New beer Sunday (week 617)

G' afternoon NBS-ers! I hope everyone's Sunday is going well! My day started out well until I finally found the wife's pillow case that disappeared last week....it found it's way under the drum spinner/agitator! Long story short it is now broken and I had to order a new one....BEER ME!

This one is from @beertunes and has been in my fridge for far too long! I should have opened it a while ago, I usually can't resist blondes

Paradise Creek Brewery: Pokerface Blonde




So let's get at her....

Poured from a 22 oz. bomber into a shaker pint. No date that I can find on the bottle or label.

Appearance: Slightly hazy golden yellow to slightly orange body, a full 2 fingers of head full of bubbles of an off-white color.

Aroma: Lemon, slight amount of pine and some bready malts.

Taste: This might be a little old, but the hops are slightly muted with more of a grassy flavor and an almost wet cardboard flavor. Finish is about the same, an almost unpleasant after taste of wet cardboard and lemon.

Mouthfeel: Medium feel with some lingering bitterness.

Overall: Not a huge fan of this one; it just has an off flavor that while it isn't terrible it's just not what I would like from an ale.

Cheers!

 

I still have a couple of bottles of that in my beer fridge. I guess I should get around to enjoying them.

 

Don't let my reaction stop you if you're interested in it. The average review of it tells a different story than my moody and personal reaction. I should add that I really enjoy a good brown ale at that ABV... but I'd drink Bell's Best over this based on first impressions.

 

Having the first of a whopping four new-to-me beers (though I think only two of them are actually "new," technically) in this year's Samuel Adams winter variety pack...


Hopflake White IPA. Figured I'd start with this one since I haven't had many IPAs lately, and also because I figure some of the darker beers in the box won't mind aging in the fridge for a while before I get to them so much. I've actually never had an IPA from Sam Adams now that I think about it.

The beer looks pretty nice -- dark golden color, slightly hazy, lots of rising bubbles and a pretty nice layer of foam on top. I do notice that the label on the bottle says "Lemongrass Ale" underneath the main description -- that's a little unexpected, but I'm guessing it's probably not going to be an unpleasant surprise like their "Whoops, I Forget To Tell You There's Cucumbers In This" Gose from the summer pack. The smell is also pretty nice, mostly piney hops with a bit of a citrusy-spicy thing in the background. Flavor is a bit more leaning in the lemony-herbal direction at first (I guess that may have something to do with the lemongrass mentioned on the label? I've actually never had lemongrass in anything before so I'm not sure), with the piney hops present but not super strong right away, popping back in a bit right before the end. Seemed like it might be slightly sweetish at first sniff, but I'm noticing after drinking a bit that it's actually surprisingly dry. Aftertaste is wheaty and a bit of mild piney-hop bitterness. The piney-bitter element of the aftertaste definitely seems to build up a bit over time. A bit of a lingering spiciness, too.

Overall a pretty nice beer. Kind of comes across more as a hoppy wheat beer than an IPA to me, but I suppose "white IPA" basically just means "hoppy wheat beer" to begin with so that can't really be held against it -- might actually be a positive trait, considering how a more prominently "IPA-ish" white IPA might just completely overwhelm the wheat characteristics with hops rather than letting both aspects make themselves known.

 

Happy Sunday NBS players. Huge swings in temperature here on the island this week. Went from freezing cold thurs/fri, to a good two/three inches of snow sat, and now it's borderline t-shirt temperatures. Finally got the house into the xmas spirit with the tree up, outside lights, and my fiance set up her first xmas village. A gift from last year and I'm not sure how long that will last or expand but every piece was made in china which is pretty funny/sad. A bit out of it thanks to yesterdays day of the dark event but I'm finally feeling revived enough for a beer while watching some football.

My first new beer today is For Pete's Sake, an imperial chocolate peanut butter porter, from Duclaw brewing. It's also actually my first beer from Duclaw as I finally pulled the trigger on this 6 pack since they just hit ny/li distro this year. The brew checks in at 9% abv with a 11/18/16 package date.

A black pour with moderate carbonation and a frothy tan head. The nose is rather floral with sugars and malt. A subtle and smooth start to the drinking that leads to a rush of the chocolate malt and the sweet peanut butter flavor. The finish is smooth and rich, I was afraid that the peanut butter flavor would be too artificial but it's really very nice. Strong roasted peanuts, and I really get that sandy texture feel of the actual peanut butter. The chocolate malts really help to contrast and almost back down the sweetness. The mouth feel is light/moderate and dry. The 9% abv is non-existent.

Overall, just a really nice easy drinking and flavorful porter. If you can't stand peanut butter it's best to stay away. I'm in the low 4's all around and will not hesitate to repurchase,

 

First time poster, long time reader. Got my hands on a bottle of Edith from Hill Farmstead; only my third beer from this legendary spot. A true visual contradiction. Pours out of the bottle looking like a porter - black body with a frothy head that stays for the full session. The aroma is all saison - brett funk, green apple, hay and lemon zest. The taste is a reconciliation of the two - funk, hay, tart apple, sour cherry, pepper and rich roasted malt. It works and it's delicious. Finishes crisp and dry. Beautiful!

 

Well, in defense of the beer, I did grab it on the way home from Yakima, the first weekend of October. No idea how old it was when I grabbed it either. Oh well, it's a new beer!

 

My 2nd NBS

Bought a bunch of new singles yesterday as my tasting journey continues...

Here's a beauty that I picked up yesterday and am enjoying with some fresh Long Island Salts oysters, while watching my pitiful Eagles ..
Absolutely delicious in both regards ..
Both are so JUICCCCCCY

I just rated it on the site, so I'll copy my post to save time

Review:
I've only just begun my IPA journeys, but this is the tastiest one I have tried to date .
Poured into DFH tulip and formed a huge foamy head with tons of wonderful smells of citrus .
Gorgeous cloudy amber color and nice lacing .
Smells delicious and the taste follows with a full mouthfeel
Another great beer from my home in Dirty Jerzee
Great job overall and a 9 abv to boot !!

BOLERO SNORT NEW JERSEY
ROGUE BULL
DOUBLE IMPERIAL IPA

 

It wasn't a drain pour! A tick is a tick!

 

Howdy, NBS people!
It is a snowy day that started as an icy day and which was at some point a rainy night here on the frigid island of Montreal. I'm glad to be able to hang out here a little today since my schedule has been a little tighter the last few weeks.
I've been having a lot of baltic porters lately for some reason and I seem to have a few in my fridge as a result so I figure I might as well pop this Baltic bourbon barrel aged bad boy since it is cold and I don't plan on braving the elements any more than I have to. Although I will go far enough to pour my beer amongst majestic cat tracks.



This is a beer I got at their brewery this past summer and have been sitting on since then (which admittedly hasn't been too long). I am a big fan of the regular Framinghammer. In fact, I think it edges out the local favorite here from Les Trois Mousquetaires for me. So needless to say I was excited to try it.
This is definitely a fine, enjoyable beer. It looks really nice, with a big, supple mocha head. But the aroma and flavor are where it shines. Lots of caramelized sweetness, mild roast and barrel character, without much booziness or “bourbonousness.” An enjoyable, too-drinkable sipper, nice on an icy Sunday.

Hope you folks have a great rest of your Sunday.

Cheers!

Here's my review.

 

I wouldn't have got it anyway probably, I just thought it was a good review. Really straightforward, well written and brutal.

 

Back at it NBS players. It's funny, some weekends I feel like I have zero new beers and others I have to many. This week is the latter.
.
My second new beer today is Awkward Conversations, a double IPA, from Moustache Brewing co. here in boogie down Riverhead, long island. The brew checks in at 9.5% abv, canned a few days ago, and brewed with comet and mosaic hops. I grabbed two 4 packs from their can release yesterday.

An amber pour with borderline see though clarity and a white fluffy head. An aromatic nose of hops and fruit. A big raw hoppy start on the drinking with a flow of citrus fruit and a smooth/slightly bitter finish. Big time fruit notes of melon, tangerine, lemon, pair, and mango. The finish becomes more bitter as it warms. The mouth feel is moderate and clean.

Overall, just an excellent dipa. Hoppy, fruity as all hell, and strong. I might be a bit of a homer here but I'm at a solid 4.5 here,

 

Best dobro player in the universe!

 

Hello gang. After a day of high gravity, big stouts yesterday, I'm happy drink some DIPAs today. I'm following @BIGPOPPAS with a review of Bolero Snort's Rogue Bull. It's well balanced with a solid malt base, tropical fruit, and biting hops. It's not quite Bullazed but still quite good. BS's been doing really good work lately. Here's my review:

4.25/5 rDev +1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Canned on 12/13/2016. Poured into Bolero Snort all-purpose glass. It pours a cloudy, orange-amber color with one finger of foamy, milk-white head and lacing with excellent retention. It smells of sweet tropical fruit, lemon, grapefruit, and pine needles. It's highly aromatic. The taste is a delicious balance of fruit and bitter, biting hops but with a nice malt base. There is mango, orange, and grapefruit up front and a very bitter, hop finish. It features a nice, medium body with moderate carbonation and it earns its moniker of "Imperial IPA" with its 9% ABV. Overall, it's a solid 4.25. Bolero Snort has been brewing some fine IPAs of late.

Enjoy your new beers, everyone. As always, I'm enjoying reading your reviews!

 

Afternoon BAs! It's been a fun and crazy weekend here in TN. Yesterday was stormy and in the 70's - my son and I brewed up a DIPA wearing shorts in the garage, and then we all woke up this morning to temps in the 20's with flurries. This seems balmy, however, when reading these posts and watching the NFL games...

Today's offering is a new single-hop offering: Idaho 7 IPA, Tallgrass Brewing Company

As a homebrewer, I love single-hop beers as they provide a great learning experience about different hops. I've never had Idaho 7, and according to the BSG website, it is "a new experimental variety boasting pungent tropical fruit and pine character." Sounds good to me:

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

Great looking beer. A mildly hazy golden-amber color with a frothy, rocky off-white head that stayed with me for quite a while. Awesome lacing in my glass. The nose was interesting: big tropical fruit like Juicy Fruit gum. A bit of orange and pineapple and a hint of pine needles. The fruitiness continued on the first sip: mango and pineapple, counterbalanced by earthy tones and a restrained malt backbone. Moderately bitter with a clean, dry finish.

Overall I really like this beer, and I'll be searching out some Idaho 7 for my home brews. It reminds me a lot of Azacca. Cheers!

 

This beer was brought from a colleague from Brazil, I sent him back with 8 beers packed in his luggage. A couple bottles broke, I'm guessing at the hands of TSA, but surviving the flight were the likes of Fresh Squeezed, Backwoods Bastard..
Roleta Russa, Cervejas Extremas, looks like their offerings are the American IPA here, aBlack IPA, and an Imperial IPA. Guess the world is crazy for IPAs. This beer was decent, a bitter pale with moderate carb, slightly piney aroma, finishing crisp and dry.
Cheers BAs

 

I think I'll have a beer today. Yep, just one, but it's a big bottle. Cracking open this Founders Lizard of Koz.



Another opaque stout with a billowing, fluffy dark beige head.

Big, sweet vanilla on the nose with a bit of what I'll call "diner coffee", rounded out by chocolate.

Tiny bit of tartness grows stronger for a few seconds until it settles into the vanilla and chocolate thing. I am pretty sure I get some blueberry there in the end along with a little bit of alcohol. Is this barrel aged? Not getting any hints of it if so.

It's OK, nothing heart stopping or anything. It reminds me a little of Lindley Park in that it is a super sweet, adjunct laden desert kind of stout, but Lindley Park (raspberry) is soooooo very much better.

 

New American Wild Ale Sunday (week 617)

Greetings fellow NBSers from on the ridge in Mid Hud Val, NY. Lovely weather lately, hasn't it been? Gak, I don't think I will be recovered from it until...the end of this beer.

Good news is my camera was spotted and recovered at the Doom Saloon, bad news is I haven't picked it up yet, so you will have to imagine me drinking the contents of this stock photo of Paradox Mangozacca from a tea cup and while wearing a pirate costume. Of course I am not wearing a pirate costume, and the beer is in a Peekskill Brewing Company balloon, not a tea cup, but what fun is that?



Talk about as advertised, a whiff of mango and barnyard funk hits me upon opening this bottle with day of the dead design looking label. I've wondered since discovering Paradox Brewery beers on shelf around here whether the skull and crossbones (two crossed mash paddles) design is a warning or a challenge. Warning ignored, challenge accepted.

It pours a syrupy orange that is turbid and chunky with a beautiful white finger of foam. If you have ever seen any of those super slow mo vids, that is the speed the curtains of lace slide down the inner glass after a swirl. Eventually a bare cap happens.

Woahhh gonna do my hippie best to break down the full strength aroma. Don't mock me for this but I get orange creamsicle and overripe mango mixed with funky tart and light hormonal. Also co-starring are rounded yeasty tart and pepper. Hard to force my nose away from this beer. I am thinking how much I hope the taste is exactly the same as this delectable aroma.

Bright and full strength taste that is, as hoped, a wonderful showcase for all the flavors in the bouquet. There are some additional lighter strength undernotes hard to separate and identify, as well as some earthy funk notes to accompany the spicy and hormonal aspects. As it warms all the spectrum of citrus appears, some oaky flavors pop, and this beer becomes very complex. It ends semi dry with citrus pith the agent that does it. One of the most complex beers I have tried this year.

Very thick brew, low carb. despite having sported such a large head, with killer finish. Excellent frame for the flavor profile.

Despite how glowingly I relate the specifics of this beer, here I must say that some of the flavors don't go so well together as they might. It is a case of all star players not melding into a championship team, so to speak. I am loving it, and I know price isn't supposed to enter into it, but for the steep price I was hoping for more. Recommended for those like me who love strong flavors and brutal complexity.

Hope you also have a Great American Beer in your glass. Cheers!

 

Howdy NBS! It's a chilly drizzly day here in north NJ, the perfect kind to stay inside and watch some football in between chores. Hopefully the few inches of snow we got yesterday will be gone by Thursday and I can rest easy in my decision not to clean off #1 son's car (that's the day he comes home for winter break ).

Today's new beer comes by way of Queens-

Dutch Kille Kolsch style ale by LIC Beer Project

This is an expertly constructed beer, with beautiful and clean hop and malt profiles, and the full yet crisp and dry mouthfeel is so spot on. It's coming across more Pilsner-ish in flavor profile, with a prominent spicy/grassy hop flavor component, but right on the finish there does seem to be the slightest Sauvignon Blanc white wine flavor coming on. The malt is delicate and cracker-like, and bitterness adds that perfectly clean snap at the end but not one iota more. Very impressive and highly drinkable A- (4.15), will gladly be picking up more.