New Beer Sunday (week 605)

An end of Summer treat . . .



Light golden color, large white fluffy cap.

Smells nicely beery, a bit floral, very lightly citrus, a rounded, gentle scent.

Taste is uncomplicated and clean. It's fuller and more nuanced than what we usually think of as a "light beer" being both flavorful and refreshing at the same time. The body has heft without weight and a nice nutty undertaste. Just a touch of hops in the finish and aftertaste, in fact the whole thing is light handed yet the parts come together beautifully. Nothing stands out, everything fits in, and you're left with the warm feeling of having made a new friend.

It takes skill to pull off a brew that looks so easy. Others do it as well but these lighter styles leave little room for mistakes and this one is nigh flawless, a good example of what craft beer is all about. This beer was made for refreshment and does it well. I can't think of any reason why I should pick this one over a selection of other well made craft wheat ales, but then again I can't think of any reason why I shouldn't.

 

Smart well written reviews like this are why I feel uncomfortable doing one. Lots of info, almost poetic in nature. As always very well done, in fact most of the regulars here are terrific with their reviews. A weekly read for me. The only Alt I've ever had was an Olde Meck Alt that I think was very good as well, just a very easy drinking beer, no bands played, but enjoyable.

 

I agree that is annoying, given the number of different styles. There isn't a table of contents in the PDF to help? (Edit: after looking it up, apparently not. Pretty bad. The "source" link downloads a Word Document that does have a ToC with links, if you feel safe downloading a Word Doc.)

If I am to understand (and looking up quickly), you are indicating they combined the two styles. I understand your point in that case, although I am sure the reasons are... practical, for lack of a better term. I'd have to do a little more research to see the number of entries in the categories, but I am just guessing it isn't a set of styles that has interest in the modern [American] brewing world. At least we have a few dedicated people keeping history alive here on/at BA.

As for something you mention (the NE IPA), which would be adding a style, I think there is a more interesting debate. In this case, brewers are, on purpose, attempting to brew a beer that has a certain set of characteristics. On purpose, they are going for cloudiness and a certain mouthfeel (I believe) while still having a bitter beer (usually with fruity nose/taste). To me, this is a new style if it is on purpose and does not fit into a current style (the cloudiness tends to discredit it from most styles).

We can also debate (and we have ) the name of the style, and whether it is a form of another style (obviously in this case the question would be, is it really "an IPA of sorts"). If we didn't evolve in this sense, we might still only have three gruit styles in the guidelines .

Cheers! And be back with a beer in a few

 

New Beer Sunday: A new Wild Ale.

Mornin' NBSers with special greetings to Wild Ale fans in search of affordable beers from breweries that haven't been "discovered" yet. Also, a warm "Thank You" to our hostess, @utopiajane, for getting us started this morning.

The weather here is cool and clear and it's looking to be a great Sunday (and Funday as well since I'm on hiatus from chores for a while ).

This morning's new beer is from the same brewery whose beer I talked about a couple of weeks ago--Draai Laag. Over in western PA not far from Pittsburgh (affectionately known to locals there as "Da Burgh"). The brewer there specializes in Wild Ales and the brewery slogan is "Wild by Design." Having had one of their beers already my antennae were activated by spotting another. That triggered the auto-response system and before I had time to think about it I was bringing home a new beer. (.)

The beer is called Relic and is reported to feature a very old strain of yeast found by culturing from the wax used to polish a 400 year old Monastic Cabinet. As the brewer says, "Hops were added sparingly, allowing the uniquely earthy, musty and citrusy flavors of this ancient strain to shine."

As usual my review is in progress and can be found here:

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/27917/212366/?ba=drtth#review

My general feeling about this beer is that the brewer's description is spot on in helping us know what to expect from this beer. This is a nicely tart citric beer with lemon-lime, a bit of sweetness, an earthy note and little or no bitterness. Nothing about it is overpowering and it's a light, refreshing treat. I'm looking forward to aging a bottle to see if that enhances both the musky aromas and brings out some more of the funky flavors I associate with wild ales.

My music selection on the player this morning is in keeping with at least the age of the Cabinet (if not with the age of deposit of the yeast), and I'm listening to a set of Madrigals by Claudio Monteverde who is also credited by some with having written the very first Opera. The madrigal linked to below is from his sixth book of madrigals which dates from the early 17th Century.

Monteverde

The scenery in this video is a bit of a look at modern day Venice. While once upon a time a major capital and trade center, Venice today is mostly a city that thrives on tourism. This is where Monteverde spent 30 years of his life, back in the 1600's, and should you ever have a chance to travel to Italy, this is one city that is fascinating to visit. (Except when the water rises and floods the streets. )

Cheers, all!

 

<nudges gently with elbow, whispers in ear>

Pssst! Get her to show you some of the early ones she did.

 

Good morning New BSers and good morning Maria! Thanks for the fantastic start to today's NBS! I found you review interesting because I LOVE altbiers - the first couple of batches of my home brew were alts bottled in bombers because when you can have only one beer... I will have to check out the new guidelines - I've been using the 2013 Brewers Association which have some holes in the current styles.

I've been spending every day putting in at least eight hours of work around the house - getting caught up after the TX beer run and checking things off the honeydew list - mostly stuff I've put on it - prior to the next construction/remodeling project - my goal is to get my car in the garage this winter for the first time in three years. I'll finish wiring my new shed today (probably), depending on what changes I decide to make as I'm going...

Today's New Breakfast Beer is one of many I brought back from TX and is one that will NOT be in the NBS BIF box(es) shipping tomorrow. I was going to ship last week but, since there appeared to be some difficulty with my target, I delayed. Of course I could deliver it in person in about eight or nine hours, depending on construction on I-80, but I'm sure my target wouldn't want some unknown geezer scratching on his/her door. (This could be considered an additional hint, if one were so inclined.)

Circumlocution aside, I get to be the first to review this brew and have submitted the photo.



$ 14.71 (Including tax)/750mL bottle ($ 0.579/oz) at Spec’s, Schertz, TX
Undated bottle at 42 degrees into a hand washed and dried JK snifter, allowed to warm to 50 degrees
Aroma – none detected
Head large (Maximum 6.5 cm, aggressive pour), light brown, initially fizzy but settling into a frothy head, diminishing to an irregular three to five mm frothy ring and a frothy partial layer
Lacing – basically none, just some drag from the ring
Body – medium brown, opaque, just looks dirty
Flavor – Starts sweet with date, fig, and a hint of plum, ends slightly bitter with a blast of alcohol. No diacetyl.
Palate – medium, creamy, lively carbonation


Not much to say about this – yes, it’s a quad; no, it’s not offensive other than the dirty appearance. It just isn’t something that I’d buy again – too mediocre for the price point.


Appearance 3, Aroma 3, Flavor 4, Palate 3, Overall 3. Rating 3.3. Avg 3.45, rDev -4.3%

This is their lowest rated beer, but since they are fairly new and have limited distribution, it's not surprising that so few BAs have bothered to rate or review them. Incidentally - HAUL HINT - my target is getting the two highest rated brews this brewery has yet produced.

Prosit y'all!

 

Wow, wow, wow. Thats all I can say. Speechless. Amazing writing. TY

 

Man, there's a lot of good to be said for morning beer. Suppose our palates are sharper...

Finally getting to resemble fall-like weather as Long Island crawls out from under the disgusting blanket of humid heat that lay over us these past few months. Football weather today. Clear skies and dry air, probably in the upper 50's/low 60's.

Following up my cereal and coffee with this breakfast beer...

Clown Shoes' The Barista

You can see the customers behind her while she works the coffee machine...

Here's what she's got to offer...

Features English and American malts, flaked oats, cold-brewed espresso, and milk sugars.

This medium-dark brown ale lets a bit of light slip in around the edges. Washed-out beige foam kicks up a couple of fingers of head but settles into a frothy film that leaves some rings of lace down the glass. Aromas of warm molasses bread and fresh-baked biscotti supplemented with notes of sweetened almonds and coffee.

Delicious sweetness is not overdone; the brown breads and molasses carry flavors of coffee-light-and-sweet nicely. Suggestions of shellac around the edges and hints of bitter nuts. Smooth and relatively light-bodied, it drinks easily and leaves something almost leathery on the tongue, as if you enjoyed a nice cigar, too. I'm sure fans of brown ales - American, English, and/or imperial - will be pleased; but it transcends styles enough to open it up to anyone who enjoys "breakfast-style" beers, coffee ales, and the like. Really digging it.

Listening to some gothic 70's-style metal courtesy of the Luciferian Light Orchestra while posting. Retro sounds from Therion's Christofer Johnsson featuring an ensemble band and Finnish songstress Mari Paul on lead vocals.

I don't have any other new beers for today, but I'm gonna give a nod to something new, super-fresh, and locally brewed from Long Island City in Queens: LIC's Backjump IPA...

Had this on Friday, having grabbed a single can from the counter. Locally brewed and just over a week old, this hazy New England-style IPA hits all the right marks. Cloudy gold body, two fingers of ivory foam, and some lace trails down the glass. Aromas of citrus and grass edged with dankness. Feel is soft and smooth, medium-light weight, with typical carbonation for an IPA. Tastes follow the nose, with fresh grains and citrus but something piney and musty around the edges. Drinks super-fast and easy. A real enjoyable brew. Features Citra, Simcoe, and Columbus hops.

Successfully acquired a 4-pack yesterday...

...some of which will no doubt accompany today's games...

Cheers, NBS - here's to new beer in your glass...

 

Well it's still early and I can see with just a few reviews the bar has been set high today. Going to be hard to match anything I've seen so far.

 

I gave up even thinking about trying to about a paragraph into Utopia Jane's lol

 

It is Oktoberfest time – battle of two Pennsylvania Oktoberfest beers

Oktoberfest started in Munich over a week ago (Sept. 17th) so now is time for some Oktoberfest beer drinking!

I have a new Oktoberfest beer for me of Straub Oktoberfest. On the bottle it lists: “We brewed this all malt Amber Lager using imported German Malts and German-style hops to provide a classic “Festbier” experience. This malty, bready tasting lager beer traces it origins back to the brewing traditions of Vienna and Munich. We offer this brew as the latest celebration of Straub’s brewing legacy.”

On the 12-pack box it provides details of:

“Malt: German Pilsner, Munich, Melanoidin

Hops: Tradition, Crystal, Tettnang

Yeast: North American Lager

Color: Amber

ABV: 5.7%

IBU: 24”

It has been a while since I have posted in NBS a side-by-side tasting so I thought I would conduct one now with Sly Fox Oktoberfest. Some stats for this beer:

“Bronze Medal GABF 2013

This traditional Oktoberfest beer celebrates the arrival of Fall. It is a medium-bodied, smooth and malty brew made with German Vienna malts and German hops.

13.8 OG | 25 IBUs | 5.8% ABV”

Enough jibber jabber, let’s drink!!

Served in my Spiegelau Lager glasses:

Appearance

Sly Fox: Light golden amber; off-white head.

Straub: Amber colored with an off-white head.

Aroma

Sly Fox: A combination of bready malt, a little bit of sweetness along with just a tiny bit of fruit and spice

Straub: Whoa! A BIG aroma of rich/deep bready malt aroma which I am sure is due to the use of Melanoidin malt to brew this beer.

Taste:

Sly Fox: Bready malt character dominates. The hops do not stand out explicitly but there is balance there. The finish is bready with just a hint of sweetness.

Straub: The flavor follows the nose with the BIG rich malty flavors of the Melanoidin Malt taking center stage. Maybe just a tiny hint of hop flavor??

Mouthfeel

Sly Fox: A medium mouthfeel and a medium-dry finish.

Straub: A medium mouthfeel and a dry finish.

Overall

Sly Fox: I really liked this beer! It epitomizes the quality of good balance between malt & hops.

Straub: I liked this beer. The BIG rich/deep bready aroma/flavor of this beer sure makes it an alluring beer.

In my opinion, the defining feature of a well brewed Oktoberfest beer is good balance: a pleasant balance between bready malt flavors and Noble hop flavors. For my palate the Sly Fox Oktoberfest hits this mark with respect to the balance aspect but in all fairness I did indeed enjoy drinking the Straub Oktoberfest beer.

These are two high quality classic Oktoberfest beers but with a somewhat differing approach.

Cheers to Sly Fox and Straub for producing very tasty Oktoberfest beers!

@kellyst @rotsaruch @ @nc41 @RobH @falloutsnow

 

I enjoyed this one!

 

Dale, I agree with you 100%.

I discussed the Olde Mecklenburg Alt in a past NBS thread: https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/new-beer-sunday-week-574.388204/#post-4532126

Cheers!

 

5.8% alcohol. Brewed in Michigan.

3.25/5 rDev -15.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Best Brown Ale has a thick, creamy, bone-colored head, and a tan or light-brown, turbid appearance, with a few lacing strings left behind. The aroma is of somewhat spicy, brown bread crust and nut oil. Taste is of sweet, slightly spicy, brown bread crust, tea, a touch of chocolate, and some low-to-medium bitterness. Mouthfeel is medium, and Best Brown Ale finishes medium dry.

RJT

 

Hey what's going on?!

It's a banner weekend for me just killer. I had a post yesterday but the weekend started off with a good show by the Preservation Hall Jazz Band as part of the opening of the African American Museum festivities in DC. As a little treat, Dave Grohl showed up un-announced for a bit of a drum battle for parts of the show. He's actually been doing the rounds.

IT's party central down here too, with shows and things going on. I however had to go support my team instead of seeing some of the mall festivities which turned out to be a solid win for the home team. Oh hell yeah

Summer FINALLY seems to be ending too thank god. We have cool temps and winds for a change and real nice sun,. I am praying we have kicked the 85+ days and humidity finally it's never that warm this late but it had been. I am DONE WITH this baby...

But it's always time for something new! What else happened this weekend? I discovered Wicked Weed now has some distribution.. Talk about karma! Yeah I am gonna grab some of dat! Then my West coast goodies showed up on Friday... so much interesting and NEW beers!! Can't wait to try em

I am going to be running around a bit today, so this is the perfect brew to start with and get out of the way.

Off WE GO!!

Funner Summer | Ritual Brewing Co.


Ritual Brewing Co. - Funner Summer IPA 2016 by imbibehour, on Flickr

Poured from the bottle into a Spiegelau IPA glass. Says serve in a pint glass, well my pint glass looks funny and this America so I am having it my way.

Very pale almost getting into straw lemon territory, but with a bit of opaque character that darkens the body towards a bit of orange. Minimal but noticeable very fine carbonation, and a shocking bleach white colored head. Manages three under sized fingers height, creamy top and island mound slightly as it settles. Decent looker and some clingy lace.

Nice subtle hop aroma. Slightly green almost vegetative hop but gets into florals a bit and slightly candy smelling orange citrus. Minimal malt presence touches, just maybe simple pale malt? A touch of dough wants to peak out. Keeps it simple, if a bit subdued but makes me want to enjoy exploring this interesting hop aroma.

Palate keeps it simple, perhaps a bit too much so. Slightly wet and session IPA feeling on the body (oh… it is a session IPA that explains it), a bit of flour sensing malt like grains on the palate. Flavors in the mid palate get considerably more tropical feeling, even slightly exotic. Very large herbal and spiced pepper hop like finish, nearly minty on the aftertaste as well, but washes very clean and quick.

A session IPA this must be as all the hinting character seems to indicate. A solid one.

look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75 | BA Generated Score: 3.77

 

I wake up to a chill in the air coming in from the open window. Roused by my girlfriend, I go about getting dressed more warmly than I have on recent weekend mornings. After taking a second to read the opening to an online beer thread, called NBS, I decide to respond to the original post.

It's chilly enough, and I've been pulling some older beers from the fridge recently, so I decide to start the day splitting a year old coffee stout with my girlfriend. While sipping it, I start replying to another thread on Beer Advocate. It's an interesting little discussion, and I hope I am not coming across as argumentative, but more as interested in how the beer art and beer business interact.

By now, it is time for another beer. It's still fairly chilly and obviously fall-like out there, so I decide to go ahead and pop open my first pumpkin beer of the year. Oh sure, I've had a few Schlafly cocktails this month, but this beer will not be disrupted with the addition of any whiskey. But then again, the beer was already augmented by the brewer with chocolate and chiles.


I traipse to the deck with phone, bottle opener, bottle of Xibalba from Wicked Weed, and two glasses. Upon popping the top on the beer, I get a waft of a classic pumpkin ale - which is to say the spices that are in the beer to help it resemble pumpkin pie. The pour continues to expose these notes of cinnamon and allspice as well as the rust-tinged brown color of this beer. Or maybe it's a deep, deep amber. Whichever I decide to use in my review, the stretch of the off-white to light tan head is wispy until it reaches the transparent boundary of the glass. At the edge of the vessel, the head seems to gather, wondering what is holding it back.

Before taking a sip of the beer, I type up my initial impressions. Midway through my girlfriend says with a note of incredulousness, "This app calls this a pumpkin beer."
"It is. It definitely smells like one," I claim.
"Yes, it does. But it doesn't taste like one."
"Well, they did add cacao and chiles."



My nose notices a little tang before my first sip, and maybe a bit of the chile spice - but not anything that distinguishes the ancho, serrano, or habanero. Tipping the glass to my lips, I get a fairly bland, lightly carbonated liquid hitting my tongue. This sensation is fleeting, as the distinct notes of a pumpkin ale soon replaces it. There is a certain rawness to the flavor, though - earthy perhaps, but really almost like having a bit of the raw gourd.

I start wondering if what is actually causing that earthiness is the cacao nibs. I don't quite get them elsewhere in the beer, so maybe. Or maybe it's the pepper flesh, but I sort of get that vegetal note mid-taste. Not getting much bite from the peppers after a few sips.

"Do you think it seems pumpkiny?" queries my girlfriend.
"Yes, especially early."

I don't initially explain to her that I think this beer is more than just a pumpkin beer, likely as intended given the additions and write up on the bottle. There is a vegetal bitterness and earthiness that is not the normal thing a pumpkin beer ends with. In my thought, they generally end a tad sweet or at least with those pie spices. Some that go more for the pumpkin itself end a tad tangy with maybe a little bitterness. But this one is different.

So as the pumpkin beer acts as the canvas, the brush strokes of cacao, hot peppers, and spices paint a picture. It isn't a very clear picture, as the strokes overlap and bleed together on the surface. The peppers seem to form the most cohesive form within the swirls of flavors, but has blurred edges up against the cacao and earthy bitterness.

I think I'll sit here and slowly sip this beer, as it is one of those times and one of those beers where each sip reveals a little something different, a little nuance that isn't drastic but fun to find.

Before doing that, I decide my review is over, so I wrap it up with one last thought and hit "Post Reply."

 

Good Morning to All,
Thank you Utopia Jane for getting us started. Nice, cool and crisp autumn feeling weather here in Western, MA. Unfortunately with the change of the weather has come a change in my health. I'm awfully congested and this is really messing up my taste and smell. I've tried it all . . . including whisky and honey and nothing works! But I still want to participate in New Beer Sunday.

So here it goes. . .


Innis and Gunn Oak Aged Beer Scottish Ale. Clear honey- brown like a good bourbon. Head dissipated quickly and left no lacing down the snifter. Unfiltered, smooth and drinkable. The oak flavor is front and center, with hints of toffee and vanilla. Nice dry finish. I really enjoyed this beer,and I'm thinking of cracking open another one because I used half this bottle in my beef stew . . .

.

I'll let you know how it comes out

And if anybody has a remedy for congestion (besides a pill) please let me know!

Cheers!



Possibly the last of my basil harvest!

 

I feel this way as well, but the only way to learn and get better is to put your thoughts out there. Any criticism received is constructive. And I agree, New Beer Sunday is a good weekly read!
Stay calm and imbibe on!