New Beer Sunday (week 607)

Nice! And that familiar looking Snorkel glass.... You could have omitted @Ozzylizard by mistake and 99% of us regulars would have known the sender. I love our little quirks here!

 

Greetings, fellow NBSers, and thanks to @utopiajane for getting us underway. Been a while since I've had their porter, but thanks to one of my regular haunts I've had a hell of a lot of Caldera's IPA over the years (weirdly, I find I didn't like it from the can when I reviewed it in 2008).

Right now it's a gray and wet 53 degrees in the city where the first rumblings of '"'zag fever" are already occurring. Last weekend fall seemed to kick in with the force of a gun, and things have been generally cool and wet. Looks like this La Nina thing could be for real. This week I had a couple new beers from Iron Goat, both fresh hop beers: this year's version of SpoHop, their "community hop ale," which includes hops picked by yours truly, and a Citra/ Mosaic IPA. At some point I'll put up actual reviews of them, but both did not disappoint (though the former is way more bitter than last year's iteration).

First up today is an IPA from Virginia brewed to support a worthy cause (restoration of the James River), one that I received courtesy of @gopens44. As it happens, one of my favorite local IPAs (River City's Riverkeeper - or is it River Keeper?) has the same sort of mission statement, with a portion of profits going to the restoration of the Spokane River, which has been more or less undrinkable since the mid-1890s.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/26753/103457/?ba=woemad#review

Due to age, it's rounding the corner to undrinkable, but there's enough left to make me think I'd like to drink a fresh one during a summer spent in close proximity to the James (still the most humid place I've ever been with the possible exception of Dover during an unseasonably warm UK summer). Cheers to @gopens44 for his generosity (unless I've cleverly hidden something in my fridge, I believe this concludes his mostly hoppy, mostly Virginia-brewed box to me)

Picked up a posthumous album by this guy yesterday. The talent he had was tremendous, as was his loss.

 

I thought Focal Banger was the best IPA I have had to date (but have not yet had Heady or Pliny). Seems you might come close to agreeing with me .

Wait until you get to that Pernicious !! (I hear Freak of nature is good as well, though only had the Gluten FREEk when we visited over a year ago).

Yeah - The Great Return has been hit or miss for me recently, and for some odd reason I am starting to think it falls off too quickly .

 

First the new beer, but more on this later-

Last day of the Chester Sunday Market today (in the rain) that my wife runs (with help from one of my sons). My son comes home with this...
Time to make chili.. um need a beer to get going, PC Pils NBS). Um.. need a beer for the chili.. Hard Nitro (not a NBS beer for me) coffee and porter chili sounds good...

Back to the Pilsner-
This is not your European father's Pilsner. Pours like one though, look at that head. Look at that golden color.
Aroma is floral, citrus and mild pine, obviously from the Chinook.
Taste is more balanced than the aroma hints at, but the finish is almost IPA dry. Wonder if my Pilsner loving wife will like this?
Speaking of her, she likes beans in her chili, I do not. What should I do?

 

In this old mans opinion I would have to say that Focal Banger is a step up from Heady and also Pliny both very different beers from Focal but a little below. Now if we add The Crusher into the mix to me this is one step up from Focal. I don't want to forget Mastermind from Fiddlehead because this to me is probably in the top 3.

 

Good Almost Afternoon NBS!!!
Thanks, as always, to Maria @utopiajane for the sumptuous and dendrite inspiring start!

So Corey @WesMantooth has graciously offered to help me post pics of my decimation in our chaos known as NBS BIF #4 Monkeys with Knives. So I'm sure they'll be posted, if I didn't screw up the email to him.

I received well north 320 oz of fermented heaven from our very own @Hopgoddess312 in her NBS BIF debut. "Go big, or go home," could be her motto. She is The Destroyer!!!



Here are the specifics:
BIG BOTTLES
Straight Jacket Barleywine by Revolution (Boom!!!)
Seth's Tar Imperial Stout by Revolution (Boom Again!!!)
King Sue by TG (Finally!!!)
Sosus by TG (Hell to the Yeah!!!)
Bro Doo by 3F
Wig Splitter by 3F (Smooth MoFo)
CW 17 by CW (Holy Shit!!!)
Sump by Perennial ( Oh My God, Oh My God, Oh My God!!!)
BA The Jones Dog by Pipeworks (Boom!!!)
Grungiest IIPA from Pipeworks (God, I love those folks)
Mandarin Dragonet from Pipeworks (Ever since Sure Bet, I'm always lookin' for dis kinda gold)
Wisconsin Belgian Red from New Glarus (That's Right!!!)

Smaller bottles with BIG Swagger!!!:
Casein Sunset by Central Waters
Cran-bic 2016 from NG (Really looking forward to this)
Bourbrum Barrel Aged Pt5 by the infamous Dark Horse (Been so wanting to try this version!)
Coffee Dino Smores by Off Color (Again, been wanting to try any Dino Smores)
Todd the Axe Man by Surly (Been there-loved that)

As if that wasn't already enough decimation, she comes in with some delicates...
New Glarus tall glass (I'm not good at all the proper names)
3F Teku (stunning)
TG tulip
Sump snifter
Half Acre shaker glass
Revolution Anti-Hero glass

and...the coolest badass 3F Battel-Axe bottle opener.
and...and...my new favorite cap, from 3Floyds.

Love it ALL.

 

G' afternoon fellow NBS-ers!!

Well, today is the day for all of us Knife Wielding Monkeys!

So far I've been ninjette (yes I'm stealing it again @WesMantooth !) bombed by @Hopgoddess312 and had a box of PNW beers from @beertunes delayed due to Hurricane Matthew!

So here's what I received from the 'goddess:

kind of cheated and had the HA GoneAway yesterday

and here's the box from Terry


So I had to go with this one first today!

Fort George Fresh IPA: Wet Hop India Pale Ale

cool can art on this one!

(Blessed with this one, do you notice the lower left hand side of the can?)

So let's get at this one!

Poured from a 16 oz. can, no discernible date that I could find, other than this is needs to be enjoyed fresh as it is

A lovely glowing orange colored body with a thin cap of tiny bubbles forming on the top.

Beautiful aromas of oranges, pine, spicy hops, slight grass/hay like characters.

This has a much easier drinking taste than I was expecting. This has a very smooth gentle hop taste to it; it doesn't beat you up or thrash your palate. Spicy, a little grassy slight bitterness. Completely crushable!

This one has an easy drinking medium mouthfeel, nice lingering hoppiness.

Overall, this is such an easy drinking beer if this was a readily available beer, it would be in my fridge as an every day drinker! Thanks again Terry, really tasty beer!

Cheers!

 

NBS entry #2



Space Juice

Long Trail Brewing Co.
American Double / Imperial IPA / 8.70% ABV

3.83/5 rDev -6.8% | Avg: 4.11
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

canned 09/13/2016

L-The beer pours a very slightly hazy amber with full 3 fingers of fluffy off-white head. Lacing is fantastic and big thick clumps of foam stick to the glass.
S-The nose features pine, and a strong fruity alcohol presence.
T-The fruity alcohol presence is present here as well, but is overridden by notes of pine and a moderate bitterness. The 8.7% is all there.
F-Mouthfeel is slick and oily. Overall it falls into the medium range and sits fairly lightly for such a hefty beer.
O-Not a bad beer overall. the alcohol presence is fairly noticeable, but not overwhelming. Its a nice change from the deluge of citrus DIPA's on the market now. I'd purchase it again as a change of pace.

 

I actually enjoyed Great Return more than a similarly aged Oracle I had about 10 days ago, which gave me the impression of really falling off quickly. Curious if anyone else has had that experience.

 

Enjoyed a pint of Weyerbacher IPA #2 with apricots on cask. It was pretty good, nice amount of apricot, hints of tropical fruits and citrus, finish was pine, decent amount of malt sweetness. Pretty tasty but might not have been the best IPA to do a cask of. Would rate it a little below a 4.

Now up some beers from @richj1970'S great box of beers! Straight to Ale Blonde Bardness, a solid low ABV beer.

4.09/5 rDev n/a
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thank you richj1970 for this
32 oz crowler poured into a tulip

A- A clear golden amber with a two finger white head.

S- Light fruits, hints of wheat, hints of lemons, nice slightly spicy yeast character, some floral/tea like qualities.

T- Light fruits, some lemons, wheat and toasted malts, slightly sweet bready malts, floral hops, hunts if tea, touch of spicy yeast, nicely balanced.

M- Smooth, light body.

O- A tasty, nicely balanced and easy drinking Belgian Pale. Worth picking up.


Can't wait for the rest of what I set aside for today, cheers!

 

Hey gang! Keeping the conga line of beer going courtesy of the very generous @Dragginballs76
with Hop Art IPA from Coast Brewing. A 12oz. can dated 13 SEP 16, no abv. printed on the label, but states 97% organic ingredients. As a guy that tries to eat smart, I'm down with that! Let's pour this in my freshly cleaned glass provided in the box of goodies and see what awaits while a monkey with knives lurks in the background.

Pours a cloudy dark gold with a light brownish tint and a generous finger of white foam. It slowly settles leaving medium lacing. The smell is pine, grapefruit and something mint-like. Some weak floral aromatics and malt emerge in the back. I'm tasting some solid floral notes up front followed by grapefruit and a healthy amount of malt sweetness in the finish. The feel is slightly creamy to start, then finishes dry.



A good beer that falls a little short in the hop department for this hophead. The pleasant floral notes redeem it for me and keep my score respectable. If you prefer your IPA's on the maltier side of the spectrum, this is your beer. My score is
3.87 / rDev -2.3%.

On a side note, I'm going to dry mount and frame the monkey pic to hang somewhere in the cave. It's too damn cool not to!

Taking advice from @cjgiant and going with the Pernicious next. I've seen that one posted quite often and I'm stoked to give it a whirl! In the meantime I'll watch the end of this game the Bears are trying their best to lose. Loving the reveal day thus far. You guys and gals on this thread never disappoint! Here's the scorecard.....

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/16354/39236/?ba=Prager62#review

 

I was rather disappointed with that Ft. George beer myself, and I'm normally a bit of a fanboy for that brewery. I included one from the 4-pk I bought in a small box to @gopens44 (before I drank one myself), and wonder whether his experience was like yours or mine; I certainly hope the former but fear the latter.

 

Wow is this one good. Aroma is faint oak with vinegar and cherry. The flavor is very fruity, I get cherry then a red wine like sweetness followed by a slightly puckering sour. everything plays well together. 4.25
I need to be careful I'm starting to get addicted to sours and I already spend enough on beer.

 

It's not a mind blower to me, but it is quite delicious if you ask me. The only way I can explain it is that it has a soft body and taste to it. I liked it.

 

Glad you enjoyed it, happy to hear someone who isn't local compare them to Hill Farmstead saisons, I've felt that way for a few years!

 

Well back with my second beer for this NBS and again from my NBS MWK BIF box from @Aguirre and this would be Side Project and Off Color Brewing collaboration La Biere De Fantaisie Blend 2.

This beer poured a darker golden yellow color into my Teku glass. about 1/4" thick white head formed on top.
The nose of this beer is fairly subdued with a little of the yeasty aroma coming through and perhaps some hints of the oak aging.
The taste is a great blend of flavors with the richness of the saison yeast and the oak of the barrels coming through. this is a nice job of blending to get to the finished project by the brewers.
The mouthfeel is crisp and sharp with nice carbonation.
All in all this is a well blended beer in this style. I would enjoy drinking this again.
4.17/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
I'll be back again a little later when I get dinner out of the smoker with a few pictures for everyone.
Cheers

 

Griffin Claw Mr Bluesky

Better post this Detroit one from @foundersasap quickly while the Eagles are still up in the fourth.

6/14/16 canning. Pours a very pale straw color with a thick white head.

Light lemon peel, grapefruit, soft floral hops and soap in the aroma. These continue to the taste, with the grapefruit and Belgian-like coriander definitely both in there and American hefe yeast on the backend, and a clean, watery finish.

Very easy drinking. Perfect summertime brew. Thanks, Jeff!

 

Hop Aboard-double rice IPA (an Imperial IPA) from
Garvies Point Craft Brewery in Glen Cove, NY

Tap pour at the brewery is a nearly clear orange-amber. Aroma upon first pour is has flowery and juicy, citrus notes. Aroma is sharper and a bit woody thereafter. The brew is bitter upfront. The malt mix bring grippy flavors, but not much richness. The hop combination presented less fruit than the initial aroma suggested. The finish is very dry, but the mouth-feel is tight, and again bitter. The 8.1 abv is not detectable. I expect that a couple of recipe/process tweaks will improve this significantly. I'll be up for another try.

 

Hi everyone, I just got home from the Harpoon Oktoberfest and will start out with a brew of theirs that I have not had before.
Short review since I am doing it from memory:
Flannel Friday from Harpoon

This beer has a bit of everything you want from a brew this season.
Deep copper color, clear, foamy thick off-white head.
The aroma is rich malt and caramel.
Flavor is similar to the aroma. A lot of deep malt layers, subtle sweetness, bit of caramel, burnt caramel, and toasted malts.
Mouthfeel is surprisingly light, crisp, like the autumn air.
Overall an easy drinking brew that is perfect for this cool, damp, fall afternoon.