New Beer Sunday (Week 688)

Did you happen to find this in PA?

 

Found something out of my typical comfort zone:


Celis Citrus Grandis, a self-labelled East Coast IPA

Any fruit word in the label and a born-on date almost four months old generally will scare me away, but not today. And what a find! Citrus Grandis has a load of grapefruit and lemon drop aroma and flavor, both sweet, and enough backing citrus peel earthy flavor to reign it all in. And the mouthfeel is very nice. Soft and pillow fluffy up front then crispy and cleansing on the back.

I poured this first bottle of a 6-pack carefully, and the bottom ounce or two looked like murky lemon milk. Next bottle I'll try to get all mixed up in the glass to see what it looks like.

The review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/49549/291851/?ba=Premo88#review
4.03 (+8.3% rDev)

Cheers!

 

New Beer #2
Fresh from my recently purchased SN Party Pack...

The review:
12oz bottled 3/21/18 (39 days ago) poured into a pilsner glass at fridge temp 5% ABV. The beer pours brilliantly clear in a very light straw yellow color. The head is nearly white and quickly fades to a few bubbles. There is no lacing. The aroma is faint with just a hint of malt and traces of yeast. The taste is more pilsner malt than adjunct and starts with some crackery flavor before finishing with minimal corn and mild bitterness. Mouthfeel is thin bodied, adequately carbonated and dry in the finish. The lagering is very clean and there is virtually no aftertaste, which is perfect for an AAL. Overall, excellent (AAL) and a very good beer for all purposes.

I'll be curious to see what's in this beer if SN ever gets their website straightened out. This beer drinks better than most craft pilsners. This was the last review of the pack for me. I wasn't wild about the new Sidecar IPA, but the rest of the pack is really good. Cheers!

 

I just picked one up in CC Philly. Going to review it later today.

 

New beer #5.

Infinite Eclipse - Weyerbacher
Blackened American Stout - 7% abv
Canned 3/6/18
Purchased for $2.99 at Monde Market
Score: 3.73 (-2.9% rDev)



L - 2 finger hazelnut head recedes in seconds. Body is a translucent dark brown. Light is able to penetrate this one.

S - chocolate, roast, peanut butter, a little booze.

T - roasty chocolate and coffee. A little vanilla and biscuity malt. I don’t think this actually has peanut butter in it but it tastes peanuty. Medium-low bitterness, low sweetness, low booziness.

F - Very light bodied for a stout. Rather watery.

O - this strikes me more as a dark lager than a stout. Flavors are muted, and the body is lacking.

 

Leffe Brune
..color is an uncloudy dark mahogany/ brown
..Body is maybe a bit above medium with the carbonation being above average
..aroma is malt, dark fruit, brown sugar and some alcohol
..taste is similar,alcohol isn't noticabke though. It's a bit sweet but with a lingering mild hop finish
..overall i really enjoyed it personally as well as thinking it was a well made beer

 

Howdy NBS! Got one new beer today... this one's a stout in a sub-sub-style I've never really seen anyone attempt. A Belgian-style chocolate stout! Leave it to Rockingham Brewing, one of my favorite local-ish breweries, to try this out. How did they do? Let's see!



Pours a thick and fudgy black color with a thin ring of light-mocha/khaki foam on top. Not much surface haze here, and looking down into the beer from pouring position, it seems to be more of a dark brown (37-38 SRM) than a pitch-black stout, but I digress... this is a pretty nice looking brew, but the head retention leaves a bit to be desired. I would much prefer a big, bountiful and long-lasting foamy cap on this one, in order to help it give off the indulgent and decadent quality the label seems to suggest with its clever "box of chocolates" motif.

Anyway... there aren't too many commercially-available Belgian stouts... I think the most well-known example is probably Allagash Black, but there's also a Dupont example in Monk's Stout. I recall that being better than what the average BA apparently thinks about it, but... whatever. Anyway, this is kind of a niche style that not many breweries bother with. I would describe the approach as a Belgian dark ale with characteristics derived from the microcosm of American stouts. So, perhaps a slightly less-attenuative yeast, different grains/more protein-heavy grist, adjunct ingredients, etc... Here I get a lot of chocolate, unsurprisingly, reminding me of baker's cocoa with some lighter dark fruity notes. Slight charred malt and yeasty undertones. It's not an overbearing nose by any means; very evocative of the name: Truffle. I like when a beer is reminiscent of its name; usually means the brewer or brewers are really good at conceptualizing and then subsequently actualizing a concept. I've had a lot of respect for Rockingham for great concepts and solid execution in the past, and this seems like it'll be no different!

The flavor profile is once again heavy on the chocolate with a sprinkling of Belgian esters toward the mid-palate. It's got a larger body and some residual sugar compared to, say, a typical Belgian dark ale... definitely an Americanized "Belgian stout" in my opinion, and it fulfills a lot of what I elucidated above about this weird, niche style. Some caramel and light roast coffee flavors with a little bit of plum coming across as it warms. Light farmhouse-ish funk at the very tail end of each sip. Nicely drinkable. I wish it were just slightly heavier-bodied, but the restricted carbonation makes it feel halfway to where it should be to be perfect, in my opinion. Probably not my favorite non-core beer from this brewery, but a successful little experiment and one that sorta stands apart from lots of other unique ideas they've done in the past. Have I mentioned that I love Rockingham Brewing? Alright, guess I have...



This album rules... it's like math rock and intense angular hardcore crossed with shades of dark pop and atmospheric post-rock-esque music. Love it.

 

A local brewery in my neighborhood made a German "Drampfbeir" which I had never heard of. As I learned this is basically a Hefeweizen without the wheat. If I ever figure out what style to add this as on this site, I will add it and review...will probably just add as a Hefeweizen when all is said and done.

Anyway..Town In City Dampfit Bobby (doing a King of the Hill pun). 5.4% ABV.

Pours opaque yellow, one finger white head and some lace. Aroma and taste are very yeast forward. With esters, clove like spice, and peppery. I even picked out a peppermint flavor. Maybe some lemon rind, but hard to tell. Really clean, dry and well carbonated. Something I am definitely going to come back to. This is why I love going to breweries, discovering something new and interesting. While being well made at the same time.



Also, just opened and reviewed Odell Bull Proof Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout. 12% ABV.

Pours an opaque black color. One finger tan head forms with good retention and lace. Big char, smoke and wood, and bitterness in the nose and taste. Finishes on the bitter and acrid side. A big inky, thick and viscous body. Well carbonated at the same time. I love Odell, and think they succeeded in what they wanted to create. Though the boozy character and big char/bitterness/acrid taste makes this a very slow sipper. I will certainly enjoy this bottle, but feel there are better barrel aged stouts out there. At least for my tastes. Full review below...

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/267/317679/?ba=champ103#review



Now...on to some baseball...

 

Ok, catching the Caps game at one of my local breweries. We’re going to first intermission with a two goal lead. While it took us longer, we started up 2-0 last game and that didn’t last long (in fact I think it might’ve already lasted longer.

I think we decided this brewery might be closest timewise to us; Mad Fox might be closer, but more lights. Funny enough, Fair Winds is an offshoot of Mad Fox, though I forget exactly how, I think it was a brewer-wants-to-start-own-brewery kind of situation.

Either way, the GF asked as we settled into our seats, “Which beers do you like better [of the two]?”

I said I think Mad Fox has a little wider range, but I like both about the same. They both do more traditional styles, and I enjoy both a little more than Old Bust Head (from my earlier review). As if on cue, today’s new beer from them is a classic and simply called Vienna Lager.

My full review in short indicates that this offering is a balanced, start lightly malty, end barely bitter version of the style. There’s a mix of bread, spice, and earthiness at various points.

Sorry, I didn’t take a pick as I was distracted by the game - it’s a nice light copper with a solid head and some lacing

 

First off, congrats to @lordofthewiens and his wife on the New Mexico home purchase. Now on to the beer, Odd13 Brewing Intergalactic Juice Hunter courtesy of @TheIPAHunter.
Pours an incredibly cloudy yellow with a billowy inch and a half white head that left ample sticky lacing. Smells of citrus fruits, floral notes and a mild dankness. Tastes of orange, lemon and a bit of lemon rind, some malt sweetness (probably from the lactose), floral elements and finishes with a strong, dank and bitter hop bite. Medium bodied and carbonated and leaves a lingering sticky hop bite.

 

Awesome. Hey I plan on getting out to Las Cruces periodically. Would love to buy you a beer.

 

Ruffled Feathers IPA from Stony Creek Brewery in Connecticut.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/30062/286900/?ba=2beerdogs#review
3.83/5 rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Thanks to SawDog505 for this.
Golden color. Hazy with a milky white head that rises more than a finger high, recedes to a solid milky layer that caps the whole top. Lacing is foamy and plentiful.
Smell is lush. Citrusy notes with mango and pineapple. A creamy sweet note come through as well.
Taste follows the nose but in an understated way. More of a smooth ride of citrus and creamy malt with a simple drying out the end bitterness.
Mouthfeel light to medium with a bit of fluffiness. carbonation is more prominent in the beginning but tapers off a bit after a few minutes.
Overall, a good IPA. I'd like the flavor to follow the nose a little more, but still good.

 

New beer #6. Going to compare my notes with Jack’s earlier review. I picked this up after reading it this morning.

Hazy Jane - Brewdog
NE IPA - 7.2% abv
Canned 4/6/18 (23 days ago)
Purchased for $2.59 at Monde Market

A slightly bigger head for me, but that’s likely due to my glass choice. This is much less murky than the Crime and Punishment ipa I had earlier.

I get bubble gum, melon, pine. Smells sweet and I agree, juicy.

I get banana, citrus, sweet candy. Does taste like gum. Low bitterness, medium-high sweetness, low booziness.

Agreed. The mouthfeel works and is what it needs to be.

I agree. This beer is too sweet. The best NE IPAs have restrained sweetness, whereas this one is over the top. I’d be hard pressed to identify any individual hop profile due to the overwhelming malt. There are way, way better examples out there (see my first post). But at least this is cheap!

 

New Beer #2 for me today, this one courtesy of @vabeerguy. Paid In Full from Kindred Spirit. Thanks my friend.

Pours a clear golden yellow with a poorly retained thin white head that left little blotches of lacing. Smells of citrus fruits, some floral notes and sweet malts. Tastes of grapefruit, a bit of grapefruit rind, floral and herbal notes, some resin and a touch of honey. Medium bodied, lightly carbonated, slightly dry and bitter finish. Reminds me a lot of 60 Minute IPA from DFH, a solid east coast IPA.

 

Happy Sunday, New Beer Sippers and commentators. And thank you, @lordofthewiens, for sharing your exciting news! Maine to New Mexico; that's quite a change but it speaks to what a wonderfully large and diverse nation we share. My wife and I are also in the midst of a transition but nothing compared to yours: a move of about 3.5 miles to a smaller, "empty nest" house. We own both properties at the moment but are scheduled to close on the sale of our 30+ year home at the end of May. We're doing a complete renovation of the new place which is fun but way too expensive. Best wishes to you and the missus! We'll all enjoy hearing of your progress.

On to beer. I had hoped to review a Saison today but the weather's cool and changeable so it's an Imperial Stout instead. Bolero Snort's DouBull Stuffed. It's a true dessert sipper - with lots of chocolate/fudge, caramel, graham cracker, and a nice hint of dark fruit. Bolero Snort is an orphan brewer and is wildly inconsistent in its offerings but sometimes it's spot on. Here's my review:

4.31/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from undated 750 ML bottle into Bolero Snort all purpose glass. It pours nearly ink black with some dark walnut tones when held to the light, and a huge, fluffy khaki-colored head with excellent retention and elegant lacing. It's a highly attractive pour. The fragrant nose features cocoa, graham cracker, caramel, light coffee, nuts, and just a whiff of tobacco and char. It has the smell of a fine candy bar. The first thing I noticed about the taste is how sweet it is: lots of roasted malt, sweet cocoa, fudge, caramel, graham cracker, and nuts. There is also a delightful hint of dark fruit. It finishes with a touch of bitterness and char. It has a rich, creamy, chewy mouth feel with light to moderate carbonation. While the ABV doesn't seem unreasonably high at 9.5%, it is definitely warming. This stout is a sipper. Overall, this is nice done. It's on the sweet side and best suited as a dessert beer. It would pair nicely with cheese. Bolero Snort is consistent in its inconsistency but this is a fine Imperial Stout.

I hope everyone's enjoying their new beer today. I plan on returning soon with a local IPA.

 

This might be as risky as a “snap decision” to move to NM.

I always want to hear the stories, though, so I hope he accepts the open invitation.

 

On to the next brew!



Poured from the can into a Spiegelau IPA glass.

Opaque body appearance, with a muted orange color, and faint touches of lemon like yellow and not turbid. Head creation is minimal. Barely a finger of white head, that dissolves relatively slowly, but leaves some good sheet and ring like lace, and a good sized collar.

Soft bodied hop aroma, mixing with classic chewy sensing soft malts and sweetness. Sweet green herbs with a faint touch of tropical quality, perhaps a little pineapple squeaking out. A bit different, but solid.

Palate is large. Thick rich bodied but flirts with syrupy sweetness that seems to enhance the alcohol like kick. Touches with a good hop varietal mix, pineapple, quite a bit of tangerine orange, and a hop angle that gets into minty herbs. Boozy finish though, with a long alcohol pit warming kick in the stomach, but at least controlled.

Large brew, but doesn't quite make for a great beer unfortunately.

look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75 | BA Score: 3.84

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Cheers!

 

I like this crazy idea of comparing reviews. I may use it in the future