New Beer Sunday (week 618)

One of my favourite things about working with pediatrics is the goofy shit we get to do, and have it actually be meaningfully productive. If someone told you I was a bit of a humbug, Scrooge or even Grinch, they wouldn't be lying. This time of year especially. But at work, it's easy to channel that inner frustration and grumpiness into its external opposite and create something constructive; to help buoy against the same in others..

I got to be Santa.

Little kid was crying all day and night because he was worried Santa wouldn't be able to find him at the hospital. So one of my coworkers on the other wing plotted a scheme. Round about 0430 he called me over with my hat and red scrubs and shirt and they coated my beard in toothpaste and cotton balls to make it white and now despite his older brother naysaing (as grinchy older siblings are wont to do), he's been beaming that Santa came to visit HIM, that HE got to talk to Santa and got a present straight from the fat man himself.
Deception rarely tastes so sweet.

It may not be purely fair to rate an aged (read that as explicitly two syllables, please) beverage in this hallowed space, and I received this Christmas Bomb! from... well I thought it was from a previous NBS BIF, but digging through my meticulously curated records... nope. Must be the one I picked up at a 7/11 in New Hampshire or Vermont or wherever with my sister. Way too much lead in. I think it's a 2014 bottle, which may not be completely fair.



Pour is just this side of jet black with a rich dark head that never really fully manifests.

Nose jumps out coffee initially and then some rich creamy notes of chocolate and char.

The flavour jumps out at me as far less chocolate and spice than I'd come to expect and leaning almost entirely on the char, and an almost ashy/smokey quality. This is less holiday baking, more yule log post-fireplace-watching. I actually kind of really enjoy this surprise. Body is oily and smoothe and it finishes with a bitter compendium of chocolate and coffee and char.



Now I'm off to bed, hoping to go see the new Star Wars when I wake up. Hope you're all enjoying your Sunday, and stay safe, sane (within reason), and merry christmas ya filthy animals!

 

So sweet, and awesome of you to be Santa to help a little kid feel better. Your story puts a tear in my eye.

 

Hey what's GOING ON?!

It's Christmas down here with my in-laws, down in Maine digging and drinking. Goose is coming and I am so going to eat that thing like you wouldn't believe.

On the drive up much wares were purchased on the road. And now that I am in an area where the porch is the fridge, all my beers are grooving and chillin outdoors.

More importantly, new beer surroundings make for NEW BEERS FOR ME TO TRY! I love new beer surroundings.

I hope everyone is enjoying their holidays and what you are all celebrating. Right now I am waiting for a great meal.

Thanks kindly to the BA staff and @Todd for the return of beer Karma! When practicing karma always think of others too.. what perfect timing.

Well I don't know how much time I will be spending here online as I am with family, so make sure you give them their due ya know?

In the meantime, what is new for our hero?

India Red Rye Ale | Stoneface Brewing Co.


Stoneface Brewing - Rye India Red Rye Ale by imbibehour, on Flickr

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Poured from the bottle into a Spiegelau IPA glass.

Deep chestnut brown and red body. An almost ruby like quality but a shiny brown that glows nicely before the dregs hit that make a nice chocolate paste. Fine and light khaki top, fluffy and an easy two to three fingers. Island retention and light top with big amounts of lacing.

Delicious aroma for rye and hop mix. Chewy and spicy mix on the nose for the malt, with a soft sweetness. Hop dense quality with a mild dank sweetness and earthy quality. Real nice complimenting malt and hop character.

Palate takes things down a bit. Light slightly wet body, with a washing spicy malt mix. Hop angle provides a much more unique angle bringing the dense character and making for a larger flavor of almost smoke and sweet dirt. Palate is a bit prickly and makes for a slightly distracting experience.

A much more decent rye brew than I've had before that's for sure.

look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75 | BA generated Score: 3.9

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Discovered Stoneface up last Turkey day while passing through NH, as much as I am not the biggest rye beer fan, I am very impressed with these guys and their wares.

Well cheers all!

 

Visiting a coffee stout from Evil Twin. That always sounds promising on paper. Looking forward to diving head first into malts and coffee with my Christmas brunch.



Evil Twin's Aun Mas Cafe Jesus.

Pours black with a reluctantly forming, fizzy, creme-colored head. Head peaks at half a finger in height. Lacing dots linger for a little bit, otherwise the glass looks clean. Roasted malts hit the nose first, with additional notes of coffee and chocolate. Not a whole lot going on in the front end. It does give a dark, inviting aroma. A sip opens up roasted malts first, with a hint of coffee. As the flavor profile progresses, the notes of coffee and chocolate grow, before finishing with just chocolate on the tongue. Its a smooth, clean flavor profile, far from a stout you just about eat. Mouth feel is smooth and creamy, with a medium consistency. Thickness bumps up to a medium-thick as the beer warms, but still stays smooth and creamy. This stout is not filling or grainy in any way. Overall, its a solid imperial stout with coffee. Coffee does pop through nicely, while still remaining in check. This is all coming from someone who wants to smell and taste coffee on the front end, so as far as personal preference, its a little lacking, otherwise it's great.

Score: 3.75 | 4.25 | 4.25 | 4.25 | 4.25 | BA Score: 4.22 | rDev: -0.7%

Here's some handwriting I did this morning with my new pen and bottle of ink (I had a 15mL bottle of it, so I'm so glad I have a full bottle to burn through now). I'm still working on my ornate script.

 

Greetings and Merry Christmas to all my NBS friends. It's a cloudy and damp day along the southern shore with more of the snowpack melting away. It's time to sneak in a beer before round two of playing host to the holiday festivities. I managed a quick trip around the shore to Transient Artisan Ales last week for another release. Starting with a pint can from a four pack called Resinate American IPA with a listed abv. of 6.5%. A date of 12/21/16 stamped on the bottom. Let's pour it in the Transient Teku style glass and unwrap this mystery!

Pours a cloudy gold color with a generous finger of creamy lingering white foam. A bit of lacing is left behind. The smell is cheesy yeast esters, pine, grapefruit and malt. Taste is grapefruit, pine, floral and cereal/malt in the finish. The feel is creamy and slick to start with a dry bitter finish.





As Transient IPA's/DIPA's go, this is the most balanced one I've had thus far. A pleasant array of hop flavor washed down by a copious amount of slick malt. It's crisp, clean, dry and quite easy drinking. A good beer, but I'm more of a fan of their super juicy offerings. I'll probably appreciate this beer more in warmer weather! My score is 3.9 and I was the first person to review it.

I'm hoping to break away later to try at least one more. Santa was nice enough to drop a few bottles down the chimney that somehow didn't break. Have a Merry Christmas and enjoy the gift of new beer! Here's the official scorecard......

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/34258/261027/?ba=Prager62#review

 

In my element...

Downrigger IPA | Marsh Island Brewing


Marsh Island Brewing - Downrigger IPA by imbibehour, on Flickr

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Poured from the can into a Spiegelau IPA glass.

Deep amber brown, a bit opaque and solid in body color appearance. Khaki light head almost white, manages about two easy fingers and fine bubbles. Creamy ring large lacing, settling down to a solid finger. Simple and straightforward.

Bit of a muted aroma it seems. Small caramel and a bit of toasty malt forward presence. Muted sensing tropic and citrus quality, even almost a pineapple quality on the hop front.

Palate hits nicely with simple and soft body. Caramel soft and sweet malt, with a nice accenting taffy and pineapple flavor in the mid palate. Washes clean but not too wet either. A bit of spruce and dryness, with a faint hint of juice. Fluffy texture, with a touch of biscuit and cookie substance sweetness to match.

A nice simple IPA, some of the hops used aren't being full magnified, but a decent solid beer is still here to enjoy.

look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4 | BA Generated Score: 3.88

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Cheers!

 

Great story (sniffle), and God bless you and your coworkers!

 

I am back for one more today! Cheers again NBS and I ho ho hope you all got lots of goodies under the tree this year. =)


Harpoon vanilla bean Porter



Pours beautifully. clear, burnt walnut. This beer is not quite black but so close . Majestic with highlights. Mahogany, burnt orange, rust, honey. Tan head that dazzled as ti fell. There are photos from today but please look at this one from the first day I had it.



Vanilla is bright and fragrant. Then malty grainy and chocolatey. A cool hop to back it but not intrude. Hops show some shy pepper. it smells like a dry chocolate biscuit . The vanilla on the nose reminds me of the snow in this photo. White, fragrant and marries so well with the cool herbal hop.



Drinks beautifully with not too much vanilla. It has a soft freshness form hops in the middle and a good clean mouthfeel. Dry malty flavors dominate . A perfect bubble shows off light sweet chocolate. it even tastes like a dry chocolate biscuit. I drank all of these after I bought them for day of the dark. So I put this one in the beer crisper to keep it safe from Santa. Cheers you all!

 

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah or just plain Happy Holidays to the NBS gang!

Here's a little something from Catskill Brewing, who are becoming one of my favorite new breweries just based on what I've been able to try here and there. I anticipate paying them a visit before too long, but the family time is more important this trip.

My brother didn’t get the name of this one, but from looking over their website I surmise it's their Jewelweed Golden Sour. It's very much in the saison vein, dry, floral, woody, funky and slightly tart and quenching. Some peppery spice and lemon peel come on later in the glass, and the flavors are delicate and woven together skillfully. A real pleasure to drink, whatever it's called.

 

Next up is this here Stone item called Bastard's Midnight Brunch.



Looks dramatically arrogant, but that's to be expected I suppose. Translucent, mrky, coppery brown with a very confident beige head with nearly curtain like lacing.

Nose carries spicy caramel candy before a big bitter takes over. Beyond that, there's some alcohol heat, which after warming up, kind of takes over.

Taste begins with a touch of chocolate which quickly morphs into molasses before whiskey heat and that alcohol driven circus peanut taste creeps in.

Medium to thick bodied with a super dry existence and finish.

This thing is massive. And violent. And massive. May need help getting this one finished.

 

North Coast Barrel Aged Old Rasputin XIX RIS, 11.2% ABV, 38 IBU. Pours medium to thick viscosity and black, with a 4+ finger tan head on an aggressive pour. Nose is slight butter, plus bourbon and malt. Taste is bourbon and roast malt, with only slight coffee type bitterness. Excellent mouthfeel, overall decent.

Really bizarre weather here in South Dakota - while the other end of the state has snow, we've got a thunderstorm and heavy rain. So - grilled salmon in the garage and having some good craft.

 

Cheating a bit here since I drank this beer last night. Drip Down IPA from Brotherton Brewing down in the Pine Barrens. Brwed with Vienna Malts and wheat. Hopped with Simcoe and Nelson Sauvin hops. Served is a shaker pint this brew is a pale gold color with a thick head. Strong aroma of citrus and pine gives way to a juicy citrus taste with a nice malt and wheat presence. There is a full but some what soft mouth feel. Overall an excellent beer and one of the very best beers brewed in NJ.

 

Happy holiday NBS everyone and Merry Christmas/Happy Hanukkah or whatever to all of you. I don't think I have a new beer to try today as I'm visiting the in-laws. You never know though. I'll see if I can rustle something up later on. Regardless, I hope you have a great day and hopefully a nice few days off. Enjoy your beers, the pictures and descriptions are making me thirsty.

 

Well, time for another new beer, well, semi new. I've had NYFRB regular strength. Today I'm having NYFRB 10.7%. Delicious and further amped up from the regular strength.


4.31/5 rDev +4.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

This pours fairly dark, with a off white frothy head - 1 finger. The nose is root beer, but also a boozy aroma to it. Moderate thick pouring. The taste is ,well ,root beer, but amped up. Amped up even more than the regular strength NYFRB. This is very good.

★ 258 characters

See you all in a while.

 

Half Acre Black Ale
16 oz. can pkg.12-09-2106



thick creamy tan head
very dense black color
caramel and chocolate aroma
but no noticeable alcohol
nice balance of bitter and roast flavors
a hint of coffee, not sweet or fruity.
dark roasted malts makes this
very flavorful.
crisp dry finish.

cheers and merry Christmas folks

 

Happy BEST NBS start ever!!!

 

Happy Holidays NBS!!!

Absolutely loved the start today.

Chilly here in SoCAL. We have snow on the local mountains, bright sun, a few scattered hulks of clouds bypassing us and heading east toward the many deserts we have.

Wishing you all a great one. I went back to an old one, that is almost like new to me. I had to fire up the grill for a quick pack of steaks that I didn't want to freeze, so the rule is, If I'm grilling, I'm chitlin' (with a beer)...Well's Banana Bread Beer it is...

Let's admit it. This is not a beer to write home about. But it is a bit of a classic seasonal. It's been a few years, so I grabbed it again on a whim. Pours a copper to amber hue. Sandy head rises a finger or so high and quickly retreats. Smells of, well, a not too fragrant slice of banana bread, subtle spices of clove, cinnamon, and nut. Flavor is a smooth ESB like base that sways gently in the direction of banana bread. Like an homage. Mouthfeel is on the thinner side. Low carbonation. Overall, it is what it is. A smooth, approachable, allusion to banana bread.

Cheers to All.

 

I loved that one too, thanks @Hopgoddess312 .

 

You're doing God's work Mr. Kemo

 

Hi gang. Happy holidays to you all! With Christmas Eve church services last night, it doesn't seem like a Sunday today but I'm glad to join you all for NBS. My daughter gave me a Wicked Weed goblet for Christmas so I figured I should put it to good use it right away. Freak of Nature is Wicked Weed's DIPA and it's really good. It's like an upgraded version of Pernicious. Here's my review:

4.43/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottled on 11/29/2016. Poured into Wicked Weed goblet. It pours a clear golden color with one finger of milk-white head and lacing with very good retention. It smells of bready malt, lemon peel, grapefruit, pineapple, onion, and dank floral hops. The taste is nicely balanced with some sweet tropical fruit, citrus, slightly sweet malt, a hint of caramel, and biting, bitter hops. Everything works well. It finishes dry and bitter. This is a fairly light, crisp DIPA, with pleasant carbonation, and the 8.5% ABV gives it a nice pop. Overall, this is a terrific DIPA: It has more flavor and pop than Pernicious, and that's saying a lot!