New Beer Sunday (Week 681)

Good morning Craig! Great start to my favorite day of the week. Today for beer I have Southern Tier's A Wrinkle in the Fabric. I have to admit I thought it a little pricey at 12.99 for a four pack but huell melon and mandarina bavaria hops bit me right in the desire to try it. I also have to admit that I went to the store looking for Ithaca's pulp addiction but they did not have it.

Happy Second Choice Sunday!

Pours with a light haze on amber. It's secretly orange with an eggshell colored head of foam that does not last too long.



Nose is cantaloupe. Light dankness and smooth grasses. A bit of tropical sweetness and citrus. Light white pepper after it warms. The madarina bavaria smell like orange and orange peel with it's zesty spice. The huell melon are sensual with fresh melon and it's rind. Fresh juicy cantaloupe.

Drinks not quite sweetly with the bitterness from the melon rind and a touch of dank weeds. The alcohol lends a little bitterness to the beer but other than that you do not taste it or notice it on the nose. Finishes with just enough sweetness to offset all the grasses from hops. Aptly carbonated. Soft malt with only a little flavor. Just a bit of buttery cracker. Fresh light and summery. This beer was a pleasure and so dynamic because of the hops. Is anyone going to put that combination of hops into a saison? I think the first time I had the mandarina bavaria they were in a pilsner and frankly I could see both these hops in a well made pilsner.

PS you'll never guess what I am growing indoors now! lettuce. OMY starz is it yummy. I have three varieties, deer tongue, paris island and black seeded simpson. Today i am going to put this beer together with french toast and a nice sammich made with my lettuce! Cheers you all!

 

New Beer Sunday: A New APA

Mornin’ NBSers, with a “heads-up” for lovers of APAs that don’t leave your taste buds paralyzed and unable to perform, thereby interfering with your enjoyment of other things. Also, some special thanks to @cjgiant for today’s start and here’s hoping his hopes are not dashed (until his team meets up with Villanova ).

The weather here today is expected to be a nice mix of sun and clouds with a high in the mid 40s. Now that most folks in this area have their power back I’m hoping that our third NorEaster in March will be a more temperate one than the last two, the first with its damaging winds and the 2nd with its heavy snowfall.

This morning’s new beer is Wingman, a brand new offering from Weyerbacher in Easton, PA.

As usual my review, subject to change until I finish the beer, can be found here:

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/392/320810/?ba=drtth#review


I'd say the key to understanding/appreciating this beer is in its name, Wingman. It’s easily drinkable and would do well as a “side-kick” during a party or with burgers. The aromas and flavors are mostly peach and citrus with some light but noticeable bitterness balancing some light but noticeable malt sweetness. The finish, which still has a bit of peach showing is basically slightly dry and lightly bitter. If you’re looking for a fairly low ABV lightly flavored APA give this one a try.

Cheers, all!

 

A “gold standard” or is it “fool’s gold”!?!

Founders recently came out with a new AAL that they brand as Solid Gold. Below is some marketing jargon for this beer from the Founders website:

“Our brewery was built on an attitude of no regrets. An attitude of taking risks to bring the best beer possible to our fellow renegades and rebels. Never brewing to style, but always brewing what we want to drink. Our take on a classic, Solid Gold is a drinkable premium lager brewed with the highest quality ingredients. Challenging what a lager can be? That’s something we won’t regret.”

Well, isn’t that special!?!

@Urk1127 started a BA thread and he provided more substantive information of:

"4.4 percent ABV golden lager brewed with lager yeast, corn and lemondrop hops. The new lager is a revamped version of a beer that has been pouring in the Founders taproom “for years” and will be a year-round release"

https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/founders-announces-solid-gold-lager.542715/

I have had beers in the past that featured Lemondrop hops but to the best of recollection they were all ales. This will be my first time drinking a lager which features this hop.

Below is a description of Lemondrop hops courtesy of Hopsteiner:

“The name truly says it all. Lemondrop offers a "unique lemon-citrus character with a pleasant aroma." The bright citrus and subtle herbaceous notes are perfect for sessionable beers. While ales tend to bring out her sweeter side, Lemondrop is delicate and refined enough for quality lagers.”

https://www.hopsteiner.com/variety-data-sheets/Lemondrop/

But wait, there is more!!

I thought it would be worthwhile to drink this new beer from Founders as a side-by-side tasting with Hamm’s. A battle of ‘old school’ vs. ‘new school’?

Served in my Spiegelau Lager glass:

Appearance:

Founders Solid Gold: Golden colored with a BIG white head. This beer has good head retention and forms a bit of Belgian Lace as the beer is consumed.

Hamm’s: Straw colored and brilliantly clear accompanied by a BIG white head. This beer has good head retention and forms a bit of Belgian Lace as the beer is consumed.

Aroma:

Founders Solid Gold: There is a subtle but notable aroma here that is reminiscent of ‘soapy’ to me. I am not picking up any lemon-like aromas.

Hamm’s There is a subtle, pleasant grainy aroma.

Taste:

Founders Solid Gold: The flavor pretty much follows the nose with a subtle but notable flavor which reminds me of ‘soapy’. There is a low bitterness

Hamm’s: The flavor follows the nose with a nice, pleasant grainy flavor. The one word that pops into my mind is “clean”. There is a low bitterness.

Mouthfeel:

Founders Solid Gold: Light body, medium carbonation with a dry finish.

Hamm’s: Light body, medium carbonation with a dry finish.

Overall:

Founders Solid Gold: On the plus side this beer has a notable hop aroma/flavor to it. On the non-plus side the aroma/flavors that is there does not exactly hit my palate’s ‘sweet spot’.

Hamm’s: A very cleanly brewed AAL beer with a light, pleasant grainy flavor.


I do not typically bring up economics here but since we are discussing AAL beers, and these beers are typically economically priced I figured I would mention:

· The Founders Solid Gold (12 ounce cans) was priced at $8.99

· I purchased the single can of Hamm’s (16 ounce can) for $1.00. I suspect that the 6-pack price for these 16 ounce cans would be less than 6 bucks.

Everybody will have their own viewpoint when it comes to price but it seems to me that the Founders Solid Gold is priced a bit too high.

If I was at a neighbor’s Picnic party and the three beers available to drink were Hamm’s, Founders Solid Gold and Bud Light my selection in order would be:

1. Hamm’s
2. Founders Solid Gold
3. Water

Cheers!

@Prep8611 @Crusader @nc41 @KOP_Beer_OUtlet @scottakelly

 

I enjoyed watching that game. Virginia does indeed look good!!

Best of luck to you in the tournament but I will be rooting for 'Nova.

Cheers!

 

Maria, that is an intriguing idea. I think the 'trick' would be to select the proper Saison yeast strains to properly complement the flavors from those hops. The citrus from the Mandarina Bavaria would be appropriate in a traditional Saison and I think the melon flavors at appropriate levels would fit in nicely as well.

Maybe time to reconsider homebrewing again?

Cheers!

 

Poured near room temperature and got a massive 3 finger tan head that leaves big thick streaks of lace behind, with excellent retention as it slowly settles into a thin layer of khaki bubbles. 4

Smell is cocoa nibs, vanilla bean, faint coffee, and some biscuity grains. 4.5

Taste follows decadent chocolate, vanilla, coffee, biscuit, and a little toffee. 4.6

Mouthfeel is a little bigger than medium, moderate gentle carbonation almost creamy, wouldn’t say it dry, and 9.1% ABV? Are you kidding drinks maybe like 6.5%, no hint of alcohol until your whole body warms from the inside out. 4.75

Overall this really is crazy one dimensional, but I can’t complain because it is exactly what you signed up for on the logo and it is mind numingly tasty. Thanks @jzeilinger for this incredible Can O Beer! 4.5

 

Jack I think I will leave the brewing up to someone else. If there was ever a time when I displayed a complete lack of talent it was in brewing. In addition, I detest most of the chore like aspects of it such as bottling. Some have suggested brewing smaller batches and that is still a possibility. I hear there is a two gallon kit called mister beer. We shall see. Also I am sorry you had soapy tasting beer today.

perhaps your next saison could feature huell melon hops? hint.

 

Craig I made 5 gallons . about 40 bottles and it was the most god awful stuff ever. 1 or 2 gallons is more up my alley I think. I am not going to jump into it again right away but there's always christmas!

 

Good morning New BSers! Craig - thanks for starting us off today. I don't have much interest in sports other than occasional college wrestling - us short people don't really do well at b-ball. However, I'll watch any college spot before any overpaid over-hyped pro anything, except sumo.
Anyway, today's New Breakfast Beer and New Beer Sunday Entry is:



Received in a Ninja box from @Dragginballs76 – Thanks Michael!

Undated 750 mL capped bottle, stored at 42 degrees and served at 58 degrees in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter.
Appearance – 4.25
Body – Dark brown/black, opaque. Effervescent.
Head – Large (Maximum 4.5 cm, aggressive center pour), khaki, medium density with a rocky top, good retention, slooowy diminishing to a very irregular three to twelve mm ring fed by effervescence and a thick and rocky partial layer. Head retraction leaves complete rings of lacing, fairly unusual for a brew that is both 11.7% ABV and barrel-aged.
Lacing – Good. The combination of the head retraction and the lowering of the beer level with consumption leaves a picturesque curtain effect.
First pour – Dark brown, clear.
Aroma – 4 - Dark chocolate, light roasted malt, a hint of coffee, no maple syrup aroma.
Flavor – 4.25 – Initial flavor is coffee followed by a bit of chocolate. Maple ghosts by on the aftertaste. Alcohol is not found in the taste, nor on the nose, nor evident by gastric warming. It was, however, evident in my mental patterns as I finished the bottle. Hops are not evident. No diacetyl and no dimethylsulfide.
Palate – 4 – Medium to full, almost creamy, soft carbonation.
Impression and summation – 4.25 – There is no argument that this is an above-average impy stout. However, IMHO, those rating it as straight “5”s across the board need to re-examine every impy stout they have ever reviewed. The aroma is not extremely above average – I wasn’t transported to Dream Lands by the wafting perfumes of ambrosia. The palate is not excessively better than most impy stouts. The appearance was only slightly unusual in that good lacing remained, considering the ABV and the barrel-aging factor. The flavor, while good, did not transport me to Paradise, not even by the dashboard lights. I’m certainly glad that I tried it but still, it’s much like buying a unicorn and finding out it’s only a mutated goat.
Rating4.17, rDev -10.5%.

 

A- Poured into a Duvel tulip, yielded a nice light golden color with generous head and lacing.
A- Aroma has fruity and hop hints
M-The taste follows the nose with abundant fruity and hoppy flavors.
M-A light bodied beer which accentuates the bitterness of the hops and has a generous amount of carbonation.
O-A well made, well balanced beer with a very nice kick!

 

Cheers y'all!

Dates are a good thing. I mean, I like medjool as well, and have recently dipped my toes in the realm of meeting other humans with the intention of getting to know them better, but specifically I mean dates as a measure of the passage of time, and specifically specifically as it pertains to beer. I appreciate breweries that date their cans/bottles, and have, on more than one occasion, put a bottle/can back that I was interested in because I couldn't find any info regarding how long it had been sitting on that shelf.
Alignment is also funny. Not talking about chaotic good vs lawful evil, or someone's proclivities regarding their naked times, but when a machine is misaligned, the outcome can be humourous (if you're easily amused, at least).
When these two points meet, you get this:


I appreciate Three Magnets dating their cans (must... resist... sophomoric joke about 'dating...'), and realize that this is just one of those things that happen, but it still made me chuckle a little bit. Maybe I should just go to bed finally.

Today I am drinking Woohoo! from Three Magnets, a brewery from Bing Crosby's hometown.
It's a double IPA from their rotating selection of 'stuff they try and people liked so they'll do a limited run of it.' Or at least that's my paraphrased interpretation of their '3MagShip' series description on the can.



The pour into the glass yielded a liquid bauble the colour of unfiltered fresh pressed apple cider like that made by my buddy's dad back in the day, but with an almost colloidal consistency. Didn't realize it was going to be one of those.

Nose upon cracking the can gives a couple of whiffs of bright boozy tropical fruits before mellowing substantially once it hits the glass.

Flavour follows a similar pattern to the nose with (for lack of a better term) booze soaked fruits balanced with an indeterminate bitter counterswing that elevates the whole of the outcome to a just damn pleasant state. When I say boozy there, I don't mean that it tastes of alcohol, it's more like... brandy soaked mangoes. But not necessarily brandy. Again with the misleading descriptions!!
It's a characteristic that reminds me of a lot of triple IPAs.

Anyway, this thing is damn dangerously drinkable. It's hard to pinpoint specific discrete flavours or notes, but taken all together it is just a really really enjoyable drinking experience.

May have to revisit the bottle shop and hope they have more supply that I can include in this BIF box that I'm trying to put together.


With a beer named 'Woohoo!' was there going to be any other ending to this post?

 

A- Pours a very dark opaque color with a decent head and lacing.
A- Aroma has resounding fruity hints.
M-The taste follows the nose with abundant and very well balanced fruity flavors.
M-A medium bodied beer with the right amount of carbonation.
O-A very well made, very well balanced beer. I was pleasantly surprised.

 

Years ago I would say that after retirement I would no longer be concerned with the bi-annual time changes and I'm pleased to say that now I don't. Our alarm clock is the cat who gets up at dawn using early sunlight as her measure. When she stirs the big dog stirs stretching and shaking his head which causes his big ears to flap in a way that sounds like someone shaking a bag of rocks which wakes up the puppy in the next room then everybody wants a quick trip out before breakfast. So that's the way it is irrespective of the hour except on the rare day (once this year) when it's snowing which seems to confuse the hell out of the cat.

My new beer for today is . . .




Beautiful clear light gold color with white cap and lasting lacing.

Aroma is primarily citrus and pine with some underlying malt.

Taste on entry is hop forward with piney notes leading. Citrus is more lemon than grapefruit and malt provides a solid launching platform. Very complex, rich flavors that combine well and even the aftertaste is rounded rather than sharp hop bitterness. I neither smell nor taste any alcohol in this 8% DIPA.

Medium full texture with balancing carbonation.

Ya, it's a hop forward DIPA, says so on the label so there's no surprise, yet it doesn't let the bright hop lights cast the rest into shadow. Rather it comes together as a whole with malt enough but not too much to dim the hops. This has a rounded hop fullness that shimmers without firm bitterness and malt provides a beautiful body to be draped by this designer hop gown.