New Beer Sunday (week 588)

Odd Side Ales Hazel's Nuts
Imperial Stout - 10% ABV



4.52/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle poured into a snifter. Manufacture date of 1/22/16 printed on the label. Described as a stout aged in bourbon barrels with coffee and natural hazelnut flavors.

The aroma is filled with hazelnuts and coffee, really mouthwatering. As the beer warms, you can get more of the bourbon barrel notes in the nose but the coffee and hazelnut are predominate. The taste has a lot of sweetness up front that makes way for the bittersweet chocolate, hazelnut and coffee flavors in the sweet and roasty finish. The mouthfeel and body are a little lighter than expected. Overall, Hazel's Nuts is a fantastic brew that I thoroughly enjoyed.

 

A little porch drinking and my final hoppy offering from the box of goodness @SammyJaxxxx sent my way. Let's pop the top on this pint can of Carton 077-07006 DIPA rated at 7.8% and pour it in my 13oz. tulip.

Pours a semi cloudy deep gold leaving a finger of egg white foam. The smell is floral/citrus grapefruit forward followed by cheesey yeast. Flavor is grapefruit, floral notes and a rye like spice. The feel is slick and resiny with a kiss of spice.



A tasty beer on the porch tonight, but this one is my least favorite offering from Carton thus far. A little too heavy on the floral notes. My score was 3.93 / +0.5%. The tiny upper dot between the can and glass is Mars rising in the eastern sky.

Here's the link to review.....

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/26817/103021/?ba=Prager62#review

 

Been an incredibly busy day today and I just got around to reading all the posts. Great reading. Before I make any further posts, I'd also like to take a moment to reflect for Memorial Day. I count a few veterans in my family, but my father and I didn't go that route. Memorial Day is especially important for me because it serves as an opportunity to think about the servicemen and servicewomen that step to the plate. I don't/haven't agreed with many of our foreign policy decisions and the wars our country engages in, but I can't deny the commitment of our soldiers and their utter love for this country. The sense of duty, the courage, and the belief in the United States that they show is inspirational and I find lessons in it.

Salute to them all.

 

Welcome to NBS! =)

 

@TongoRad , ironic that today you chose to drink that Imperial Java Stout and it made you think of Bandelier, as that's exactly where I was today. And if all will indulge, I have some pics from there and Valles Caldera. @2beerdogs , can't remember if you've been to Bandelier or not (Bruery beers will do that to you).











After Bandelier, I visited Los Alamos, where I was born and lived until 8, and where I visited my mother until around the age of 20, it's still a creepily quiet town that I don't care for, but they have a Co-op Brewery that was recently featured in Beer Advocate's magazine.

Bathtub Row Brewing:


My daughter thought their bathtub was cool:



I tried 4 beers and of those none really wowed me. Just because I was there and would have felt terrible trying free samples and then leaving, I ordered a half pour of the Organic Farmhouse Ale. I didn't snap a pic or take notes, but I can talk about the beer a bit:

It wasn't very farmhouse-y to me. More American Saison than Belgian, with a notable malt presence and zesty, estery notes. I came around to the beer as I sipped it and noticed some citrus character (orange and grapefruit), but I wanted a bit more drinkability and lightness. On look, the malt presence shows and I like more straw color, so I'd have given it a 4. Smell lacked the farmhouse I was hoping for, showed more malt and a some light zest and even hop, so 3.5. Flavor and feel, I'ved touched on, I think 3.5 for both. May enter that review or not. Not sure.

Cheers to all and again, Happy Memorial Day. Today was my dad's birthday and I'm headed to Santa Fe tomorrow to celebrate with him.

 

Well, I thought I would come back earlier. But...Hello NBS Late Night.

Turns out the Scottish Games did toss me an opportunity to tick a new beer. (Technically, I've had it before. But alas, that was years ago, and I never reviewed it). So among the glorious cacophany of drums and pipes, some fish and chips, and a meat pie...I sucked down this.

Erdinger Dunkel Weissbier

3.69/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Been a few years since i had this, but I never wrote it up.
Bottle poured vigorously. Rich oatmeal colored foam pounces up from the coffee colored beer.
Smell is a little caramelly, banana, yeast, and some gentle roasted malt.
Taste is much the same as the nose with hints of date.
Mouthfeel has a nice creaminess to it while carbonation continues to play along.
Overall, for a pretty sold dunkel.

Yesterday I had a friend pop by and gave me a fresh pour of Pinkerton IPA, a Belgian IPA, from Brouwerij West, in San Pedro, CA. Quite a beauty. I entered into the database. A real nice surprise.

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/23628/232739/?ba=2beerdogs#review

 

Simply glorious!

 

Classic!!!

 

Now it's on my radar. Thanks!

 

Wow, Jim!!! Stunningly beautiful pics.

 

Welcome aboard. Enjoyable read. And we've all been "that guy" taking pictures of beer. No worries, you're among friends.

 

Thanks Derek.

 

Well said, Sir.

 

And don't think I forgot that YOU Sir, were the generous soul that hooked me up with BA Hi Fi... And I still speak your praises.

 

I have not been to Bandalier. But those pics, hmmm. It's on the list. I've been near there, camping near Cuba and then dropping down to Jemez Pueblo.
But enough about that. Check out the gorgeous family. You are very blessed. And to take the little one out like that is awesome. I continuously thank my parents for bringing me up in the great outdoors. Camping, hiking, different cultures, broadened horizons.

 

I'm trying to think if there's something I could suggest for you to pick up, and I literally can't think of anything. Pickins are sllliiimmm, unless you like the Long Trail versions... which don't float my boat. Lagunitas Doppel Sticky is still hanging around. I remember that one being tasty but something original rather than an example of a style. Last one I had was a Tired Hands version on draught. Best you can hope for is finding Uerige on draught and making a pilgrimage.