New Beer Sunday (Week 730)

My penchant for late night beers has caused me to be early for this Sunday’s NBS. Just finishing off my first beer of the day (Saturday) before heading off to bed. Popped the crown at 12:11AM, Sunday morning.

This week’s new beer is the latest in Bellwoods’ new lager series using yeasts from Escarpment yeast labs. I’ve liked the previous ones and am convinced Bellwoods is now one of the top 3 or 4 lager makers in the province.

This one is Bellwoods Helles Lager. Not surprisingly, this cleverly named beer is a Helles Lager, a style I love when bright and crisp.



This beer pours a bright clear light gold with a pretty and substantial head that dissipates very slowly leaving limited lacing on the glass.

The nose is a gentle malty sweetness.

The taste follows with a very mild caramel sweetness. Slightly grassy. Mildly bitter.

Bright and effervescent with a crisp finish.

This is a well made, enjoyable Helles that sits nicely on the shelf with the other lagers Bellwoods has added to their stable in the past couple years. I wouldn’t hesitate to buy again or send to a lager loving friend. 4.04.

Cheers!

 

great start @lordofthewiens !

 

Good morning NBS crew! Wanted to pop in before I grab a new beer with a brief announcement.

I know a good number of you check in on the What Beer Are You Drinking Now threads and are probably aware of the theme day we are trying next weekend on the 23rd. But if you weren’t aware, here’s a pamphlet...


Simply, it’s meant to be a celebration of those beers that define a brewery and keep it running, hopefully including music from old school LPs or 45s. If you have a flagship beer and/or a record collection you’d like to show off, consider popping in next Saturday to WBAYDN to share with the virtual bar.

I’ll let you get back to the important things now - like your new beer reviews! Cheers!!

 

I'm not going to be drinking today, but I do have to chime in and say that I really like the Redd Foxx joke you told @lordofthewiens . Redd is one of my favorite comedians. I was, as a little kid in the 70's, a big fan of Sanford and Son, and I still am.

Enjoy your new beers all. I will enjoy your take on them.

 

Skiing with fam and bad WiFi so no pic. But New Mexico’s Marble IPA is hitting the spot.

 

Oops, corrected

 

New Beer Sunday: American Pale Ale

Mornin’ NBSers, with an alert for fans of OJ and a special thanks to our host @lordofthewiens for his start up today (and for his reminder of how not to treat someone who's been bitten by a snake).

The weather here today is expected to be relatively pleasant with some sun, some clouds, high temperature around 40 and no precipitation until tonight when we should see some light rain and sleet.

This morning’s new beer is called Orange Grove and comes from Southern Tier.

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

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/3818/388789/?ba=drtth#review


The aromas/flavors of this beer are mostly about oranges—orange juice along with some orange zest. (Which I guess isn’t a surprise given the Brewery and the name of the beer.) There’s a bit of malt in the background and some bitter dryness in the finish, but there’s not a lot else going on except what the orange brings to the table. On the whole, I thought this one was worth a try, but won’t be doing a repeat. I do like orange juice, but prefer juicy beers with a bit more complexity in their aroma/flavor profile.

Cheers, all!

 

Can you tell us a bit more about what that new beer is like? (e.g., flavors, aromas, etc.)

Your first impressions of a beer you've never tried before can be helpful to others who might come across the beer.

 

Skiing in TX? Nah.

 

Could be waterskiing.

 

Good morning New BSers! Thanks, @lordoftheweins, for today's kickoff. I would love to know what your friend recommended for first aid treatment for snakebite - depending on where he was held, the venomous snake population would vary as would the types of venom.

Anyway, today's New Breakfast Beer:



$ 13.87 (Including shipping)/500 mL bottle ($ 0.372) from Tavour, Seattle, WA. Reviewed 2/17/19.
Undated bottle. Stored at 42 degrees and served at 42 degrees in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter.
Appearance – 4.
Body – Gold, clear, slight effervescence.
Head - Large (Maximum 4.5 cm, aggressive center pour), off-white, moderate density, average retention time, diminishing to a four to five mm ring fed a couple of places by effervescence and complete layer with rocks.
Lacing – None.
First pour – Light yellow, clear.
Aroma – 4 - Subdued fruitcake-like odor.
Flavor – 4 - Begins slightly sour with a bit of generic citrus. It ends with some distinct cherry flavor and some weak hoppiness. No alcohol (6.5% ABV) flavor. No diacetyl, no dimethylsulfide.
Palate – 3.5 – Medium, watery, lively carbonation.
Impression and interpretation – 4 - The odor was unexpected but no unpleasant. The flavor was very pleasing and somewhat surprising for a “wild ale”, with the expected acidity low. Overall, quite pleasing, and, after reading about cascara, the price does not seem out of line.
Rating 3.95, rDev -2%.

Beer can be entertaining and informative as well as life-sustaining. I didn't know what "cascara" was until I looked it up:

https://www.stumptowncoffee.com/blog/what-is-cascara

“While it’s no mystery to most what coffee is, we thought we’d drop some knowledge about Cascara. So… what is Cascara? Good question. It’s awesome.

Coffee beans are the seed of a fruit, commonly referred to as a coffee cherry. This small, fleshy fruit can vary in color based on its variety but is most often yellow or red when ripe. The cherry itself contains caffeine (that’s how coffee gets its caffeine) and is high in antioxidants. The fruit protects its seeds as they grow and develop by deterring insects and other wildlife that could prevent the development of the seed.

The process of pulping removes the seed from its cherry. When the seeds are roasted, you get coffee. But what happens to the cherries that worked so hard to protect those coffee beans? Typically, the cherry is discarded once it is separated from the seed. In some cases, coffee cherries can be turned into compost and used on the farm as fertilizer.

In some instances, the cherries can be dried and brewed as a “tea.” In Ethiopia – coffee’s birthplace – the cherries have for centuries been dried and brewed as a beverage called Qishr. As coffee shrubs migrated from Africa and were eventually planted in Central and South America by the Europeans, the dried coffee cherries became referred to as Cascara – or “husk” in Spanish.

Few coffee farmers produce Cascara and even fewer countries export it.

 

True. There are some fairly damp areas in TX.

 

Thanks to @lordofthewiens for the entertaining start today. Hate to say it, but the guy would’ve been told the same thing and coached through death before doing what the doctor suggested.

My first will be one from the good BA, @Vidblain

Central Waters - Rye Barrel Stout

a stout that has been aged in rye barrels for three years to end up around 11.65% ABV.

Pouring from a 22 oz. bottle into a snulip glass, this beer pours out resembling cola, dark brown with highlights running throughout. Once in the glass, it’s much darker with minimal highlights and forms a pinky width of khaki colored crown that doesn’t hold for too long. 4

The nose brings a very present barrel characteristic tangling with notes of chocolate, slight tobacco and dark fruit like figs and raisins all backed by a warmness. 4.5

In the taste, the chocolate decided to step up for the prominence. A little remiscent of cake batter. Rye is detectable with a nice kick that lasts about halfway through. The barrel is showing great wood/oak character while still letting other aspects shine as well. Leather/tobacco still mixing with some dark fruit like raisins. 4.5

There is a rye kick as soon as it enters the mouth before mellowing out to a quick aspect of a calmer, silky chocolate and finishing dry with the oak/wood element. The bourbon provides a nice warming effect. Well carbonated with a medium body. 4.5

Overall, I like the depth this brings. The rye is present, which I love, and tangling with beautiful notes of a present wood/oak barrel, chocolate layers, dark fruit, tobacco and leather all backed by a warming effect to bring it around and make it feel right. 4.5

So thanks to Chris for this tasty treat! But I would also like to say thanks to my wife, my sons, my mom and dad, my sister, my Saint Bernard Mack, my neighbors for always noticing when I get a new car, and to all of you who choose to participate on sundays in NBS!

I can’t wait to see what you bring to the share!
Cheers!

 

Good morning NBS and thanks @lordofthewiens for the comic intro. We are heading to Brattleboro to the Harris Hill Ski jump in a bit, weather looks to be perfect for watching today.
From Wunderkammer Bier, today' s offering is a stunning mixed culture beer, both sweet and tart, with a palate that borders on fine Loire Valley white wine. A real treat, and worth seeking out.
Volume Ten: A Winter Landscape

Wunderkammer Bier
American Wild Ale

4.19/5 rDev -4.1% | Score: 4.37
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured from a 375 ml bottle into the test glass
A - Lemon drop yellow, a slight haze, meandering carbonation wanders top side.
S - Honey, funky straw, notes of pine, lemon, sweet grains, floral notes like lily and forsythia
T - Lemon forward, with beautiful threads of pine, and lemongrass,
M - Crisp, and delicate on the palate, with tart start quickly softening towards chalky dryness.
O - A beautiful offering from a supremely talented brewer, the offering is forward on the tart side, but the change to an ashen dryness is spectacular. Flavors are a subtle and wide ranging

 

Any other fans of Bugs Bunny out there?

Any time I hear the word of “crusher” I think of The Crusher!

But today I will be discussing a new beer for me of Crusher from The Alchemist Brewery.

Over the past year or so there have been periodic drops of beers from The Alchemist brewery to the Philadelphia area. I have heard various rumors behind this latest business move but I do not know what is fact here. My guess is that The Alchemist brewery is producing more beer than is being sold in the local market (e.g., sold at the new brewery) so there is an opportunity to periodically share some of their beers to us fortunate Philly area beer drinkers.

So, what exactly is The Alchemist Crusher? Here is how this beer is described on BA:

“The Crusher is an American Double IPA that I started making years ago at the old pub. Hop heads were constantly asking for more hops. So, in the words of Frank Zappa, "Did you say you want some more? Well here's some more." While I enjoy hops with the rest of them, I still try to maintain some semblance of balance and drinkability. This beer is oozing with hop flavor and aroma with a very dry finish. Enjoy responsibly, this one can sneak up on you.”

Not a whole of technical details there. What hops are used to brew this beer? I am pretty sure they use the house yeast strain which we homebrewers refer to as the Conan yeast strain.

John Kimmich provides a story on the back of the can:

“The Crusher is an American Double IPA that I started making years ago at the old pub.

Hop heads were constantly asking for more hops. So, in the words of Frank Zappa, "Did you say you want some more? Well here's some more."

While I enjoy hops with the rest of them, I still try to maintain some semblance of balance and drinkability.

This beer is oozing with hop flavor and aroma with a very dry finish. Enjoy responsibly, this one can sneak up on you.”

I have been fortunate to drink a number of beers from The Alchemist (Heady Topper, El Jefe, Alena, Focal Banger) and I have greatly enjoyed them all. Why would this beer be any different in that regard?

And in this corner, in a Gulden Draak Tulip glass: The Crusher!

Appearance

A hazy golden-yellow color. A HUGE fluffy white head; this beer has excellent head retention!

Aroma

The first few sniffs are mostly citrus, and maybe some tropical fruit. As the beer opens up there is a strong aspect of herbal. An intriguing aroma profile over time.

Taste

The hop flavors follows the nose: citrus, perhaps some tropical fruit but the herbal aspect is strong on the backend (almost a dank quality). There is some malty sweetness to the beer. The bitterness level is very notable.

Mouthfeel

Medium bodied with an off-dry finish.

Overall

This beer is very good! There is a lot of complexity and layering of flavors to this beer.

Cheers!

@KOP_Beer_OUtlet @rotsaruch @RobH @telejunkie @chipawayboy

 

I do like to hike, but I got this beer in trade with another Futsal referee

Maple Bacon Porter by Funky Buddha

4.48/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Bomber received in a trade

2017 edition, opened 2.16.19

Motor oil liquid, one finger brown frothy foam cap quickly recedes

Aroma of roast coffee, maple, whiff of bacon

Taste is roasted coffee, maple , bacon , tobacco

Thinner mouthfeel , medium sudsing

Good beer

 

Happy Sunday, NBS crew! In the midst of a much-needed 4-day weekend. I try not to take any days off during the school year, since we get a $1000 bonus for perfect attendance. Thus I rely on these built-in breaks to the schedule to restore my sanity.

Starting with this one from @Bum4ever .

L’il Betty - Moonraker
NE IPA - 7% abv
Canned 1/24/19 (24 days ago)
Score: 4.3 (+2.4% rDev)



Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/45975/396238/?ba=CanConPhilly#review

Synopsis:
I swear this has actual pineapple in it. (It doesn’t though.) The most convincing hop-created pineapple taste I’ve ever encountered. That pineapple is backed up by orange, grapefruit, and melon, creating a vibrant fruit salad of an ipa. Alvarado seems to be getting more hype, but I’d choose these Moonraker brews any day of the week. Thanks again Josh!

 

Thanks @lordofthewiens for the great start to this weeks NBS. Will be back with a new brew later on.

Cheers!

 

Firestone Walker krieky bones
...cloudy orange color
..medium body with at least medium carbonation
...aroma is tart,sweet cherry candy, malt
...taste is like sweettart candy but not too sweet, almost dry. Yeast and malt are there but the cherry candy like taste dominates
.. made a very nice dessert like beer without being cloyingly sweet