New Beer Weekend #4

Belated Happy Anniversary!

 

I was originally planning on another IPA for my second new beer of the weekend, but I opted for something (presumably) lighter instead.

Bitburger / Sierra Nevada Triple Hop'd Lager

Can stamped
2021 01 27
2020 01 28 08:33

So, at nearly 8 months from canning, getting a bit long in the tooth for a hoppy beer. But, given my COVID19-influenced buying habits, I just noticed it on the online ordering form for one of the liquor stores I frequent. IDK when it (finally) arrived in MN. My guess would be within the last month or so. But, not having personally browsed the shelves since March, it may have been sooner.

ABV: 5.8%
IBU: 30



Mild aroma, citrusy aroma, lemon, floral and grass.

Tall white head atop a clear yellow-gold beer with a slight chill haze and moderate rising bubbles. Head retention is OK (recedes within 4-5 minutes) with spotty lacing.

Taste is quite hoppy, both is flavor and in bitterness. The initial flavors are lemon and floral, nicely balanced by somewhat bready malts. The hops and malts flavors carry through into the finish and aftertaste. The bitterness builds in the middle and grows from there, resulting in a fairly bitter aftertaste.

Feel is smooth, slightly effervescent, with a moderate body.

Overall, a nice drinking, nicely hoppy lager. Quite bitter (for a German lager). I enjoyed it. Too bad Bitburger's wide-area distribution has been so dragged out.


L: 3.75 | S: 3.5 | T: 4.0 | F: 3.75 | O: 3.75 | Rating: 3.79

 

That's White Russians for me, but even typing that still makes me shudder

We are of like minds....today is the first day in several months that has felt like a good day to drink a stout here in CT

 

Bentonville Brewing's Hill & Holler Amber Lager, 5.2% ABV; 3.63 overall

Pours an effervescent orangey amber with 2 fingers of sandy colored head. Zero head retention & lacing

S: Toasty and a little brown sugar once warm

T: Toasty, dry, some grassy notes up front. A touch of caramel mixes in with toastyness, grassyness and a little bit of woody hops as this warms. Finishes grassy, toasty with some dryness

MF: Medium body, dialed back carbonation, pretty good balance

Drinks easy enough, I need more depth of flavor to be a repeat buyer of this

 

Next new beer for me this weekend is from an old closed local brewery from around here, Mystic. Right now I'm trying a fernet-inspired farmhouse ale with herbs and spices, brewed in collaboration with a Greater Boston restauranteur and chef Jamie Bissonnette, called Fernetical.


No date on the bottle but I think this is from 2016. I am not very familiar with fernet, I have heard of it but don't think I ever tried it. This is definitely a unique and interesting beer that is hard to pinpoint all of the characteristics or ingredients used. I shall do my best to try and decipher it's current characteristics into word.

First off, this beer is 11% abv. Pours a cloudy hazy dark maroon red brown with some sediment falling to the bottom, and little to no off-white foam head. Smells minty and refreshing, like menthol, savory herbs, oregano, toasted bready malt, rich dark caramel, clove, black cardamom, cinnamon, sweet spices, roasty chocolate, brown sugar, anise, fennel, dark dried fruit, cola, and some earthy herbal floral pine notes. Tastes really unique, tart, minty, dark and malty with some spices, menthol, slightly tart dried fruits, toasted bready caramel malt, roasty chocolate, brown sugar, dried dark fruit, red grape, savory herbs, sweet spices, oregano, dried parsley, clove, black cardamom, cinnamon, anise, fennel seed, cola, with earthy herbal floral bitterness. Feels medium lighter bodied, slick and smooth with low carbonation. Overall a real nice and interesting fernet-inspired ale. Nice aperitif/digestif.

Besides this beer I have seen one other fernet inspired beer, from Forbidden Root. This is pretty nice, definitely unusual with the mintiness and herbal spices. This is unlike any other beer I've had I think, most similar to some other herb/spice beers but with different qualities. Mystic knew how to make some complex interesting brews, a lot of classic Belgian styles, farmhouse ales and wild beers, barrel fermented, etc. I'm down to my last few bottles now from Mystic unfortunately. They are dearly missed. Cheers everyone, hope you are enjoying what's in your glass today.

 

Truth be told, that's what I do to. I'm no certified cicerone; not even a trained BJCP judge. I just use the style definitions filtered through my experience.

 

Love Fox farm. Ashlawn farms is an eighth of a mile from my office go there all the time.

 

Rather than rating as if it were supposed to be a proper "blonde ale", I think it's better to rate it for what it is or what the brewer is going for, which isn't a traditional blonde ale, it is an imperial golden ale with lactose, vanilla, coffee and chocolate (maybe they should've just used the fake "golden stout" moniker).

 

Howdy NBW! That's definitely gonna take a while for me to get used to... I still want to call it NBS, but I must digress. Today I have a few new and interesting beers, several of which I'll be splitting with a lady I just started dating recently. She's a big fan of the sour and tart side of beer, so a couple will be in that vein, but I may have a flavored stout on order too if we're feeling up to it.



One important thing she and I have in common is that we are both passionate about social justice and equality for people of color, so this beer seemed like a no-brainer to pick up. Finback started this project as a way to bring together like-minded breweries fighting for social change and have already pledged $10k towards a new non-profit "with the mission of engaging the brewing industry and people of color to work on issues of diversity, inclusivity and equality for the long term." Sounds admirable to me. I bet Founders et al could serve to benefit from this Anyway, how's the beer?

Well, it's a Citra/Mosaic double NEIPA canned less than two weeks ago, and Finback's the brewery so I'm just gonna assume it's really freaking good. It topples out of the can as an utterly-opaque, somewhat ugly and unsightly beer with a muddy complexion and very little head or retention whatsoever. No lacing either. No legs. Yeah, this isn't great looking or inspiring. Hm.

The nose definitely makes things feel a little more appreciable. This is a freaking Citra/Mosaic bomb if the scent is any indication. It's absolutely chock-full of bright blueberry, tangerine, pomelo, guava, and mango juiciness with a heavy-handed dank aspect just positively dripping from my first brush with it. Holy hell guys, this is saturated. I'm super ready for what this has in store for me.

Alright, so we all know what Citra and Mosaic typically do when used in tandem, but this one actually feels slightly different than a lot of other IPAs I've had with this combo. I actually pick up a lot of hoppy qualities typically attributed to Galaxy and Simcoe in here, for example... the pine element is backended by a huge grapefruit flavor with a follow-through of passion fruit and extreme leafy grassiness. There's even a bit of spice in here, too. There's so much saturation and intense hop character here, but the bitterness and hop burn is quite restrained, which I appreciate, as I've had some super-hoppy Finback beers that are just unnecessarily harsh. This is not one of those, but it's definitely really intense anyway. Creamy body and feel with only moderate carbonation and not much in the way of textural graininess (probably very much oat/wheat centric). Only for fans of super-dank and intense strong NEIPAs... this will definitely be up your alley if you fit that bill!

Currently spinning Sleep - Dopesmoker on double LP. Great song... and album

 

After lurking on this thread for 15 years, I suppose I should contribute something.

August Schell Shift Happens No. 2 DDH Lager

From A 16oz can:

Appearance: Hazy gold, huge head.

Smell: Smells oxidized and old despite the can saying it is from early July. It was in a refrigerated case when I bought it, maybe not prior to that?

Taste: Tastes fine, sturdy malt backbone, moderate sweetness, mild citrus and tropical fruits. Heavy syrupy feel that disappears after swallowing, finishes clean.

Overall: Kind of all over the place, for a beer that is supposed to be showcasing hops, it doesn't really do so. It's "interesting", but not really one I'll be rushing to finish the last two in the 4 pack.

 

Whachu got against sour milk, microwaved fish, burnt popcorn, and rotting meat?

#ISO:FT

 

Good Sunday afternoon, New Beer Samplers and commentators. For the first time during this long, hot, bizarre summer, it actually feels like a hint of autumn today; it's cool and damp and I'm wearing a wind breaker. It feels good! I'm not ready for Märzen/pumpkin season quite yet but it's mid-August so it won't be long.

For NBW #1 I'm reviewing Week 208, a DIPA released by one of my favorite breweries, Industrial Arts, to celebrate its 4th anniversary. It was canned on 8/4/2020. It's a straight forward Imperial IPA hopped with Galaxy and Amarillo. As you'd expect from the hop bill, there is lots of orange/tangerine. The mouth feel is superb. For those familiar with Torque Wrench think of it as dryer with more orange. It's really delicious! Here's my full review:

4.43/5 rDev +1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Canned on 8/4/2020. Poured into an Industrial Arts pint glass. It pour a turbid, dirty tangerine color with a generous, foamy, eggshell-colored head and long-lasting spotty lacing. On the nose there is lemon, pineapple, orange, and notes of melon and mint. There is almost no hop presence in the smell. The Amarillo hops are front and center in the bright fresh orange taste that bursts upon the first sip followed by tart lemon and grapefruit and notes of pineapple and peach. There is a hint of pine but it's subtle and the hop bitterness from the Galaxy and Amarillo compliment the fruitiness rather than overwhelming it. It finishes with just a hint of earthy spice. The mouth feel is moderately thick and creamy with a pleasant level of carbonation and the 8.2% ABV gives it a welcome pop. The mouth feel is reminiscent of Torque Wrench but 208 is dryer and more orange forward. This is awfully good drinking and a fitting way to celebrate 4 years of excellent brewing!

This is so good! Congratulations to Jeff O'Neil and his team at Industrial Arts for 4 years of superb beers! Wishing you a fantastic future!

 

Heist Brewery Not From Concentrate and a few of their other beers showed up in South Carolina a few weeks ago. Not From Concentrate used to have a version number and varying hops. These cans have no version number. The description on Untappd says “this IPA is double dry hopped with Citra, Mosaic, Morueka, and Galaxy.”

So it appears that Heist has settled on this hop combination as part of their regular lineup.
I rated this 4.5 as it shares all the good attributes of the Heist hazy IPA's. Penetrating citrus aroma when the can is opened. Very hazy golden straw lacking any particles or other floating matter. Strong, lasting white head and lacing. Citrus and tropical fruit flavors and the light Heist yeast flavor. Soft mouthfeel. Full bodied leaving a strong hop aftertaste. No alcohol heat or hop burn.
If we keep getting fresh cans of this and Citraquench'l all will be well.

 

Wicked Weeds Uncle Ricks Pils. Classic kinda beer, German malts, noble hops, pils malt. Holds it head till the end, not overly anything, it’s perfectly hopped, smooth, so easy drinking, but enough of the Noble to separate, really a nice layer of spiral lacing. This is a simple beer that’s just a great beer. I might have trouble finding it’s equal, I’m no expert by any means but might be as good as a Pils can get without coming close to PA hopping rates, or simple lagers. No idea on the ibus I’d guess 30-32. Just off a six, I haven’t bothered to google it, but really worth the buy in spades. I’m at the end and I still have 1/4 in of nice foam, I really hate when the heads gone at the end.

 

NBW #2. Three Floyds Brewing's LazerSnake. This is my first "new" FFF beer since the brewery resumed distro to New Jersey. I read the recent reviews and they seem to be all over the map. I really like this beer! I'd describe it as an old school English/Southern malt-forward IPA. In fact, I think it's something between an American IPA and a Cream Ale. The "Indiana Malt" is quite sweet and the Bavarian hops are reminiscent of a lager. The spicy bitterness balances the malt sweetness and there is just enough tart lemon. It's crazy drinkable at 7% ABV. I was prepared to be underwhelmed but I wasn't. This is really tasty. Here's my full review:

4.19/5 rDev +3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Canned on 7/18/2020. Poured into a FFF pub glass. It pours a hazy golden color with almost a finger of creamy, milk white head and generous lacing. The smell is reminiscent of a cream ale with lots of grain, along with lemon peel, grapefruit, and spicy hops. The taste is rather unusual, in a good way. It opens with a lot of sweet malt that really does remind me of a cream ale. There is tart citrus and abundant spiciness and a nice bitter bite at the finish. This is really a throw back recipe and it works great! The .mouth feel is creamy with lite/moderate carbonation, and it's readily drinkable at 7% ABV. Overall, this beer ought to have a more quaint name. I'd describe it as an English/malty IPA; almost a pub beer. It's flavorful and super easy to drink with just enough spicy hop bite at the finish to seal the deal. I like this a lot!

Cheers, NBW!

 

Alright, time for my second entry. Finback again, yes, but this one is very different than a hazy DIPA... it's a watermelon/sea salt sour beer clocking in at a somewhat-hefty 6% ABV.



Pours a semi-hazy golden color with a thin head that dissipates immediately. Active carbonation is visible rising from the bottom of my edged tulip glass. Not really a superb pour, but, hey... fruited kettle sour. I don't really expect a lot here.

Nose is, yeah, pretty watermelon-forward. Some lightly funky wheat/sourdough elements and a hint of minerality. A touch of stone fruit (apricot, mostly) notes and maybe even a backing hit of mango-like tropical-ness to punctuate the melon. Cantaloupe and lemon peel as well if I really get my nose in here. Definitely seems authentic, whatever that means.

Flavor profile is pretty much what I expected, but it's quite good. Accurate watermelon flavor, some tangerine, lemon, mango, and apricot with a refreshing finish punctuated by light salty minerality. Quenching and fun. Light body with some decent wheatiness. Finish is a bit syrupy and heavier bodied than expected, but it's also 6% like I mentioned above, so it's not entirely weird. Enjoyable. Would drink again, and the lady likes it too, which is a bonus

 

What a little charmer.

 

Well Hello NBW
I love having the ability to pop in on Saturday, but old habits die hard: I keep coming in only on Sunday. I think it's just because I am SOOO BUSY.
Anyway, hot and humid here And thanks to a surprise box from @FBarber I had something perfect for this weather.
This came in NBS BIF #11...(the BIF without end) even as we are beginning sign ups for NBS BIF #12. Check out our sign up thread below.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/nbs-bif-12-sign-up-thread.645126/page-3#post-7000123

DDH Double Pixel Density by Phase Three

Golden tinged straw in color. Opaque. White head rises and falls leaving a thin film cap. Scattered lacing.
Nose is lush citrus, gentle grass, with a slight zesty lemon note that finishes mildly sweet that reminds me of lemon bars.
Flavor is great but I gotta start with the feel. It is downright fluffy. And that fluff lithely carries a melange of citrus and crackery malt, a soothing creamy sweetness followed by the most subtle herbal note.
Overall, this is a slow build. But damn, it's worth it.
4.19/5 rDev -0.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Great beer. Thanks for sharing, F.

 

This is classified as a brown ale, and the ABV is lower. But I agree with you; for what is marketed as a pastry stout series of beers these have been generally lackluster. And I am a DuClaw fan, which is what made me give this a try.