New Beer Weekend #7

Im back today- my regular NB day to complete at least the trifecta with 2 new beers being posted yesterday.
Hope all are enjoying time off if you have it. The weather here in NE has been stellar. Went for a 6 mile hike this am.
Trillium Super Duper Soak with Peaches. Sour Wheat Ale Aged In Oak Foeders. And a little more info on the process: "Loosely inspired by the cold-maceration process used in winemaking, we re-ferment fruit in the base beer after primary foeder fermentation to “soak” for a deep extraction of unique colors, aromatics, and flavors."
Pours a beautiful sunshine orange that is quite hazy and loaded with particulates, even some "chunks". Looks like yes, peach puree in a glass.
Aroma, wow! I am a peach fanatic so it takes quite a bit to impress me with this fruit. Soft ripened peaches explode in the nose along with apricot, yeast, grass, damp funk and wood. Amazing nose!
Taste follows with an utter explosion of peach fruit flavor. Lip smackingly tart with oak vanillin, lemon zest and a touch of sweet malt...man this is good.
Feel is light/medium with good tiny bubble carb throughout. Dries out with a tart, slightly astringent finish. The fruit flavor hangs around for quite awhile.
Man I guess you could say I liked it. Hell freaking yes! The best peach beer I can ever remember having. Yeah the floaties took away some of the look but I will disregard that considering how much fruit they packed into this.
10.99 for 11.2 ounces and worth every damn penny. I think I bought the last bottle which is a shame. I believe they make a blackberry and plum, maybe some others. If you see any dont pass this by. This is brewed with house yeast and NE cultures combined.
American Lambic. Hell yes I say!

 

Here are three new to me beers that I have enjoyed over the course of this weekend:

Stable 12 Oktober-Kolsch - 16 oz canned on 08/27. The can says that it is a hybrid beer brewed with the traditional ingredients but fermented with a yeast strain from Cologne, Germany. Poured a lighter Amber color and a little hazy. The taste was Oktoberfest-y but also a sweetness and an Ale-ish quality from the yeast but what was cool was that it started out sweet and ended dryly, a nicely complex beer that I would have again.

Jack's Abby Copper Legend - 16 oz canned on 08/13. Unfortunately JA has all but disappeared from my area and when they were plentiful I just never made it a point to try them regularly because I had access to so many local Lagers, big mistake on my part for not including them into the mix regularly. This beer was very good and I would gladly drink again.

Founders Oktoberfest - 12 oz canned 08/13. I am a big Founders fan and was excited to see this being offered in my area this year. This beer is perfectly balanced and of the three this was my favorite if I had to choose, will be drinking again.

 

Just saw that Trillium beer up there and decided to pull this one out of the fridge ahead of the previously-scheduled next IPA I was going to review... pretty pumped, this one looks ridiculous just like that Trillium a few posts back!



I've had a couple of the "______'s My Jam" beers from Foundation before, but raspberry is new to me. This pours like a glass of V8 juice, though with a slightly more "ruby-red" bent to it. Surprising fluffy head atop the opaque, beet juice-colored body. Excellent lace and legs, which is surprising for this style. I'm into it already!

The nose is, well, straight-up raspberry juice. Slightly creamy and "milkshake-like" as well, thanks to the lactose inclusion. I pick up an herbal rhubarb-like note if I really get in here, and there are peripheral elements of strawberry, blackberry, and even apple/orchard fruit as well, but they really do sit behind the utter raspberry-ness going on. I mean, holy hell, guys... this is ludicrously jammy and intense.

Super refreshing flavor, though it definitely has a creamy, juicy feeling unlike a lot of more light-bodied beers in this style. The fruit is really the star of the show, and the lactic base and fermentation itself actually seems to take a rather striking backseat at the end of the day. Very intense raspberry, redcurrant, and strawberry-like flavors with a slight lemony twang in there. Strong wheat malt base and a touch of herbal grassiness at times as well. Definitely a fruit-saturated ale. Thick body but still drinkable and intensely-saturated. Not for the faint of heart or those who don't like fruit beers, but most of those types would avoid this anyway. Really fun, probably the best Jam beer by Foundation that I've had yet.

 

This is Sunset Overdrive from Half Hours on Earth of Seaforth (or middle-of-nowhere) Ontario. It’s a standard Watermelon, Hibiscus, Marshmallow Sour IPA.

HHOE is at the top of the dessert sour food chain in Ontario. Their beers regularly receive great scores on all the sites from those who like the ‘style.’ I’ve never had a bad one from them despite this being a style I can take or leave. Despite being located several hours from anywhere you’d ever want to be, they are highly accessible province wide having been early adopters of online ordering after the laws changed here.



Pours a bright, opaque red with a finely bubbled creamy looking head that dissipates very slowly, leaving ample lacing as the beer is imbibed.

Vanilla jumps out on the nose with some watermelon following behind.

Mildly tart watermelon stands up first on the tongue. This is followed by strong notes of vanilla, some hibiscus, with a lightly toasted marshmallow finishing things off. As always, all of the listed ‘add-junks’ are present.

Creamy. Mild acidity.

Another winner in this style from the best local makers in the game. If my eventual target in the NBS/NBW likes this type of beer, I have one for the box!

 

Blue point mother pumpkin ale. First pumpkin beer of the season
...medium light body with light carbonation.
Aroma is surprisingly weak but there's pumpkin pie spice, pumpkin puree, malt, pie crust
...taste is much stronger than aroma with pie spice,pumpkin puree, mildly sweetand a bit dry from the spice. Pie crust and malt.
.. overall its a decent version of pumpkin pie in a can.

 

Did you get that at a store? The Super Duper Soak 330mls are $7.05 from the brewery. I think the floaties are because it's old too. Great beers, I haven't had a Soak in a while. Cheers!

 

This is a 5.7% ABV APA I picked up recently on a day trip over to Prince Edward Island. A solid backbone and nice bitterness makes this a very balanced beer, which combines both piney and citrusy hops. Nothing earth shattering but very well made and it really hit the spot. I’ll definitely buy more from this new brewery on my next trip!

 

Your picture opens on imgur when you click on it.
I don't use that service, but you need to share the image via a direct link

@riptorn gave brief instructions for imgur in another thread
https://www.beeradvocate.com/commun...ges-to-forum-posts.620136/page-3#post-6866748

 

Good Sunday afternoon, New Beer Samplers and commentators. I just returned from 6 days at the Jersey Shore. Demanding clients make it hard to get away for a full week but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I had a couple of new beers yesterday but I'm old school and Sunday afternoon is still my "official" NBW time. As a craft beer guy, one thing that excites me is when a local brewery makes the jump from "new brewery" to "really good brewery." Untied Brewing, in New Providence, NJ, has crossed the Rubicon of brewing. I've been enjoying its IPAs and BA Stouts lately and was excited to try Knucklehead Hall of Fame, an 8.3% ABV New England IPA. The name comes from a phrase used by our esteemed governor to describe people who don't follow his rules (my late Mom would call it the "pot calling the kettle black"). Politics aside, this is a very fine NEIPA. Untied used Citra, Ekuanot, Columbus, and El Dorado hops in the whirlpool and then dry hopped it with Galaxy, Strata, Moetuka, and Lupulin Citra. It opens with stone fruit and sweet citrus, segues to lemon and lime, and finishes with resinous hops and a pinch of pepper. This really is an outstanding beer! Here's my full review:

4.4/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Canned on 9/2/2020. Poured into a tulip glass. It pours an opaque, pastel tangerine color with a half finger of frothy, cream-colored head and a thick sheen of lacing. Its fragrant nose features, pineapple, tangerine, lemon, lime, and a whiff of lychee, along with floral hops. The taste pops with sweet and tart fruits. Initially, there is berry, pineapple, passionfruit, and tangerine followed at mid-palate by lemon and lime. The Ekuanot and Moetuka hops really shine in the bright fruit flavors. There is also a hint of vanilla in the background. As the glass warms there are hints of resin and pepper, which I assume comes from the Columbus and El Dorado hops in the whirlpool. The sweet and tart fruits and hoppy bitterness are well balanced. This ale is medium-bodied and has a pleasant level of carbonation. And the 8.3% ABV gives it good substance without being overly boozy. Overall, this is a very fine New England IPA and the best I've had yet from Untied. It's an excellent recipe, well-executed. It's worth seeking out.

To my local brethren, this beer is worth seeking out. Cheers, NBW!

 

Jester King El Regalo del Comal.
A blend of four, three, and one year old spontaneous fermentations.
Part of a JK haul my wife brought home for me in early July.

4/4.5/4/4/4 = 4.12
12.7oz corked and crown cap bottle, no dating visible. Opened 9-6-20.
LOOK
1/4" white head holds for a minute and recedes to a thick ring and island.
Bright, golden-orange with limited visibility. Spotty lacing.
Ample carbonation streams race up to keep the remnants of the head alive.
SMELL
Initial impression of the aroma is sour/tart is on the way.
Upon further nosing wild yeasty funk, spicy notes, and some pumpkin/squash type smells all become noticeable.
Wine barrel / vinous character.
TASTE
Sharp acidic flash and tartness that builds from start to mid-palate.
Sour tree fruits / stone fruits but nothing specific stands out.
FEEL
Medium body, carbonation is right on. Refreshing slap to the mouth with every sip...wake up calls.
Tart and tangy with a bone dry finish.
OVERALL
Very Good.

 

Your grandson is fortunate to have such loving, supportive grandparents to help in this situation. Enjoy your time with him. Cheers!

 

Poured into a 13 oz tulip glass out of a growler. Pours a hazy dark yellow with a half finger white head that leaves some thin streaks of lace with solid retention. 4.25

Smell tangerine, melon, passionfruit, and apricot really nice for only 5.2%.

Taste follows tangerine, honeydew, passionfruit, pineapple, and apricot. 4

Mouthfeel is about medium, soft gentle carbonation, not sticky or dry, and at 5.2% it drinks closer to 6%, but really crushable. 4.25

Overall this is a nice sessionable NEIPA. 4

 

My last new beer this weekend is an imperial pumpkin ale from Cigar City, Good Gourd.

Didn't think I was ready for pumpkin beers yet then I saw a 4pk of this when getting some beers and I never had it before, and know Cigar City makes some really good beers. I'm not a huge fan of when a pumpkin beer is just cinnamon and spice, I like to taste the actual pumpkin if possible, and like when there are supporting caramel malts, and maybe vanilla flavors and sweetness like Pumking. DFH Punkin Ale is one of my favorites too because of it's toasted bready caramel malts and pumpkin flavor with the spices. I love pumpkin pie but with a pumpkin ale I don't want a cinnamon spice beer, I want to taste the pumpkin with some sweeter supporting flavors and maybe pie spice.

This beer pours a clear amber copper orange with a dense creamy off-white light khaki colored foam head. Smells like pumpkin pie, roasted pumpkin, cinnamon, vanilla, allspice, nutmeg, clove, sweet caramel, lightly toasted bready malts, some raisin, dried fruit, apricot orange marmalade, and herbal earthy piney hops. Tastes like rich sweet toasted bready malts, some medicinal phenolic spice and fruity esters, caramel malts, toffee, molasses, brown sugar, raisin, dried fruits, apricot, orange marmalade, dark toasted bread, roasty char, hint of chocolate, vanilla, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, roasted pumpkin, squash, gourd, with bitter herbal earthy hops. Feels lighter medium bodied, creamy smooth with moderate carbonation. Overall this is a real nice pumpkin ale. I appreciate the sweetness and caramel malt flavors that I think pair well with the pumpkin and spices. I think the malt base is pretty good, the spices are a bit medicinal when cold anyway but easy for me to look past with so many other flavors. The fruitiness is complementary and I think the flavors all tie together pretty well in this pumpkin ale. A real nice one that I look forward to drinking again in October and November around Halloween and Thanksgiving when pumpkin season is in full effect here. Cheers all and happy New Beer Weekend!

 

Hello everyone!

Now for my Sunday NBW brews. Started off with a good collab Hazy IPA from Against the Grain and Seventh Son:

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/26850/506094/?ba=bluejacket74#review




Next was a pumpkin ale from Millersburg Brewing here in Ohio:

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/32953/105271/?ba=bluejacket74#review




And then for my last new brew of the day, had the new Dragon's Milk Solera Strong Ale from New Holland Brewing:

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/335/501873/?ba=bluejacket74#review




So as far as the brews went for me, I thought all were solid but they all went a little downhill from my first brew to the last with my ratings. But all 3 are worth trying, cheers everyone!

 

Do you know if Greensboro, Vermont is named after Rhode Island Quaker general officer, Nathanael Greene? He saved the southern theater of the war at the behest of George Washington. My hometown of Greensboro, North Carolina is in his memory, as are a number of other towns and cities.

 

What I'm digging about BiB (apart from the cause) is the variation between different brewers' versions. I've had Fremont's, which was pretty much a straightforward Imperial Stout, iirc, and I've had one brewed as a collaboration between local brewers Lumberbeard, Whistle Punk and YaYa, which was brewed with coconut and cacao nibs and is like a candy bar, and there's another local collaboration BiB that I believe hasn't emerged yet, one that I believe will be a Black Saison.

 

It's possible. It could also be named after Ethan Allen's Green Mountain Boys, although their name suggests the possibility that the town might also just be named after some local mountains/hills known as the Green Mountains.

 

NBW #2. I've waited long enough. Tomorrow is Labor Day. It's now Märzen season! This is Glasstown Brewery's (Millville, New Jersey) rendition. It's fairly standard although the ABV is a bit above average at 6.5% It has a nice balance of burnt brown bread and caramel malt, with a nice spicy finish. Not bad for a small brewery. Here's my full review:

3.76/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Poured from undated can (but released within the past two weeks) into a seidel mug. It pours a hazy, honey-amber color. The lite khaki-colored head disappeared quickly. It is effervescent with a lot of bubbles. The smell features caramel malt with some cola notes. The taste opens with toasted brown bread and caramel. It has a nice balance and isn't overly sweet. It has a touch of pepper and spice at the finish. The taste improves significantly as it warms. Don't drink this too cold. It's well carbonated and the 6.5% ABV gives it some heft. Overall, Glasstown's October doesn't challenge the leaders of the style but it is a decent rendition for a local brewery.

 

First time since NBS morphed into NBW that I'm checking in beers on both days.

My first one today was actually from last evening. I popped by Whistle Punk and had a glass of a Peach Apricot Berlinerweisse:

Very refreshingly tart and fruity on a hot, late summer day after running a bunch of errands, and seemed more light than the 5.2% abv.

Today I'm having an imperial, "semi-hazy" version of an IPA I really dig from the area in central Washington I grew up in.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/24517/502350/?ba=woemad#review
I'm not sure if White Bluffs is doing this as a one-off, a rotator, or if it's a regular beer of theirs, but I feel like this either isn't quite ready for prime time, or maybe in the rush to get canned beer on the market with Covid-19 making on-premises drinking impossible (the Tri-Cities have been a hotspot for months, so Benton County has been having a hard time hitting the state's guidelines for opening up), their canning ops are not quite up to snuff, or maybe this beer is so volatile that 2 months canned (to the day) is too long for it to go before opening.