New Beer Sunday (Week 655)

Avery Tweak
Imperial Stout - 17.5% ABV



4.36/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle into a snifter. Bottled January 25 2016 listed on the label. Hurricane Irma beer.

The nose is chocolate, coffee, bourbon. Smells delicious! The taste is dark and roasty with a lot of sweetness and a warming boozy finish. There is a lot of roastiness from the coffee lingering into the finish. The chocolate helps to smooth things out. Wow, this is a delicious sipper. Tons of coffee in this one which I really enjoy and really nice notes coming from the barrel. It is definitely hot, but that is expected with such a high ABV - 17.5% listed on the label.

 

Great start to NBS by @cjgiant and what a splendid day here in the kingdom. Many prayers this morning for people in the paths of the current storms and those struggling to recover in Texas. Plus the 8.1 quake...quite a time for natural disasters.

So I am coming to the conclusion that I drink too much beer when I travel. Granted, I plan on one to two a night and my trip this time ws cut short by three days, but I still tried a whole bunch o' new beers last week, most of which were OK, couple disappointing, one surprising (Potosi Marzen), one very good (Central Waters Oktoberfest), and one outstanding (Racer 5...duh...).

Tonight's victim comes from my son, split between the four of us:



Oh...this is yummy and has a lot going on. I don't know if I can dissect it very well, so I am going with commentary from the foursome. Pours pretty much like it shows. The smell is fantastic - dark fruits, toffee, coffee, funky, plums, cherries, oaky, red wine, caramel, apples, spicy, hay/straw, peppery. Yeah - lots happening. And the taste is a controlled riot of the same - nothing jumps out, but waves of flavors that morph yet don't conflict. I don't find it assertively sour, but that varied between us and my wife who does not enjoy strong sours thought this beer was good (she scored the plum note right away). It was agreed that the alcohol is well incorporated and hardly noticeable. This beer is complex, yet drinks easily and you can draw from it whatever you want. Dissect it with a scalpel, or just sip and say "ahhhhh".



Cheers, peeps.

 

New Beer Sunday: New Oktoberfest

Evenin’ NBSers, with special greetings for those lovers of the Oktoberfest seasonal beer and special thanks to @cjgiant both for today’s start up and his encouraging thoughts/remarks about the Eagles and their anticipated game performance today.

Well the weather here today was clear and sunny but just a shade on the cool side. Managed to tick off some items from the “honey-do” list and to watch a big chunk of this afternoon's Eagles game.

This evening’s new beer is the Oktoberfest from Bell’s Brewing over in MI. I didn’t see this beer last year at all but heard a few nice things about it and so was pleased to be able to stock up on a few.

As usually my review, subject to revision until I finish another bottle or two, can be found here:

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/287/32695/?ba=drtth#review

I’m quite glad my first bottle of this beer is after having been through the first three years of the Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest collaborations. I think those collaborations have helped me develop a much deeper understanding of what some German brewers may be after in their Oktoberfest beers though seeing their influence in the fresh Oktoberfest beers which they have played a role in brewing. If I had reviewed this beer before those collaborations my judgments of the beer might have been somewhat different.

The aromas and flavors are filled with toasty bready malt and some light sweetness all backed by some light, but noticeable grassy, herbal hop bitterness. So it’s a very drinkable beer and for me made more so by its complexity since some of the flavors come and go more than once, but all are playing nicely with each other.

Tonight’s musical is called “The Most Happy Fella.” From that musical, Shorty Long, John Henson, Roy Lazarus, Arthur Gilbert:

Standing on the Corner.

Cheers, all!

 

Good evening NBS fanatics. On the opening weekend of NFL football, letting your inner fan rule is appropriate, and my inner fan is great beer and this thread.

My offerings tonight are my version of "From the East Coast to the West Coast." First up, a beer from the East Coast that our NBS friend @cavedave highly recommended, an opinion that carries a LOT of weight with me.



4.46/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The pour is a murky grapefruit color, with a foamy light tan head. I am finally comfortable, after looking at a twenty or so of the NE-style IPA that is EVERYWHERE in stating that I prefer the look of the "traditional" IPA, which can be a bit hazy but doesn't look like an episode of "Milkshakes Gone Bad."

The aromas, though, are spot on, with passion fruit, mango, and pineapple dominating the olfactories. The taste follows the nose, with the citrus flavors coalescing into a luscious tropical flavor profile.

The feel is what I especially appreciate in this beer - I like a little pillowy, but but not so watery that I occasionally think I'm drinking actual juice. I like a little hop bite and this has that.

An excellent beer, and a preferable (for me) example of the style.

 

This is my last new beer for the day and I am not a fan on it. Wicked Weed Southern Ambrosia. A Chile beer brewed with cherries, molasses, blackberries, serrano peppers aged in red wine barrels. It sounds like alot going on and it is, I give them credit for pulling it off the flavors are all there but they are weak (except the peppers). The main two things that stand out are the peppers and the vinegar flavor and smell. They did hide the 10% ABV well!!

Appearance 3.75 - Pours brown rust color with thin white head that dissipates before I sit the bottle down to a thin ring around the glass.

Aroma 3.5 - Getting lots of the serrano peppers up front, some tart fruit a touch of vinegar from the wine barrel, and oak.

Taste 3.75 - The serrano peppers again take the stage, tart cherry/blackberry, getting the red wine and the oak. There is a touch of sweetness from the molasses that balances the tart/vinegar. The flavors just seem kind of watered down.

Feel 3.5 - Medium bodied, well carbonated some heat from the peppers really thin feel.

Overall 3.62 - I am not a huge fan of this, the flavors just do not work well together and seem watered down.

 

Happy Sunday NBS players. A really nice day here on the island. Sunny, and very comfortable temperatures. There is a feeling of fall in the air but it's still warm enough for shorts.

Despite it being week 1 of the NFL I hit up my final Mets game of the season today. The brother-n-law caught some nice seats for cheap and while I'm a pretty big Jets fan I opted for the live action. DVR'ed the Jets but its pretty clear this years team is going to be awful and after not beating the bills there is a real possibility of 0-16.

My new beer today is Citra Hero, ipa, from Revolution Brewing. The brew checks in at 7.5% abv and a canning date of 7/3/17.

A pure amber color on the pour with good clarity and a fluffy white head. The nose is subtle with hops and malt. A clean start to the drinking with tangy and fruity hops coming on the more sips I take. A slightly bitter flow and finish to boot. Subtle fruit notes of grapefruit, melon, lime, and orange. The hops have a bit of a medicinal feel to them with a fairly pronounced alcohol burn. It really gives it a rather off-tasting flavor. Additional subtle notes of pine and resin. The mouth feel is moderate with a slight white wine feel to it. A pretty defined malt balance comes on as it warms.

Overall, I'm not really impressed with this at all. It is far from anything great and pretty poor compared to many of the better citra forward ipa's out there. The 92 ba score is really over-rated. I'm in the low 3's here all around at best.

 

Hi there all you NBS'ers. Today was a good start to the season for my Bills, even if the season outlook is pretty bleak.

First new beer today comes courtesy of a very generous BA @locoformavs

Odd13 The Crooner, with proper glassware:


The bottle says it is a blend of bourbon and wine barrel aged beers with cherries added.

Look: Deep brownish red with no head on a strong pour.
Smell: AT first I was not getting a ton from this one, but as it warms I am smelling chocolate, chardonnay and some dark fruit. This warmed up flavor is pretty nice.
Taste:Now as I was about to take my first sip I ready for a tart sour beer, but thats not what this is at all. Taste is a little chocolate, and dark cherries with a hint of white wine and bourbon.
Feel: This beer is really light on carbonation and is pretty thin, has the profile of a white wine.
Overall: This is pretty different than most stuff I have had before. I just don't think this is worth it, if you like bourbon aged beers or white wine aged beers, then just get one of those. This is trying to be 2 things at once and it comes off as half of one and half of the other.

 

#2, a West Coast BA Barleywine from @beertunes, otherwise known as "the guy who sent me the box in the BIF that I'll be drinking from until 2024." He is a true rockstar (PS: the glassware is from him, too).



4.31/5 rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Pour is rich, dark chocolate brown, tan head. Beautiful. Aromas are rich toffee, some caramel, and the barrel.

The malt base dominates the taste, with the toffee a most welcome leader. The barrel was very prominent on the first couple of sips, but it stepped back a bit as this warmed, which was a welcome development.

This reminds me more of an imperial BA scotch ale than a barleywine - very similar to Central Waters BA Scotch Ale.

That is an excellent thing.

 

Howdy NBS-ites!
Well it was cloudy and cool here but ended up being the nicest day in a while today. I am hankering to review my 800th beer and make post number 1,801. Technically it is only my 800th rating. There was a dark period a few years ago where I only rated a handful of beers (mainly at beer festivals), but didn't include a review. The upside to that is that nowadays I am never far from a milestone depending on which number I choose to look at!
Since it is a big number (relatively speaking) and the NFL kick-off weekend I figure I might as well have something big and hearty.



This is a wine barrel aged imperial stout from the folks at Smutt Labs. It was brewed in January of 2016 and was part of a trade from an awesome New Hampshirian-er-ite (or whatever they are). Let's see how she handles the brisk weather and some football.



It pours a thick jet black with a little brown head. The aroma is a mix of roast malt sweetness and toffee. The flavor is more toffee like, less okay and has a more noticeable wine presence.



A very nice stout all told.
It is sweet and big and thick. The wine brings something extra but doesn't overwhelm. As it warms the finish gains a little red wine which is nice but kinda changes the feel. There is a really nice toffee quality to the flavor and a nice roast profile to the nose. Nothing too spectacular but still very enjoyable.

If anyone is interested, my review is here.

Cheers, all!

 

Flying fish Oktoberfest. Dark amber color. Malt,bread,slight hop aroma. Taste was sweet malt but not syrupy or overly sweet. Slight hop taste in the background,this is far from a bitter hop bomb but that's what I enjoyed about it.

 

A collaboration stout from Perrin Brewing Co., CCB, and Oskar Blues - "Triangulation", an Imperial Oatmeal Stout breezing through at 9%:



Canned 1/18/17. Pours black with light tan head; Ok head reduces to small slick; solid ring with moderately heavy lacing to bottom of glass. 4.25

Roast malt and sweet fruit nose. 4.0

Roast malt, semi sweet dark fruit, cherries first off; bittersweet dark chocolate not far behind; toasted dark bread finish. 4.0

Medium full minus feel; moderate minus carbonation; cocoa powdery tongue coating. 3.75

Overall, I like the lite sweet fruit and toasted malt balance; my friend said he tasted chocolate, and while present, I thought it was well balanced with the roast and fruit flavors; a tasty CCB collab that hides the ABV well and is easy to drink in a 12oz 4pack format. 4.0

Cheers gang!

 

Czig meister blacksmith oatmeal stout.black in color,aroma was half malt and half grain. It had a medium feel,far from watery but not heavy either. It had everything a stout should have but seemed just a bit weak flavorwise. Still not bad and would try it again

 

While this was good, it was just a bit disappointing, as I was in the mood for a straight-up pils. This seems more like a slightly-crisper-than-normal saison.




3.76/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Hazy gold, with quickly-dissipating white head.

Aroma is bread dough, wet straw, a slight spiciness, and a sweet honey+floral note.

Starts off with a light, slightly oily feel, and a bready malt flavor. That is quickly followed by fine, sharp carbonation and a slightly astringent woody flavor. Then a combination of citrus pith, and bitter floral (~=sage flowers?) . Lingering light bitterness on the tip of the tongue.

Overall, it's good, and I'm glad I tried it, but not what I would seek out if I was in the mood for a pils.(Which I was.) Comes across as more of a crisp IPA/Saison hybrid than a pils.

 

Greetings all from the great Northwest where we are smoke free for a few days. Last week we were inundated with smoke from regional wildfires, all of them more than 100 miles away. All the Friday high school football games were canceled because of the air quality. Nothing compared to a hurricane however. Hoping for the best for our friends in Florida.

So today it is Pineapple IPA from Kona Brewing, but probably actually brewed in either Portland or Woodinville.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/579/284961/

Meh. The pineapple flavor did nothing for me.

I thought I would get out the 12 glass for the opening Sunday of NFL football, and that's a Seahawk flag in the background. But a tough day for the SEA in Green Bay.

Until next time,

Happy Trails!

 

Hello New Beer Sunday!!!

Well, guess what - I'm a Champion now!

Since I'm moving on up, I decided to do a more special beer for this occasion. 2 new beers were standing out when I got home from work - Bad Habit Wee Heavy, and Surly Eleven. Here's the winner in the fight.


Why, the winner is Bad Habit Brewing Wee Heavy. 11.2% ABV 22 IBU, and aged in barrels from Panther Distillery. Not only that, but it was a limited release, and I've got bottle 75 out of 250.

This beer is quite good. Nice nose - barrel, malts, plum, and other flavors I can't put words to. Rich flavor, but it's a bit smoother than I'd expect from a BA 11.2% beer. I'm feeling it, but I really didn't eat much today in anticipation of the pizza cooking in my oven.

So off to dinner.

4.37/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Pours a dark amber, almost brown color. The head is a nice tan color, frothy, and 1 finger.
The nose is rich with notes from the barrel ageing. Rich, malty. Dark fruity earthy smells.
The taste is somewhat more mellow up front than I would have expected based on the barrel ageing, and the ABV. I do get a nice burn on the backside. I also get notes of, I think plums. Really no hoppiness - 22 IBU. It really drinks easier than an 11.2% beer, but I know it is and am taking my time with it.
Smooth feeling. Full bodied. Nice barrel burn going down that warms me up.
Overall, Bad Habit's first bottle release beer is a delicious treat.

637 characters

Will there be another new beer after this? I might just do so. We'll see after dinner.

 

Keep all that extra crap out of my beer ! Water, malted barley, hops & yeast !

 

Good evening, all, and Happy New Festbier Sunday! Presenting my No. 1 draft pick: Surly Fest, in a #proper Gösser logo seidel. A solid performer in the combines, with a 4.5 taste rating and a 4.25 overall. However, the main factor in Fest's high draft status was its lack of impact on the salary cap. I was able to trade up with my good friend and co-worker @Strike00, picking up this draft choice for a seidel identical to the one pictured here. At two for a buck at the St. Vincent de Paul thrift shop yesterday, I still have plenty of cap space left. (I don't have any shelf space left, but that's another program.) Fest is proving its mettle on the field of play as well, with its rye malts and Sterling dry hopping adding an interesting dimension to the offense. The aromas and flavors of dark bread and caramel are enhanced by its subtle spicy and peppery notes. It's also a strong finisher, with a touch of citrus and some zesty bitterness. Welcome the "no coast" offense to the league. Who cares if it's not traditional? It's delicious. Prost!


4.34/5 (rDev +7.7%)
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

I'm imagining it was Hank Jr. Please say it was Hank Jr. I'm sicker of Carrie Underwood than I am of Marie Osmond. If I wasn't too lazy to reach down and pick up a shoe, there would've been one sticking out of my TV tube (you read that right) a long time ago.

Coolest. Can. Design. Ever. #deco

 

I'm back with a final one for the trifecta of new beers today. There's still a couple left, but there's no wind left in my sails after another busy weekend. It's time to chill and watch the Giants-Cowboys before I drift away. Let's finish strong!

I'll be upfront by disclosing I had this beer at the brewery yesterday and liked it, but didn't do a review. I did however buy a four pack of pint cans to take home for a review today. It's Pins And Needles double dry hopped DIPA from 18th Street. There's no visible date or abv. listed on the can. Let's pour this final entry into the new skull tumbler glass I purchased as well.

It pours a cloudy pale yellow that has a brownish hue in the glass. It yields a finger of soapy white foam and a little lacing after settling. The smell is floral notes, peppery spice, passionfruit, grapefruit and fresh rubber. Taste is once again heavy floral followed by passionfruit, mango, pepper, dank weed and fresh rubber. The feel is light and pillowy up front with a slight burn in the back.

A dank and spicy DIPA that while enjoyable tastes slightly green. It reminds me of a couple other NE style IPA's I've had from them that tasted similar and developed more over a few weeks. The draft I had at the brewery was noticeably smoother and creamier. My score as it stands now is 4.04 / rDev+0.7%.

That does it for another week. It was a great weekend and enjoyable day of new beer. I hope yours was as well. I depart with these official thoughts......

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/44179/301404/?ba=Prager62#review

 

Duclaw sweet baby Jesus chocolate peanut butter porter. I give it overall a 3.75 but I think I might be too generous. The aroma and taste are very similar to me. Roasted peanuts,malt,some bitter chocolate and coffee. It had a bit of a lingering bitter coffee grind taste also. As a dessert beer that I'm only going to have one of I thought it was decent. But one at a time really is enough

 

A late entry for me but I can't not enjoy a new beer on Sunday and this is a fantastic nightcap.


A: Dark brown with a very thin head
S: Prune, molasses, brown sugar, bourbon, a touch of vanilla
T: Matches the nose. Complex and delicious
M: Full-bodied, balanced, no heat
O: A beautiful barleywine. The barrel aging isn't obvious but it wouldn't be as complex if it wasn't. Absolutely delicious, creeps up on you fast as it's far too easy to drink

Wow. Wowowow. This is one of the better beers I've had in a while and I'm not sure what I wrote quite does this justice. I often find barleywines to be a bit hot or sweet but this has none of that and looking back at my other reviews for every barleywine I've had this is now #1. I've enjoyed several Revolution IPAs I've had recently and now they win in the barleywine style as well. Definitely a brewery I'll be keeping in my regular rotation. Cheers to them!