New Beer Sunday (Week 681)

Long weekend, and I didn't even get a chance to run (okay, I just didn't feel like running late in the evening). Dipping into a side-by-side tonight, and I believe this is one of my first on NBS (Mother's Winter Grind vs. Surly's Coffee Bender may have been the first...?). The base beer here is one of the first coffee stouts I enjoyed when really diving into the craft beer world, so when I saw two barrel aged versions, I had to pick them up. Side note, I just realized the words on the label go in opposite directions. I was just thinking "why would they make two labels the same?"

Beer time.





Label verification:



Crane glass, Horizontal bottle "Goliat" text = Goliat Bourbon Oak Chip

Pours black with a finger of khaki foam forming after an aggressive pour of ~6oz straight into a glass. Head retention is good. Aroma is bourbon, with a light boozy heat to it. That booziness (although minute) muffles the coffee and roasted and toasted malts underneath. Fortunately, there is a bit of coffee, chocolate, and roasted and toasted malts working through. Clean oak note as well. Flavor profile is more centered on coffee, and roasted and toasted malts. Coffee is medium-roast, with a bold, and lightly bitter and acidic bite. It has a fleshy oak, and char taste that becomes more apparent at the finish. Bourbon is light at the onset, but heats up a bit as the beer finishes, although it never comes off as boozy or overpowering. Mouth feel is a touchy fizzy, which breaks up the otherwise velvety feel landing it more on the harsh side of the spectrum. It has a medium feeling. Overall, bourbon and oak are present in this otherwise fair coffee stout. Good execution, allowing each piece of the beer to shine.

Score: 4 | 3.75 | 4.25 | 4 | 4 | BA Score: 4.04 | rDev: -2.4%

Prairie glass, Vertical bottle "Goliat" text = Goliat Sherry Oak Chip

Pours black with just shy of three fingers of khaki foam after slowly pouring only ~5oz straight into the glass. Head retention is marvelous. Aroma is dry white grape, pear, floral medium-roast coffee, and a light sprinkle of roasted malts. It comes off as bright, and dry. Flavor profile is dry white grape, pear, and floral coffee at a medium roast. Roasted and toasted malts help support the bright barrel aging qualities, alongside smooth oak. Mouth feel has a light creamy, velvety texture to it, with a medium-thin thickness. Overall, interesting mash-up between the qualities imparted by the sherry barrel and the coffee stout underneath, but well executed. It imparts typical barrel aged coffee stout characteristics, with an additional layer of notes via the sherry barrel.

Score: 4.5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4.25 | BA Score: 4.08 | rDev: +9.4%

Comparison: The bourbon version certainly tastes more "standard" in regards to the other BA coffee stouts being released in the USA these days, albeit, it is a bit thin. The sherry is interesting, and in a good way. The dry white grape draws a different quality out of the coffee than the bourbon, or they swapped their origin/blend of coffee between batches. At the end of the day though, if I was going to pick up either one again, I'd opt for the sherry. Really enjoying how it sets itself apart from the rest of the BA/BBA stout segment.

Notes: Take the rDev with a grain of salt, the Bourbon version has one review and zero ratings, and the Sherry version has three reviews and zero ratings. These beers were both added to the system month + one day ago. Both have landed ratings right around 4.0s, with the exception of one 2.7s rating on the sherry (what dragged it down, giving me a big rDev value). Safe to say, both are new beers in the market.

Cheers.

 

New Beer Sunday: A New American Imperial Stout

Evenin’ NBSers, with a “heads-up” for lovers of stouts with lots of Whiskey showing from the Whiskey barrel aging.

Well the weather here today was as nice (compared to last week) as expected so there was a bit more clean up in the yard as well as trip to gym.

Now that the chores and errands are finished for the day it’s time to relax with a new Imperial American Stout and a new American Musical. This evening’s new beer is the Whisky Barrel Stout from Boulevard.

As usual my review, subject to revision until the beer is finished, can be found here:

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/423/204164/?ba=drtth#review


On the whole the Aroma/Flavor profile of the stout is what one would expect from an Imperial Stout that emphasizes the whiskey barrel aging. There’s lots of whiskey, some dark chocolate, vanilla, some oak and hints of dark fruits such as plums. There’s a nice complexity here and the temperature changes over time help to emphasize different aspects of the aroma/flavor profile. Enjoyed the beer and would be happy to have another.

The new musical for this evening is one I’d not heard of before beginning this musical journey through original cast recordings of American Musicals. It’s called Company and included Elaine Stritch in the original cast.

The Ladies Who Lunch


Cheers, all!

 

A pilsner from the brewery that produces Petrus, eh?

Pours dull yellow gold. A finger of white head sticks around and leaves chunks behind.

Smells grassy with slight hop spice. Unsure of the production date, but I hadn't noticed it in my beer store until this past week.

Good pils taste. Leans malty without much hop spice, but also nothing offensive in terms of off-flavors. 5.2%, so perhaps leaning a little sweet.

Not as crisp as I like them. Slightly slightly too sweet and full, but perhaps that's age.

Not a great pils, but for sure a decent and drinkable one.

 

For some reason I just decided it was time for this beer. Maybe I'm celebrating all the upcoming wins for Michigan basketball.



Pours a deep black with a one finger head, long retention, and tons of thick lacing.

The smell is an amazing mix of chocolate, dark malt, slight sour, slight sweet, some smoke and lots of cranberry/cherry.

The taste highlights the smoke and dark malt up front then the slightly sour cranberry comes through very strongly. On the end there's some chocolate and a hint of whiskey. It's a very complex flavor.

The mouthfeel is very thick with a nice, medium/low carbonation with lingering flavors on the finish.

Overall this is really nice and complex. It seems to have aged very well.

 

Nice review and memories. I'm ensconced in athletics from my birth. I grew up in an era of fascinating sports development, with Bob McAdoo and Pete Maravich my everyday adversaries..and friends. I was more bookish than sportish, and the balance always proved to be difficult. So, it was natural that fermentables became a fascination as a young man. It proved to be the leavening agent between a wide gulf of cultures in the late 60s. My Dad made sure I saw the world and I learned beer, wine, and cultures up close, hitchhiking around Europe and having that experience change my course in life. So, I say, go Cavaliers and do what Ralph Sampson never did. UVA is a really great team with a chance for greatness- wahoowa(h)...Not to mention UNC-Greensboro, Davidson, Duke, UNC Chapel Hill, maybe N.C. State, oh well.... Cheers all!!!

 

Hello New Beer Sunday!!!

After a day from hell at work, I will just jump straight into my one and done for tonight.


Junkyard Orange Shake-O-Matic.

Nice easy drinking IPA. Nice orange, citrus hops on the nose and the taste. Nice full body. Very easy drinking beer.

4.27/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

This beer pours a very hazy, murky, orange color. The head is 2 finger, white, frothy, long lasting, and has some nice lacing as it dissipates.
The nose is hoppy, and, per the name, orange dominates.
Taste - Actually a bit more mellow than I would have expected up front. The hops kick in more on the backside. Citrus, and orange tasting.
Decent bodied, nice feel going down my throat. Some carbonation feel.
Tasty IPA. Not overly hoppy, and fairly easy drinking.

466 characters

Like I said, one and done tonight. I will see you all at the next NBS!

 

I've been in Orlando all weekend for a conference and had meetings all day today - happy to get in a late NBS post in the hotel!. Surprised I haven't had this one before, but glad that I picked it up tonight:


Great beer - a nearly opaque dark brown color with a modest but long-lasting tan head. The aroma was all RIS with chocolate, roasted malt, and floral hoppy notes. Coffee and milk chocolate on the early palate, joined by a floral and assertive bitterness that balanced it nicely. The lasting impression was rich dark chocolate. Body was full but not overly sweet. Very nice! For my BIF target, you may receive a different beer from this brewery. Cheers!

 

Had a few beers at Tired Hands with dinner. First was Guillemot, a dark saison/sour.
4.33/5 rDev +3.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

8 oz poured on draft

A- Black with a small mocha head.

S- Tart berry, dark chocolate, oak, cherries

T- Chocolate, cherries, currants, tart berries, oak, some roasted malts.

M- Smooth, medium body.

O- A very nice sour with some stout qualities. I love to see this bottled again.

Next up was Nothing, a solid session black ale, reminds me a lot of toasted pumpernickel and some dark chocolate. Would rate it in the low 4s

Now up Rum Barrel Chimay Grande Réserve.
4.45/5 rDev +4.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

375 ml bottle poured into goblet

A- Dark ruby red with a small off white head.

S- Bananas, some vanilla, oak, rum, brown sugar, touch of dark fruits.

T- Bananas, dark fruits, bread, some brown sugar, touch of earthy spice, oak, some rum.

M- Smooth, dry, light to medium body, carbonation is a little of the high side.

O- A great beer from Chimay, just wish the price was closer to their regular beers. Love the banana and rum combo.

Cheers!

 

My second beer is from Third Space in Milwaukee. I picked it up while visiting family yesterday. It pours a clear dark gold with streams of bubbles ascending to the 2 finger white pillowy head. Retention is good and leaves a cap with very thick lacing on my glass. Aroma is very fruity with some nice citrus and dank hops. Sweet tropical notes. Flavor is more tropical and juicy with faint notes of bubblegum and a bitter finish. Feel is medium with an oily feel, but slightly dry on the finish. This is similar and reminds me of Stone Enjoy By.

 

Actually, @Roguer is the only one who has reviewed both as well, so I'd believe it.

Glad to found we reached the same conclusion. Really enjoying this sherry version though!

 

Moving on forward:

Delicious APA. Fantastic lasting head retention and thick soapy lacing on the glass; great clarity. Aromas and flavors of tangerine, grapefruit, lemon, peach, pineapple, apricot, passion fruit, mango, melon, citrus peel/zest, and light pepper/pine hops; with moderate toasted biscuit, light caramel malt balance; and floral/grassy hop earthiness. Light-moderate pine, citrus peel, floral, grassy bitterness on the finish. Medium carbonation/body and fairly crisp finishing. Creamy/bready malts and some sticky hops in the mouthfeel. Light-moderate increasing lingering bitter dryness, no hop astringency. Refreshingly drinkable, 5.75%. Simcoe, Palisade, Cascade, and Centennial hops. Nicely juicy, vibrant, and lightly dank hop complexity; with a nice bready malt backbone. Spot on pale ale, classic hop profile. 3.91


Excellent amber! Aromas and flavors of big nutty medium roast coffee, caramel, brown sugar, and toasted brown bread; with light notes of vanilla, cocoa, and herbal/grassy hops. Light herbal/grassy hop and roasted coffee bitterness on the finish. Medium carbonation/body; creamy/bready/grainy malt; light sticky hops and chalky roast/coffee in the mouthfeel. Lightly increasing hop/roast bitter dryness. Very drinkable, 5.5%. Absolutely spot on amber. Nicely rich dark/bready malts and balanced nutty coffee complexity. Will be buying again, easily. Same concept as coffee blondes with more malt presence. Really well made, clean flavors. 4


Fresh batch. Excellent wild ale as usual. Aromas and flavors of big lightly tart lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, peach, pear, pineapple, passion fruit, papaya, mango, melon, guava, berry, white grape/wine, citrus peel/zest, hay, straw, herbal, floral, and grass; with moderate wheat, white bread dough malts; light pepper, banana, musty funk, and yeast earthiness. Light-moderate lactic tartness; light yeast spiciness and herbal/grassy hop bitterness on the finish. Medium carbonation/body; balanced bready/grainy wheat, lactic acid, and light hop stickiness in the mouthfeel. Increasing acidic/sticky hop dryness, no pucker/astringency. Refreshingly drinkable, never overly lactic, 5%. Another great beer as expected. Mosaic, El Dorado and Jarrylo hops. Balanced fruity/funky Brett/Lacto and citrus/tropical hops, with a nice wheat/pils malty backbone. I wish these were easier to come by around here. Love it. Well worth the price of the bombers. 4.05


Cheers, have a good night NBS.

 

Man you ain’t right!

 

Well, that didn't take ya long.

Don't even get me started on mayonnaise......

 

Closing out a long, long weekend of abusing my liver - I had about fifty new beers on Friday and into Saturday at Pulpit Rock before passing out next to a portable heater. And then I woke up 30 minutes later to get bottles... and continue drinking.

So I should probably take a little break today. Like, maybe just one or two IPAs...

I received this little gem from Aslin in a recent trade and am tremendously impressed. I love the Johann series of beers and sure hope that Aslin considers something similar with Grovestand - the orange is tremendously well-balanced, a bit creamy, and has a nice effervescence to the mouth feel. The little bit of zest that is so unique to a perfectly ripe, fresh orange is so well-captured here.

I've had orange IPAs before and always enjoyed them - this is something else entirely.



I am digging that there are some other metalheads on here. I recently caught Iced Earth on tour - Black Flag has been hitting my Spotify a whole lot lately. Cheers, dudes.

 

I've had very few offerings from De La Senne, all very good and this one does not disappoint.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/16320/309325/



Bottled 6th of April, 2017.
Best by 6th of April, 2019.
Gentle to moderate pour yields a 3/4 inch white head over a light amber body with some nice lacing. Nose of funk (cellar floor, wet horse blanket, and a bit of blue cheese), grapefruit, and oak. Taste of grapefruit and oak. Good feel and overall, a real nice example of how brettanomyces bruxellensis works.

4.35/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

 

Nice! Evidently, I don't browse NBS enough. But perhaps that's for the best, since I wasn't aware of your scores prior to my review. This is the only thing I anticipate drinking tonight, so I saw it as a worthwhile side-by-side, expenses aside.

I think that's what I enjoyed slightly more about it. Although, a notable difference in my scoring: the bourbon scored higher in taste alone. Sherry just netted a higher calculated score, again, most likely due to the slightly different nature of it.

Since my review, I've since polished off the remainder of the bourbon and am now working on about 7 oz of the sherry. It has developed a wonderful flavor profile as it warms. Lovely beer, although not game changing enough for me to buy in a second time. Tempting to bump it up another 1/4 point in flavor profile, but I'll leave it as is.

 

You would be a Miracle Whip kinda guy....

That stuff is gross

 

Greetings All from the Great Northwest where Spring has apparently sprung and daylight savings time is shining brightly on the back yard grill.

I have been absent NBS for a few weeks. In recent years we do a home improvement project after the Super Bowl and before the lawn mower has to be started. Three years ago it was a bathroom and laundry. Then another bathroom. Last year floors in 2 bedrooms and a hallway. This year the kitchen. MAJOR project. But a defective package of flooring has put the brakes on the project so I have some NBS time.

Dunn-Day IPA. A nice dry IPA.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/35970/245175/

I think I have actually been to this intersection.

Until next time, and home improvement project allows,

Happy Trails!