New Beer Sunday (week 631)

Didn't know those guys were still brewing!

 

Yeah, I got little to zero nuttiness or roasted qualities typically associated with brown ales. Still great! Hey, does this stewardship mean you're gonna have to retire from the Staff?

 

Awkward!!

Is it ok if I moonlight? I rarely check in on Sundays anyhow (NBS religious reasons).

 

IMHO, that is the best regularly-produced beer from Lost Forty. The do a few decent limited release beers also. I think it's unusual today for a breweries best beer to be a pilsner. If I recall correctly, @jdell15 agrees with me, but I don't want to speak for him.

 

Next up is Carton Unjunct



Upon a somewhat aggressive pour, I got a billowing dark tan head that left behind very sticky lacing and a thin fizz layer. Nose has a ton of what can best be described as a real heavy Noble hop profile, regardless of what hops were actually used. Cutting past the initial impression is slightly earthy, slightly smokey backbone. Taste is immediately surprising based on the nose. For starters, a flirt of dark fruit only offers a slight deke before heavy, bitter dark chocolate settles in big time. Upon exit is the Noble hop thing, which is also responsible for the bitter, earthy aftertaste. Silkiness in this medium bodied beer only appears after a few swigs, but it does get silkier as you drink it. Finally, a subtle warmth in the back of the throat rounds out this overall, very nice experience.

 

Alright, guess I'll go rapid fire with these today to make up for missing almost a whole month of NBSes (oh the humanity!). This one is a single bottle offering from Brouwerij Kees, a small craft brewery operating out of the Netherlands. It is a Smoked Pecan Porter, clocking in at 6% ABV. The label lists the ingredients as "water, barley malt, rye, hops, pecans, sugar, yeast." Interested to see if the rye and smoke play well together, especially considering the inherent sweet/nutty flavor of pecans. I love how excited the label is about the pecan inclusion... "Porter brewed with pecans!" Diggin' it.



Pours a dingy deep caramel brown color with next to no head formation. Lace is super spotty and the haze is not welcoming. Probably one of the worst first impressions a beer has given me lately, if I have to be honest.

The nose is pretty interesting and unique in a positive way, however. Slight esters followed by hearty woodsmoke, authentic pecan nuttiness and slight spicy rye notes. Pretty evocative stuff here, actually. I really enjoy how much the smoke comes out and actually feels meaty and robust. Chocolate, roasted coffee and more nuttiness start to develop as this warms. I really dig the nose here, actually. It feels like this has a lot of pure intention behind it... getting better in my opinion!

Flavor is heavy/forward on the roasted nut quality... almost like a nut brown ale and not a porter though. It's not full-bodied or malty-roasty enough to come across as a porter in this day and age. Ale yeast esters, brown bready flavors and a complex yet light-leaning smoke note that don't intrude on the palate. Rather, it actually does a really graceful dance and plays well with the supportive spicy/earthy rye and nutty pecan notes. Slight earthen hop... reminds me of good ol' Kent Goldings. Very well-balanced beer. The body is a little too thin for my taste; this would do better at closer to 7 or 7.5% ABV to bring out some chewiness. As it stands, it's not the most satisfying or robust drink in the world. I like the flavors a lot, but the feel leaves a lot to be desired. The price for this beer is hefty due to the format and importing by Twelve Percent, but it's definitely an enjoyable drink. I'm glad I got to try it.

 

Compliments to the generous @tasterschoice62 for this tasty IPA. Proclamation Derivative: Nelson-hopped IPA, pours a nice straw slightly opaque, difficult to generate head unfortunately but the aroma is nice grassy, slightly floral, taste is juicy, pine with a sticky element that is coating. Taste and aroma outstanding, a little disappointing in the carbonation and looks. Still enjoyable Larry thanks again my friend. Cheers BAs

 

NBS #2 of the day. Playing some soccer with our neighborhood army of children. It's a perfect temperature and cloud cover kind of day. What could make this more perfect? How's about a Monkish juice bomb.

Monkish
No Comment- Double IPA
Brewed with Nelson, Vic Secret, Amarillo, Citra and Mosaic ...!



A: Straight up orange juice. Fresh squeezed of course! Opaque bright yellow orange with that frothy white head that's sticky as the ickiest.

A: Daaaayum! Insane amount of mango, pineapple, papaya, and orange goodness! A touch of that signature white wine Nelson goodness! Man, I could smell this all day long!

T: The same. No need to elaborate.

F: Like an Orange Julius. A smooth, frothy, shake of a beer.

O: I believe those who have had Monkish IPA's would agree with me that they are the best of the west when it comes to making the beasts of the east. This is outstanding! Cheers!

 

@cavedave ... thanks for the words and thoughts on NBS. Very nicely put. and no truer words have been spoken.

No beer for me today, I got hit with a ten ton brick called seasonal allergies, it's pretty bad.

Till next time!

 

Common Heritage, a hoppy Saison from Twin Elephant. This beer has a long grain bill. From Germany Pilsner, Pale, Munich and Spelt. From England Rye. From the USA Oats. The hops used are Rakau, Citra and Vic Secret. There is a nice aroma of melon with a touch of pineapple. Common Heritage is a hoppy beer but not a hop bomb. There is a very strong malt backbone so the beer is balanced and has that nice soft mouth feel you get from the oats. This Saison is 7.2 ABV but is an easy drinker. I enjoyed this beer a lot and this 32 oz growler is GWTW.

 

Great intro to the day @cavedave and great job with all of your BS intro's from the past!

Here is a brew from NBS BIF #5 from @TeemuWPG . Seems like a nice brew to sustain our neighbors to the north in their long cold winters.

Torque Brewing Diesel Fitter Stout


Can poured into a fluted snifter.

Pours deep, dark, black and almost completely opaque. Creamy mocha head is built to last. An attractive beer.

Aroma is roasted malts, a hint of bitter cocoa. There is a noticeable bit of char, burnt toffee sweetness.

Flavor is rich and full of dark roasted malt, bitter cocoa and over roasted coffee. All blends together nicely into a rewarding and soothing deep and dark brew.

Creamy, but not full bodied, carbonation is at a nice moderate level suitable for the style. Dry, not a hint of syrupiness.

A nice brew. Continued to grow on me as it warmed. Clean flavors.

Appearance was pretty appealing!

 

Ok folks, stopped by one of our favorite places to see if they had any bottles to share, but alas, nothing worthwhile. That doesn't mean we weren't going to enjoy some brews.

So I started my journey at Ocelot with Waterfalls. This IPA uses Waimea and an experimental hop to produce a quite bitter beer that has some resemblance to Montueka or Sorachi, but takes a turn towards a funky citrus rind.


On the right is Juvenile Success, which I had next, a more tropical IPA with more classic hops. It wasn't just a tropical IPA, as there was an acidity and not-quite-but-almost onion/cattiness. The last photo just shows the game (congrats, SC) and that someone around here made it to Hunahpu Day, I guess.

But this review is about Sir Oxelot, a Belgian Quad. After another recent thread about copyrights, I chuckled as to whether Old Ox was aware of this name. Then I thought to check the menu, and unsurprisingly this is a collaboration with them.


Two things to notice, first that this needed to warm, and second is that there's a maple stout on the menu. Megaton Maple was listed as having something to do with a honebrew winner. It clocks in at 5.2%, and I think @WesMantooth would get lost in the nose for days (more of a dry stout in taste from what I sipped of GFs).

Sir Oxelot does pour a nice date-like color that leaves a nice chestnut color on the bar as the light shines through. Nice rim of off-white foam throws a little bit of lacing against the glass.

Nose is a little boozy, and the date mixes with a dry red wine without much fruitiness.

The taste is more bitter than I expected, and it unfortunately hides the typical dark fruit and estery yeast notes in the beer. Warmth allows a little more sweetness to hit my palate, but the rich maltiness I am looking for in a Quad is not there.

I have ventured into big beer styles from Ocelot before, and most leave me wanting more maltiness. This is not a distasteful beer, just not what I am looking for.

 

Hey, NBS gang. First and foremost, I want to thank @cavedave for his years of hosting NBS, which is one of highlights of my week. I look forward to continuing to read your well-written and fun reviews and I always hope to bump into you some day at Rushing Duck. Now, onto the beer. My review today is Bolero Snort's The Herd, a Belgian Quad aged on plums. This is great stuff! Bolero has shown a real ability to brew excellent Belgian-style ales. Its LaTaureau Tripel is outstanding, as well. Here's my review:

4.34/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Bottle undated but purchased shortly after release. Poured into tulip glass. It pours a dark cola color with a large, foamy beige head and lacing that lasted through the pour. It's highly aromatic; you smell it as soon as the cap is popped. It smells of plum, raisin, clove, coriander, and black pepper. It's very fruit forward. The plum is sweet, almost cloying, and there is a hint of vanilla, which I found surprising. All the appropriate Belgian spices are present, including clove, coriander, and pepper, but they are more subtle in taste than nose. There is a slightly peppery finish. It features a pleasant, creamy mouth feel with the lively carbonation you would expect from a Belgian ale. The 10.5% ABV isn't overly evident but after a couple of pours you feel it Overall, The Herd is very good! It features all of the tastes you look for in a Belgian Quad and is nicely crafted and fun to drink. Bolero Snort is better known for its IPAs but The Herd, along with LaTaureau Tripel, prove that BS can brew great Belgian-style ales.

I'm looking forward to receiving my BIF box and to digging into it with you guys next week. Cheers!

 

A difficult decision, I'm sure

 

I also echo the sentiments of everyone. @cavedave and @utopiajane were welcoming stewards that sometimes could influence me to wait until Sunday but always kept me on the lookout for the new and different.

Today continues with what has become a grab now/figure it out later buying pattern that has not always netted the best results. Pleased to say that today has evened things up.

Poured into a goblet which creates a really inviting spectrum from a glowing gold at the base thru reds and up to the very dark amber supporting the pink tinged tan head. (4.75)
With little carbonation to sustain it, the head broke down quickly taking the unnaturally intense cherry aromas with it leaving the more complex hints of vinegar and sour dough bread. (4)
Pleasant (not jaw clenching) tartness and sour accentuated by the effervescence on the tongue. (4.5, 4.25)
Very nice beer that makes you home-sick for a place you don't come from. (4.5)

 

Back at it here NBS with another offering from @foundersasap of course. Probably my last of the day too as I will be heading out to dinner shortly and I'm glad that I don't have to drive.

The beer is Sinister Vertigo, imperial stout, from Oddside Ales. The brew checks in at 9.2%, according to this site, and a bottle date of 12/19/16.

An oil slick black pour with a tan frothy head. The nose is full of chocolate malt. Big malts carry right over from the nose on the first sip. A frothy flow that finishes smooth. Lots of chocolate really dominates the flavors with additional more subtle notes of vanilla, smoke, coffee, and lactose. The mouth feel is moderate with a sort of powdery feel to it. Not nearly as much stick as I thought it would have. The abv hides very well.

Overall, decent enough stuff and awesome to be able to give it a try but it really seems to fall more on the average side for me. I'm in the 3.5/4 range.

 

Well friends, I should read more before I post. I didn't realize that @utopiajane is also retiring from hosting NBS. Maria, I didn't mean to exclude you from my post! Your good cheer and informative and well-written reviews are always a pleasure on Sunday mornings. I know we'll continue to benefit from both of your participation every week. Cheers to you both!

 

I'm settling in for UNC-Kentucky and it's time for another new beer courtesy of @jhavs. It's sunny today with temps in the mid-70s, so a witbier sounds perfect:

Sterk Wit, a Belgian Style Double Wit from The Alchemist


There is yeast in the can so I swirled it a bit before pouring. A beautiful-looking beer. A hazy yellow-straw color with a frothy and generous bright white head. The foam reluctantly settled into a streaky cap, leaving scant lacing in the glass. The aroma is huge for a witbier. Big floral notes with oranges and tangerines, but also grassiness, and doughy yeast. This is a hoppy beer with firm bitterness up front on the palate, framing the flavors: orange, tangerine, coriander, hay, and white bread. There is a lingering peppery spice on the finish. The finish is also clean but not too dry. Medium-carbed, maybe slightly lower than usual for the style. Overall this is a delicious beer and perfect for a sunny day. Cheers BAs!