New Beer Weekend #6

It's been a good weekend. We'll be leaving soon to pick up our grandson at the El Paso airport. In the meantime, there's a new beer to discuss. I'm drinking Alt Nouveau from North Coast Brewing.
It is a visually pretty beer. A cherry amber color with a beige head that retains well.
Not much aroma. A little caramel, a little sweet fruit.
Not much taste either. Faint caramel, some late hops.
Medium-bodied.

 

Last night’s Aslin Stating the Obvious, a Vienna Lager, while watching Star Wars V with my girlfriend.


It’s quite pale for a Vienna, with a a cloudy body.

Taste and smell are muted, especially for what I expect out of Vienna Lagers. Some musty grain, but without the toast or sweetness characteristic for style. Not particularly smooth or crisp.

A middling Vienna, especially for a much-hyped brewery. I’ll stick to Devils Backbone or Great Lakes Elliott Ness.

 

New Sunday Beer #2 - “Lil Nutty Buddy” by Lil Beaver Brewery, Bloomington IL:



An imperial milk stout brewed with chocolate, peanut butter and milk sugar.

Dark brown/black body with flecks of white floaties on top; reddish brown head vanished before I could snap the pic, leaving no cap, ring nor lace; no legs on swirl. Strong peanut butter nose; smells like a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. Semi sweet milk chocolate; tons of peanut butter; tastes just like Reese’s, nothing more, nothing less. Medium plus body; smooth silky feel; moderate minus carbonation; no warmth from 8.9% abv. Overall, a nice sugary stout without being cloying; tons of peanut butter, nothing artificial about the feel or taste; one of the best non barrel aged peanut butter stouts I’ve had to date, although the floaties are a bit off-putting.

3.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.25
Score: 4.34 rDev +10.4%

Thanks again to @basaywhat for this tasty treat from Illinois!

 

Good afternoon NBW, thanks to our host this weekend.
Todays offering is from Suarez Family, we were fortunate to get this on a visit to the
brewery. So very delicate, jsut a beautiful offering in every aspect.
Do good
Be well

Merkel - Morello

Wild Ale | 5% ABV

Suarez Family Brewery
Hudson, New York

4.14/5 rDev -4.8% | Average: 4.35
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured from the 500 ml bottle into the test glass.
A - Garnet colored backdrop, dark enough to hide the incredibly vibrant carbonation. Evidence of the carbonation is the never thick pink frothy cap. Meringue like in texture.
S - Fruit forward, with a lovely mixed culture element, hints toward acidity. A touch of woody tannin in the mix, with cherry skin and fruit leather as well
T - Well, this is delightful, Cherry , oak, a kiss of tannin, a nice spice in the background, the flavors are bend toward Kriek, the difference is on the palate. As the offering warms a bit a lovely earthy grain line appears , Wheat maybe, a touch of spelt?
M - Here the offering excels. so delicate, The nose hints toward acidity, very little, semi sweet a kiss of tannin, Velvety feel, with that super soft froth. The hieght of delighful on the palate. Finish is suprisingly dry, with a lingering fresh cherry notes left on the palate.
O - This is so very good, excellent fruited offering that shows attention to details pays off. Expressive in each aspect, particularly the texture. Worth every effort to enjoy

 

Steel Reserve (Alloy Series) Spiked Tropic Storm. This was very good. Minimal head retention or lacing and expected. Hazy mountain dew color to a T. Aromas and flavors of big lemon, lime, orange, peach, citrus zest, and white sugar syrups; with light herbal/grassy hops. Light herbal. grassy bitterness; and peppery alcohol spiciness on the finish. Medium carbonation and medium-plus body; lightly slick, syrupy, and sticky mouthfeel. Lightly increasing spicy alcohol dryness, no cloying sweetness. mild increasing warmth of 8%. Very drinkable and not overly sweet. I will have to seek out more of these things, they aren't terrible. I have sure done my fair share of macro concoctions. 3.85


Cheers

 

Good morning, NBW! Another Paulaner...this time Oktoberfest Bier.

330ml bottle served in a tulip. Enjoy Best Before 03.21.

Pours clear golden, small, almost nonexistent head. Medium to light carbonation. Smell is rich barley, moderate lager yeast, hint of lemon.

Taste is more lager yeast, definitely some lemon, barley for sure.

Mouthfeel is medium, and maybe a little too still. Overall, it's a pretty good beer, but not inspirational. I liked the other Paulaners this weekend a bit more, I think.

Also, looking at some of the other reviews for this beer, I'm a little puzzled by my beer's small head.

 

Congrats!

 

Hey what's going on!?

Good times man. Keeping it short and simple, been a great weekend... but busy...

Here's what I got new for me... beer fridge is running low!

Aslin Beer - Interlopers



Poured from the can into a teku glass.

Coming out oily and almost thick, hits with a nice solid mocha to tan head that fizzes slowly but surely out. Not even a collar on a wine like body of deep walnut brown, faint rising bubbles, and a big chocolate like look.

Another Aslin stout gangbusters aroma. Big giant amounts of biscotti and cake vanilla and coffee flavors. Deep nutty almond and espresso roast, touches soft milky tones , and a bare hint of fruited blueberry which goes great with the coffee angle. Just stellar stuff.

Palate hits like a fine liqueur. Giant silky mouthfeel with touches of spicy fruited brandy warmth. Lots of deep choclate and spicy cocoa qualities in the mid palate. Giant notes of crisp coffee tones and a wondeful fruity touch. Chewy hits of almond and nutty nougat sticky flavors that just coat your teeth. Port like fruit hits in the finish, and flavors that just hit like a gorgeous powerhouse.

My only complaint, is that it's just a hair too sweet for my tastes. But this is another winner in the stouts for these guys.

look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5 | 4.56/5

Cheers!

 

Happy Sunday all and the continuation of New Beer Weekend. Today I'll be drinking a couple of aged bottles that remind me of spring/summer and warm weather. Since we are near the beginning of autumn here I figured it would be a good time to drink some of the beers that are meant to be enjoyed before the weather starts to get cool again. It is a bit sunnier and brighter here today than yesterday but still with a chilly wind breeze that is reminiscent of the fall to come. The chillier temps won't stop me from imbibing in spring or summer beers though, even as I look forward to the next seasons. Right now I am drinking an old bottle of Wicked Weed Gin Barrel-Aged Imperial Coolcumber, a 9% abv golden ale brewed with cucumbers, basil and juniper berries, dated 05.17.17. I was a big fan of the original Coolcumber from WW and the other few beers I've had with cucumber in them too, as I grew up eating cucumbers from the garden and hold a special place in my heart for them. Another thing I notice with this beer is the typical cool artwork on the label, featuring hummingbirds which were my grandmother's favorite when she was alive. We used to see a few in the backyard growing up but they don't seem to come around here much anymore. The gin barrel aging is an interesting concept too I think, and I've had a couple gin barrel aged beers that I enjoyed. When I turned 21 and started trying a few different nips to see what I liked, gin was one of my preferred spirits, though I don't drink spirits much at all with all the beer I have and my fondness for wine as well, which I also haven't really had lately. Onto the beer now.

Wicked Weed - Imperial Coolcumber


This beer pours a hazy cloudy amber orange with loads of floating sediment that I attribute to it's age and don't really have a problem with even though it's not pretty, and a creamy frothy white foam head that settles to a ringed cap with decent retention. Smells interesting right now and maybe not as good as when it was fresh I can imagine, not bad nevertheless, fresh herbs pop out first with basil, then some fruity spicy juniper berries, spruce, some cucumber, green melon notes, gin barrel, hint of lemony citrus, peppery spice, mild caramelized malt, and floral earthy herbal pine. Tastes a bit better I think with more emphasis on the cucumbers, big fresh cucumber flavor, fruity melon, some fresh basil, juniper berries hinting at grape, spruce-like botanicals, gin barrel, lemony citrus, peppery spice, a touch of vanilla, toffee, mild toasty caramelized malt hiding underneath, with some floral earthy herbal pine notes. Feels medium lighter bodied, creamy with smooth moderate carbonation. Overall a real complex and interesting brew. Fun idea at that.

I wish I remembered I still had this and tried it fresher, but this is still drinking pretty nicely. I may be partial to some of the ingredients, and I can see this being a controversial love it or hate it beer. I think it's a nice experiment and a unique beer to have on a rare occasion. The gin barrel influence works well and the ingredients come together nicely. A real interesting and unique brew from Wicked Weed. More cucumber beers please. Cheers everyone!

 

Antidoot Wilde Fermenten L‘Ambigu (amber)


Pours a clouded golden-yellow color with a smaller, noisy head, vanishing immediately after pouring.


Smells of wet earth, apple peel and feet smashed grapes, inheriting a floral sweetness. This has got a light muscat and leather interplay going on, topped off by a note of citrus peel and vanilla.


Has a well carbonated, soft and vivid mouthfeel with a refreshing effervescence at the back end, making this quite refreshing, while showcasing the medium body of this in all its many nuances.


Tastes of mashed white grapes, muscat and prominent wild honey among lime zest and blue cheese. Got a mineralic middle part, which enriches the complexity of the grapes in this quite well, adding cloves and lighter black pepper. Finishes fruity with an elegant, balancing dryness, bringing peaches, quince and fresh plucked dates among maintaining honey and a pleasant tartness.


Very complex and well done wine / beer hybrid, reminding me a lot of a more complex Vigneronne with a better pronounced white grape presence. The grape variety in this sets of an impressive range of flavors, which gets perfectly entangled into the tart, funky foundation of the beer in this, creating a sweet, fruity, spicy and tart refreshment.

 

After a busy morning & early afternoon, it's time to settle down and drink some good beer. First up is this bottle of Vacillate by Transient Artisan Ales. I received this from @ovaltine in NBS BIF #11. He sent me quite a selection of beers from Transient, and they have not disappointed. I was definitely looking forward to this one, as I'm an unabashed lover of saisons. Review below the pic, but this was quite good. If I could only drink saisons the rest of my life, I'd be ok with that. This was well done.

4.25/5 rDev +4.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Bright & mostly clear with plenty of fizzy, short-lasting head leaving behind a thin layer / ring. Aroma is straight up saison, and I mean that in the best way possible. Tart & funky. Taste 100% follows the nose. Initial medium tartness, then it goes through several different flavors before finishing on the outskirts of funky town. Full & effervescent. I absolutely love this style of beer, and this one did not disappoint. A well done saison. Really enjoyed this.

 

Second beer today, also brewed by Bell's. It was entered here seven years ago, but this is the first time I've come across it. I love fruit beer, especially in the summer. Let's dive in.

Bell's Sparkleberry



Purchased as a single 16 oz canned 7/9/20, purchased last Saturday cold from Beer on the Wall ($4 including tax), single pour into a large Belgian tulip chalice. ABV 9%, listed as a Belgian-Style Tripel Ale Brewed with Raspberries.

Appearance: Clear bright purple pour, off-white purple head fades leaving minimal lacing. Enticing. 4.0

Aroma: Fresh sweet and tart raspberries, aroma is most excellent. Belgian yeast hangs in the back, raisins, dates, bread. Very nice. 4.25

Taste: Belgian yeast taste leads, opposite of the aroma. Yeast spicy and fruity, spices, dates, bread. Raspberry bold and refreshing, compliments the triple. Pleased this was more balanced than the aroma led. Sweetness prevails, but not cloying. 4.0

Mouthfeel: Faint carbonation lasts throughout, sweet syrupy medium/full body, sweetness lingers, lightly tart, ABV well masked, you can get trouble drinking effortlessly with this one. 3.75

Overall: This is a nice fruity belgian tripel, raspberry complements the belgian yeast well, overall very nice pour.4.0

I have been savoring this for 15 minutes now, will take it slow the rest of the way.

 

I know it sounds like my wife buys all the beer lately, but hey, I'm not complaining. She just came home with this NEIPA from Sloop just for me.

3.99/5 rDev -2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Poured from a 16oz can dated 08/08/2020 to a Nonic. Been out of refrigeration for awhile, I would guess its about 45F.
Frothy and shapely white head sits above a hazy yellow body. Lacing is decent. Body is completely opaque, but translucent.
Aroma is lemon pith with pineapple sneaking through.
Front of taste is bitter orange pith with a sweet pineapple middle. The beer dries out completely at the end of the taste. Subtle hint of alcohol at the end, but you have to "look" for it.
Feel is a little light actually. Carbonation seems ultra fine (as in small).
Overall, a nice beer as a 6.0% offering.

 

Good afternoon, all, and Happy New Beer Weekend! My beer for this edition is Cerveza Conspiracy, from City Barrel Brewing in collaboration with Stockyard Brewing, both from Kansas City. This was a gift from a friend from church whose son lives in the KC area. Thanks, Greg, for putting this place on my radar. I will make it a point to visit it the next time I'm in the area. Herewith, the review:

Poured from 500-ml bottle into a Spiegelau Adina beer goblet. Bit of a gusher at first, but then it settled back into the bottle. Hazy pale yellow colored body, with a fair amount of "floaties" and no head to speak of. A continuous stream of bubbles rises from the nucleation points in the bottom of this glass. No flavorings to distract from the base beer, which is a very clean and crisp lip-smacking sour. There is a hint of stockyard (no, really!) funk on the nose and an unmistakable umami note on the palate. The sourness fades rapidly to a dry finish that begs for another sip. Overall, an excellent beer and highly recommended.

4.01/5 (rDev 0%)
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

 

I took a day off from beer yesterday, so I only sporadically checked in.

Anyhow, thanks to @SawDog505 for getting it rolling yesterday. I'll be going back to catch up on reading and enjoying all of everyone's comments about the beer they've "shared" with us this weekend.

There is a unique brewery in St. Paul, which I will be sampling today.

If you just want to go right to the beer, jump ahead, but the history of this building and the brewery is interesting. If that interests you, read on. (And check their website.)

From the brewer's website:

"The building that houses Waldmann was constructed in the fall of 1857 — six months before Minnesota became a state, nearly four years before the American Civil War began, and at a time when less than 10,000 people lived in Saint Paul. It is the oldest surviving commercial building in Saint Paul. Its rich history and distinctive limestone construction merited designation as an official Saint Paul Heritage Preservation Site in 2015....The building isn’t just old — it’s an old lager beer saloon."

Tom Schroeder's restoration efforts made the local news well before (years before, in fact) the brewery opened. His first priority was to restore the building to as near to its original condition as he could, based on what documentation survived. This was a big (and no doubt, expensive) undertaking. It was clear historical preservation was one of his top priorities. He removed later "improvements" and restored the original front facade (as near as he could, anyway).


Vintage photo of the building after its conversion to a house


The brewery today.

It was only once the restoration was well underway with a path to completion that he actually started building the brewery part. (This is from my memory on reading the various stories and updates in the St. Paul Pioneer Press... I did not go back and re-read, so...)

Anyhow, again quoting the website:

"Re-opened in 2017 for the first time in 154 years, our building still offers wood stoves, virgin pinewood floors, hand-blown window glass, a large collection of 19th century steamboat chairs, whale oil lamps (burning paraffin), and many period maps, photographs and other memorabilia. And don’t forget to take a selfie with Bismark the Bison upstairs! Prosit."

Waldmann (named after the original proprietor) is a unique place, with an emphasis on St. Paul's German and brewing heritage, historical preservation, and the brewing of excellent German-style lager bier (with an occasional nod to modern preferences, such as an India Pale Lager - it is a business, after all).

I've had their bock before, but at the restaurant (good food, too), and I never (well, hardly ever) review a beer at a restaurant. Besides being rude to company, it is also confusing with all of the competing smells and tastes. I've not had the beer I'll be reviewing today, though.

On to the beer.

Waldmann Brewery & Wurstery Weissbier Bavarian-style Wheat Beer (Hefeweizen)
ABV: 5.5%
IBU: NA



Aroma is classic hefeweizen: banana and clove. Tangy wheat malts.

Color is golden-yellow, with a slight haze toward clear. Tall, thick white head, with excellent retention, with nice-looking, disconnected strings of lacing.

Taste follows through on the promise from the aroma: banana and clove, slightly sweet crackery malts, with a wheat tinge. Smooth overall taste, with the spiciness and wheat malts resulting in a bit of a tart yet sweetish-dry finish. Excellent.

Mouth feel is moderate toward thick for the style, a bit sticky, but easy drinking.

Overall, an excellent hefeweizen. Great taste, excellent finish. I strongly recommend this brewery if you are a fan of German-style lagers (their food is excellent, too.)

L: 4.25 | S: 3.75 | T: 4.25 | F: 4.25 | O: 4.25 | Rating: 4.13

 

Howdy NBW, I am back with one new beer today called Rare Fog by Abomination Brewing Co. out of North Haven, CT. I have never heard of these guys but this is a 10.5% triple dry-hopped hazy IPA. Holy hell. Has good reviews, too. Let's see how it is.



The pour here is a murky, cloudy, milky looking pale orange with a tight, retentive head of eggshell-white foam. Slight hazy surface foam and great, consistent, web-like lace. I don't think I'm a huge fan of the pallid color or the murk here. It could stand to look a bit more... I dunno, vibrant?

The nose is sweet and boozy, as expected, though it does of course have a big helping of candied pineapple, ruby-red grapefruit, and harsh resinous dankness (including a bit of chive) swirling around. Some light stone fruit notes and a bit of mango and papaya here as well. It's not a bad smelling beer by any means, but it doesn't have that bright and vivacious aroma to it that some of my favorite "bigger than expected" triple IPAs have. At the same time, though, it doesn't just smell like a mess or like a big ol' barleywine masquerading as a TIPA, so... perhaps its charms will become more apparent on the palate.

Alright, it definitely tastes a little more like I wanted it to, so that's cool. The hops aren't harsh on the palate, but I definitely do get the feeling that it's really saturated. Some papaya and mango with candied grapefruit, pineapple, oily resins, and a definite earthy/grassy/chive/onion note that follows along into the finish. Carbonation is a bit brighter than expected, and the finish has a good coating slickness that I appreciate. Feel in general is, honestly, quite good. It doesn't taste too heavy or cloying like some TIPAs have a tendency to taste. This went from something I didn't have huge hopes for (and also really knew nothing about whatsoever) to being a beer I respect and appreciate for what it is. I'd be interested in trying some other stuff from these guys, but I've literally never heard of them before this or seen anything else of theirs in stores, so who knows? Cheers BA!

 

This one is not a new beer, but it's new to me. Pulled from my cellar (actually my beer fridge), Perennial Vermilion, bottled in December 2014. Classic English barleywine aroma and flavor, lots of fig, date, caramel, brown sugar, and vanilla. Almost sticky-sweet, chewy. A real sipper. Glad I started on this one early. Cheers!

 

Take 16 Pheasant Phestbier Oktoberfest, 6% ABV. Pours clear golden with a 1+ finger white head that left no lacing. Nose is bready and malty, taste is bread/toast, with slight bitterness. Excellent mouthfeel, overall outstanding. I haven't had a lot of Oktoberfests, but this is by far the best I've had.

4.38/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Incredible fall day to get yardwork done, sunny, cool, and windy. Perfect day for a beer like this.