New Beer Sunday (Week 767)

After @Lingenbrau's recommendation on the Ferment ESB, I decided to save it until last on my English-style Ale Sunday.

So, next up is an ESB from a St. Paul brewer:

Bad Weather Brewing Tippin it Down ESB with Earl Grey Tea
IBU: 35
ABV: 5.1%



Earthy English ale aroma, sweet malts, dark fruit, caramel, tea is there but not dominating.

Dark amber, 1/2 inch off white toward tan head, thick and creamy, receding pace is moderate, leaving sheets of lacing. Visible carbonation.

Mouth feel has a medium body, with little carbonation feel, which is actually as expected for the style.

Tea is more dominant in the taste than in the aroma, hitting boldly up front, floral, fruit and caramel underneath, with a nominally bitter middle and finish. The aftertaste is moderately bitter, in a tea sort of way. Enjoyable. Finish is medium sweet.

Overall, a decent ESB, but I can't decide if the tea is a positive addition.

L: 3.75 | S: 4.0 | T: 3.75 | F: 3.75 | O: 3.75 | BA rating of: 3.81

 

My offerings tonight are for our friend @Lingenbrau and Yoda. Cheers to you both.





4.49/5 rDev +3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This gorgeous hazy beer pours a brilliant golden color with a creamy pearl white head. Pop the top on the pint can and you know you’re getting into a Citra-Mosaic hop bomb because dank hop aromas literally leap from the can - ripe oranges, pineapple, and that “on-the-verge-of-garlic-and-onions” aroma that signifies the best Citra-Mosaic beers, IMHO.

The taste has the aroma bases covered in spades, and that garlic/onion flavor sneaks up, only to be subdued by the orange and pineapple flavors. The mouthfeel is commensurate with a DIPA, with nothing watery in this beer. It has a bite, and just the slightest hint of a boozy finish, which is to be expected in an 8.5% beer.

Half Acre has been a favorite of mine since I tried Daisy Cutter the first time, and they continue to crank out fantastic beers. This is another example of their brewing prowess.

 

Those pups add to our goodness, and humility.
Best to you all
Cheers

 

#2, I picked up a 6er of this on a trip to St Louis three weeks ago. That was an I’ll-advised purchase.



3.58/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

This pours a dark mahogany brown with a tan head. Looks more like a porter than a stout. There’s some vanilla on the nose, but nothing that indicates this is a stout, other than a subtle undercurrent of soft cocoa aromas.

The vanilla is very nice on the taste, but the beer lacks the gravitas you find in even the most humble stout, and the mouthfeel is entirely too spritzy for the style. I’m finishing the bottle, but I wish I’d only picked up a single of this - lotsa better offerings available in this flavored stout space.

 

Happy New American Impy IPA Sunday!

Back with another new brew from the same guy's. Pretty tasty brew, nice to see it around here.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/18006/378697/?ba=Wasatch#review

Cheers!

 

One of the greatest Stouts on the planet. Cheers

 

Last one, another Half Acre offering, beers #1 and #3 are going to my target in NBS BIF #10 (who lives in North Carolina - strongest hint possible, I got nothing else, use this to your advantage NBS BIF #10 participants). Lucky bastage.





4.35/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A very hazy pineapple color with a white head, this beautiful beer features pineapple notes on the nose and the white grapes mentioned in the beer’s description, and there’s also a subtle garlicky onion note, which I happen to enjoy.

Pineapple is front and center on the taste, and there’s white grape, but that garlicky onion thingie is the star here - it doesn’t become cloying, it just enhances the other flavors.

Another stellar offering from Half Acre, my favorite brewery in Chicago.

 

Rules me out! Congrats @nc4.... Nevermind.

 

Poured into a 16 oz Snulip glass canned on 10/23/19. Pours a very attractive near pitch black with a massive 3 finger head that leaves massive waves of lace as it slowly settles, truly gorgeous. 5

Smell is maple, cocoa nibs, coffee, vanilla beans, and some coconut. 4.5

Taste follows maple is most dominant with vanilla, cocoa, coffee, and coconut in the back end really something special. 4.5

Mouthfeel is pretty darn big, gentle carbonation, a touch dry, and at 9.2% extremely drinkable. This one is a standout. 4.75

Overall this is really impressive, I love what they do with NEIPAs but this is a world class stout. 4.5

 

Well Hello (Before Late Night) NBS!
I wanted to share a really tasty beer. It's a style that I don't normally get excited about, done in a way that usually entices me even less.
The style is a Quad. The "way" is wine barrel aging.

Magical Quadrangle by No Clue Craft Brewery in Rancho Cucamonga, CA
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/36937/353992/?ba=2beerdogs#review

A collaboration with Galleano Winery.
First off, I don't typically get excited about wine barrel aging in beer.
having said this, Wow!
First off, it pours nicely, finger-plus of tan head recedes to a thin, consistent film. Good retention for style. Slight lacing.
Smell is dark raisin, caramel, and dates, but then a kiss of sherry. Not overwhelming, more graceful.
Taste is more of the same. The darker fruit notes are deep, the caramel nuanced, and the sherry is light and mildly fruity. A woody barrel note is there, but almost hidden.
Mouthfeel is solid enough. Carbonation is on the lighter side. A drying out finish cuts some of the malt note.
Overall, I find this a very tasty use of sherry barrel aging. Seek it out.
4.2/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
As you can see, I was quite impressed. @Buck89 you should check this out if you get a chance.

 

So sorry to hear about your loss Phil! What a blessing to have Yoda for so many years, but still...

 

Firestone Walker Molé Merkin



The look is near-black with a persistent tan head. 4.5

The nose is dark chocolate, bourbon, wood, earth, and cinnamon bark. 4

The taste is similar. Earthy and roasty with mild chocolate sweetness. Hints of cherry and dry cinnamon. 4.25

The mouthfeel is medium+ for the ABV with a lighter finish. 4

Overall, very nice. 4.25 - 4.18/5

 

Last of the English-style ales for today...

Ferment Brewing Company ESB English-Style Pale Ale
IBU: 45
ABV: 5.4%



Aroma is caramel, sweet bread, dark fruit.

Look is dark brown with ruby-brown tinges with a back light. Good carbonation level. 1 inch thick tan creamy head with decent retention, creating a rocky surface as it does recede, leaving thick sheets of lacing down the side of the glass. Lacing becomes strings and patches as you consume the beer. After 15 minutes or so, the head is reduced to a thick bubbly cap and thicker ring.

Taste is raisins, caramel, earthy and woody, semi-sweet caramel initially, transitions to light bitterness in the middle. There is a great interplay of flavors; the previously mentioned caramel and raisin, with the bread from the malts, and the earthy hops. The aftertaste is a lingering light bitterness.

Moderate body, nice smooth feel on the tongue.

Overall, this is a wonderful English-style ale. Excellent complexity to the flavors, just the right amount of bitterness to offset the sweet caramel, resulting in a moderately dry finish.

L: 4.0 | S: 4.0 | T: 4.5 | F: 4.25 | O: 4.25 | BA rating of: 4.28

Editorial: American drinkers reviewing a true English-style bitter or ESB seem to expect this to be the English equivalent of a WCIPA due to the word "bitter" in the name. A English bitter or ESB is only bitter in comparison with a mild, and in fact, my experience in England was that there were some milds that were more bitter than some bitters. This beer hits it just spot-on. Light bitterness to balance the malts. These guys know how to brew in the English style.

 

So, I lied...got one more new beer for me tonight.

Went to my usual happy hour spot for a Sunday afternoon, specifically to have a huge burger. Place is called Alice Blue. They make a mean Old Fashioned on the cheap, and a good Bourbon selection on the cheap as well. Tonight, Montucky Cold Snack is with the beer and burger special. Usually it is something like Celis White, or Saint Arnold Art Car, but as Celis is pretty much impossible to get fresh anymore and they were not doing Art Car on special...I'll give it a go.



Pours a crystal clear straw/yellow color. On an aggressive pour, a two finger white head forms and recedes quickly. Not much lace left behind.

A fairly neutral nose. Some grains, mostly cereal and corn. Taste follows suit, biscuit, cereal, corn, and just a general grainy character. It is well carbonated, with a nice crisp bite and super clean. Can't say I'll be looking to have this again, but it did the trick especially after a few very big beers earlier today.

Overall, I would give this about a solid 3 in a score if I was to go through all the attributes here. Not bad, not particularly worth while, but not bad if wanting another option outside of the typical light lagers available.

Burger is A+ as usual. Two juicy patties, melty cheese, house baked bun, awesome bacon, house made fries. Price can' be beat. I'll still get the Old Fashioned next time even if it is cheaper for the Cold Snack

 

Well, it is a third No Beer Sunday here in the stronghold. Things have been a bit busy, and essentially culminated yesterday. Plus with new security software at work, I can no longer spend my break and lunch perusing a site that promotes alcohol. Be interesting to see what happens when I need another brite tank...

The missus and I must have matching tattoos that say sucka somewhere on us...

Regulars may remember we have a love for animals. For the first time in a long time, we found ourselves with no critters in the house for about ten months when our last cat died. Well, besides the grandson...a rug rat counts, no? Every furry pet we have had except for our first lab has been a rescue. I think it totals out to 8 dogs, 6 cats. Countless fish, a brief bout with birds. I think the picture is clear. We have given a loving home to quite a few in the last 30 years.

We are no longer lacking in that department. Somewhat of a pseudo-rescue has taken place and we are the parents of one 3 year old, one 1 year old, and one ten week old Shih tzu - don't know what the plural form is...Shih tzee? These were dogs belonging to someone who has bred successful show dogs in the past, but is getting to the point where she is having a hard time tending the animals. We brought them home yesterday. They had not seen a male our species before, so that has made for an interesting 24 hours, but they adore our grandson and are starting to warm up to me. We are learning as we go on this breed...our last two dogs were sister labs at about 70 pounds each...the three of these don't add up to half that! Research helps, of course, but these guys are not used to people and are doing things their way. They like to climb...have not read about that anywhere. They are calm and friendly in a reserved sort of way. Not timid, but cautious. My spidey sense tells me they will adjust just fine now that they aren't with other dogs in a somewhat crowded house. They are cute little bastards.

So...maybe I should have a beer (or six) while watching the Pats game, but we will taking them out to do their business soon and that has been chaotic as we learn their behavior and we adapt them to our schedules. I don't think they have had a chance to just be dogs. The former owner called us this morning to check up on them...very sweet. One we get them cleaned up and with decent haircuts, maybe include them in a future post.

 

Ha, I went to college at Southern Illinois in Carbondale, this is right outside...obviously in Murphysboro. I'm kind of surprised they are still in business...There beers aren't much.

 

I've been waiting to get my hands on some of this pumpkin ale for a long time. It did not disappoint!!
Cheers to @Franziskaner for today's hookup!!!



Bottled 07172019.
Over 15 weeks old.
Opened two bottles to pour into a pint glass; first after work beers go down way too quickly after all. Moderate pour yields a 3/4 inch light tan head over a deep amber body with some nice lacing. Nose of pumpkin pie with all the spice and then some! Taste mirrors nose with a nice feel, smooth, and well balanced. Overall, definite top three pumpkin ale in my book. Cheers to The Saint Louis Brewery!

 

Happy I CAN Only Tell You That I Am Drinking These New Beers This Sunday of My Own Free Will As CANother Flashback Has Begun (Week 767)!
Holy details, Batman! How CAN you identify an auslander in CHI? When he doesn't know/remember that Cabrini-Green is a disCANt memory! Sheesh. Next time, you fill inna blanks! Remember The CANQuest (tm)'s motto: "It's my story & I'll tell it CANy way I want!"

Well, after this morning's go-'round, I found it prudent to have a bit of a lay-down to reboot. Having done so & been aroused from my slumber by a dog named Mr. Peabody & his boy, Sherman, I have been CANvinced to take a ride in their WABAC Machine. We went all of the way back to Weeks 755/756 by way of 1978 on our first stop:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/36487/399857/?ba=woodychandler#review


then we caught up with Weeks 755/756 in the present, er, past, er present with:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/36487/437982/?ba=woodychandler#review

followed by:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/36487/436517/?ba=woodychandler#review

& NOW, right NOW, ya nebby jagovs … Ooops! Sorry, wrong thread. 8=( I meant, suddenly, Tammy, I got the yummy Yammy:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/36487/437529/?ba=woodychandler#review



Okay, mission(s) acCANplished! You CAN now catch me on WBAYDN for updates. No promises as to next week as I will be transiting home from Wilmington, DE, following the premiere of:
https://beercanalovestory.com/