New Beer Sunday (week 580)

Second NBS beer of Bible Belt, a collaboration between Evil Twin and Prairie Artisan Ales. It is supposed to be a combination of Even More Jesus and BOMB! I can't read the date on the bottle, but even though I bought this from a bottle shop last week, I'm assuming it's about two years old. Review is below.



12 ounce bottle poured into a tulip. The date is unreadable, but it's probably two years old. It pours jet black with a 1/2 fingers, dark brown, quickly dissipating head. There is no lacing. The smell is coffee and bitter chocolate. I'm not getting a lot of others flavors. The mouthfeel is smooth and lightly carbonated. The taste is a bit strange. Very strong coffee and very bitter chocolate, but not a lot else. May have oxidized some. After reading some of the initial reviews, I'm not sure this has held up very well. Overall it's still drinkable and enjoyable, but it's not world class. But I have three more to try.

 

Keeping it moving with this NDIPAS. On to Grimm's Afterimage:





4.47/5 rDev -1.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

16 ounce tallboy into an oversized tulip.

Bright golden color with a copper hue. Kinda like peach skin. Mostly clear it seems but if I put my hand behind the glass I realize there's a haze here. Frothy pale white head is full and fluffy. Lace sticks everywhere. 5

Sticky mango and passionfruit are the aroma. Overripe pineapple with some residual sugar aroma. Smells a lot like juice. 4.25

Damn. Fruit juice is no exaggeration. This does taste like a pineapple and mango mixture. Light passionfruit and a grapefruit finish. I had my beer-hating wife sample it and she said " Is that grapefruit juice?" I told her it was an IPA (her idea of the worst possible beer) and she tried it again and couldn't believe it. Grimm, if you're listening, you've done magic. 4.5

I'll just reiterate the juiciness. It's got the consistency of a Jugomex nectar, thick and almost pulpy. It's got some real sweetness up front but finishes dry, bitter and zesty and a touch peppery. 4.5

Grimm does these juice bomb/juice box IPAs exceptionally well and this brew is no exception. Fantastic. I'm just pissed I only had one can and it's now gone.

 

Been a day of hoppy beers and capping it off with Blackrocks 51K IPA thanks to @strohme2's awesome NBS BIF box. A feel that this is comparable to some of the local IPAs I love to pick up.

4.19/5 rDev +4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Thank you strohme2 for this
12 oz can poured into a snifter

A- A slightly hazy golden copper with a large white head

S- Floral, touch of wet grass, hints of citrus and sweet malts, slightly piney.

T- Floral, faint hints of citrus, piney finish, balanced a nice somewhat sweet malt backbone.

M- Smooth, light to medium body.

O- A solid IPA, very easy to drink. I would be drinking this a lot if I lived in Michigan, not seeing any really flaws beyond to hints of wet grass in the nose.

★490 characters

 

Greetings All:

Checking in a bit late on this NBS with Ridgetop Red from Silver City Brewing.
http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/959/18572/

A solid rad ale, long on malt, short on hops but a solid ale depending on your taste.

Chamber of Commerce day here in Ritzville. One of the 300+ sunny days with temps in the upper 60's. I planted some strawberry plants morning and cut the grass this afternoon. A good day.

Until next time,

Happy Trails!

 

Good evening NBS, hope everyone is enjoying the end of the weekend once again. Thanks to @cavedave for getting us started off this week. Bought a new car yesterday after foreseeing certain doom in the near future for my old car(after a shop checkup). Love it an it is very fun to drive so far after only 24 hours of having it. It will definitely put me on a stricter budget from now on, but I can make it work for sure. The purchase also kicked up my motivation to get some real estate, in the form of a condo. I hope to get it done this year. I really want to have a real garage so I can brew beer over propane instead of the shitty stove I have. I have until July to get it figured out. Here are today's new beers:

Continuing through BIF. Excellent IPL. Canned 1/22/16. Great head retention and spotty lacing down the glass. Aromas and flavors of big grapefruit, tangerine, pineapple, peach, passion fruit, mango, melon, lemon zest, orange peel, light pepper, and pine hops; with moderate cracker, biscuit, light honey maltiness; and herbal/floral/grassy hop earthiness. Moderate pine/rind/spicy bitterness; with a medium bodied creamy/sticky and lightly resinous mouthfeel. Light-moderate increasing dryness on the finish; with zero hop astringency. Perfectly clean lagering with zero yeasty notes. A little more malty that I initially expected, but still has nice dryness going on; very drinkable. Very bright on hops; with great Citra/Centennial character. 4.1


This was really good. Very unique, but fits the Flanders red style well enough; creeping into Oud Bruin areas too. I'd call it a hybrid of the two. Very hazy deep ruby red color, only visible against light. Aromas and flavors of lightly tart cherry, cranberry, raisin, plum, red grape, pepper, and oak; with moderate caramel, brown sugar, toasted biscuit, nutty, and light cocoa malt; with some hay/straw/funky notes and a touch of red wine vinegar. Light fruity/acidic tartness with pepper spiciness on the finish. Grainy/creamy medium-full bodied mouthfeel; with lightly acidic, sticky, and roast chalkiness going on as well. Light-moderate dryness for acidic/sticky/spicy notes. Very well balanced and very drinkable. It takes a bit to get acquainted with this one, but it was well done. Not quite sour/dry enough to be a Red, and not quite malty enough to be a Bruin; at least in my opinion. 3.78


Really nice DIPA! Aromas and flavors of big grapefruit, tangerine, pineapple, apricot, lemon zest, orange peel, and pine hops; with earthy jalapeno peppers; toasty/bready/light caramel malt; and herbal/floral/grassy hop/pepper earthiness. Medium pine/grassy bitterness with a fair amount of pepper spice; with a medium full body; with balance hop stickiness and bready creaminess in the mouthfeel. Light-moderate dryness; lightly increasing. Light pepper warmth on the finish; doesn't build all that much on the finish through the glass either. Extremely drinkable and well restrained on the pepper notes. This was really delicious! Really well balanced hop and pepper flavors; not too spicy/hot; with a solid/not overly sweet malt backbone. Very well executed. 3.9


Cheers, have a good night NBS.

 

Last DIPA of the night on this NDIPAS? Possibly. I think I have one more beer in me though.

This is Bent Paddle Hop Forest and it is delicious. Got this one in my BIF box from @garymuchow . Thank you very muchow!



4.16/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

12 ounce can into an oversized tulip.

A- Copper liquid and frothy head. Good clarity. Tons of lace. Great head retention. 5

S-Ooh la la. This aroma is lovely. Mango, papaya and melon blend. Light floral quality and a seductive sweetness. This aroma reminds me of Yellow Rose, a beer I love dearly. 4.5

T- Still getting that melon-y deliciousness but there's more to this. Resinous hops, pineyness, bready and caramel malt sweetness. The finish lingers with a floral flavor like lilies. 4

F- Sweet, resinous, and wickedly bitter about mid-palate. The bitterness feels a tad perfumey and is my only quibble with this beer and does slightly impact the flavor too. 3.75

A really pleasant surprise. Very good. I'd be happy to have many of this beer.

 

Things have calmed down a little this evening - a moment for a new/old beer:

Liefmans Goudenband, Belgian Ale (2011):











Dark auburn, almost brown; excellent clarity; off white head; quick cap reduction; spotty lace at best. 4.0

Tart fruit nose - rhubarb!?, and just a whiff of barnyard/wet horse blanket. 4.25

Tart dark fruit - cherries & prunes; semi sweet berries - raspberry & boisenberry; and lightly bitter rhubarb. 4.5

Medium lite mouthfeel and moderate carbonation; really light and drinkable. 4.25

Overall, a wonderful juxtaposition between sugary "fruit", tart "fruit", and bitter "fruit" mingling effortlessly with gentle house blanket coarseness. After 5 years the alcohol blended nicely into this complex ale, and the carbonation still keeps it lite and airy. 4.25

Looking forward to drinking more excellent beer, and sharing reviews with you my friends, for many Sundays to come. Cheers!

 

I've only participated in NBS BIF's (WHICH ARE FRIGGIN AWESOME), but that sounds totally fun. And a Huna...Helluva nice surprise!!!

 

Happy Late Night NBS
While I'm not drinking a new beer. I am drinking a great beer in my new Weyerbacher glass, courtesy of our very own NBS Champion @Ozzylizard . He sent it to me, along with a plethora o'beer goodness, in the NBS BIF #3.

Bruery's Beret tasted great, and looked so good in this elegant piece of glassware.

 

Oh, and my NBS target may be drinking the same very soon. As will maybe a few other NBS regulars...

 

Firestone Walker Parabola 2016. 8oz / $9.

I seem to be on the minority but... I had BCBS 2014 with 6 months and a year on it. I've had BCBS 2015. I've had KBS 2015 and 2016 as recently as two days ago. Parabola is better than both by miles.

It's got a muted nose, with hints of caramel and toffee. But take a sip and you get rich roasted malts. Huge dark chocolate. Some vanilla, toffee notes and bourbon round out the palate, but don't overwhelm. This is super balanced and crazy drinkable for over 13% ABV. Best stout I've ever tasted.

5/5.

 

Getting a late start but it is still Sunday Somewhere.

I've heard so much about Hair of the Dog bit this is my first beer from them. Their DIPA Blue Dot

So disapointed in this beer. Overally boozy for a 7% abv. My review is here
3.68/5 rDev -8.9%look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Winter 2016 bottle A: Pours a deep straw color. Very effervescent. Solid finger plus of white head S: some pine and citrus T: Malty Sweet citrus rind MF: boozy sweet. O: very disappointing. Heard good things about HoD. Hope I enjoy their other offerings more

Getting a little odd here with the tunes

 

Seems most NBSers are from the East Coast and either in bed or just off of BA. Posting one final NBS and it's not a DIPA. It's Barrel-Aged Gratitude from East End Brewing.

Some apropos tunes for the occasion:







4.26/5 rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

2014/2015 bottle released in March of 2015.

Pours a murky brown with little to no head. A bit of film atop the beer. Raisin-y brown in the glass. 4

First pass of the nose I pick up oak, raisin and dark fruit. Caramel. Brown sugar and floral yeast. I likey. 4.25

First sips reveal brown sugar, oak, raisin, oatmeal cookie, caramel, and molasses. Rich all around. Tasty. 4.25

Smooth, sweet, sticky, and very light with bitterness and booze on the finish. 4.5

This beer impresses. Very taste, full, wealthy in flavors.

 

Have one 2015 Parabola left, and agree it my be the best stout I've ever had...cheers!

 

Two more for tonight from my bif box, the bitter chocolatier and blackout stout. Enjoyed both of these, though the blackout stout was a bit more to my taste.


Bitter chocolatier was true to its name, had a lot of chocolate flavor with a slightly bitter finish, something like a mild dark chocolate. Not too complex but solid and with a nice texture.


Blackout stout had a lot going on, bit of smokiness and some caramel flavors, also a dark chocolate/bitter finish.

Overall this bif box is off to a strong start!

 

Damn, go away for a few hours, eat some ribs (okay, probably the best damn ribs I've ever had - thanks to my friend Matt) at a BBQ, and come back to 28 alerts? Must be NBS...

I was thinking of hitting something more from @Ri0 as perhaps a nightcap, but at this point, I think I'm done for the day.

 

Sadly, HOTD's quality, especially with Blue Dot, it seems, is all over the place. My first was fantastic, the second was lousy, with virtually no carbonation. There hasn't been a third. Too many beers I can rely on to have a beer with a 50% failure rate.

 

You're good for 1 More
I am 3 hours ahead of you damn it

 

Maybe, but I'm done reviewing. Between the beers I had here today and the ones I had at dinner (nothing fancy), plus some vino I drank, I think I'm sufficiently toasted to be done with doing that.

Hmm, it might be time for bourbon, however...

 

...and what the hell are you doing still up? My tomorrow is literally your today right now!