New Beer Sunday (week 578)

Yeah. I can see going either way with the prominent flavor (cocoa vs dark nuttiness) as it continues to evolve/balance itself. There is definitely coconut, but just a kiss. Most of it is in the aftertaste for me.

 

Good morning/afternoon NBSers! Hopefully everyone is having an exceptionally great weekend. I've been fortunate enough to spend the last few days visiting family here in Florida, and I've got a couple more to go before heading back to Kentucky
I've managed to land some really great beers while here. This one was an extra from a recent trade, and my first ever offering from the elusive Funky Buddha Brewery. Cheers!

Da Beer
Funky Buddha Nib Smuggler


Da Re...view

Bottle split between two snifters. Black bodied with dark brown hues surrounding the glass edges when held to light. A vertical pour yielded a dense lacing of mocha-colored foam, which lasted for about 2 minutes before transforming into a spotty lacing; some big bubbles still surrounding the cap's perimeter. Albeit being a bit weak, the nose is fairly pleasant. Strong notes of burnt lactose, dark roasted chocolate, raw cacao, and vanilla. There's a slightly astringent character to the smell - a very light vinegaresque aroma - that I could attribute to the Brazilian cocoa. Not entirely sure.

Pleasant tasting, although with that same astringecy as mentioned before. Beyond that, there are notes of dark chocolate, raw vanilla beans, and silky lactose. These flavors all blend together quite well, making this beer a true "chocolate" porter. Virtually no malt roastiness or hop bitterness, this one is all chocolate and vanilla. The mouthfeel is full and creamy, making this one as easy to drink as a homemade cookies and cream milkshake.

Overall, very good. I was on the fence at first, but as it warmed, it grew on me with each sip. Definitely one for those who like organic/natural sweets.

Da Scores

look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Weighted score: 3.95/5 rDev -3.2%

 

Yeah- I got that one in NBS BIF #1, and found it the same way- just a nice drinking beer that you can have a few of, not overly saturated with flavorings. My favorite kind, actually .

 

Happy first day of Spring, NBS!

Today I'm trying Embrr, a rye porter from Ithaca Beer Co. This beer pours a dark brown with two fingers of light tan head. Hold the glass up to some Spring Adirondack sunlight, and you'll see a reddish hue.

The nose is fairly subtle, a little molasses, a little spice. Very nice flavor on the palate, good dark porter flavors, with some rye. A bit bitter on the finish, mixed with the rye. The mouthfeel is light and silky - stays on the Porter side of the porter/stout line, which I like.

Very good beer. Cheers!

 

Yeah, I am not a cocnut junkie by any means. In fact, as good as I thought the Funky Buddha Last Snow was (and my score reflects it), I'm not sure I could have finished the bomber if I didn't split it with my brother. Just so rich. This one is just very enjoyable. As I finished it I am thinking my overall rating could easily be higher. I could turn around and drink another pounder of it for sure. Which might not be a good thing in a way

 

Spring is here! A nice sunny day in WI, so I will be going for a long nature walk with the dogs this afternoon.

I went hunting for a few new beers yesterday that I had on my radar. First up is 3rd Sign Abandon All Hope (pretty good name for my NCAA bracket). This is brewed locally about 15 miles from my house.

The coconut aroma is very noticeable in a sweet way decadent way. Sweet malt with toffee and cola notes. Spice from peppers is not present in the nose. I pick up the coconut flavors right away with the base porter cola notes. A bit of light tootsie roll flavor and the spice from Pasilla peppers builds slowly and tingles, but is not hot. I think Pasilla was a good choice as it has a more mild spice. It is lighter body, yet still manages to be creamy. Carbonation is spot on. A pretty decent flavored porter with a twist.

 

I'm just going to say it. I come to NBS JUST to see what Maria is cooking up. Dang!

 

Heretic Evil Cousin double ipa, from a 22 oz. bottle and new to me



pours out straw with a white head which is rather creamy
notes of pine like a magnum hop bitterness come through
though I don't know what hops they used.
piney bitterness hits with first sips.
medium mouthfeel , nice bitterness on tongue.seems chewy.

cheers to my fellow BA's!

 

Good afternoon NBS and welcome to spring 16. Thanks to @cavedave for the kick off, and to @utopiajane for the
tormentingly delightful photos. It is wonderful to see those creations while I have breakfast! This is a day of celebration
in our house, as my wife wishes a fond adieu to my winter facial forest until the next autumnal season.
Today I have the pleasure of trying a variant of an old friend, Arthur from Hill Farmstead is one of my favorite offerings in general, this is a Segal Ranch cascade dry hopped version, fermented in stainless vs fouders. The character is wonderfully explored, the tartness a bit less, the raw field feeling is delightful. An exquisite variant and my New (variant) Beer this Sunday.

Cheers all

 

This brew pours a golden straw color, somewhat transparent with a white fluffy head which dissipates fairly quickly however some of it sticks around as a collar and on top. There is surprisingly good lacing.

The smell is full of earthy, bready and cracker malts; lemon and lots of spicy hops.

The taste follows the nose with the earthy and bready malts dominating from start to finish. The cracker taste is near the end. The finish is clean and crisp with lots of spicy hops and a very slightly gritty finish at the end which reminds me of my favorite Pilsner. An altogether drinkable beer, I think I will have another.

 

i'll be on the lookout for this! I love helles in the SUMMER

 

New IPA Sunday
Greetings NBSer's,
Thanks again to @cavedave and @utopiajane for getting us started each and every Sunday.
Here in SCMN we lost all our snow only to get a little more two evenings ago and for to be leaving here again by the end of today. March is winter here, but very much the end of winter clearly this year. Yea for us!
Lots of prep for NBS BIF #3. I think my target has figured out the clues. Shipping may be this week or early next week for sure. Mostly packed, still thinking of some late entries.
Today I present a solid Am IPA from Summit. They like to put hops in a very everyday and drinkable way and this one is no different.
http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/467/216388/?ba=garymuchow

I think I'll be back later with a special beer I was able to pick up in WI this weekend.

 

After an unseasonably warm February the first day of spring is barely above freezing on the North Coast. Almost makes me want to fly to Florida... oh wait! I can just open my first ever Cigar City beer! Thanks to some good friends who went last month and brought it back with them... I've had a couple of collaborations Cigar City has participated in that have been distributed locally but this is the first just by them.

I like it a bit more than most but probably because the warming qualities are great for today
3.98/5 rDev +9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Great tropical fruit hops, the only gripe is there is way more malt sweetness than is needed. Still enjoyable and makes me wish they distributed this way. Cheers, NBSers!

 

Two new brews for the day so far...

Opened with this collaboration between Lawsons and Otter Creek/Wolavers...

Double or Nothing maple barleywine...

Reasonable-enough barleywine, similar to the maple version of a pumpkin barleywine in that it has an earthy, almost vegetal character beneath the ample maple and malt sugars. Full-bodied, with impressions of candied fruits and hints of booze and sweet brown biscuity grains. Good, but I'm not blown away or anything.

Cleansed the old palate with warm some lobster salad sliders on toasted brioche buns...


Then came for this oak aged IPA from Barrier Brewing...

Atypical... Almost like Rumble on steroids. A plush and soft and fruity IPA, edged with enough pine and tack to call it balanced; benefits from some dry and woodsy flavors, slipping slightly tannic notes into the mix. Medium-full bodied and amply carbonated, with plenty of bitterness for the hop headed. This I really dug, but I do enjoy most barrel aged pales, which may not be to all tastes.

Cheers, NBS...

 

St. Johns Irish Ale from Rinn Duin Brewing in Toms River NJ. Maris Otter and Melanoiden Crystal malts East Kent Golding hops 20 ibu and 4.9abv.
This is the first beer I have had from this brewery. This brew is pretty much what one would expect an Irish Ale to be. St. Johns pours a nice red bronze color with a off white head. It aroma is of sweet malt but the taste and finish are dry and a hoppy kick. What this beer lacks is body. The mouthfeel is very light almost watery. That is not what ones expects from an Irish ale. IMO that's a shame because otherwise this would be a very good beer.

 

Wishing all of you NBS'ers a good day. Its a beautiful, clear sunny day here, but cold! For my first entry this week, Bedrock from Foundation Brewing in awesome Portland, ME.



4.21/5 rDev +2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Draft pour into snifter.

Look: Deep, dark, and creamy appearance. When held up to the light, a tiny bit passes through the edges showing a deep brown color. The head is small bubbled, creamy foam, tinted tan, settles to foamy cap with a wide ring around the glass.

Smell: Roasted malts, sweet chocolate, and bitter coffee are most noticeable on the nose. All perceivable, but none strong or outshining the other aromas.

Taste: Somewhat smoky, deep roast in the malts and coffee. The chocolate does not come through as bitter, but as a nice light balancing sweetness, which seems needed in this otherwise bitter brew.

Feel: Pretty full body for an English Porter, low end of moderate carbonation, feels right for the style.

Overall: Smooth, deep flavors. Overall a good brew. Nice balance of sweet and bitter, pretty to look at.

 

Good afternoon to all the NBS followers and Many thanks to Dave for getting us started on this crisp clear day here in central NH. They are saying there may be some snow tonight into tomorrow but the amounts should be fairly light.
Yesterday was our annual St. Patrick's Day bash here at the house and I was told by more than one person that this years batch of corned beef may have been my best every. I think maybe giving it an extra week in the brine this year and also going to a local grown grass fed brisket may have helped a little. The great thing is a actually ended up with left overs this year so I can enjoy a couple of sandwiches this week.
I see the NBS BIF is in full swing and though I didn't have time for this one I'll be ready for the next round.
Now on to the point of this great thread a New Beer for today. My new beer for this Sunday comes from Night Shift Brewing in Everett, MA and is the El Lechedor a Mexican style milk stout.

Your Rating: 4.21
Poured a dark black color into my snifter glass. Lots of nose cinnamon and vanilla with some chocolate overtones along with some bourbon from the barrel aging. The taste follows the nose with a nice blend of all things that were in the nose. Perhaps a little heavy on the cinnamon in the front but the overall taste is smooth and pleasant. The mouth feel is good with a low amount of carbonation. A really nice take on this type of stout and to me much better than a certain one by Stone.

Cheers to all

 

Greetings NBS fans! A partly cloudy and cool day along the southern shore, but I'm not going to be deterred from lighting up the kamado to smoke a couple of corned beefs I picked up on the cheap now that St. Patty's has passed. Going with a 16oz. can from a four pack I picked up at 18th Street yesterday called Euro Tight Pants DIPA. It has a canning date of 03/16/16 with no listed abv. on the label, but I believe it's 8.2%. Let's pour this tall boy in my 18th tulip for the taste!

Pours a deep gold with a reddish hue leaving a finger of quick settling white foam. A pleasing pour to the eye! Aroma is some citrus and cheesy yeast along with a hint of rye. The flavor is grapefruit, some pine and finally floral notes. There is a nice accent of rye spiciness and biscuity malt in the finish. The feel is resiny, slightly bitter with a semi dry finish.



A flavorful mix of hops, malt, and a pleasant rye spiciness in a DIPA that drinks much easier than the 8.2 percent abv. A change of pace from the DIPA juice bombs and it's in a can! I like it and see myself buying another 4 pack. It would be fine by me if this became part of the rotation. A great canned offering for the kayak or trail!

Here's a peek at the corned beef and the review link below. There's one coming your way in the next box @beerloserLI . Have a great Sunday gang!



http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/31042/209430/?ba=Prager62

 

i'm such a boozer! just finished a dipa, but have to give you BA's these smoked rib pics, so opened up another Cal. dipa
my wife muled home for me (she's so sweet)
ribs rubbed and refered for 24 hrs. now will smoke minion method 6 hours, then more pics!
this beer here is hoppier than previous one I posted,copper color
more floral notes here but hoppy also.fruity flavors are lurking behind the hops.
more noticeable alcohol on this too, bitter finish( want to review properly, don want to get cave dave mad!)

 

Hmm, that glass looks familiar, but I can't quite place it.