New Beer Sunday (Week 720)

New beer #6. Thanks @FlintB !

Massacre - Wolverine State Brew Co
BBA Lager - 14.5% abv
Vintage 2017
Score: 4.12 (+2.5% rDev)



Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/24808/86367/?ba=CanConPhilly#review

Synopsis:
I would have never guessed this was originally a lager. Tasted blind I would have guessed BA stout or old ale. The body is a tad light, but this tastes and smells like a beer with predominantly dark/chocolate malt. A bit boozy, but for a 14.5% beer it’s quite restrained. I’m loving the crap out of this. Thanks again Brian!

 

I've only had one beer that I got a bubblegum hit from, didn't like it and and because I don't review or take notes I haven't a clue what it was.

 

My wife is also addicted to Hallmark Christmas movies, but I've never watched, so thanks for the universal synopsis @lordofthewiens . Funny thing though, my wife is on a big kick to "cut the cord" from DirecTV using Roku. We are in the process of changing and I have pointed out to her that there is no option for Hallmark on the new setup. Lucky for her our DirecTV account is good for the rest of December at least.

Full disclosure- I have had this beer at the brewery, but I am always wrapped up in the moment there and have never even rated it, never mind reviewed it. This is Alternative Fax (not a misprint) from Little House Brewing in Chester CT. Its an NEIPA that clocks in at 8% and 69 IBUs.

From their website-"Who knew that when you sign up for a landline in this day and age, you get a fax line...for free! We here at Little House believe that the fax is the BEST form of communication. Send us a fax at 860-322-4257 and maybe we'll respond. Who knows, it's hard to tell...the truth is hazy. Brewed with Citra, Denali, Equinox, and Mosaic this juice bomb walks the line between IPA and DIPA: so it's whatever you'd like it to be! Reccomended Listening: "You Can't Always Get What You Want" by The Rolling Stones"


4.24/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

From a Crowler dated today, poured to a Nonic.
Medium head of many sized bubbles but fades to lacing well before the end of the session. Body is golden translucent, not cloudy, not opaque. You can kind of recognize your fingers on the other side of the glass.
Aroma is citrus peel, dankness, lemon oil on grass clippings basically.
Taste follows smell, but with hop wonder visiting at the back end. Nice body, slightly oily but cleaned up at the end with good carbonation (kind of like little bubbles pressure washing your tongue).
I like this beer. I order it whenever I am there if it is on tap, but in the colder weather coming I may be favoring their stouts and brown ales.

 

I’m with you on this except for the taste. You get a lot of booze and bitterness....somehow for me that translates to savory. I actually finished my can, and liked it more as I drank it, but sounds like you might not make it!

 

Burial Bloodtusk Keller Pils 5.1% ABV, really well done 4.28 overall

Pours an effervescent fairly clear gold with 3 fingers of pillowy pearl colored head. Hazes a bit as the can empties, stellar head retention & lacing

S: Wet cereal notes, perfumy hops & doughyness

T: Grassyness, pears, plenty of dryness up front. Rich doughyness with a little bit of peppery yeast twang, sweet bready notes as well as this warms. Finishes with a little peppery & grassy hop bite, doughyness & pears

MF: Medium body, subtle carbonation

Well done, easy drinking, nice take on the style

 

I'd say a 1.75 on appearance was generous.

 

Clown Shoes' Gargoyle Love Song (2018). Bottled 7 months ago. A 10.5% BBA Imperial Stout with vanilla beans.



I've been craving a stout. Pouring this at ~50 degrees and drinking it slowly. Near-black with a thin tan head.

The nose is chocolate, maple, roast, and red and black licorice, and the taste is similar. Dark chocolate and roast, with a vibrant, semi-sweet red fruit note.

The mouthfeel is medium. Starts hefty and thins out a touch on the backend, when the barrel character comes out. Overall, very good. Balanced and deceptive at 10.5%. 4.25/5

 

My God. I would resent a brewery that put that out.

 

I had a business trip to Ann Arbor last month and stopped by Wolverine State. Got to try this year's Massacre, during a Michigan football game, while sitting next to a 60-year-old friendly-grandma type who proceeded to drink three snifters of it over the course of our conversation. Her obvious enthusiasm aside, I was pretty blown away by the beer itself. Rich, chocolatey, but still retaining some distinctive lager qualities. I left the taproom and proceeded to the nearest Whole Foods, where I was able to secure two four-packs of it to bring home with me.

 

I agree, I almost went lower since I tend to rate pretty generous.

 

You said it looked like jizz. I threw up. In my mouth.

Edit: I'm sorry, you said "almost". In that case, I "almost" threw up in my mouth.

 

I’m guess I was lucky drinking my can right away, looked like a normal NEIPA and not chunky at all just 11 days ago, I would say it was a little boozy but it was pretty green and balanced it out.

 

Wow that Veil beer looks gross in one picture and totally fine in another... that seems like a QC problem. I had an Untitled Art "Strawberry Milkshake IPA" a few months ago that was as gross as the first dude's picture... all chunky and disgusting. I drain-poured it. It wasn't good anyway, but... yeah, no.

 

Southern Swells Freshly Picked Citra a really tasty 6.7% IPA.



Appearance 4.25 - Pours murky dark yellowish grapefruit juice color with nice thick white head with great retention. Lots of lacing all around the glass.

Aroma 4 - Ripe melon, tangerine, passionfruit, some light mint, and pine.

Taste 4 - Getting bitter grapefruit, citrus peel, pine, the tropical fruit in the nose is dominated by grapefruit and pine.

Feel 4 - Medium bodied good carbonation slightly dry finish.

Overall 4.02 - Solid IPA drastic difference in the nose and the taste for me. The mint was a nice touch in the aroma. The bitter hoppy taste is very nice as well.

 

Wow yours looks completely different, I am really glad to see that. The guy that gave me this one said his looked like a snow globe as well.

 

Thanks for @lordofthewiens for another great start today! No Hallmark in this house around Christmas; we provide a heavy dose of Die Hard and Christmas Vacation here!

Today's first new beer is from Southern Grist, who released this one yesterday along with their anticipated collab with Garagiste Meadery. This one is a "Mexican hot chocolate inspired milk stout brewed with cinnamon, vanilla beans, cacao nibs, cocoa powder, and chili peppers." Sounds perfect for a cold and wet Sunday:



After a normal pour, the beer was a hazy/milky dark brown color with a modest tan head. The aroma was as billed: lots of chocolate punctuated with cinnamon and chili pepper. Vanilla was there too, giving it a sweet aspect. The taste was dominated by milk chocolate, in a good way. Vanilla smoothed it out and provided the beer with a rich, silky feel. The cinnamon and chili spice was done very nicely, with the flavors front and center by the mid-palate. Heat level was low-to-medium, with a mild lingering tingle. People looking for a lot of heat will be disappointed, but I prefer this level - just enough to linger to the next sip. It was sweet and full bodied but not overly so for a 6.7% milk stout. Very much on par with Xocoveza IMHO but with richer chocolate and a much better, heftier feel. Definitely recommended! Cheers!

 

Good Sunday afternoon, New Beer Samplers and commentators. Today has a real December feel; cold and a little raw. I helped my wife with some Christmas decorating - the least I could do after she tolerated my spending much of yesterday beer shopping. Today, I'm reviewing a couple of beers from over the state line in New York. The first is Completely Misunderestimated, a New England IPA brewed by District 96 Beer Factory that features notes of citrus, mango, berries, and lychee fruit and is hopped with Nelson, Mosaic, and Citra. It has a nice, drinkable 6.7% ABV which is good because I have a crowler. I had the earlier version, Misunderestimated, in 2017 and Completely is significantly improved in its feel and breadth of flavors. Here's my full review:

4.28/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a fresh crowler into a District 96 tulip glass. It pours an opaque, muddy brown-gold with almost a finger of creamy, bright white head and a thick coating of lacing. It's a pretty pour. Its fragrant smell includes lemon, lime, ripe mango, vanilla/lactose, and light pine needles. There isn't a strong hop presence in the nose. The taste opens with tart citrus which gives way, initially, to sweet fruit and vanilla. Then, the Nelson, Mosaic, and Citra hops become evident. They are highly flavorful but only moderately bitter. It finishes quite dry. Flavor-wise, this ale has a little of everything: tart citrus, sweet tropical fruit, vanilla, and a very pleasing hop bill. The beer's best attribute, however, is its mouth feel; it's thick and creamy, with a delightful level of carbonation, and the 6.8% ABV gives it substance without distracting from the great taste. Overall, Completely Misunderestimated is an absolute gem! I think it's much better than the original variant, Misunderestimated.

My only regret is that I'm drinking it at home without the benefit of a Burger Loft burger and fries. I hope you're all enjoying your new beers today. Next up will be something darker and maltier.

 

They definitely need to figure out some better quality control or rework it so it is good for more than a week!