New Beer Sunday (week 622)

I'm a sucker for museums, but it is definitely one of the best museums anywhere IMO.

 

I don't know who developed it, but I do know of some breweries that use wooden staves since they have tanks that are big enough to hold them. (But if I understand what I've heard/read the folks making Bud use Beechwood chips. Perhaps larger than the oak chips use by home brewers, but still chips.

 

Starting my Sunday with Tired Hands Vaporizer. Full disclosure I did try it Friday just didn't have to time to review, so it is not a complete new beer to me, but it is only the second time having. I have to say this can release was a super easy compared to other releases Tired Hands have done and it is now one of my favorites from them, really hope it makes the regular rotation of beers they can! With all that said here's the review:

4.44/5 rDev +7.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

16 oz can, dated 1/19/17, poured into a teku

A- A hazy golden orange with a two finger white head.

S- Mangos, tropical fruits, guava, some citrus, hints of melons, touch of rye spice

T- Tropical fruits, guava, some mango, bright citrus, some hints of cantaloupe, some pine in the finish with a touch of rye.

M- Smooth, medium body.

O- A great IPA from Tired Hands. Easy to drink, this is up there with Alien Church and Pineal as far as their IPAs go.

Cheers!

 

Another new beer Sunday and another new beer from Twin Elephant Brewing. Dude Maintain is a 8% ABV Honey IPA. Nice beer looks like a run of the mill IPA gold/bronze color with a nice white head. The aroma is not like most IPAs. There is a strong smell of honey with hints of citrus. The taste is an interesting to say the least. It's somehow sweet and bitter at the same time. The finish is bone dry. Very drinkable one would never know this beer is 8% if they hadn't said it was. A very enjoyable brew.

 

Ditto. Mrs. Z and I hit whatever is open wherever we go. I saw theTerra Cotta warriors from China at the Field, and Sue was cool...but the art in the Chicago Art Institute was mind blowing in breadth and depth!

 

I am certain as I can be that your statement is correct. Though I do now wonder what type of oak Dogfish Head will be using for their Oak Aged Vanilla version of this beer later this year...

... be it barrels or chips .

 

Haha. Honestly the Art Institute is why I just say it is "one of" the best. Really, thinking about it, I don't know that there are much better museum towns in the US period aside from NYC.

 

More new beer later perhaps, but first maybe you will indulge a cooking post. Yes, I do use the cutting board for more than beer pictures...

Today we makea the soup!

The veggies to be sacrificed.



All peeled and prepped.



Sweating the onion and garlic.



The rest of the characters with the herbs.



Add some stock.



All pureed up.



And final service with some nice smoked gouda. Delicious!

 

In general those Sam Adams glasses do have nucleation points to help, as well as the curving of the glass which aids with a swirl on each tip of it. I rarely have a beer in those glasses that looks horrible with respect to head and retention, so I have to at least hand it to BBC for that when they designed the glass.

 

Pretty amazing stuff there. And impressive they still stick to traditional methods

 

@JackHorzempa should change his username to BrewProf or something. Thanks for another history lesson! I'm at Jester King where they want bugs in their oak, or do they always? I'll let you know after I whip one of the tour guides'/brewers' asses with about 75 questions about their barrels/foeders (as I hug the big foeder).

My new beer this blustery Sunday outside Austin:


JK's Biere de Blanc du Bois

Dry as the hill country soil is this one with lots of lemon juice, some earthier lemon peel and a big chunk of musty barn/oak wood flavor. The aroma and flavor are as 1:1 as anything I've come across -- what you smell is what you taste and vice versa. The grapes are turning this one much drier than the average JK saison. Almost no sweetness but it's not unbearably sour nor earthy. A sour lover's sour.

No official review yet but I'd call the look a 3.75, aroma 4, taste 3.75, feel 5 (light but super crisp and full) and overall a 3.75. I tried it first today because I had to, but honestly it would make for the perfect closer.

Cheers, NBSers!

 

Cracking into another BA beer. This one I happened to find on the bottom shelf of a solid bottle shop. I was really hoping it wouldn't disappoint, and from the few sips I've taken before I began typing this, it hasn't yet. Come to find out, this is the first release of this beer. Depending on my impression, I may have to snag another couple bottles for my cellar. Time to jump into some home-state BA beer.



Schafly's Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout - Ibex Cellar series.

Pours a heart-less black with a finger of buttery-khaki head foaming up top. Head retention is poor, with no lacing left behind. Very much a barrel aged appearance. Aroma is butter, barrel, bourbon, and roasted malts. Emphasis on the butter. The barrel and bourbon remain balanced in the aroma. It's not overly sweet, with the butter giving it a more fatty aroma rather then a sugary smell. Flavor profile is butter, caramel, roasted malts, with a hint of barrel and bourbon. Having a well balanced flavor profile, this beer is a little dangerous. The double digit ABV hides well. Mouth feel is smooth and creamy, with a medium-thick consistency. It slips down like butter - after all that is the word for this beer. Overall, a fantastic barrel aged beer from the folks at Schlafly. It remains balanced, and drinkable, approachable and enjoyable, and an absolute delight to sip and savor. Complexity is toned down compared to some other barrel aged beers, making this an absolute solid choice for someone looking to get into BA beers, or for someone experienced looking to enjoy a BA beer without scribbling notes in a screamer of a beer. A+.

Score: 4 | 4.25 | 4.5 | 4.25 | 4.25 | BA Score: 4.34 | rDev: +0.7%

Personal asides: I think I'm attached to this beer. It's smooth and delightful. While it doesn't have the complexity to receive "top marks" from most of Beer Advocate, it delivers its few notes with exceptional quality. I suppose time will tell how this beer is rated as it was only added to Beer Advocate a little under a month ago. Cheers.

P.S. Between my postings, I found out Yordano Ventura passed away. While I always enjoyed watching him pitch at Kauffman, I know he could have a bit of a ill-temper at times. Never the less, I wish the Ventura and Royals family the best. He was truly an ace. I was excited for baseball season, but now I'm not so sure. One of my previous roommates and teammates works very closely with The Royals at Kauffman. Whenever folks ask him who is easiest to talk to, Ventura is always up there in the top 3. As someone near his age, it's pretty freaky to see how things can change so suddenly. RIP.

 

Hey what's going on?!

Ah yes another good NBS that's what. Look at all this great beer everyone is drinking and sharing, what a great positive thing.

There was also a lot of positivity down here in my area yesterday. But sticking to the discussion we all get to enjoy when we find commonality amongst each of the things that bring us all together.

I made a fantastic fish soup last night as well, which I also just had for lunch a few minutes ago. Got my homemade stock in there, and a plethora of whitefish(s) and seafood(s) herbs and flavors in there. Man turned out great, just the perfect thing to eat on these rainy cold days.

Is this January?! I think speak for all as I spoke with relatives up North and they were wondering the same thing?

@JackHorzempa Jack, great start. Roll out the barrel indeed! Just look at that thing go, and I'd hate to be run over by one of those barrels at Urquell, I am sure the coopers would mean well.

I like the barrel aged theme for today. I'd play, but I had one yesterday which was actually a local that was pretty darn good from Denizens call Chapless Horseman (A Russian Imperial in Bourbon barrels).

I unfortunately don't have one in my stash for NBS today BUT I think this next beer is about as fun and close as it gets. Or at least I hope so, but track record of the breweries is I think a good indicator...

Let's see what new beer(s) are new for our hero today!!

Evil Twin / Westbrook - Imperial Mexican Biscotti Cake Break | Evil Twin Brewing


Evil Twin Brewing / Westbrook - Imperial Mexican Biscotti Cake Break by imbibehour, on Flickr

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Poured from the bottle into a large snifter glass.

The brew out of the bottle right away pours very thick, almost sludge like but luckily not, and not even making a sound. It's surprisingly not very dark in body color with the exception of the head. A bit of slow forming one finger height, but dark mocha brown and very creamy. Sheened top of star patterned puck, and creamy tan collar is left behind an opaque very dark walnut black. A hint of chili is on, right from the hiss of the cap upon opening. Sleeper here, I really like it, and that head is gorgeous.

Very nice aroma. Surprisingly not as hot/chili sensing as I thought it would be but no complaints. Mild but sensing chili powder, and a soft dark cocoa with some almost whopper malt like candy in the background. Soft roast and char is on this as well. Does come off like a base beer that could easily do well in a barrel, which also limits much of the aroma present. A real nice milky spice to this comes off nicely, with lovely chili subtlety. A small hint of cake batter seems to be in this also.

First impression is of a much lighter body but far easier drinking and tasty Imperial stout. Light bodied, flirting with almost porter char wetness at first sip, but then brings nice mid palate flavors. Rushing silky dark chocolate and roast malt notes in the mid palate. A bit of milky flavoring cream, almost carnation instant breakfast as opposed to thick vanilla. Then the chili accents really make a good contrast on the sweet malt senses a bit, particularly on the finish. Light stinging peppers, mole like and very subtle as well.

Very nice constructed beer, and no big surprise on the Evil Twin Westbrook connection. Westbrook and Evil Twin make some of the same beers at the same location, and if this is indication of the barrel version it's a good one. Till then as a non barrel heavily added stout, this is very nicely done.

look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25 | BA Generated : 4.24

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beautiful! Cheers! =)

 

I'd put Chicago up against NYC and LA museums any day - cheers!

 

SLAY THEM!!! needs more garlic...

I always say that, I love garlic.. I find actually recipes are WAY too lean on it.. Add one clove... what are you insane??? try like at least 4.. Even for people who aren't garlic fans, they wont even notice.

I find most printed recipes use way too little, but that's just me. (and of course use the real stuff)

 

Agreed. I love my SAPPs, and have started to stash them where we travel, i.e., at mom's house, mother in law's, the RV...

 

Alaskan Brewing Perseverance Russian Imperial Stout 30th Anniversary, 9% ABV, 50 IBU. Pours medium viscosity and black, with no head on an aggressive pour. Nose is vanilla, honey, and syrup. Taste is roast malt, some coffee, a little syrup, with a slight roasty bitter close, and a bit of carbonation burn. Mouthfeel is OK, though heavy carbonation comes into play here. Overall pretty good. Watching the Packer game.

 

Dang that sounds and looks good. Birch syrup? Also, I love your bottle opener. I feel like it would fit well in my cycling bag for a beer at a rest stop.

 

Finally drinking the Tenfidy that has been in my beer fridge for months. First one ever. Not really one of my main styles for sure but this shit is freakin awesome! Thick and creamy, kinda coffeeish, can taste the malt without it being overly sweet, more roasted malt taste. Easy to see why this is a highly rated and beloved beer.