New Beer Sunday (Week 679)

Very good English Brown ale. Aromas and flavors of caramel, chocolate, cocoa, brown sugar, brown bread, and toasted biscuit; with lighter notes of nuttiness, raisin, plum, herbal/grassy/peppery hops, and yeast earthiness. Light herbal/grassy/peppery hop and roast bitterness on the finish. Medium carbonation/body; creamy/bready/grainy malts; with light sticky hops and chalky roast in the mouthfeel. Lightly increasing lingering hop/roast bitter dryness; no cloying. Very flavorful and easy drinking, 4.2%. Not really many US breweries doing proper English Browns these days, but this hits the mark perfectly. Nicely rich English malt complexity; with mild complementing fruity English yeast and earthy hop balance. Really enjoyable. 3.78


Very nice NEIPA. Murky pour with nice head retention/lacing. Aromas and flavors of lightly tart/tangy peaches, mangoes, melon, apricot, pineapple, lemon, orange, grapefruit, passion fruit, berry, citrus peel/zest, and light pepper/pine hops/fruit; with moderate wheat, biscuity malts; and herbal, floral, grassy hop earthiness. Light-moderate pine, citrus peel, herbal, grassy, spicy bitterness; and light fruit tang/tartness on the finish. Medium carbonation/body; balanced creamy/bready/grainy malts and sticky hops in the mouthfeel. Light resins/rinds, lightly increasing lingering bitter dryness, no hop astringency. Very easy drinking, never aggressive, 7.3%. I found this to be a very tasty attempt for the style. Quite heavy on the yeasty murk than others I've had, but well made. Balanced juicy/dank hops and fruits; nice bready malt backbone, with minimal residual sweetness. Wouldn't mind getting again. Current ratings are pretty widely skewed. Simcoe/Amarillo is a safe bet on hops, maybe some Columbus. 3.88


Awesome quad! Finally some proper Julian bottle codes over here. Bit of a messy pour, but I was following the instructions. Great head retention for what was there. Aromas and flavors of big raisin, plum, prune, fig, date, black cherry, apricot, red apple, red grape, licorice, and light banana/pepper/clove yeast; with balanced caramel, molasses, brown sugar, brown bread, toasted biscuit, and light chocolate/cocoa/coffee/nutty malt sweetness; light herbal/grassy hops and yeasty earthiness. Light peppery yeast spiciness, herbal/roast bitterness, and yeast tang/tartness on the finish. Mild carbonation and medium-full body; with a very creamy/silky nitro malt mouthfeel; light sticky hops, chalky roast, and tangy yeast. Lightly increasing spicy/tangy dryness. No cloying sweetness. Mildly warming 11.5%, very smooth sipper. Definitely a unique experience! Never had anything other than stouts on a nitro format that I can recall. It definitely works really well. Extremely rich and complex; with awesome balance between fruity yeast and dark/bready/light roasted malt sweetness. On the sweeter side of the quad spectrum than I typically prefer, but I was a big fan of this. 4.1


Cheers, have a good night NBS.

 

Good evening NBS! Been a busy day here, though got a chance to watch Black Panther. Excellent movie, if you enjoy comic book movies it is certainly a must-see.

On to the beer. First up, Basic City's Lithia. Basic City is a local place that as of late has really been kicking out solid NEIPA's. Bonus, you don't have to go to the brewery to get them, they ship to local beer shops and grocery stores.



Pours a hazy, dark yellow color with about two fingers of white head. Smells of pink grapefruit, floral notes, oranges. Taste is floral, lots of notes of hibiscus, a little grapefruit, and a hint of tangerine. Light note of bitterness, but it's barely there. Soft, creamy, and rich. Overall it's solid, drinkable, and about average for a good NEIPA.

 

This is a beer I picked up in GR over Thanksgiving. I've been saving it for NBS. I believe it was brewed specifically for the store where I bought it, but I don't remember for sure. It's an interesting beer.

As far so music goes, it's always been important to me. I grew up singing in choirs and playing various instruments. I listen to a lot of different styles, but I tend to stay away from the heavy stuff a lot of people like on this site. Specifically, worship music has always been important to me. I usually post some on WBAYDN, especially on Sundays.

Brewery Vivant
No Whistling
Golden Ale aged in Bourbon Barrels



Pours a golden tan and perfectly clear with a large, fizzy head and medium lacing.

The smell is tons of apple with a little oak.

The taste has tons of oak and alcohol at first with some fruits underneath, especially apple and finishes with a bit of bourbon.

The mouthfeel is heavy on the carbonation.

Overall this is really unique. The flavors are slightly muddled but very deep.

 

First one for the night after working on a Sunday early evening. Bought a four pack on my first trip to the Side Project cellar. Awesome place with a cool vibe that I'd strongly recommend.

Shared Throwing Rocks - Double Dry Hopped India Pale Lager



4.26/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Pours a nice transparent gold with about two fingers of white head that dissipated quickly. More of a neutral smell. The hops give a faint fruit smell. Definitely doesn't smell bad, but doesn't hit too hard either.It's a nice light beer. I taste mango and a bit of bubblegum on the start and there isn't much of an after-taste. It's also smooth and very easy to drink. Definitely a beer you could have more than one and with a 5.8%, that's not a bad thing.

 

Finally finished my running around for the day so going to try to get a couple of new ones in.

Got this in a box from winning a SuperBowl pool.
Pours a mostly clear copper amber with half of a finger of foamy off white head.
Smells of piney hops and sweet malt.
Taste follows, piney hops up front, a little tropical fruit. Sweet caramel like maltiness.
Medium bodied with a little bit of prickliness from the carbonation.
Overall an excellent red ale.

 

I looked, & ...I had it on 1/21. If this is the same batch , the hops may be fading. I did note some honey flavor, a la Hopslam, to a lesser degree. $7/can ? If I remember correctly, it was $3.99 for my single, or $13.99/4pk.

Music? I'm usually listening to music, while reading & drinking the beer. That's probably 75% of my beer time. The rest , is watching a movie, or cooking , or during the summer, working outside .

Tonight :
Pulp Addiction - Ithaca Beer Co.
HOPS Citra, Galaxy, Amarillo MALTS Wheat, Oats, 2-Row Pale, Honey ABV 6.9%
No dating, but IBC site has a blurb for Feb 17 release, so just over a week old.

Not bad, but not anything I would get "addicted" to. Has a resiny-solvent aroma & flavor on the back end, that I think detracts a little from the rest of it. Not enough to be a feature. The fruitiness is a little subdued. I think it would be better if both elements were stronger, & in balance. That said, for $9.99/4pk it's a decent value.


3.6/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Murky orange-amber, like apricot juice, with moderate off-white head and lacing.

Slight smell of grapefruit, plus unidentifiable tropical fruit mix, pie crust (before baking), and resiny/solvent/pine.

Flavor is piney/resin , grapefruit pith, dried pineapple, mixed fruit. Some light bitterness on the finish.

Feel is medium, slightly creamy, with very very fine carbonation on the finish.

Overall not bad, but not standout either. Worth a try .

 

I agree. I was so pleasantly surprised by Marzipandemonium. It has a complexity that took me all over the place. The smooth yet pronounced almond notes really were a highlight for me. But I find it, although big, not akin to Black Tuesday. I find it to be quite a bit less boozy.

NBS BIG #7 Haul Hint....one of these may find their way into a box.

 

I had a 2013 Black Tuesday only a few months ago. Grey Monday, Mocha Wednesday, and Black Tuesday were all very close in my ratings(4.2-4.3). Nothing blowing me away, but exceptional beers. Chocolate rain is one of my highest rated beers, mostly why I want to revisit it and see if it still lives up to what I remember. I have a PB & Thursday coming eventually from one of my friends, looking forward to seeing how it stacks up with the rest.

 

Southern Tier All is Well at the Station Unfiltered DIPA, not bad; had the potential to be great. 3.76 Overall

Pours an effervescent honey color with 3+ fingers of rocky eggshell colored head. Sheets of lacing, good head retention, no much hazing to speak of

S: A little grassyness, some citrus

T: Breadyness, tangerine, grassyness & dryness up front, pomelo as well. Citrus bitterness as this warms, almost like cara-cara, some grapefruit too, plus a little sweet orange as well, plus a little breadyness. Finishes with breadyness & little sweet orange, mango & passion fruit, plus dryness, a little pine needle as well

MF: Medium body, slight carbonation, decent balance

Tasty, but there was some off-putting bitterness that messed this up a little, if this would've been more sweet tropical...Pretty tasty, was hoping for better

 

And we thank you for "rambling."

 

Finish the night with Prairie Vanilla Noir, huge tasty stout.

4.5/5 rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle poured into a teku

A- Black with a fast fading two finger dark mocha head.

S- Tons of bourbon, big vanilla, chocolate, fudge, some caramel.

T- Vanilla, fudge/chocolate, some caramel, some dark fruits, touch of of oak, whiskey, touch of coffee.

M- Smooth, chewy, full body.

O- A huge and tasty stout with a lot of vanilla.

 

I had one last week, & it was fine.No boooziness. Maybe yours was kept colder? Except in the heat of mid-summer, I keep my beer in an unheated storage room. It's really good at about a year old, if you can wait that long.

 

Second (any maybe last) new beer of the night. This beer and glass is courtesy of @colby600

Tree House In Perpetuity



4.38/5 rDev -4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a opaque tangerine color with a thick, lingering white head. I did pour aggressively. Smell is of soft mango. Taste is fruity with again the mango and grapefruit standing out. Nice full beer, but still very easy to drink.

 

Cheers all, and thanks for the nice intro this morning, @cjgiant. My new beer for today is Troegs Sir Peche, a peach sour with lacto and brett-



The nose on this one starts out a bit rough, reminding me of sour milk, but that goes away as the the beer warms up a bit. Fortunately, the taste didn’t follow in that regard. An intense lactic sourness was the predominant note in both the taste and nose. Their was a little peach and musty hay as well. This was okay, but pretty one note. I wish the peach and brett were better represented.

As for listening to music while I drink beer, it’s pretty much limited to the links folks post in WBAYDN. I love music as much as I love beer, and am always looking for new stuff. However, my stereo is currently relegated to the basement and I prefer to hang out upstairs at night when I’m having a few. Most of my music listening is done while driving or at work these days.

Cheers all. I may be back in a bit with another one.

 

Captain Lawrence Golden Delicious

This is supposed to be an apple brandy barrel aged American tripel. It’s a GABF medal winning beer. I hated it. Tasted like I was chewing on wood soaked in alcohol. I’m not gonna pull any punches, and it’s not worth me diving any deeper. Sorry.

 

Last one . Canned 2/7/18
Hoppiness Is A Warm Pun (DIPA, 8.2%) - Brewmaster Jack
4.18/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4| smell: 4| taste: 4.25| feel: 4.25| overall: 4.25
Better than the previous. A bit difficult to dissect. You've probably had that pineapple that's just starting to ferment? Combine that with fresh-squeezed tangerine juice in the same state, and some piney bitterness & booze. The whole is better than the sum of the parts.



Full review: https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/28428/146414/?ba=mikeinportc#review

 

One more new one to squeeze in before Sunday ends-



Stillwater On Fleek. This was a decadent fudge treat.

4.31/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Look- pours pitch black with a 1 finger brown head; ample lacing

Smell- chocolate fudge, espresso, vanilla and booze

Taste- follows the nose closely; getting sweet chocolate, burnt espresso, and a little vanilla. Finishes pretty boozy with a quick bitter kick

Feel- full bodied and creamy, pretty low carbonation

Overall- intense imperial stout w/an amazing chocolatey nose; sweet, but with a nice bitterness to provide a little balance

 

Happy New Beer Sunday! My new beer of choice is...a lager, again! Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold. This is also my first Dortmunder, so this should be interesting.



It comes in a clear copper color with a tight foamy white head. Fairly good retention, as the head does die after a minute, but leaves a solid film that leaves plenty of lacing behind.

It smells like tart red apple, toasted bread, some honey, and lightly grassy hops.

The taste follows the nose. Toast and honey lead the way upfront, with some floral hop action. Hints of vanilla in there as well. Tart red apple and pear are quite prominent. A solid grassy bitterness provides balance, but the emphasis leans decidedly toward the malt. It tastes a lot like their Märzen, albeit less sweet, or with more hop balance.

It's well-carbonated, smooth, slightly creamy, and fairly clean and crisp. There's just a touch of residual sweetness.

Overall, it's perhaps a touch more sweet than I prefer, but I like it a lot more than their Märzen. It's pretty darn well made, actually. I could probably crush a few cold pints of this in the summertime.

 

Well Hello Late Night NBS!!!
Always enjoy the thoughtful starts by our benevolent hosts @cjgiant and @lordofthewiens .
Today's got me thinking. I really do love music, but I'm often multitasking anymore.
I love having some music on, but rarely get to do that while I'm NBS'ing. Usually, I'm squeezing in my little 2 cents with you fine folks while I'm touching up lesson plans, doing paperwork, and or cooking. But when I DOOO get to, I love pulling vinyl...

Dave Alvin, the Black Keys, Florence and the Machine, Cat Stevens, Janis Joplin, vintage AC/DC, Credence, the Dead (although rarely vinyl), the Boss, the Stones, R.L. Burnside, Son Seals, the list goes on and on.

Non vinyl includes frequent visits by Ray Charles, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, Muddy, BB, Buddy Guy, Lightning Hopkins, Elmore James, more Muddy, more Dave Alvin, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Joe Ely, and a band I fell in love with in the 90's from San Fransisco---
Sweet Virginia. God I wish I could win the lottery, find those folks, and talk them into a reunion. Play me a house party, and I'll make it rain!!! Haha

Anyways... I popped a can from Latitude 33 out of Vista, CA (San Diego area. This one is called Peanut Butter Native Trails and claims to be a "porter brewed with chocolate and peanut butter." I like chocolate, I like peanut butter, and I like porter. What could go wrong?

The nose bursts forth with rich peanut butter upon the initial pfst of the top. Wow. Phenomenal nose. An ever so subtle roasted malt peeks through as well, but really blends in with the peanut butter. It's how I would guess a peanut butter would smell if somebody slightly over roasted the nuts.
Pour is a deep, inviting brown that pushes up a milk stout like head, sandy to cocoa colored.
But back to the nose. So inviting. There is a subtle hint of warm, round vanilla, but what comes through now is a graceful hint of maple. This dance goes around and around. I've been sniffing this for about 5 minutes now. I still love it. Now, I'm reticent. Too many times I have been let down after such a blissful aroma. Well, here we go.
Initially, it's a smooth almost fruity porter. Then moves toward a greener coffee. Still sweet, but lightly astringent. Not off putting, but, hmm. Chocolate notes are very subdued. Peanut butter barely present. Half way through it now, and it's a tad earthy. Finally, it finishes with the most tepid peanut butter note and diluted coffee roast. Not bad, not great by any stretch. But no where near the glorious nose.
Mouthfeel is low carbonation, and lite in the mouth.
Overall, if they could hit half of what they did in the nose, I'd keep this on standby in my beer fridge. It does not live up to the heavenly nose, and that's a little sad. Not bad, just not great.

3.78/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

 

One more for the night, also courtesy of a SuperBowl pool box.

Poured a clear golden orange with a finger of soapy white head.
Smells great to me, a citrus and tropical fruit medley.
Taste is grapefruit, tangerine, melon, pineapple, and a bit of resinous pine. Lingering citrus pith bitterness in the finish.
Medium bodied, alcohol pretty well hidden.
Overall a beer I wish I had regular access to, my first Pizza Port will not be my last.