New Beer Sunday (Week 697)

A-Pours a nice golden color with a generous head and lacing
A-Aroma has nice hoppy hints
T-The taste follows the nose with a nice hoppy flavor
M-A light bodied well carbonated beer
O-A well done summer beer

 

NBS entry #1



Canned 03/27/2018

Kreamsicle Kölsch

Morgan Ridge Railwalk Brewery And Eatery
Kölsch / 4.00% ABV

3.57/5 rDev 0% | Score: 3.58
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

L- The beer pours clear gold with a 2 finger off white head. The head recedes quickly leaving no lacing behind. The pour was also interrupted by a large glob of what is presumably yeast or fruit rind falling out into my glass.
S- The blood orange addition is evident and dominates the nose. Not a lot of kolsch qualities present here and I don't pick up any vanilla.
T- The blood orange is again the most forward aspect although not as strong as in the nose. The vanilla can be found at the very end of the sip, and it's fairly subtle. Bitterness is balanced rather than forward.
F- Mouthfeel overall is on the lighter side. Carbonation is prickly, but not not overwhelming. Easy drinking with slightly dry finish.
O- Decent, but not particularly memorable fruited Kolsch. I'd drink one if it was handed to me, but it's not something I'd spend my own money on again in the future.

 

Boulder Beer Co. Due East NEIPA

Don’t know why my photo looks tilted, but I’m too lazy to take another photo. I haven’t even reviewed this yet, so I’m gonna do a “live” version and just talk about it right now as I sip it. I’ve never been entirely enamored with Boulder Beer Co. but I’ve also never been put off. Here is their take on the trendy NEIPA.

All I will say about the look is that the foamy white head never recedes — quite impressive, really. Lacing consists of thick foamy bands, almost sheets. Spice attacks the nose, a very fragrant hop spiciness, under which orange peel zest lingers but is also shy.

The taste is much like the aroma, a very peppery, spicy hop flavor dominates. Citrus follows, but it’s rather unclear whether it’s orange or grapefruit, but it’s vaguely there under the spice and cedary wood notes, finishes light and dry.

Overall? If it’s supposed to be a juice bomb, it fails miserably. If it’s supposed to be an IPA showcasing light pine, wood, fresh spicy hops, and a touch of citrus without being overly bitter, it succeeds. Oh, and the artwork on the can is very pleasing to the eye.

 

Wow. Good Morning! I want breakfast at your place!

 

New beer #2.

Rip Me - Veil
DIPA - 8% abv
Canned 6/19/18 (12 days ago)
Score: 4.06 (-6% rDev)



L - 2-finger yellowish head atop a translucent orange juice body.

S - very herbal. Some pine, cotton candy, and citrus. A little booze.

T - quite dank. Grapefruit follows. A touch medicinal. Slightly earthy middle. Moderate bitterness. Moderate-low sweetness. Moderate booziness.

F - medium-full body with average carb.

O - rather one-dimensional. Good if you’re craving a dank-forward brew.

 

A-Pours a very nice reddish purple color with a slight head and lacing
A-Aroma has blueberry hints
T-The taste follows the nose with a pleasant blueberry sour flavor
M-A light bodied very well carbonated beer
O-A very nice blueberry sour summer beer

 

We visited Ithaca, NY last weekend for recreation and some music. A visit to Liquid State Brewing's tap room afforded some very good brews and some healthy, tasty food options too. I carted home a NEIPA (on ice), Liquid Crush.

A cloudy tangerine colored can pour hosts 1cm of fluff. The aroma is of orange blossoms. The flavor is orange and some mango with a bit of dry grape. The hop bitterness is moderate and balances the fruit. This is definitely an IPA and not a fruit drink. The mouthfeel is smooth and the hop flavors persist pleasantly. I also enjoyed a tap pour of this brew. It was very similar.

 

Good morning NBS, I hope all you who are ailing mend quickly. Today is well you know Africa Hot. So the tasks at the cemetery were completed before 10, now inside at the work bench for the rest of the day. We are headed to Burlington VT tomorrow to see Nels Cline 4 and get our jazz/fusion fix.
Today's offering is from Fantome and Jester King, this is the Texas version, and near perfect for this warm day. Excellent feel, carbonation, with a wonderfully clean dry slightly acidic finish.
Stay cool out there NBS and remember your H20!
Cheers

Fantome Del Rey (Texas Version)

Jester King Brewery
Saison / Farmhouse Ale / 8.80% ABV

4.19/5 rDev +2.4% | Score: 4.09
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured from a 750ml cap and corked bottle, dated 3/22/16 into the Fantome modified tulip. This is labelled as Blend #1
A - Orange blossom honey color, active carbonation moves top side in Busby Burkley arrangements. The off white frothy cap lingers for a while, leaving mixed shape lacing.
S - Earthy, with hints of truffle oil, green apple skin, fermented melon white flesh, some dusty hay as well
T - Each aromatic element is represented, add chardonnay grape, some mint leave, red wheat, a bit of ash, with just an ever so slight salinity
M - Light across the palate, deft in the way flavors meander, slightly tart start , followed by a quick dry wave. linger is almost perfect sweet tart tension
O - An Excellent offering, with the touches of both breweries combining very well, Fantome earthy true to fashion saison, Jester Kings adept wild fermentation touch. Worth every effort to try and find

 

NBS it's always such a nice break away from whatever else I have going on to join this fine community each week. The past few days I've been trying to clear my cellar of brews past their prime so it's quite nice to try something new today. Hot as it is outside I need to polish off my surprise box from @strohme2 so it's a Stout Sunday.



This one's a winner. One of the best mix of aromas I've smelled in a while.
A: Pitch black with a thin tan head [4]
S: Tons of cocoa, some coffee, vanilla, roasted malt, a hint of bourbon, some caramel. Very complex [4.5]
T: Reminds me of a Moon Pie. There's a chocolate cookie component to it complemented by pure cocoa, vanilla and a touch of malt. Not quite as complex as the nose but tasty [4]
M: Medium to full-bodied, there's a smootness but also a bitterness [4]
O: Other than the color this doesn't really remind me of oil. Regardless a very well-made, enjoyable stout [4.25]

I've got a few more bottles/cans collecting dust to clear out this week but this was a nice intermission. Cheers!

 

Enjoy your trip! In continental Europe you'll be driving on the side of the road you're used to, so it's not too bad except for some of the standard road signs - I'd recommend stopping at a book store (In Dublin) and picking up a driver's test booklet (in English in IE, not as likely to be in NL, BE, CH, or DE) to translate the road signs (All exits in DE lead to Ausfahrt ). Half of the people in Europe probably speak better English than we do, so language barriers won't be much of a problem outside of Paris. Enjoy some great food and greater beer!

 

New Weizen Sunday (Week 697)
Greetings fellow NBSers from on the ridge in a steaming hot Mid Hud Val, NY. Today's beer was on sale for 6.99 a six pack, and I asked if they would do me a single. Good thing the owner was there today, he said no, six packs only, but why don't I take one free and let him know how I like it. Can't beat that. Wotler's Weizen, from a 400 year old brewery, the label informs. Nice.

Live review.
Beautiful beer in the tall pilsner glass, as you can see.

Smell is medium strength, with the expected clove, lighter than many other weizens, and also understated banana aroma. Add some strong bready wheat, a touch of yeasty tart, and light hints of grass to that, and you have this bouquet nailed.

Light/med. strength taste, with all the flavors of the aroma here, kind of muddled together, but recognizable for sure. Taste is quite good, especially as the clove flavor is not dominant.

A touch watery, very refreshing, clean finish that has a nice hint of spice that keeps it from being too sweet.

Weihenstephaner it's not. But for a refreshing beer with all the flavors playing nicely it is very enjoyable. Worth it for the price (not the free I got it for but the regular inexpensive price) for sure!

Hope you also have a Great Beer in your glass. Cheers!

 

Been a while since I have posted here on done a full on review. However, I got married last weekend and spent the past week in the St. Louis/Chicago area. Drank a lot of beers and married my best friend. On to the review.


4.38/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Beer pours a murky light oranged body with a large amount of bubbly white head. Head disapeared slowly leaving behind a good sized ring while drinking. Solid looking beer with a nice amount of lingering head.

S: Beer has a fruity aroma to it. Smell is very similar to fresh oranges. Assuming the scents are likely from the galaxy hops. The beer has a large but one note aroma profile.

T: The beer's taste profile is more balanced than the nose. Getting juicy flavors of the galaxy hops, but the beer also has the dank earthy notes of citra. The fruit flavors are the dominant taste but there is also a hint of earthy spice like flavors. Well balanced.

M: Very soft creamy mouthfeel. No real noticeable amount of alcohol present while drinking; very easy drinker. Beer has a nice fruity feel to it. Extremely smooth and easy to drink.

O: Probably my favorite Sue version I have had. The beer balances the fruity galaxy and earthy citra mix very well. Very smooth easy drinker that looks the part of a pale ale.

 

Chimay Grande reserve barrel aged ale
...a cloudy,rootbeer soda color
..around a medium body with a generous amount of carbonation
..Aroma is dark dried fruit,especially plums.malt,yeasty bread,
..Taste is similar,a bit dry,a little bit sweet, but an odd sour almost vinegar taste.
..Overall it's really good but the sour/vinegar taste at first made me think it could be going bad. I would like to try it again to see if it was just this bottle but at 23.00 dollars a bottle I will be passing on this one

 

Thank you for the recommendation, hadn't thought about that.

 

Hot! That’s the theme here in The Great Beer State. We’ve been in our little pool all weekend, thankful to have it. It really helps out the non-drinking part of the family.
Started my NBS out with what was supposed to be a brewery only can release but my local bottle shop got a keg. I won’t ask questions, I picked up a howler for today.


Batch Brewing Blended Rainbows Milkshake IPA.
It’s in the database yet.
Batch blending rainbows
Pours a hazy oj, rosy tints, soft looking. Maybe the color of peach nectar. About a finger of yellow tinted head. The nose is orange, mango, soft citrus. Big tastes here.
Citrus, pineapple, mango, end notes are dank, pine, peppery. Softer body but not as much as the appearance leads to believe. Mildly bubbled, easy drinking. Great beer, my first from Batch. I’m right around a 4 here.

 

This is Jane’s world, we’re all just living in it. I seriously have the utmost respect for her posts. BA Legend.

 

Happy Sunday NBS players. A steamy summer day here on the island. Summer came so late this year that it’s hard to believe July 4th is this week. Wish it was a 3 day weekend but I will take the day of from work anyway I can get it. Probably hitting the beach for the first time this year today. Drink some beers and throw my ass in the water a few times.

My new beer today is Big Cranky, dipa, from Stony Creek brewing. Described on the can as a west coast style ipa featuring 7 hops which are not named. The brew checks in at 9.5% abv, 95 ibu, and no apparent canning date.

An amber/gold color on the pour with a sort of orange tinge to it. A fluffy white head and major clarity. The nose is rather floral. Pretty much smells like a bowl of mixed citrus fruit. The drinking starts with a big rush of fruity and bitter hops. A rather clean and smooth flow that finishes bitter with pine and resin. It drinks big and the feel is a bit boozy with good stick and lingering flavors. Fruit notes of lemon, lime, grapefruit and melon.

Overall, I’m not in love with it but it’s a pretty average/decent drinking brew. I like the aggressive hops and the booze. It just seems a bit forced and sloppy at times. Maybe a to much heat on it as well. I’m in the mid/high 3’s here players.

 

NBS Entry #2



Highland Pilsner

Highland Brewing
German Pilsener / 5.50% ABV

3.93/5 rDev +2.9% | Score: 3.82
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Filled 05/16/18

L- The beer pours a beautiful clear straw with a full four fingers of pure white foam. The head recedes to a thin ring leaving modest lacing.
S- The nose is light both with spicy and earthy hop tones. There is just the slightest hint of sulfur in the backround.
T- Like the nose the hops hit you up front with spicy and earthy tones. The malt is light, but the bitterness I perceived is likewise light overall and it comes across as a balanced beer.
F- Overall mouthfeel is light. Carbonation is only moderate which takes away from the lightness a bit. All in all, it's still an easy drinking beer.
O- A good pilsener overall. It lacks a bit in bitterness and carbonation, but those are my only nitpicks. I'll have no problem finishing the 6 pack. Worth the money if your looking for an American pilsener.

 

Good afternoon to all. Smoking some tasty meats on this not quite 4th weekend. I’ve got ribs, sausage, wings and brisket to smoke but I’m doing something different with the brisket as since I only got a flat brisket, I’m trying to use bacon as a faux fat cap.



Now for the beer. Apparently I am the first to review this one, as my posting joy was delayed by having to add the beer which is Big Bag of Wheat from The Answer



4.19/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Big time OJ imposter, limited white foam head and zero lacing allow for the nose of sweet tangerine to rise up before a little alcohol heat nips the nostrils. Taste and feel intertwine as its a thicker, dryer animal with an earthy, grainy grapefruit entrance that exits as s bitter and slightly sweet, heavy, thick DIPA.

 

John, I wish you safe travels. Just a note on Cantillon. If driving that day, remember many European countries have a ZERO blood alcohol level approach as opposed to our approach where you could have a beer and drive as long as you're below the designated percentage.