New Beer Weekend #11

Poured into a 16 oz stemless tulip glass and sadly not sure when it was canned, but working part time at the store I purchased I would say 2 weeks at most. Pours a very hazy dark yellow with a finger plus sticky white head, that leaves a thick collar of lace with amazing retention. 4.75

Smell is ripe melon, peach, blueberry, mandarin, pineapple, guava, and apricot really impressive. 4.75

Taste follows guava, cantaloupe, mandarin, blueberry, peach, pineapple, and apricot really balanced and special. Wow 4.75

Mouthfeel is big and slightly creamy, gentle soft carbonation, a tad sticky from all the fresh hops but not dry, and at 8.4% really easy drinking. 5

Overall this NEDIPA could hold its own with all the BIG boys. This is one of the best collaborations of this style I have ever had. As hazy as any and just a truly impressive NEDIPA. 4.75

 

Buckeye State & Keystone State – Oktoberfest beers

Thanks to a generous benefactor I have in hand a new (to me) Oktoberfest beer: Columbus Festbier – Oktoberfest Style Lager.

I thought it would be fun to conduct a side-by-side with this beer and my favorite Oktoberfest: Sly Fox Oktoberfest.

There is some similarity in history between SEPA (Southeastern PA) and Columbus, Ohio as regards Germanic history. German speaking people came to America via Philadelphia and they established their own nearby community of Germantown in 1683 (which later became part of Philadelphia in 1854). There were subsequent waves of German immigration with the mid-1800’s being when a significant number came. It was during the early to mid-1800’s that German immigrants came to Columbus and settled in the neighborhood called German Village (the Germantown of Columbus). These immigrants of the 1800’s would have been accustomed to drinking darker colored lagers like they consumed in their homelands.

Since I had no familiarity with Columbus brewery and this beer I visited their website to learn:

“OKTOBERFEST STYLE LAGER

Amber lager, malty, smooth finish

Our Festbier is inspired by the Oktoberfest beers of Germany. It is brewed with imported specialty malts to create a medium bodied, malty, amber lager with a smooth finish.

SUMMARY

ABV | 5.3%

IBU | 22

Featured Ingredient | Lager yeast”

And from Sly Fox:

“Oktoberfest

German-Style Lager

13.8 OG 25 IBUs 6.1% ABV

This traditional Oktoberfest beer celebrates the arrival of Fall. It is a medium-bodied, smooth and malty brew made with German Vienna malts and German hops.

AWARDS:

Bronze Medal GABF 2013”

Prior to conducting a side-by-side tasting I will elicit help from my lovely wife to conduct a triangle test using small opaque plastic cups (i.e., a blind tasting). The same beer will be poured into two cups and the other beer is one. The purpose of the triangle test is to see if the taste tester (me) can correctly detect the ‘odd’ beer. Let the test begin!



I was fairly certain which one was the odd beer simply by smelling the three samples. After taking small sips I was able to confirm which one was the odd beer. When I pointed to the odd sample my wife stated: “Correct”. While they two beers have similarities they were noticeably different for my palate.

Now, time for the side-by-side tasting.

Served in my Spiegelau Lager Glasses:

Appearance:

Sly Fox: Light amber color with an orangeish hue and an off-white head.

Columbus: A bit darker amber in comparison with an off-white head.

Aroma:

Sly Fox: A combination of bready malt, a hint of sweetness along with just a very tiny bit of fruit and spice.

Columbus: A more muted aroma in comparison with an aspect of breadiness here.

Taste:

Sly Fox: Bready malt character dominates. The hops do not stand out explicitly but there is balance there; a low/moderate level of bitterness. The finish is bready with just a hint of sweetness.

Columbus: The flavor follows the nose with breadiness but it is much more noticeable – a deep bready maltiness that is reminiscent of dark bread. There is a low/moderate level of bitterness.

Mouthfeel

Sly Fox: Light-medium bodied with a drier finish in comparison to the Columbus beer.

Columbus: Medium bodied with an off-dry finish.

Overall

Sly Fox: As always I really liked this beer! It epitomizes the quality of great balance between malt & hops. The Germans have a word for this beer: süffig (drinkable).

Columbus: This beer is very good! It too is very cleanly brewed with the quality of süffig. A bit more one dimensional in comparison with Sly Fox with a deep bready maltiness being very much front & center in this beer.

There is no ‘loser’ here since both beers are very much a joy to drink.

I had two beers to drink so I offered one to my wife. She took two quick sips and stated “I will take this one”. The beer she selected was Sly Fox.

Cheers!

@rotsaruch @RobH @KOP_Beer_OUtlet @ESHBG @jts211 @invertalon

 

Short story to bring significance to new beer...I vividly remember my first fresh hop beer, it was great divide’s (2010 I think) and I remember sipping it outside. I had never tasted anything like it, it laced all the way down and had such a pungent smell to it. A beer memory I’ll never forget...onto today, 2020. A local brewery fresh hop, drank 4 days after canning, crazy to think how far beer has come. Sorry for the long story but it made this beer significant to me. On to the beer...from the brewery:

“Two weeks ago our brew dog Koda took our team to Boston to pick up 250lbs of fresh hops! Those hops had fresh wort waiting for them and we made “Hillside Airstrip”.”



This is a pretty colored beer it’s a little lighter than the picture lets on. It’s also not 100% hazy as the picture looks id day it’s very cloudy but light comes through it. Head disappeared pretty quick after pour.

Oh that smell...amazing pungent grass, pine, citrus rind. Very strong almost as if you squeezed an orange skin under your nose, great stuff. The aromas cut through any other smells around.

Taste is very good to me the most prominent being orange rind, not juice. Almost like a sprite citrus taste going on while being super resinous.

Mouthfeel is kind of light almost watery, only negative for this beer. Smooth and a nice lingering bitterness that I really enjoy. Nice crisp finish as well.

This beer is so neat because of the effort the brewery put into it. I’m lucky to have these guys so close. Cheers to good local beer!!!

@draheim

 

I always enjoy reading your reviews and this one is no exception! We are very lucky to have access to SF, such great beers.

And Columbus is a cool town too, I was really blown away the first time I was there.

 

I'm glad you liked that one, Andrew, I thought it was magnificent, too. I picked up the barrels (yes, plural, as you noted so adroitly in your excellent review) more, but I am more sensitive to "booze" - don't like it as a "standalone" drink, but really enjoy it as a component of a big ol' stout.

Mission Accomplished in this beer, IMHO.

PS: I liked Quarantuckley better. IJS.

 

No need to apologize for the long/short story, it’s things like that which help make this thread and it’s progenitor interesting beyond the required thoughtful beer analyses. Cheers!

 

Best part of your full review was the way you closed it....

"This beer is a marvel. It needs to come not in the Pliny-sized bottles, but in a pony keg. I want more of it that damn much. I want to sit and sip on this all day long until death takes me. I want to replace my blood with this beer, so that when I get a paper cut or a scrape, I can suck the sweet nectar from my flesh. I ... wait. Ummm. It's a really damn good beer."

 

I was at City Orchard yesterday for a late lunch. They are a Cidery in Houston that also brews a handful of beers for a little more variety. Their ciders are really good and the beers are pretty solid too.

This is Brass Hat, Belgian Blonde Ale. 5.8% ABV. With Pils, biscuit malts, candied sugar, a "Monastery Yeast" and Hallertauer Hersburcker, US Golding hops.



Pours a bright and cloudy orange color. A small white head forms and recedes quickly. Some light lace left behind.
Bread and biscuit like malts. Cereal grains, light hops, and a Belgian candy like sugary sweetness in the nose.
Taste wise is similar, and more malt forward flavor up front. Bready, biscuit and cereal grains. Just a touch of earthy and grassy hops and a fairly substantial candy like sweetness. That doesn't exactly reach cloying, but still very noticeable. An interesting lavender like flavor develops as this warms as well.
A medium body with good carbonation that is smooth at the same time. Though there is a bit of stickiness and a soapy character that I'm not the biggest fan of. Not particularly detrimental but that could be cleaned up a bit. Certainly easy and enjoyable to drink though.

Not the best Belgian Pale Ale/Blonde Ale I have had but is enjoyable. Simple and something that fits in with the brewery/cidery. Another beer that can appease people if they want something a little different than their ciders and is also unique to some other breweries around Houston. Give it a try if making a visit, not perfect but I enjoy it.

Overall score 3.71
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/58447/491856/?ba=champ103#review

Here is my big ass burger, which was excellent



City Orchard also had a new Altbier on tap that I wanted to try, but was drinking their lovely ciders instead yesterday. Maybe next week I'll give that a try as well. Though I did pick up Alstradt's Altbier which I am planning to drink and review sometime this weekend as well.

 

Good day Nbw’ers!




One of the requirements for BIF #12 Estonian Ticks and Rocket Balls is to post in NBW the beers that you received. I had never participated in a BIF. Filled with hints, rumors, shenanigans, mystery beer , intrigue and fun. Oh, and the opportunity to give and receive several new beers. My sender is @foundersasap and he provided me with some great Michigan brews. Even greater brews will soon be opened and enjoyed as we build up to the finale next weekend. If you haven’t partake in a BIF, I highly recommend the experience, it is educational and fun!


Dauntless By North Peak Brewing
4.04/5 rDev +7.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

12 oz Can received in BIF#12 from

Traditional Teta Ng and hallertauer hops

18 IBU, 5.8% abv, canned 8.20 and opened 9.24

Three finger white foam cap, good retention, settles to a solid layer after five minutes, no lacings, copper Colored liquid, numerous microcarbonation streams

Aroma is malty , caramel

Taste is malty, cracker,

Low sudsing, quaffable, no hop bite , almost creamy mouthfeel

Good beer
Tiramisu Coffee Stout By Ellison brewery & spirits
3.83/5 rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Chilled can poured into a snifter. Can reads” enjoy from the can”

Super fizzy foam explodes from the can three finger taupe foam cap, quickly settles down a to a pencil thick layer over a deep dark cola brown liquid

Aroma is coffee, roasted malts , whiff of spice, cinnamon

Taste is Roast coffee, roast malts, i dont get any tiramisu sweetness or flavor

Roast coffee bitterness on the initial sip but quickly fades, the coffee taste lingers, light mouthfeel , semi dry finish

Nice beer
Larry’s Latest Juicy IPA by Bell's
3.99/5 rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle from @foundersasap in. Bif#12

Bottled 9.3 opened 9.26, poured into an ipa glass

Three finger creamy white foam cap , very good retention , Settles to a domed island with very good lacings over a turbid derp orange liquid with some microcarbonation streams

Aroma of peach, orange , whiff of pine

Taste is orange with a pine finish

Sudsy mouthfeel , gentle hop nibble nicely lingers ,

Good beer
B-43 by Old Nation Brewing
4.12/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Canned 8.27,opened 9.29

16oz can poured into an ipa glass, one finger white foam cap , good retention settles to a thin layer over translucent pale yellow liquid

Fragrant on the pour. Aroma is floral,pineapple, apricot, melon, juicy fruit gum

Taste is apricot, grapefruit, lemon , dry white wine

Medium sudsing , dry finish

Good beer
Defloured by Witch’s Hat
4.03/5 rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Canned 8.27,opened 9.30

12oz can poured into a Will becher glass , three finger solid white foam cap , very good retention, very good lacings over a
Turbid orange liquid

Aroma is citrus , tangerine, pine

Taste is citrus, pine

Medium sudsing, hoppy taste , gentle nibble

Good beer
Brother Benjamin by Greenbrush Brewing
3.99/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Bottle poured into an ipa glass

Taupe two finger creamy foam cap , good retention , good lacings over a copper colored liquid

Aroma is malty, grapefruit, honey

Taste is malty , grapefruit citrus

Medium sudsing,small hop bite with an alcohol finish

Good beer


Crescent Fresh by Ellison Brewery & Spirits
4.05/5 rDev +3.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

16oz can poured into an IPA glass

Insane three finger gossamer white foam cap, very good retention, second pour is above the rim over a translucent orange liquid with good retention & lacings - It clearly states to drink from the can -pour into a glass and watch it rise - nutso

Aroma is citrus, tangerine, pine, resin

Taste is pine, resin, citrus finish

Big sudsing on a light mouthful, gentle hop bite

good beer

 

Good Morning
I picked up a 6 of Little Grove Black Currant yesterday, This, along with a peach & kombucha version) is Allagash's entry in the "light" category.
Grapefruit, pine, fruit aroma from two feet away; clean, crisp, slightly tart and very refreshing. Too bad they didn't release Little Grove back in June or July because it would have been at least a weekly purchase during the summer.

The can says "Bright' "Light" "Fruited" and the contents live up to that description.

The brewery says its a "sparkling session ale" and the blurb reads, in part,

100 Calories 7g Carbs 3.8% ABV
Grains: Munich Malt, Local Wheat and Oats, Local 2-Row Malted Barley
Hops: Nugget, Mosaic
Yeast: Saison
Spices/Other: Blackcurrants
Ideal Within: 6 Months (mine is dated 8/26)



3.98/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

L: A lovely rose gold with a tint of purple and a tall white head that quickly dissolves to a film.
S: A strong grapefruit, pine, and currant aroma you can smell from a couple of feet away
T: The taste follows the aroma; grapefruit, pine needles, lemon zest, over a light background of currants, blackberries, blueberries, and grapes
F: Very light, as advertised. A tingly, medium-high carbonation gives it a tingly feel with a hoppy aftertaste lingering on the tongue
O: This is very good for what it is. Allagash advertises this as a low calorie (100), low ABV (3.8) session ale and that is exactly what it is; a very nice ale for all day drinking.
Little Grove isn't a watered down version of Allagash's standard saison and is a fine ale on it's own. This is loaded with flavor, without being heavy or filling, and has the drinkability of a very flavorful seltzer. This is an ideal saison for an all day session.

 

Ok, folks, Imma sit down with another local Festbier - this one from neighboring DC and a brewery that grew out of the same management that gave us ChurchKey - Bluejacket. Their brewery is down in the Navy Yard area not too far from Nats Stadium, and we've visited a few times. My impression is that they offer a mix of more subtle styles as well as putting out styles that sell. They don't seem to me to make any style better than others, and I've had hits and misses across the board.

So let's see which side Hill House "Fest Lager" falls. Before going into it, I'd not have been surprised if Bluejacket went with a more pale Festbier take than a Märzen - though it is listed here and on Untappd as the latter.

The can isn't dated, and my store has had a mix of BJ beers on a shelf to which I haven't paid close attention so I'm not sure when it ended up in the mix.

Pours oddly cloudy... well, really more hazy given the styles out today. The glass may be adding a little extra translucence, but it's a bit of a ruddy Arnold Palmer color. The head wasn't really that impressive.

Nose is more in line with expectations with a mix of earth tones and medium brown bread. There's a little bit of floral hops, though, instead of spicy or grassy. Taste has a little melanoidin toasted malt along with a sprinkle of light brown sugar. A little bit of a citrus vibe to the beer up front, the earthiness comes in a little more towards the middle to late part of each swig. It comes with a very light earthy spice - maybe like nutmeg, but it doesn't replace the impression of a thin smear of fresh orange marmalade across a lightly toasted brown bread.

I found the beer fairly enjoyable, if a tad heavy (it is 6.5% ABV, also). The malts shared the stage with what I perceived as citrus, which was a little out of whack with expectations, but not out of whack with my enjoyment. I'll be going somewhere in the B range once I get to the rating, I'd guess.

Happy weekend, folks!

 

3 New-to-me Beers I rate higher than BA Average. Happy Oct 3, 2020

Double Cannon | Heavy Seas | Md | DIPA | 9.5%
4.24/5 rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
When I first returned to craft in 2012, Heavy Seas was among the first mid-atlantic brewers that excited me with their Loose Cannon IPA at the top of their line, but Double Cannon, now doubles that excitement in 2020.
a) Clear, bronze/copper body sports lasty and filmy and lacy head.
s) Woody. Grassy, a bit of scat, followed by grapefruit rind, orange marmalade and sugar cookies.
t) Follows the smell with with complex and crisp multiple hop flavors of orange peel and grapefruit and backed up by a subtle malt base.
f) Creamy but dry, bitter finish. One of the best feeling DIPAs.
o) Wanna blind taste this vs some of the great DIPAs. Their best.

Gaffel Kölsch | Privatbrauerei Gaffel | Koln | 4.8%
4.01/5 rDev +8.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
BA all over the map on this most popular beer in Koln. I find this as any Kolsch I have tried. Difficult to tease out all that's going on out of the bottle.
a) First it pours a darker golden clear body that spouts a fervent stiffer, stickier, rocky head (better than most pilsners) that lasts and laces.
s) Plenty of skunky, funky subtle aromas from the German Ale yeast, without being overwhelming, grain, lime.
t) Plenty of flavor facets here: that yeast tempers down into green apple tea, lime, pilsner, lemon, and finishes with a signature, back-flavor that's woody and dank.
f) Mid, smooth, appetizing. Great first beer of evening - now available at WFM. Must like a bit off, cellar flavors.
Great with cheese or brauts.

Scrimshaw Pilsner | North Coast | 4.5%
4.09/5 rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
While I often get stuck reviewing Pilsners fairly vs IPAs/APAs, this one is possibly the best I've ever tasted and would love it in cans please. So I rated higher than most top BA Society members. Try vs The Crisp/6Points or Prima/Victory.
Nothing mass, adjunct, or thin about it.
a) Straw but darker golden sporting the right kind of ring head with lace dots.
s) As expected sweet, cidery, lemony bread kitchen.
t) More going on toasty, baked bread, wine like /cidery back story, all tempered by bright, crisp, rounded hops.
f) Finishes sweet but clean. Mid-weight, creamy through the body. Super balanced.
o) Best American Pils??

 

Thanks for the kickoff @superspak .Got a nice walk in the forest before the rain, nice to have a forest a mile away when you live in the city.



Have two local barrel aged offerings planned for NBW 11 / NBS 815 from perhaps the number one program in the City of Chicago.The first on 10/3/20 is a collaboration effort between Revolution Brewing & Sun King brewed in 2018 and canned a week from two years ago (10/10/18 @13:50:19), Code Switch.



I did try a sample before the release at a preview party hosted by Jim Cibak and Marty Scott, but this is my first full offering and review of the beer. The name of the beer was explained by Jim, the original barrels obtained for this collaboration began to leak, so they emptied the beers into a second different type of barrel.

Beer notes from the can: Built on a dual algorithm written alongside our friends from Sun King Brewery, this new, complex Imperial Ale was brewed with maple sugar, dark cani syrup, and a blend of Belgian yeast cultures. An early switch from Tennessee whiskey to Kentucky bourbon barrels ensured the integrity of the code - with the addition of unfermented blackberries for balancing sweetness and subtle tartness. Enjoy now or store cold.

Imperial Ale aged on Blackberries, 12 oz 14.5% ABV.

I purchased this as part of a "mystery bag" from Revolution this year, and have stored it cold from purchase until today. The beer has warmed enough at this point, so we shall begin.

Appearance: Can poured unto Revolution snifter glass. Violet purple pour, head clears instantaneously with no trace, clear carbonation bubbles sustained throughout the 30 + minutes of drinking. 4.5

Aroma: Oh boy, power blast of blueberries and grape, very sweet at first. Letting this warm for several minutes, a very pleasant and smooth bourbon aroma emerges. I don't have review notes from my sample pour two years ago, but I do recall the reason I passed on purchasing an allotment for other Deep Woods offerings was the fact that it was very sweet, and I am more partial to neutral or bitter offerings. This beer aged very well, with the sweetness and barrel has mellowed the sweetness well. Can't wait to try this. 4.5

Taste: Excellence, this Ale has aged remarkably well. The bourbon is excellent, very smooth, balances the blackberries and maple syrup perfectly. Cani syrup noted as well. This beer is sweeter than my typical preferred offering, but everything works with this offering. I was still new to the Deep Woods series in 2018, but I wish I could go back in time and purchase one or several four packs of this. I know now I can always count on Revolution to get things right. Excellence! 5.0

Mouthfeel: Thin, light carbonation sustained for the full 30 minutes, medium full rich creamy body, light sweetness lingers on the tongue, balanced by an equally light tartness. The strong ABV hits you but is manageable, very clean finish. 4.5

Overall: Outstanding collaboration between Sun King and Revolution Breweries. Time has treated this Imperial Ale very well, flavorful blackberries and sweet syrup and candi syrup balanced by a very smooth and pleasant bourbon. Very strong, will take a nap after finishing this one, but will have sweet dreams this afternoon. Well done! 4.75

Hope your new beer weekend gets off to an equally great start. Cheers!

 

A first for me a Berliner Weisse, from Trillium and it’s Daily Serving.

Black Currant, blackberry, boysenberry, 4.1 abv.

First thought absolutely delicious, it kinda gives me the same thoughts as when I’m drinking the odd Lindemann. Tons of fruit, very tart fruit, smart carbonation which I love , it enhances the fruit imo. I really love this flavor profile, nice and cold a very easy drinker. I’d definite buy this one. Maybe it’s me but I have a tough time seeing this as a beer, and Lambics too as well, they seem more like a malt beverage, although I know is not. Yummy. @WunderLlama

 

As evidenced above @Roguer has experienced the porch destruction that comes when @ovaltine is your sender in a NBS BIF. I can relate. I'm still working my way through beers that he sent me in March. He sent me quite a few beers from Transient Artisan Ales, and they haven't disappointed. This one is Seyval Blanc Ardent. I'm a sucker for farmhouse ales....let's see what this one brings to the table.

4.08/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is an attractive beer. Plenty effervescent, to the point where I had to back off the pour to avoid spilling over. Decent head retention leaving behind a thin ring. Color is a semi-opaque glowing yellow. Aroma is all farmhouse ale with plenty of citrus notes and a clear hint that this is going to be nice and tart. Taste brings in notes of citrus and pepper, with the peppery / spicy notes lingering for quite some time. Not picking up much in the way of hops, but certainly not to its detriment. Overall not as tart as the nose implied and the finish, while dry compared to other styles of beer, is not particularly dry for a farmhouse. Very drinkable, with no real alcohol coming through. While not a high ABV beer (5.5%), this could easily be a table / session beer at 3.5% - 4%. Another good Transient beer.

 

Transient makes great beer, yes they do.

 

Hello NBW! I have just opened a crowler of Fresh Hop Hazealicious that I bought at Reuben's on Wednesday if memory serves.

Pours hazy whitish-amber with a medium sized head. Lots of creamy, fine carbonation. Smell is tropical juice and pith and maybe a tiny bit of grain underneath.

Taste is moderately fresh hoppy. It's got perhaps a bit more of a hop-forward bite than regular Hazealicious. Has more of a "green" or resinous flavor.

Mouthfeel is moderately thick, not oppressive. Overall, really solid beer. But, not exemplary as far as fresh hops go. Not going to be hard at all to drink the crowler, of course.