New Beer Sunday (Week 770)

Sorry to hear that happened. Fortunately no one was hurt and your attitude sounds great. Take care of yourself and good luck with everything.

 

And I do have 2 new beers this week, but I’m kinda working off a hangover. Me and the wifey listed to some vinyl and had a nice Irish Coffee then killed two bottles of wine, and went to Grey Goose icy shots, ugh, just starting to feel reasonably normal. I went back to bed for a few hours so the worst of it I slept thru. Game time and a beer in a few hours.

 

Thank you for the start @lordofthewiens ! I started playing golf about 25 years ago. Never had a hole in one, but have come close once or twice on a short 120 yard par 3. With young kids I don't play much nowadays, but enjoy a couple rounds a months for work related events during the Summer. I do look forward to playing more in the future, hopefully with my kids if they are interested. For now, I am content if I shoot in the low 90's. It is the handful of good shots per round that keep me coming back for more torture.

Onto the beer! Coming at you today with a couple new growlers that I purchased yesterday at Twin Elephant Brewing Company in Chatham, NJ. First up to today is an IPA, which I do not fully review much nowadays.



Look: The beer pours a pale gold, opaque and murky color. The head is off white, and seems to struggle forming a bit. Probably attributable to the packaging. Some streaks of lacing as I drink the beer. An attractive NEIPA.

Smell: Really nice burst of hops here. Catty, piney, tropical and stone fruit, like pineapple and peach. Some lemon rind and pith.

Taste: I don't drink a ton of Twin Elephant beers, but I notice a trend that their NEIPA are relatively dry. This observation is not a complaint. And a rather welcome one considering how these beers can often be way too sweet. The Simcoe is present here, but not over the top. Some catty and grassy notes. Gentle notes of tropical fruit, but the first two shine. Lemon pith and rind. A touch floral as well. The beer doesn't taste like cat piss smells, but it has hints of that element.

Feel: Low carbonation, but still a bit prickly on the palate. I think this feeling could also result from the dry profile.

Overall: This beer is really nice. Most IPA's that I drink nowadays are not under 7%. I think one's palate must adjust to a beer like this when regularly drinking 8% - 10% DIPA, especially when some of those have lactose in them. I would recommend this beer for anyone who enjoys Simcoe hops.

4.06/5 rDev +0.7% (Only two ratings including mine)
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

 

Starting my Sunday with Sand City Faded To Jade, thank you @beerloserLI for this.

4.29/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

That you BeerLoserLI for this
16 oz can poured into a tulip

A- A hazy golden straw with a two finger white head.

S-Citrus, limes, some grapefruit, tropical fruits, pineapple, some melons, a little dank and piney.

T- Citrus, limes, grapefruit, pineapple, touch of touch, piney finish, dank.

M- Smooth, medium body.

O- A very nice NEIPA, easy to drink and I really enjoy the balance the bitterness brings to it.

Cheer NBS, and @superspak glad to hear you are looking to take care of yourself and I wish you the best!

 

Wishing you all the best going forward. BTW, what kind of 7-string guitar do you have. I've played an Ibanez Steve Vai 7-string and liked it a lot.

 

Barrier w/ Interboro - Strictly Business

This NEIPA is a murky, yellow-ish grapefruit juice looking beer. Great head. Velvety texture. tastes of dough, muted orange, a touch of mango and a bit of chalk. Quite nice for this type of beer.

 

Have you ever had their "House Ale," which is the only one that I recall seeing on the shelves here?

 

I'm fond of golf too, having started on the hilly courses near Pittsburgh in 3rd grade; playing with my father and grandfather. We later moved to North Jersey. My first job other than cutting grass was as a caddy at age 14, which entitled me to a free 9-holes each week at the country club that we weren't members of. I also played on the golf team of my high school. Practice each Monday was at this same club for another 9 holes each week.

I stopped playing when I went to college for two reasons; no money and much time spent playing guitar.

Here it is many decades later and I'm still playing guitar and to a lesser extent, golf. After being gone from the Pittsburgh area since 3rd grade, I purchased and moved into a house this summer 10 miles from Pittsburgh that has public 18 and 9 hole courses within walking distance of my house. The fees are very reasonable, the courses very hilly like in my childhood; and the proximity makes it easy to play when I'm not traveling, hiking or playing guitar. I think when I retire, I'll play more golf but in the meanwhile, I'm glad to get some rounds in now and again.

Today is no day for golf but I did take a 7-mile hike in the 2,000 acre park that surrounds the golf course. I've been back for a little while, warming up and sampling the following brew:

Buxton Brewery - Rain Shadow



Had this from a 12oz bottled 2017-11-05. My overall rating = 4.08

A - Impenetrable dark brown with a 1.5-finger light brown head and decent lace.

S - Rich, semi-sweet chocolate. Espresso latte. Toffee, fig, smoke and a little char. Very appealing

T - Dark roasted grain, bitter chocolate milk, dates, figs, burnt caramel, toasted rye bread. Earthy spice and a dry, roasted bitter finish. I could have used a tad more sweetness in the finish.

M - Medium-heavy body and light carbonation. Astringent.

O - An enjoyable, roasty stout made for sipping on a cold day by the fire.

 

River Roost Martian Moon House DIPA

Been lucky to try some great new IPAs this week. This one from @jhavs is no exception.

It pours a cloudy light banana color with two fingers of yellow-tinted head. The head has good retention and leaves thick, sloppy lacing.

The beer has a sweet aroma of pineapple, peach and grapefruit.

It’s a lot less sweet tasting. The same fruit juice shows up front, but it’s cut by a moderately strong herbal bitterness that lingers in the aftertaste.

The feel is creamy and thick-bodied with good carbonation.

This is a great beer. The herbal bitterness makes it very drinkable. Much appreciated, Jon.

Shout out, too, to @superspak and @cavedave. All the best, gents. There are much more important things in life than beer — something I could remind myself a bit more often.

 

Very nice. I've got a guitar sitting next to me right now. I've been noodling on it while casually watching football. Bet yours sounds good through that Digitech pedal. I had one of those.

 

Not yet, the owner of one of our locals gets a few shipments a year of mixed European (mostly Belgium) stuff through a special deal with an out of area distributor. Sometimes Traquair House in in the mix and that brand is now on my radar.

 

I agree with your assessment. I reviewed the 2019 CBS for a recent NBS. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

Hey what's going on everyone?! (cue edit post .. give me a sec)

I am busy cause it is BOTTLING DAY! oh yeah fun... Actually after some much times doing it, I got a routine that works out. Cranking the stereo on shuffle really makes it happen too.

Well with that said I have to have a beer when it's brew/bottling day right? Alright!

What's new for our hero today...



Poured from the can into a Bruery tulip glass.

Faint fleeting off mocha to tan colored head, with thin bubbles. A bit of snappy carbonation just slightly as it dissolves, to leaving barely a faint collared ring. Body color is classic stout darkness of nearly black, but seems to actually hint of red strangely to my eyes.

Real nice aroma. Hints of light smoke strangely and more classic barrel tones of wood and sap. Faint tangy hints of chili heat, giving to a green pepper like warmth. Real nice hinting dark chocolate as well in the mix, a sort of ganache thick liquid quality that's got only a hint of sweetness.

The palate hits real nicely. Excellent warmth and a quality of superb flavors. First sip hits a light brandy warmth of intense dark fruit, followed by excellent dark cacao nibs and light carob with a Mexicano angle. Some of the barrel notes and roundness seems a little washed away but the flavors still manage to come through real nicely. Light pepper heat, green like chili but with a soothing warmth that isn't harsh.

Love the chocolate and spices angle on this, it goes into plum and dark berried to grape fruity tones. Only the roundness and depth of the barrel is missing and I wish it translated more, but can't complain. Great stuff.

Cheers!

look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5 | BA Generated 4.36

 

Great Divide Mexican Chocolate Yeti, 9.5% ABV. Pours thick and black, with an incredible four-finger brown head on a careful pour, left sticky film. After the head settled I packed the entire stovepipe in the glass with a 1/4" to spare. Nose is chocolate, vanilla, coffee, and peppers, taste follows with a slight sweetness, some pepper heat, and not much bitterness. Excellent smooth and thick mouthfeel, overall outstanding.

4.37/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Nice 52 degree Fall day, so we're grilling lunch and supper, and we put up Christmas decorations. Not holiday, Christmas. Now we can watch da' Bears lose while we look forward to the Packers playing tonight.

 

Allagash river trip
...cloudy yellow /orange appearance
...medium body with about medium prickly carbonation
...aroma is orange,lemon,citrus peel,sugary orange/white grape juice,floral and a little pine
... taste doesnt stray too far from what the aroma hinted at except for an immediate burst of bitterness as soon as it hits the tongue. Theres a citrus,citrus oil taste that lingers
... this felt like a hybrid of different styles but it was well done and enjoyable

 

A-Pours a dark brown color with a generous head and lacing
A-Aroma has maple syrup, cinnamon and vanilla hints
T-The taste follows the nose with a maple syrup, cinnamon and vanilla flavor
M-A medium bodied well carbonated beer
O-A decent Brown Ale

 

NBS x2. Going with a local offering that simply screams complimentary perfection to today's cold, dreary, grey day. Supposed to lighten and warm up a bit, but until then, this is one very welcomed beer.

Little Beast
Fólkvangr- Dark Norwegian-Style Ale





Already a beauty. The darkest of browns with toasted chestnut and ruddy red highlights.
Clarity is actually hard to distinguish but looks pretty clean nonetheless. A slightly off white foam above lazily descends into a light surface coverage and spider web spotty lacing.

The aroma is quite simple and to be perfectly honest, quite magical and comforting. Nothing but burnt bread crusts. I mean it. Earthy, toasty, bready goodness. It smells like something you'd want to drink, or even eat, on a cold and unforgiving day.

Delicious. Lightly toasted coffee and charred bread. A light berry shines in the background with an herbal-sweet, almost spruce tip like finish.

The texture is where this really shines. It's rich, creamy, and full feeling while still being superbly drinkable. A slick and oily finish is the perfect compliment to a well balanced, roast-bittered forward beer.

On a grey, foggy, cold day like today, I could drink this forever. Its simplicity is comforting. It's warming and filling, unpretentious, and most importantly delicious. A true winner from Little Beast.

After my official review, Fólkvangr gets 4.5s across the board. Sköl!

 

A-Pours a very nice clear golden color with a slight head and lacing
A-Aroma has malt, cane sugar and yeast hints
T-The taste follows the nose with a malt, cane sugar and yeast flavor
M-A light bodied well carbonated beer
O-A decent Belgian Strong Ale