New Beer Sunday (week 603)

New Beer Sunday: A Belgian Style Pale Ale from Italy

Morning NBSers, with special greetings to those who like to look for beer in other countries to try.

Thanks to @utopiajane for this morning's fine start.

Well the weather here this morning is still hot and humid, but according to the forecast it is soon to give us a break from this "feels-like-over-a-hundred" weather we've been having.

This morning's new beer is a Belgian style Pale Ale called ****onale that was brewed by Baladin, one of the more well known of the increasingly numerous small breweries in Italy. This bottle (both fancy and heavy ) was brought to the table by a family member making a periodic visit from living in Rome. (He is also to be the last of our seasonal guests this year so while I do expect to be back this evening with another new beer, this is likely to be my last Sunday morning for a while to also have a new beer. )

As usual, my review, mostly finished, appears here:

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1675/75695/?ba=drtth#review

On the whole this is an interesting, fairly complex beer that has been well worth investigating. (This may also be the only bottle I ever get to try since I think that this one is not being imported into the US. ) The ****onale fits well into the Belgian Pale Ale style category and has many of the right flavors arranged in a nice way. It is also characterized by a fair degree of subtlety in that none of the several flavors overwhelm the senses. From my perspective, easily an across the board 4 or better. (A second pour will help me decide.... )

Our guest this morning is busily preparing breakfast as I coach/watch. Nothing out of the ordinary or particularly Italian today since after an extended time living in Rome his biggest hunger is for lots and lots of good bacon. (Apparently the bacon in Italy doesn't seem to be as flavorful and well made as the wine there or this beer. ) So breakfast is going to be lots and lots of thick bacon slices, eggs over easy, and some hash brown potatos.

Since the kitchen has some good sound insulation from the rest of the house we have one of his favorite operas on the player, which also happens to be one I greatly enjoy. (In keeping with an Italian beer this is, of course, an Italian opera). The link below is to a performance of one of the most famous arias from the opera by one of the most accompished Italian tenors ever to play the role of the Duke of Mantua. (Sensing at least a partial theme to the morning here? )

La Donna e Mobile

Cheers, all!

Edit: BTW in case you hadn't guessed, the Duke's view of women is that all are fickle and moveable like a feather in the wind.

 

Greetings, fellow NBSers, and thanks as always to @utopiajane for a great kick-off,

It is 55 degrees and mostly dark in Washington's second city. Since this is generally the time when I go to work
I can say it's warmer at this time than it's been all week, but the overall temperature will be cooler, supposedly not reaching 70.

Yesterday was mostly sunny and reached the high 70s. I spent a part of it doing this:
http://s1277.photobucket.com/user/woemad/media/Mobile Uploads/20160910_131546_zpsfgt4ghco.jpg.html
http://s1277.photobucket.com/user/woemad/media/Mobile Uploads/20160910_131546_zpsfgt4ghco.jpg.html
<EDIT: I tried to post these from a thread I posted on BA yestersay. Apologies if you find it awkward.>
It was Iron Goat's hop collection and picking party for their Spo-Hop Ale, a "community hop ale " brewed each year from random hops donated by friends and fans. I had no hops to donate, so I picked hops instead. We were sustained in our labors by doughnuts, water, and eventually, numerous pitchers of beers, plus the chef ran out some pizzas to us. Incidentally, for the rest of the day I positively REEKED of hops.

I did manage to squeeze in one new beer yesterday, a FH pale ale from Orlison brewed with Centennial hops, IIRC. Quite tasty, even if I was a bit hopped out by then.

Today not much is planned beyond watching the Seahawks and drinking beer for NBS. I'm excited but worried for my 'hawks, as their 1st round guard has contrived to hurt himself and the o-line will once again be a patchwork. I'm not a fan of how this team tends to take a few games to get it together before jelling into a consistently good team, either. That sort of thing is hard on the nerves.

Fortunately my nerves will be soothed by a box of mostly IPAs, mostly from Virginia, courtesy of @gopens44. There's also a monster ba stout from a brewery named after a neighborhood on the wet side of my state that modestly bills itself as "the center of the universe." Back in a little while with some beers.

 

Starting off with a bang . . .



Very attractive lighter shade of gold in the appearance, white cap that goes away but lacing remains.

Yeasty aroma in a good way, underlain by spicy hops followed by caramel malt.

The aroma indicates sweetness but the flavor proves otherwise. Mildly caramely malt carries all the way through then rebounds in the aftertaste which is actually a bit richer than the initial taste impression. Hops follow along and quietly exit at the finish. If tasting this blind I would've said Belgian before asking who made it. It has those characteristics without actually screaming Belgian because I don't find clove/coriander or banana yet there's something reminiscent of Belgian brewing there.

Texture is on the lighter side of medium.

Overall this is a capably brewed Belgian Style Blonde Ale (the brewer's words) that is well balanced with good flavor. At 5% it's fairly quaffable, has enough acidity to stand up to grilled fish, doesn't challenge the hop challenged and has enough substance for the bolder flavor crowd.

 

Samuel Adams Toasted Caramel Bock

Look: Deep, dark mahogany with a mocha colored head.

Aroma: Sucrose sugar, molasses, marshmallow.

Taste: Toasted bread, marshmallow creme, melted caramel, tangy finish.

Mouthfeel: Thick, syrupy.

Overall: Too sweet, way too sweet.

Samuel Adams beers tend to be too spicy or too sweet. I think they try way too hard to appeal to the common man by trying to make easy drinking beers, and one way of doing that is to make them sugar bombs. Just my opinion, I'm not trying to be a snob. On a side note, the actual caramel flavor doesn't come out in this beer until the beer warms up a bit, so it's kind of late to the party. I don't generally like to pour a beer and wait 20 minutes for the main idea to arrive, know what I mean?

 

Summer of Pilsners – First time I have had this beer in a can

The beer I have selected this week for a new Pilsner is a beer I have had numerous times before on draft but this is my first time drinking this beer packaged (a can): Neshaminy Creek Trauger Pils.

There is an interesting historical story behind the naming of this beer which is included within the description of this beer on the Neshaminy Creek website:

“Our Pilsner is assertively hopped with Hallertau and Tettnanger noble hops and has a cracker-like malt backbone that finishes crisp and dry coming in at 4.8% ABV. We named this beer in honor of the Trauger family of Bucks County whose descendants came to America in 1747 and were among some of the earliest German immigrants to the area. In 1756, Johann Christian and Ludwig Wilhelm Trauger purchased two adjoining farmsteads in Nockamixon Township and have been a part of the fabric of this county, state, and country ever since. Ironically enough, the Trauger family’s German heritage predates the introduction and widespread popularity of the Pilsner style, but nonetheless, this beer is brewed and named in their honor.

OG – 1.050
FG – 1.014
IBU – 26.8
SRM – 1.6

Base Malt – German Pilsen”

Hopefully this drinking experience will mirror those I had drinking this beer on draft.

Served in my Polish Pilsner glass:

Appearance:

Straw colored with a big long lasting white head.

Aroma:

The first impression is the aroma of Pilsner malt then light to moderate aromas herbal hops are present in the nose.

Taste:

The taste is a combination of cracker malt flavor accompanied by herbal & spicy hop flavors. There is a moderate amount of bitterness present.

Mouthfeel:

Moderate carbonation, light - moderate body with a very pleasant dry finish.

Overall:

This is a very nicely balanced beer between the cracker malt backbone and herbal/spicy hops flavor. I really, really like this beer!!

Cheers to Neshaminy Creek for canning this beer!

@zid @rotsaruch @KOP_Beer_OUtlet @nc41 @RobH

 

Good morning New BSers! Maria, thank you for the (as usual) excellant start to today's festivities. Well, it's just about the end of our semi-annual Texas trip and it looks like no rain today. Tomorrow morning I'll pack the car with beer and head north through Oklahoma and Kansas into Hamilton, MO. That town is basically quilting supplies so I'll hang out in the local brewpub while Mrs Lizard runs amok. Fortunately the car will already be filled with beer so there'll be only limited room for cloth. My Texas Breakfast Beer is:




$ 2.15 (Including tax)/12 oz can ($0.180/oz) at Total Wine, SATX
Can dated 7-13-16 (Not marked as “BB” or “Canned”) at 42 degrees into a hand washed and dried JK snifter; allowed to warm to 50 degrees
Aroma – roasted malt, milk chocolate; both fade away leaving a weak milk odor
Head large (Maximum 4.5 cm, aggressive pour), light brown, frothy, rapidly diminishing to a three mm ring and thin partial layer
Lacing - none
Body – dark brown/black, some red at the edges, otherwise opaque
Flavor – cloying but ends with an almost spoiled taste, some roasted malt comes through but not much, almost like a stout lite; no hops, no alcohol, no diacetyl
Palate – medium, creamy, nearly flat

Wow. Not good. I’ve never had a milk stout quite like this one before, not even some of the awful strawberry milkshake types. One and done. Hope I can keep it down.

Appearance 3.75, Aroma 3, Flavor 3, Palate 2.75, Overall 2.75

Update: I'm halfway through the glass and as it warms to room temperature some of the foulness seems to fade. I'm still going to have an IPA to cleanse my palate.

 

If you get a chance, pick up some Free State and Tallgrass beer in Kansas. Two solid breweries. Maybe you've already sampled them if you've been in the area though. Cheers!

 

I'll try - but we'll be flying down the interstate. Can you buy beer at stop-n-robs in KS?

 

alas, the recent weather here did not match Oktoberfest stylings. I chose IPA's and a dunk in the pool after some very sticky workdays. I saved Singlecut's new Weird & Gilly for N.B.S. I had it on tap last Saturday at the brewery and I have cracked my first bottle this morning.

The pour is hazy at the top of the bottle and trends toward cloudy at the bottom with very fine effervescence. A tropical hop nose is matched by pineapple-grapefruit and pine hop flavors. Bitterness is moderate and welcome, but this is a juice-forward IPA with substantive malt base. Mouth-feel/finish is smooth (wheat or oats perhaps also contribute some protein haze). I will have this when available.

 

Alright - I'm back for a rare twofer NBS (at least for me)! I have succeeded in wiping the taste of my previous entry from my pampered tasted buds with:



(Photobomb by Oreo, one of my brother's pride of outside cats.)

A muchmuchmuch better beer. I may have rated it slightly high due to the memories of the previous beer.

$ 10.81 (Including tax)/4 pack ($ 0.225/oz) at Central Market (Gucci B), Alamo Heights, TX
Crafted on 7/27/16 at 42 degrees into a hand washed and dried JK snifter
Aroma – The wonderful freshness of a coniferous forest, weakens somewhat over time
Head large (Maximum 6.3 cm, aggressive pour), off white, frothy, diminishing to an irregular four to eight mm ring and a partially heaped full layer
Lacing fair – frothy partial rings and an occasional frothy island
Body – orange, clear
Flavor – well balanced malt and hops, not what I was expecting from a DIPA. The hops appear on the exhale after a long swallow of liquid. A mild bitterness remains on the palate several minutes after consuming. No alcohol, no diacetyl.
Palate medium, slightly oily, lively carbonation

A very good DIPA, more malty than expected, well balanced and probably sessionable. I have had other Karbach offerings (Hopadillo, El Hopadillo Negro, Three-Legged Lab) and found them to all be above average so there isn’t much surprise that Hop Delusion is pretty decent as well.

Appearance 4.25, Aroma 4.5, Flavor 4.25, Palate 4.25, Overall 4.5

I think I'll pick up a couple more four packs of this for my ice chest and the looong drive home. And no, I don't drink when driving, just one for breakfast and one or two at night.

 

Happy Sunday to all, and thank you Maria for the excellent start to the thread.
It's cloudy and humid here in southern Maine. There's a line of thunderstorms that will be moving through soon, so there's a chance of cooler, drier weather later today.
I had the best time last night. I reconnected with an old dear friend I haven't seen in 20 years. What kept us apart was some trivial matter not even worth mentioning. In any event, we got together and it was as if we hadn't ever been apart. He and I had a great time (even though he's not a beer drinker), and the time flew by. I found out he summers in New Hampshire, and we are planning some golf outings and some beer and bourbon drinking next summer.
So, here's to good friends. Always appreciate how special they are.

For this New Beer Sunday I am drinking One T from Allagash. I will admit I am a "homer" for Allagash, but this is a really excellent beer.
In a small pint glass it pours a bright gold color with a small off-white head.
Aroma of citrus and tropical fruit, over a background of funk.
Pineapple, melon, and lemon taste. Some late hop bitterness.
A light-bodied, beautifully balanced beer.

 

I bought this at ABC Liquors in St. Petersburg, Florida, and it's the first time I have ever seen it, in a store.

3.29/5 rDev -8.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Jever has a thick, frothy, white head, a clear, golden appearance, some very fine suspended sediment, and a little bit of lacing left behind. The aroma is of faint malt sweetness, and the flavor is of sharp, strong, grassy hop bitterness, with a background cracker malt. Mouthfeel is light to medium, and Jever finishes crisp and refreshing.

RJT

 

One T has absolutely been the WOW beer of the summer for me! While I love to get immersed in the hop solutions that Bissell or Tree house brews, One T was the perfect balance of funk and hops. Making it oh so drinkable....
I absolutely loved this masterpiece. I have 2 four packs sitting tucked in a remote corner in the fridge of my local beer shop that I can't wait to get to.

 

Greetings friends on September 11, 2016,
In Greensboro this weekend we are fortunate to have the 2016 National Folk Festival in town for the second year in a three year stand. Downtown is alive with music from the world, storytelling, a flea circus, dance, food (really good food) from everywhere, and folks from across the country. It really is unbelievable. We went yesterday (93 degrees) and just about melted with the attendant humidity. A performance by Jeffery Broussard and the Creole Cowboys, under a shaded tent, saved me. Bill Kirchen, a Telecaster master, was truly fun to see- "son you're gonna drive me to drinkin' if you don't stop drivin' that hot rod Lincoln". Balsam Range (Bluegrass/Americana), The Alt (Irish), Clinton Fearon and the Boogie Brown Band (Reggae), We're going back today at noon. Today's beer is Appalachian Mountain Brewery's Long Leaf IPA. This brew is a beautiful golden color, pitching a thick and tight bright white cap. A steady medium sized bead feeds the head, leaving serious clumpage after each sip. Nice lacing sticks around signalling the journey to the bottom of the glass. A piney/citric nose portends the same in flavor, and it does. This beer does have a nice malt character that melds well with the varied hops; the beer is bitter, but balanced nicely and it is very smooth and not at all angular like many uni-dimensional hop things. Grapefruit, orange peel, crisp broken crackers, black and green pepper edges, all work to provide a satisfying and original IPA. Very drinkable at 6.8%, rather light on its feet, and a nod (I think) to English ales. I would buy this one again. These guys have entered into a "relationship" with Craft Brew Alliance.

St. Paul and the Broken Bones are from Birmingham, Alabama. I love these covers and this guy's talent is off the charts! Have a nice Sunday all and thanks to @utopiajane for the great start!

 

Good morning NBSers! Just a quick pop in to check in. Bellingham Beer Week kicked off Friday, so there's more than usual going on for a Sunday. As pert of BBW, I'm giving tours of my workplace at Noon, 2:30, and 5pm. There will be samples and prizes, come by for one!

Monkeys With Knives - NBS BIF #4 is underway, and already the hints and threats of structural damage are flying fast and heavy. If you're participating and haven't received you target name, or sent me your contact info, please let me know.

I only got 1 review posted this week, http://www.taptrail.com/stuctures-brewing-blackberry-rubus/ , but I suspect I'll be able to have more next week, as BBW is bringing out collabs, one-offs, and special brews all over town. Plus, fresh hop season is pouring through the PNW. Be glad you're not my liver!

Not sure if I'll make it back with a new brew later, although I will try. Cheers and happy NBS everyone!

 

Ah, gotcha. Probably not I'm afraid.

 

Good morning, NBS (at least it is here)! Got to hit two new places this weekend, one of which is providing this entry.

Bull and Bush was a nice tavern-like brewpub that makes some decent brews. Will definitely be returning to retry their offerings, as I was more enamored with some guest taps I can't get back home.

Avery Brewing was more or less a world class joint, with a large place, a couple of bars, and a huge production facility. The place is fairly new, as I am to understand. While there, got to re-affirm how "fresh at the source" can be a decent improvement over "bottled and sent across the country."

Grabbed a beer that I have not seen back home, and it is Ale to the Chief, and Imperial Pale Ale.


Pours a fairly deep copper, with an orange tan frothy head. Lacing is strong in my hotel plastic cup.

Nose has more caramel notes than expected, with a mix of pine and spice. There's a little orange and banana in some whiffs, as well. This is definitely a little different than a regular APA, but Avery isn't a brewer to always stick to the standards.

Taste is a toasted caramel malt base with a little dark toast in there as well. I a candied orange note and some of that banana next. The hops bitterness is neutral (or maybe it's providing the citrus) initially, and becomes slightly forest-like in its evergreen notes eventually.

There's a decent carbonation level, as well as a little bite of the "imperial" (as I perceive the light heat, but it could be a little spice).

I appreciate the execution of this beer, but the malt look and taste are a little darker and outside the realm of a "pale" for me. The flavors seem to blur some style lines as well, in a way that didn't work overly well for me. Far from a disappointment, but a revisit is probably not necessary.

 

Apples at the farmers' market, apples in my glass.
Before going further though, please pause to remember those lost fifteen years ago today.

This is mighty tasty, but I had to rate it lower than I'd expected (3.85 -6.6%) because it truly looks, smells and tastes like nothing but apple cider with a drizzel of caramel. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy cider both hard and soft... but this is fairly sweet and almost entirely apple. It doesn't have the sour component or funk I enjoy in many true hard ciders or even better New Glarus' other fruit beers. That being said it's still very tasty, a great fall beer and way too easy to drink.
Cheers!

 

Happy NBS. This will be my only entry as I have other affairs to attend today.

Toppling Goliath Naughty 90 is burnt orange in color with an off white 2.5 finger head and some spotty lacing. It has a nutty toasty aroma, with caramel, toffee, along with hints of oak and coffee. Flavor is similar to the nose, but it does include a light pine hoppiness. The sweetness along with the nutty and oak flavors really bring this beer together. Feel is medium with soft carbonation and a slight dry finish. This beer is really nice for a fall sipper.