New Beer Sunday (Week 781)

Restless Nights, 7.5% bourbon barrel-aged coffee porter with bourbon barrel-aged beans...

Boulevard and Modern times collab - decent enough - cocoa and coffee are bittersweet and the barrels dry things out nicely... Some sweet vanilla and molasses sweeten the coffee, but do not overshadow the drier, roastier flavor elements... Medium-bodied, softly carbonated, nice lingering bittersweet roast on the finish...

Best by canning of 04/08/20...

Here's to new beer in your glass, cheers...

 

Today’s new beer is Funky Buddha’s “Mocha Smuggler”, a Whiskey BA Imperial Milk Porter (11.2%, 50 IBUs), released at the brewery December 7, 2019, with (per website) limited release thereafter. Made with cacao nibs, coffee and vanilla. Sounds a lot like “Nib Smuggler” released fall 2017 that was not BA...






Poured at 53 degrees, a thin incomplete cinnamon brown fizzy cap sits atop a black with reddish brown edges liquid; no retention and thin ring disappears quickly; micro dots of lace and medium plus legs present upon swirl. Vanilla, whiskey, chocolate, roasted coffee beans nose; some booze on the retro nasal. Taste is sweet chocolate up front, followed by vanilla and caramel; layers of bitter roast coffee and phenolic booze add depth in the middle; bitter sweet dark chocolate, sweet chocolate and vanilla on the back end. Full minus body, not syrupy like some FB Stouts; slightly hot from the 11.2%; lite carbonation; lite dry barrel tongue coating finish. Overall, I like boozy beers and this fits the bill; as advertised, I taste cocoa, vanilla, coffee and whiskey; it’s not cloying and the bitter roast coffee and booze helps keep the whole in balance; the body is lightish (hey, it’s a Porter) the feel is smooth and dry - very easy drinking for the abv, and definitely not a sipper; in sum, a great release from FB that surprisingly doesn’t scream FB nose and/or body.

4.25 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5

 

@mattcrill filled in for @malty and eventually took over when @malty couldn't accomodate NBS with his schedule. I think he was a part time DJ if memory serves, and he asked me to fill in for him a few times before asking me to take over here permanently when he couldn't fulfill his duties. I worked weekends at that time and worried I would also not be a reliable host, so I suggested that NBS should have a co-host, and that is how Maria was chosen to co-host with me.

Hard to imagine it was such a short time ago that craft beer distro was so poor that we needed a thread to showcase what was available on store shelves across the country and world. Back then BA's took pride in our being the site that reviewed beers honestly and best. It wasn't unusual to exhort people to "...add a review for that beer instead of dissing it in the forums." That was the guiding principle of BA, to be that better site for beer knowledge.

NBS was designed to improve our ability to review beers, with the idea that being able to understand what we like about beer by reviewing it makes it easier for us to more consistently find beer we love to drink. This is such a simple and excellent idea that it amazes me to see how far from the idea our new beer culture drifts. But NBS continues, and is as popular as ever it is good to see. Hopefully it remains as vibrant, and long lasting enough for me to resume my "membership" if I am able to resume beer drinking at some point. So far things are looking positive for it, am working harder at this than I can express, but there are many miles yet to travel for me on the road back to sustainable health.

Cheers NBS!

 

My first post in this thread. This weekend has been full of a lot of new offerings to me. Just a few pics. Ratings are up on most of these.

 

Great to hear from you and happy that your health is improving.

 

Thanks for joining in. It would be great for you to post a link to the beer reviews.

 

Boom!!

 

Dammit will def do that next time. The 15 minute window expired before I could add them in an edit.

 

I have no facts, but your made-up history sounds right. As to your questions, I suppose I'm an outlier in today's craft beer universe.

Very, very few. I will always buy a 4 or 6 pack, or a sample box rather than a single.

None. (Well, one. See below)

Of the few singles I have purchased, it has mostly been due to availability, and, rarely, price (that is, the price is high, but I decide to take a flyer anyway).

Almost all of my purchases are at a liquor store rather than at the brewery, so that certainly influences things. I can see trying a one-and-done at a brewery. In fact, as I hinted above, I once did a one (or two) sips and done at a restaurant, but I suspect that was more on the lack of care by the establishment than the beer itself - dirty lines, perhaps.

I really fail to understand those who are afraid of the possibility of having too many of the same beer. For me, I've way, way, way more often wished I had a few more (e.g. more than the 3 that come in a sample box) than regretted I bought so many.

I enjoy going back to a new beer a day or so later to taste it again, comparing things to my previous notes. It is after that that I will post a review. (NBS thread excepted... here you get the "benefit" of my first tasting notes! )

 

Nice pics...care to favor us with review or three?

 

Thanks Doc, systolic is down 120 points and into reasonable territory, diastolic reasonably improved, actually had to put some weight back on lol. This is with the help of meds and a stupid strict diet and exercise program. Breakfast today was steamed beets and snow peas with raw garlic clove, half avocado, and lime juice. Walked 8 miles y'day with elevation rise of 920 feet. I avg. six miles a day and 500 ft. elev. Can't wait for a time I can just have a beer when I feel like it. Still believe I will get to that day. We'll see. Until then...

 

And from which to retire. I was a REALLY outta-CANtrol alcoholic in SoCAL, bitter about losing my so-called shore duty to a test ship, vaguely born-again homesick & looking into a death-spiral. When my detailer (CANother piece-o'-shite c**t) offered up DG, I jumped on it. I spent 30 days of in-transit leave getting as far into the bag as possible before spending three-plus days getting there. Upon arrival, I announced that I was a clean drunk & spent the entire tour stone sober. POTUS Clinton did me the forever-favor of extending his drawdown/right-sizing/correct-manning program for one more cycle, enabling me to retire at 15.25 vice 20. I have been retired longer (21 years & counting) than I was in! Take that, you statistical actuaries! 8=p I was not in love with DG, but I was in great shape, toned down, slim & I watched several of those sunsets onna beach with honey-honeys.

 

Of course my brother

The Grid Triple Crossing Brewing

A couple of pint cans from a care package sent by my friend from the Richmond area.
Canned on 01/22/20. Served in a pint glass.

Look- Seriously cloudy golden orange juice color, bits of what look like flaked oat sediment dancing in there. A massive creamy colored head that recedes very slowly to a thick rocky cap of foam, tons of sticky lacing. moderate carbonation streams visible.

Smell- Stone fruit (peach/nectarine, apricot, a bit of berries), citrus (orange/tangerine, grapefruit and lemon/lime), tropical fruit (pineapple, mango, guava and passionfruit), dank melon, light green onion and pepper, some grainy malt, pine and grassy/floral notes.

Taste- A bowl of fresh fruit, aromas from the hops translate nicely in to the flavor with minimal residual bitterness.

Feel- Medium/thick bodied with a nice, creamy soft, lightly sweet finish. Medium/light carbonation on the tongue.

O- Coming from the left coast, this blows my mind. West coast breweries need to take notes because this is a seriously wonderful take on a NE hazy DIP. Thanks again to vabeerguy for sending this to me. Killer brew right here.

Nightmare Mancuerda

A couple of two week old pint cans picked up at Seattle's 'Beer Authority' owner could barely walk because he slipped and fell in last week's snow, needs knee surgery, anyway the beer. Dating looks like HAL2000 code in this lighting.

the beer itself, almost identical to original Juicy Fruit gum, but carbonated and in in liquid form. Coming from the West coast this is my first experience with this brewery. Juicy and sweet in a good way.

Not worth the $6 a pint can price tag but absolutely delicious and aromatic.

Will I pay that much again in an area full of cheaper glorious offerings? No. But for Birthdays or Thanksgiving/Christmas, maybe
. Not a daily drinker. But really friggin good.


Pelican Our Dankest Hour

Six pack of cans picked up at Total Wine in Lynnwood, Washington.
No dating on the cans. Poured in to a pint glass.

Look- Clear darker amber color, modest off-white/cream colored head that recedes fairly quickly to a thin cap of foam, moderate lacing. Moderate carbonation streaming as it sits.

Smell- Citrus (orange/tangerine and lemon), berries, apricot/peach, pungent weed and melon, caramel malt, resinous pine and floral/herbal notes.

Taste- Follows the nose well, citrus fruits, a bit of the berries, melon and peach, weed, light pine and pepper with a decent malt backbone.

Feel- Medium bodied, crisp with a lingering light bitter finish, pretty nicely balanced. Moderate carbonation on the tongue.

O- A solid PacNW IPA. I've been fairly disappointed with some of Pelican's more recent releases but this one is good. Worth checking out.

 

That was why I went sober. I had already visited in '86/'87 aboard the Crommelin (FFG-37) & knew that if I arrived as a stumbling drunk, I would leave at some point in the tour in a body bag. I might have been a dry drunk, but I kept a LOT of people from making INCREDIBLY bad decisions. I was a hero to many, the one person to whom most could come to without fear of reprisal or repetition of their woes. My third-floor (unheard of for an E-6) door was usually open, my couch (!) was always available & I could generally be found on the balcony with a cigar, a newspaper & a book. I read so much that year that it was astounding.

 

Best post of the day. That is tremendous, Dave!

 

Half Acre Vanilla Big Hugs Imperial Stout w/ coffee. This is brewed with Red Wine Yeast Catuai coffee and Cocoa Catuai coffee liquid and bean from Dark Matter Coffee in Chicago, as well as cocoa beans and pulp and Madagascar vanilla bean. The beer was fermented on the cocoa bean and pulp. Not your typical coffee stout, as the coffee liquid and beans, as well as the cocoa bean and pulp add some different flavors to the beer you wouldn't normally get.

Appearance: Pours a very dark brown to light black color with a two-finger dense mocha head. Not as dark as I thought it would be, but the dense head and retention is wonderful. 3.75

Aroma: As already mentioned, the different types of coffee and the cocoa bean and pulp add some interesting notes to the beer. More fruity aromas than I've ever gotten on a coffee stout. Cranberry, red and black cherry, black currant, bittersweet chocolate chip, dense fudge, dark chocolate bar, roasty gourmet coffee, allspice, and nutmeg. Not really any vanilla detected on the nose. 4.25

Taste: Follows the aroma quite well, bringing cranberry, red and black cherry, red and black currant, dark chocolate fudge, 90%+ dark chocolate bar, slight milk chocolate, allspice, nutmeg, slight cardamom, roasted malt, gourmet coffee, and very slight vanilla. This could have really used a bigger vanilla presence to balance out the roast and bitterness coming from the various coffee and cocoa bean additions. Not as sweet as expected; more bitter, dry, and rustic. No booze detected. 4

Mouthfeel: Medium to high medium body. Slightly creamy and silky, slick. Despite the roast and bitterness, it's pretty smooth for 10%. 3.75

Overall: An enjoyable and unique coffee stout. Both Half Acre and Dark Matter coffee are pretty experimental and this beer captures that adventurous side of them well. My only complaints are that the beer is a touch thin and could use more vanilla. I added some vanilla extract on my own, which balanced and enhanced the beer in my opinion. Good stuff. 4.02