New Beer Sunday (Week 776)

Good afternoon and happy New Bier Sunday, BAs. Not a lot going on today, so time to enjoy some generosity. First up courtesy of @Beersnake1 :

Brauerei Ganter-
Magisch Dunkel





Magisch Dunkel is absolutely gorgeous in the glass. The deepest toasted chestnut brown color is only elevated when light reveals the perfect shade of garnet red edges. The body is clean and the off-white head above sits just right as it's continuously supported by small streams of tiny bubbles. Unfortunately, time gets the best of it, as there is no retention or lacing in the long run.

The unpretentious aromas are simple and classic. Freshly baked then lightly toasted rustic landbrot, with sides of smokey fig jam and caramel. There's a light herbal spice in the finish that brings a well rounded balance of scent.

(My first sip transports me right back to an afternoon in Bamberg that I shared with the Frau nearly 10 years ago. A small biergarten adjacent to St. Michaelsberg Abbey where I enjoyed my first taste of what would become one of my favorite beers, Bayreuther Aktien Landbier. A Fränkisch Dunkel that I still crave, but can no longer readily acquire.) Sorry, I got off track.... The flavor mirrors the aroma nearly perfectly. It starts with a mild berry jam transitioning into a slather over toasted bread. Burnt, smokey caramel take stage for a quick scene before handing the torch over to a spicy and herbal finish.

The overall feel is quite light perhaps even a bit watery. Despite this, it had wonderful balance and superb drinkability. The sweet, smokey, toasty, and herbal qualities dance very well together making this just a pleasure to drink.

Dunkel lagers seem harder and harder to come by these days, especially well made German offerings. As mentioned above, just a pleasure. The only negative is how this has to be a one and done. I would gladly enjoy this by the truck load.

Another big thanks to Tim for a Bier I would have likely never crossed paths with. Prost!

After my official review, I gave Magisch Dunkel a rating of 4.14 with an rDev of +8.9%.

 

Bell’s - Leaves Of Grass IV: To A Locomotive In Winter - Smoked Porter

For some reason, a bunch of newish Bell’s beers have been coming to NJ and CT but ignoring the NY area between them. It’s been driving me crazy seeing other folks post about these beers on past NBS threads. I decided to make a detour into CT yesterday to fix this. Here is one result (and I’ll feature the other result later today).

If this beer was a seasonal, I’d probably get it each year… but it’s a one-off. It’s opaque black with reddish highlights. Nice head and slick body with low carbonation in the beer. Tastes of smoke, roast and bitter chocolate. For a smoked porter, this isn’t a case of painting outside the lines, but a case of painting with the right colors and shade. I’ll really enjoy drinking the sixer.

@TongoRad

 

And now you've got me in the mood for nachos but I won't be able to go there.

 

Ooh, nice to see that it's finally available around here. I'll definitely be checking it out. Thanks!

I also have ribs in the oven, if that helps .

 

New Beer #3
Anderson Valley distribution is spotty here, so I grabbed a single of this one when I found it

The review:
12oz undated can poured into a tulip pint glass at fridge temp 5.7% ABV per can. The beer pours dense black with only a hint of light penetration and short lived khaki head. The head recedes to a thin ring and a few bubbles. The aroma is sharp, almost ashy roasted malt with just a hint of dark chocolate. The taste follows with ashy, very dark roasted malt followed by some tangy, almost fruity (berry, cherry etc.) flavor before it simply slips away without any real fanfare. Moderate bitterness is minimized by the tangy edge. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with average carbonation and a dry finish. Overall, good. I don't mind a little tangyness in a stout, but I don't care for it front, center and throughout.

If memory serves, I enjoyed my last 6er of Trader Joe's oatmeal stout better than either of the two I've had today. I need to stop in on my next trip through Indy.

Outdoor Christmas decorations are safely stowed in the attic and I even vacuumed up a couple bags of leafs around the house. I may have another new beer in me yet today. Time will tell. Cheers!

 

@zid
Distribution on this series has been the strangest that I have seen. We've been getting bottles six to eight weeks old on each edition (not normal for Bell's here). I'm waiting to pick up a six pack of the porter, and it's hit here on draft weeks ago, but not one six pack in town. I wonder how well it's selling overall? We still have II and III on shelves everywhere here.

 

Please stop.

You can't totally trust their beer finder, so before trekking to Connecticut, I went to a NY store that I figured would have it if it was available anywhere around me... and they only had Leaves Of Grass I. I still think there's a chance that my area will get these beers very late, but I hope it's not a sign of what's to come for the rest of the series.

 

Bell’s - This One Goes To 11

Here’s the other Bell’s beer that I had to go to another state to buy. The name is a reference to one of the most quotable movies ever. Today, a beer like this will be marketed as an “imperial red IPA” (as this one is), but in my weird world, this 11% beer is a barley wine (the ABV ties into the name). But I’m also stretching things a little bit when I say “today” because this beer feels old-fashioned by today’s craft beer standards. (It was first brewed in 2012... I give them credit for doing a release these days.)

The name fits because this is a beer that forces drinkers to pace themselves. It’s a gorgeous bright clear red. Nice lacing. It’s big, sticky, sweet and hoppy. Tastes of caramel, honey, orange, pine and radicchio. Almost an abrasive finish. This is the kind of beer that craft beer drinkers would give to their non-craft-drinking friends five to ten years ago just to see them make that “how can you drink this stuff” face, and then you say "These go to eleven."

 

Good first 2020 Sunday afternoon, New Beer Samplers and commentators. And thank you, @woodychandler for hosting today. It's been a frenetic holiday season. As always happens, some of my end-of-year project were pushed into January and it promises to be a busy month - but hopefully a calmer one without the holidays. My review today (only one since I'm trying to drink less) is Ultra Strata, a NEIPA brewed by Source Farmhouse Brewery in Colts Neck (Monmouth County), New Jersey. This brewery opened in Summer 2019 to much fanfare. It's obviously well-capitalized. The space is beautiful they they've brewed very good beer from day one. As its name suggests, Ultra Strata is a single-hopped New England IPA, and a very good one with a nice balance of melon, tart citrus, and herbal, cannabis notes from the Strata. LIke all the Source offerings I've had, the mouth feel is really nice. Source is a little out-of-the way for regular stops but I'm already looking forward to the next one. Here's my review:

4.29/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Canned on 12/30/2019. Poured into a pint glass. It pours a cloudy, golden-tangerine color with a large, fluffy, bright white cap and thick, clinging lacing. Lots of citrus on the nose: lemon, lime, grapefruit, along with sweeter melon notes and pine needles. It's very fragrant. The taste opens with cantaloupe melon on the tip of the tongue and tart lemon and grapefruit toward the back of the palate. There is also the unmistakable herbal and cannabis influences of the Strata hops. It's not overly bitter but there is a dash of pepper and spice at the finish. The balance between sweet and tart is outstanding. This ale has a delightful mouth feel - plush and creamy - with a pleasant level of carbonation, and while the 8% ABV gives it good substance it nevertheless drinks very easily. Overall, Ultra Strata really showcases the single hop with excellent results. This is a first rate NEIPA from a newly-opened brewery. I recommend it highly.

I hope you're all enjoying your new beer(s) today. Cheers, NBS!

 

NBSx2. Ecliptic is the brain child behind long time master and famed brewer, John Harris. While his beers are well decorated, they get little attention on the broader scale but are locally accepted as well made, tasty, affordable, and consistent offerings. Up next is the latest seasonal from one of the most local-to-me breweries.

Ecliptic
Meridian Vanilla Stout- Dry Irish Style Stout with Vanilla





Bordering pitch black with mirroring clarity, Meridian is a proper looking stout. Capped by a creamy espresso like tan foam that persists very well, leaving behind ring after ring of sticky lace.

Smells right proper too, with a huge roast presence. Dark coffee and burnt brown sugar with a mineral water/ metallic finish accompanied by a savory herbal tone.

Heavy once again on the roasty qualities with burnt bread coming before dark chocolate. Vanilla goes unnoticed just as in the aroma. But as indicated by the aroma, each sip ends with that classic English and Irish iron metallic taste. As it warms, a mild cola like blend of spices seems to creep through.

All char and bitter ends leaves little room for sweetness from this full flavored and full bodied session beer. But the key to any Dry Irish Stout is to be just that. Dry. And this one finishes exceptionally so.

Though the advertised vanilla seems to lack a presence, this is still quite a well made stout and fits the style appropriately. Perfect rainy day sipper here. Now excuse me while I have another, and drop the needle on my favorite Pogues album.

After my official review I gave Meridian a rating of 4.06.

Slainté!

 

Playing Donkey Kong 64. Don't think I've played it before, I did not own it on the real system. I will be playing a lot of ROMs moving forward for sure.


Mikkeller SD Murk & Honey. Fantastic NEIPA. Lasting fluffy head retention/thick foamy lacing the whole glass. Aromas and flavors of big tangerine, orange juice, grapefruit, lemon, peach, pear, pineapple, apricot, passion fruit, mango, honeydew melon, coconut, berries, red apple, citrus peel/zest, wood, peppercorn, and pine hops; with moderate wheat, white bread dough, honey, biscuit, light toasted malts; and herbal, floral, grassy hop earthiness. Light pine, citrus peel/rind, herbal, floral, woody, grassy, peppery bitterness on the finish. Medium carbonation and medium-plus body; balanced creamy/bready/grainy malts, and sticky/resinous/rindy hops in the mouthfeel. Light-moderate increasing bitter dryness, no hop astringency. Very smooth/soft, not aggressive, minimal warming 6.8%%. Feels like all Sabro hops. Extremely juicy, vibrant, and fairly dank/earthy hops; with a nice sized honey, and wheat/oat/malt backbone. Light residual sweetness with lingering resin dryness. Spot on stuff as usual with Mikkeller. Glad I got the 4 pack. 4.26


Cheers

 

Poured into a 13 oz tulip glass not sure when it was canned. Pours a clear straw yellow with a solid finger sticky white head that leaves loads of lace with nice retention. 4.25

Smell is ripe melon, apricot, mango, pine, and some grapefruit rind. 4.25 Thanks @tasterschoice62 for this one.

Taste follows honey dew, mango, upfront with pine, apricot, and grapefruit in the bold yet balanced finish. 4.25

Mouthfeel is big, plenty of life, a touch dry and sticky, and at 9.3% extremely easy drinking. 4.25

Overall I like visiting my old roots and this is a nice balanced in your face DIPA. 4.25

 

Boston Mountain Brewing's Paifica Pale Ale, 5.9% ABV, 38 IBUs. I'd say its about a 3.7 overall

I just added this as a place yesterday, so its not in the database yet

Poured from the howler; an effervescent amber with 2 fingers of ivory colored head. Nice lacing & head retention 4.25

S: Pine & citrus, some breadyness 3.25

T: Bready with piney notes, dryness up front. More pine & biscuitty malt as it warms, plus dryness. Finishes dry, piney with some cakeyness & just a touch of orange 3.75

MF: Medium body, firm carbonation, good balance 3.75

Easy drinker but not a world changer by any means 3.75

 

Seriously. What @zid said!

 

NBSx3. Sticking with a darker theme to match the weather and my mood today.

Great Notion
Double Fudge Coconut Brownie



I'm already nervous as I start to pour. I'm used to beers with a lack of carbonation (looking at you Hair of the Dog), but in this case it's just not as comfortable. Adjusting the hand with a bit more vigor, the pitch black and clean body manages to amass a minimal tanned foam above. Regardless to say, it disappears in a flash leaving no cap and zero lacing.

Initially, the aroma is very harsh. Alcohol with a chocolate blast. As I give it some time after walking away from it for a bit, I dive the nose back in to retrieve an obvious "fudgy" chocolate. Coffee and toasted coconut bits follow closely behind, but there's still a bit of that alcohol sting.

As was the first sniff, first sip was equally as harsh. Just a mess of booze and ambition. But, as I always tend to do, I gave it another chance. It became chocolatey, the coconut obvious. Roasty elements linger, but the booze is just too distracting.

It's rich and sweet and sticky. Honestly, it's a chore to get through each sip. The alcohol is relentless and unforgiving.

Let it be known that I am quite the big fan of Great Notion, but this just may be the worst beer I've had from this source. It's simply a mess of flavors with an intensity that is too difficult to endure.

After my official review, I gave Double Fudge Coconut Brownie a rating of 3.25 with an rDev of -17.3%. Hopefully it was just a bad can.

Cheers.

 

Great start! Thanks for hosting today.

 

Traquair Jacobite - A Scotch Ale (Wee Heavy) from a Scottish brewer!
ABV: 8.0%
IBU: 23



Bottle is stamped with a BB date of 28 Mar 2026, code is L6063 11:11, - a POX on date codes! - I GUESS this code to mean day 63 of 2016 or a March 3, 2016 bottling date, so perhaps still a bit green!

Aroma is dark fruits, plums, raisins, with the aroma promising sweet malts.

Appearance is a dark black-brown from the front, and a clear dark ruby with a back light. Topped with a 1/2 inch tan head with large bubbles, which fades quickly to a cap with a bubbly center island and a ring. Over time becoming just the ring. Then nothing. Sheets and strings of lacing as you drink that slip a down the side of the glass into the ring.

Taste reflects the aroma: plums, raisins, a bit earthy, sweet caramel. A subdued bitterness is present in the middle, but has faded completely by the finish. The coriander is subtly present, as is the oak. (NB: this beer is not aged in oak barrels; it is fermented in oak barrels!) The flavors play off of each other in a wonderful way, with the plums and caramel remaining on the tongue in the aftertaste. You notice the alcohol warmth, but only just. The finish is sweetish, but not overly so.

Feel is mellow and smooth, with a moderate to thick body.

Overall, a delicious Scotch Ale, with a superb complexity of flavors and very well balanced.


L: 4.25 | S: 4.5 | T: 4.5 | F: 4.0 | O: 4.25 | BA rating: 4.39