New Beer Sunday (week 596)

Rochefort 10 (2014)

Hello All,

Happy New Beer Sunday to you, and Happy Birthday to me. Today I turn 32. Where does the time go? Celebrations began with a beer that I've wanted to try for a while.

Rochefort 10
Bottling Date: September 16, 2014
ABV: 11.3%
OG: 1.096
IBU: 27
Ingredients: Water, Barley Malt, Candi Sugar, Hops, Coriander, Yeast






Appearance: Dark brown and red and looks opaque until direct sunlight is behind it. Just a few tiny bubbles and particulates. Rocky, barely toffee colored head with a creamy and frothy off white top.

Aroma: Bready and yeasty plum and fig with caramel and bananas and sugary dates. Such a strong sugary yeasty smell with only a hint of alcohol.

Taste: Follows the aroma. Plum, fig, dates, yeast and bananas, toffee and caramel all mixed together with such a smooth sweetness.

Mouthfeel: Smooth smooth smooth. On the light side of full bodied, meaning it's not thick but just smooth and substantial. Leaves a light sugary slickness in the mouth and a little spice.

Overall: It really sucks that this beer is almost $8 a bottle where I'm at, because it's so damn good. As described, the aroma and taste are almost identical, but the aroma favors the spice and the taste favors the sweetness.

Happy New Beer Sunday to all, and thanks to everyone on here who encourages learning about and exploring beer. You help make this a very fun hobby.

Cheers.

 

Today I'm reviewing two beers in the spirit of the Michigan Ohio rivalry. First up is the Michigan beer of course!

Bells The Oracle, DIPA, seasonal release, at 10 ABV, Bells says it's a west coast styled IPA. The beer pours a beautiful orange hue, but even with my efforts to generate head, was only able to get a small cap the disappeared in an instant. Little to no carbonation pushing up, but the aroma is the best feature, very delicate, sweet floral notes tha sustain throughout. The taste is all hops without any signs of malt, very bitter, grapefruit, orange peel, pine, resin, very dry finish. Love the price point and six pack offering, at $15. Bells keeps the value real. I'll be back with the next DIPA from south of the boarder. Cheers

 

This brew pours a clear golden yellow with a great head that sticks around for a long time; lots of lacing and carbonation.

The smell is grainy, crackery, bubble gum and musty wet straw.

The taste follows the nose with light cracker and bread like malts dominating. There is the grainy gritty taste in the middle and finish with the slightest hint of caramel. The dry hop finish compliments the malts perfectly. The finish, in addition to being dry is also slightly grainy and gritty. This is simply a wonderful Pilsner from the people at Weihenstephaner.

 

Greetings friends,
It is steamy. We walked early and ended up sweaty. These can be two shower days. It can be sunny in the front yard and raining in the back. The dogs really like air conditioning. And we'll walk again at about 4 PM when it's 97 degrees. We've been heat damaged, stultified, just basically fried! The weather is perfect for beer if you ask me. So let's check on an "old" modern brewery specializing in German beers and Reinheitsgebot. The brewery is Red Oak Brewery, today located in Whitsett, N.C., just east of Greensboro. Begun in 1991 in Greensboro at Guilford College as a brewpub, Red Oak was way ahead of its time. From the outset, Red Oak brewed German inspired lagers, with Red Oak Amber as the flagship brew. One snowy December day years ago, I remember speaking with the original brewer, a Weihenstephan trained Canadian, as we drank copious quantities of the Amber. He told me that in preparing for brewing beer in North Carolina, he scouted many bars and restaurants so that he could find out what the elusive Carolinians' preferences were in all things food and beverage. He was most astounded by the huge quantities of sweet tea that southerners suck down daily. "If only I could brew a beer like sweet tea", he mused....The rest is history. The brewpub is now gone and only the production facility is operating (Whitsett). The Guilford College brewpub was a truly great place, close to my house, and a favorite family haunt. My kids loved the place. By around 2000-2005 good world beer and a smattering of good US craft was really taking hold. The "modern" beer crowd besmirched Red Oak, calling the very nice lagers, sweet, insipid, not hoppy enough, swill, and other choice negatives. The only problem was that Red Oak sold from the beginning, and is currently doing very well. Actually it's full circle now that well made lagers are really making a mark everywhere. This brewery deserves recognition as a North Carolina "craft" pioneer, and it is high time more beer lovers "see the light".
Today's beer is Red Oak Hummin'Bird Helles (Golden Munich Lager). This beer is beautiful, pouring a bright yellow gold, allowing a huge billowing cap of bright solid white meringue (in my very nice little Rothaus stein). An active bead replaces the head with each sip, leaving very nice lacing as you go. A chalky, bready nose, with some straw-like notes leads to a small but growing hop presence that makes me want more. Slightly sweet at first but with nice hoppy balance, the beer remains a crisp thirst quencher with malt and hops playing nicely indeed. This beer is very "German", lovely to look at, thirst quenching, flavorful, balanced and much richer than one may think at first glance. This is a beer drinking beer and I love it!


Here's a young Joni Mitchell. Holy crap, I was 14 when she sang this tune!

 

Good morning NBS peeps, and thanks to @cavedave for getting the thread off to a good start.
I have to say this has been a great summer so far. It's been warm to hot, sometimes humid, and enough rain every few days to keep my lawn and garden happy. We had an impressive thunderstorm move through last night, and today is a beautiful sunny, less humid day. I thought I'd change things up for me today and review some gose beers that I picked up at Spruce Creek Provisions in Kittery.



First up was Victory Kirsch Gose (full disclosure: I reviewed this beer in May).
The label says a sharp and sweet burst of fresh cherries.
It was a dark pink color with a small, lighter pink head.
A sweet fruit aroma.
Tart cherry taste. Pleasantly salty.
A refreshing, tart summer beer.



Next up was Long Trail Cranberry Gose (yes, I washed the glass in between).
This beer was brewed with freshly pressed New England cranberries, coriander, and a splash of salt.
It was kind of a peach color with a small white head.
Aroma of cranberry and spice.
Taste of cranberry, salt, and a tiny bit of spice.
Another good summer beer.



Lastly, we come to Southern Tier Cherry Gose. I've not been a big Southern Tier fan in general, but this one was spot on.
It is an Imperial sour ale brewed with tart cherry juice.
Dark pink color. There was a tiny pink head that disappeared within a few seconds.
There was a tart, salty cherry aroma.
Taste of tart and sweet cherry, Slightly salty.
Nice tartness. My salivary glands took notice.



I'd have to say I enjoyed Southern Tier the most of the three.



These little bastards are tough to photograph!

 

Dick, I am also a fan of Red Oak Hummin' Bird Helles. Just a very tasty Helles beer which has the bonus of being a good hot weather beer.

Cheers!

 

In general, I'm not much of a glassware nerd, but, I like that Smuttlabs glass a lot!

 

Happy birthday, youngster!
Have a great day!

 

As usual always a good read! Thank You.

 

Thanks!
It's one of my favorites.
I'm a nerd.

 

Am I an alcoholic when on Sundays I wake up the first thing I think of is new beer?- and when I'm going to get to have it?
If so- guilty as charged..

 

Short drive to so many great beaches.

 

Posted in NBS for the first time last week and survived so here it goes again...


Other Half Double Mosaic Dream...

Double IPA 8.5% abv with mosaic hops showcased. Graciously sent to me by a regular trading partner. I've enjoyed many IPAs from Treehouse, Trillium, Other Half, Alchemist and others and this is delicious!

Review....

4.5/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a bright orange with thin white head, great lacing. Nose is filled with melon, oranges, tropical fruit. Taste follows with nice hop bitterness and a clean, crisp finish. Great mouthfeel and abv well hidden.

Sunday Cheers NBS!

 

Good morning NBS, Thanks @cavedave for the kick off and the focus.
We are back from a hike up Sugarloaf and beat the heat thankfully. Today I have
the pleasure of experiencing Allagash Golden Brett. A superbly well executed beer.
Stay cool today NBS.
Cheers all

Allagash Golden Brett

Allagash Brewing Company
American Wild Ale / 7.20% ABV

4.16/5 rDev -0.5% | Avg: 4.18
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 375ml bottle dated july 1 2015into the modified tulip glass.
A - A lofty cap of white froth sits atop this golden straw colored offering. Some haze gives the active
carbonation some place to hide. Laced glass is stratocumulus in style.
S - Sour apple skin, candied apricot, lightly toasted oak barrel, hints of lemon reduction in white wine, Very fruit forward on the nose. Carbonation keeps those aromatics well above the glass rim.
T - Pineapple, spread across fresh baguette, that Brett funk is present not overbearing. an Alpine cheese rine wraps around the whole group of flavors adding some complexity.
M - Medium in body, starts with sweet malt base, then the Brett train rolls into the station. That drives the remaining experience, Funky and sweet and tart all at the same time. Swirling across the palate in wide swaths. The coating seems spotty, with the exit clean and dry.
O - What a delight this is! From A-Z with the offering, Apricots to Zip and everything in between. A masterful display of the use of Brett, and barrel aging, I will be seeking this out again.

 

Singlecut's Heavy Boots of Lead -not the best choice for the weather, but a rich, very smooth Imperial stout with coffee, cocoa and a smooth mouth-feel. It is very good and differs greatly from most of the brewery's offerings. It is strong. Luckily I had some help.

 

Hot enough for ya'? Hot enough for a new beer, that's for sure.

Today I'm trying Half Pipe by Tallgrass, a "dry-hopped pale ale soured with Lactobacillus."

Pours from a 16 oz. can into a shaker pint glass. Attractive clear gold with plenty of fluffy white head. Very sour and fresh on the nose.

Taste is quite tart indeed. Tart? I'd go as far as to call this sour. Also a bit citrusy and quite refreshing. Sour as it is, I wouldn't call it funky, which makes it somewhat lacking in complexity. A little hops on the finish.

Overall a nice refreshing sour for a hot day, if a bit one-dimensional. The 5.0 ABV won't make you sweat. And gotta love the 16 oz can, even with the silly skateboarding teen art. Cheers!

 

This IS a job for beer! @cavedave and his memes, man. So on point.

I insisted I'd never stand in line for beer, yet here it is ... working on little sleep about a hundred deep in the line for Atrial Rubicite at Jester King.

NBS is entertaining as always and here's my thanks for another early kick-ass start. This Texas heat feels a little more bearable reading your good work so far ... and I know there's plenty more to come.

Cheers!

 

Good morning (at least for a few more minutes) BAs! After a 2-week NBS hiatus, I'm very happy to be back - this is my favorite BA thread. Today is a milestone for our family, as our oldest turns 21 today. While he is not a big drinker (thankfully), he is apparently making a statement of sorts by putting a few items in our garage/beer fridge. This gave me a laugh this morning. He is a great young man and the wife and I are immensely proud of him. Hopefully he has seen us enjoy beer responsibly and not spoken to any of my old college buddies!


On to the beer! Mantra Artisan Ales is a fantastic new local brewery, and they are just killing it with some skillfully crafted and unique brews, such as their saffron IPA and their Chai milk stout. Their newest bottled offering is a Flanders Red called Amour Rouge. Another winner in my books:

look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

It poured a beautiful dark copper-ruby color which you can't appreciate here. There was a thin but resilient tan foamy head that settled nicely into a wispy cap. Bright aromas of cherry, currants, oak, vanilla, red wine, and tart raspberries. There was a mild/moderately moderately sour taste that stayed in the background, and the palate was full of cherries, currants, oak, and vanilla. There was a subtle barnyard funkiness throughout. Sweet cherries on the finish, which remained dry and clean. Medium-bodied. A Flanders Red packaged a 6-12oz bottles? Yes, please! Cheers!

 

Congrats on your oldest turning 21 today! It's my birthday today too! That ETF glass is Bee- Ee- A - YOUtiful!

Cheers.

 

Greetings, fellow NBSers, & thanks to @cavedave for getting us going this morning,

After some unseasonably cool and sometimes rainy days over the past week, things look to be getting to what’s normal around here for this time of year. Right now it’s 70°, on course for a high of 89°. So far the fires that plagued Eastern & Central Washington and Northern Idaho last year haven’t made much of a re-appearance.

It’s been a decent week for new beers. I made a beer run to Idaho on Wednesday and, along with the obligatory stops at Enoteca and Selkirk Abbey, I made my introduction to Post Falls Brewing, which has only been open for 3-4 months now. Had a big, hoppy version of their standard Amber Ale that was quite good, and an IPA called Drifter that was very tasty. I think I’ll be going back, especially since one of the managers told me they’ve got a big Imperial Porter brewed with coffee that will be set loose upon the world in another couple of weeks. I also had a CDA from Barley Brown’s at the Filling Station in Coeur d’Alene, which marks the first time I’ve had a beer from them. Friday night, after a 12 hour day at work that was mostly aggravating, I walked down to Iron Goat to watch a popular, local cw-ish band called Silver Treason, and wound up, among other things, having a couple glasses of Headbutt that had been aged in Gin barrels. Very tasty stuff, even if I had to grab a “password” off fb to order it.

When I stumbled home, I had myself a Baltic Porter with coffee brewed in what is definitely not the Baltic port city of San Diego:

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/2743/214468/?ba=woemad#review

Pretty good stuff despite it having been violently dropped with some foam being emitted from under the cap.

Today, there’s a number of choices on hand, once I’ve polished off the last of the coffee and tend to some housekeeping things. I’m also not ruling out grabbing a grunt of something either at Iron Goat or Growler Guys.