New Beer Sunday (Week 662)

Ack, thanks man. Something seems to be weird with google photos of late.

 

Happy NBS! Thanks for the great intro this AM @lordofthewiens. I am a fairly avid reader, gravitating towards US history and books about musicians and bands I like. Lately though, I’ve been plowing through the Harry Potter series since my gf loves them. She’s been telling me to read them for years, but I’ve been resistant. I finally gave in and I’m glad I did as I’m enjoying the hell out of them!

Anyway, my new beer today is the winter warmer from SN’s Snowpack, Wintertide. I’m not the biggest fan of winter warmers for the most part, but this one was a real treat. SN did a great job of using the spices to compliment the malt, rather than overwhelm it. Here’s the beer-



And my review-

4.19/5 rDev +7.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Look- opaque dark brown turning to mahogany around the edges; 2 finger creamy, tan head

Aroma- Ginger, nutmeg, vanilla, brown sugar, toasted bread

Taste- follows the nose very closely; a lot going on but the spices are very subtle- rather than being the focus, they're more of a compliment to toasty and rich malt

Feel- medium bodied, creamy

Overall- great winter warmer reminiscent of a ginger bread cookie. Complex but subtle spice make this malt-forward beer a real pleasure to drink.

 

Let me add the soup was terriffic as was the Stone, and the Birds won.

 

I'm in on this beer.

 

I've enjoyed most of the IPA's from 450, but you're not alone with your assessment of this one. There's definitely a strange spice thing going on and as I take my final sips I can taste a hint of that clove you spoke of. While this was a miss for me, I'll continue to try future releases from them because the quality has been good for the most part.

 

New English Porter Sunday:


(could there be a better name for a dark English ale?)

Harviestoun Old Engine Oil, an English porter

So this is as good as it gets. Chocolate (dark and milk), cocoa powder and a slight bit of roasted wood in the flavor, all of that with some molasses/brown sugar in the nose ... this beer rivals Guinness for me in terms of how much dark-malt sweetness its packing at a somewhat manageable ABV. In fact, it's almost exactly like Guinness minus that rye twang thing Guinness has (I'm sure it's not rye, but it tastes like it to me).

The review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/323/875/?ba=Premo88#review
4.37 (+5.6% rDev)

I tried to show restraint reviewing this one. But as I work through the 4-pack (and the three or four 4-packs I buy tomorrow in Houston), I'll re-rack if necessary. That 4.37 will not go down.

Cheers, NBSers!

 

One more new one for me tonight as I flip back and forth between the Steelers game and WS.

Rum Barrel Aged Pumking-



This one is okay. It’s very similar to regular Pumking, but for twice the price! Seriously though, the weak Barrel/rum presence didn’t do anything to improve on the original, in my opinion.


3.83/5 rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Look- nice deep golden, crystal clear liquid with a 1 finger white head; spotty lacing

Aroma- butter and doughy crust, brown sugar, nutmeg and little booze at the end

Taste- follows the nose very closely, but with a mild rum-taste underscoring everything that i didn't really get in the nose; nutmeg lingers in the aftertaste

Feel- medium bodied

Overall- This was okay, very similar to regular Pumking, but with a little rum. I guess that's the point, but to me it wasn't worth the price difference.

 

Happy New Beer Sunday! My contribution is Singlecut The Punk With The Stutter, a double dry-hopped IPA.



Comes in a hazy orange color. Not much head, but I didn't pour that aggressively.

Smells really nice. Not as pungent as I had hoped, but there are notes of tangerine, orange zest, ripe mango, pineapple, blood orange or red grapefruit, earth, and dank pine.

The palate follows. Big amounts of tangerine and blood orange, followed by ripe mango and pineapple. The malt backbone is big and bready but not sweet. There's an undertone of earth with some oily pine on the back end. Finishes quite clean, slightly dry, with only a bit of lingering pine resin.

The mouthfeel is big and thick, almost chewy. I'd like to know the malt bill for some of these Singlecut beers but it must be oats or wheat. The carbonation is a bit more restrained, but is enough to move the beer along the palate. It's somewhat dank and resinous, but finishes surprisingly clean.

Yet another great Singlecut beer. Every I've ever had from them has been good. I highly recommend it.

 

They played Marie Marie on that clip from Houston you posted I hope they played that one for you. It's actually an often played song among Cajun musicians. Many of them think it goes back many decades. Dave actually shared a story about talking about that song with some older Cajun musician, the name escapes me, and this gentlemen told Dave that's an old Cajun song, been around for years. Dave actually wrote that song when he was about 16 years old and living in the suburban Los Angeles town of Downey, California. He just seems to channel America's roots music.

 

One more review for the day...


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22oz bottle poured into a snifter. Not sure on the bottle date.

Perfect look for an IPA / DIPA. Vibrant yellow orange with less than a finger head that lingers really nicely. Not much carbonation and solid lacing.

Aromas of cantaloupe, citrus zest, pineapple.

Bitter hops, apple, grassy notes, pine, tangerine, creamsicle are the main flavors.

Feel is nice! Drinks like a hoppy milkshake.

Overall a really nice offering. I expected a bit more seeing as I absolutely loved their Ninja vs Unicorn beer. Still well done and glad to have tried it!

4.36/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

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Cheers all! Off to watch some Stranger Things and enjoy this.

 

Wishing you continued progress in your recovery, and of course, fine beers.

 

I can see how my post could be taken in a negative way toward the brewery. So to be clear, I have no negative feelings towards them at all, and will continue to enjoy their offerings as well.

 

Well, truth be told, it does go back many decades . I used to see the Blasters every time they came around in the early 80s, and it was a regular part of their set.

But, yeah, there wasn't much difference between Dave's songs and the old ones they would do. He definitely has the touch.

 

Yeah, those Woody Allen books are hilarious. Definitely time for a re-read.

Now that I think about the Derailleur a bit more I'd say that they have all the right pieces there, but the proportions of each are a touch out of whack. Cut down on the sweetness, increase the smoke a bit, and it would hit the next level for me.