness. Good sized piney/spicy bitterness; with a moderately dry and sticky finish with some light balancing bready creaminess in the mouthfeel. Muted on the aromas, but the flavors were nice. The British malts are extremely obvious, I think they compliment the hops unique spicy profile very well. Really tasty and enjoyable. 3.78


This was outstanding! Aromas and flavors of big milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, vanilla, fudge, marshmallow, and toasted dark bread. Light roast bitterness on the finish; with a great bittersweet balanced finish with a creamy/silky mouthfeel with a touch of grainy sticky/chalky notes as well. Light-medium carb and pretty full bodied. Very smooth sipping with minimal warming alcohol. Basically a fudge brownie in a bottle, extremely well executed. 4.2


Really great stuff! Aromas and flavors of big lemon, orange, grapefruit, peach, pineapple, mango, apricot, pear, apple pepper, hay, straw, floral, grass, and musty funk hop/brett complexity; with some moderate balancing wheat/crackery malts and yeasty earthiness. Moderate peppery spicy finish; medium-high carbonated crisp finish; with some light-moderate wheat creaminess in the mouthfeel. Light-moderate dryness; the creaminess keeps it from being bone dry against the carbonation. Loved the mouthfeel a lot because of that fact. All around delicious stuff. Really well rounded on brett complexity and citrusy/tropical hops; all placed upon a nice malt foundation that isn't overdone. I really didn't get any salt in the flavors as stated by the label, but it probably contributed to the overall fuller mouthfeel than I would have anticipated. Would definitely buy this again. 4.15


WOW. Aromas and flavors of HUGE caramel, toffee, brown sugar, raisin, plum, apple, fig, date, vanilla, toasted oak, brown bread, coconut, and bourbon. Light balancing bourbon/oak spice against sweetness; with a full bodied creamy/silky mouthfeel; without feeling too heavy, slick, or sweet. Very smooth sipping, lightly warming alcohol with zero booziness. God damn. This is decadent as hell. I love English barleywines so much and this rides with the best of them. I am definitely buying at least another one to age even at the premium price. 4.47


Cheers, have a good night NBS!

New RoF album is amazing.

 

If your experience with this is anything like mine, you'll find that reviewing and then reading the reviews written by some of the more experienced reviewers on here (especially those who's are tastes are similar to yours) to see what you might be missing, etc. will help you increase your enjoyment of beer when not reviewing.

 

Drinking a Uinta Port O' Call, a Belgian Style Dark Ale Aged in Port Wine Barrels for the first time today.



3.92/5 rDev +5.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Corked and caged 750ml bottle poured into a snifter. Pours a dark reddish brown color with light tan colored head. The aroma is dark fruits, and a lot of notes from the port barrels. The taste follows suit. Overall, a solid brew from Uinta, I think the port wine barrels add some great character this brew.

 

#2 of today and actually #5 of a sixer that I purchased in Jersey about 2 weeks ago. Wanted to share as I found this to be a really nice brew:
Flying Fish Exit 16 Wild Rice DIPA.
Pours a straw yellow color with lots of particulates but small in nature so as not to be offensive. Head is nice and settles quickly to a thin ring.
Aroma is of pine and tropical fruits, passionfruit, mango and sweet citrus and blossoms.
Taste follows with loads of tropicals and a nice sweetness that fades to a drying perfect bitterness. The rice does make a presence to me and makes this highly drinkable DIPA that has a zero alcohol presence. It is clean tasting and delicious.
Medium carbonation with a tongue coating finish with again a lingering fruity sweetness that dries out rather quickly. A beer that I could drink a few of and not notice it being a DIPA.....until I stood up.
First time with Flying Fish. I really like this take with the "rice" and tropical hops. Just dynamite stuff. I know nothing about the brewery accept that next time I'm in the area I'll be buying again!

 

Damn @LeperJim That was the conversation I had with my wife!!! Except it never left my mouth.

 

Put simply, You Rock @cjgiant !

 

We've only been married a few years, so there's a lot of forgiveness. I like to let her know when I might be taking a trip down the rabbit hole. Which I did.

 

Cheshire Cat smile included, I'm sure.

 

Well here is a beauty that I stumbled upon:

The David Bowie An American porter by Bottle Logic in Anaheim, CA.

On tap at the Iron Press in Anaheim, CA
Wow. This is an amazing porter. Starts off a deep, dark burnished leather in hue. Trace foam. Smell is gorgeously rich malt with an elegant and subtle smoke. Taste really moves around between a full dark brown bread maltiness with the most rounded and complex roast meets smoke. This past is challenging to nail down. It's omnipresent yet elusive in characterizing. It's smoke but it's sweet. It's not too sweet but it's not overly roasty nor smokey. But it is so good. The mouthfeel is full and almost silky. This is one of the best porters I've had. When I first read the name I thought, "Oh no! Bottle Logic named a mediocre one-off after a recently deceased icon." But this one is smooth, complex, and original. So it's a nice homage.

 

Fairly vigorous pour yields a 3/4 inch head. Initial nose yields an aroma of? Coffee!!! which fades after time and comes back with a vigorous swirl. Gotta give 'em props for naming the beer for what it tastes like! Cream and 2 sugars! Nice mouthfeel as well. Wish I had another.

 

Wow, you literally just inspired me to make chicken parmesan, something I haven't done in a very long time. In fact, I am going to make it for dinner tomorrow to pair with my supper beer!!!

 

And following @bobv ...
SS Yirgacheffe Imperial Pale Ale by Carton

Thanks to NJ Beer Ambassador @SammyJaxxxx for this one.
Well I thought this one sounded, well, uh, interesting.
But we need to be open to new experiences.
Poured a golden to amber hue. Off white head bursting with lemony citrus and yes, hints of fruity coffee.
Taste is really a fine blend of lemon zest and lite roast coffee. It is nothing I ever expected to enjoy, but it's quite good.

 

Plow Horse by Brewery Vivant, given to me by @beergorrilla!



A-pitch black body with about a finger length of tan head that dissipated somewhat quickly
S-mixture of Belgian yeast and roasted malts, chocolate, figs, dates
T-exact same as the nose with a touch of coffee at the end with a medium body and some carbonation
O-very enjoyable stout with a true Belgian twist

 

Hello New Beer Sunday.

I didn't work today. Yesterday, I had an amazing time meeting a beautiful young lady. She will be 2 weeks old on Monday. I loved meeting her, and congratulating her parents. Holding such a young baby is amazing (as long as I don't have to change her). I gave her dad a 6 pack of Yungling from my back-stock as a congratulations on the kid. After that, I played poker, and was the bubble boy.
Today, it didn't get above zero here in the frozen tundra. I went to Wisconsin with some friends and didn't have to do the driving, so I was able to enjoy a lot of beers.

So, in honor of going to Wisconsin, here's a new Wisconsin I've never had before.


It pours a dark amber color. There's minimal head to it. The nose is, well, tart smelling.

Taste - Well, fruity, as expected, but also a tart flavor as expected. This might be a better beer for summer, than the dead of winter, but is still very delicious.

3.3 out of 5

 

It is an odd little beer. Glad you enjoyed it.