New Beer Weekend #15

Sorry for the closure, I wish you the best in your next chapter.
Cheers

 

My next "dark" beer really gets that adjective more from the style, especially compared to the other options in the queue of new beers. It is from a brewer that I have been reviewing quite a lot of in this thread recently, Port City. The recent offerings have been ales (their Hefeweizen was impressive, while their Hoppy Brown didn't work as well for me).

Mainly because I've had most of the rotating offerings, I have not reviewed beers from their Lager Series, from which they have been putting out a new offering about every month. Today, I am going to get into a new one, though - their dark Czech lager Tmavé Pivo.

Apparently this was released as draft only last year, but is getting canned this year (go figure). This will be the second Tmavé I will have reviewed in October without taking much effort to find them - who'd've thunk that could happen a year or two ago.

Anyhow, the beer is more a deep brown - I might argue it's about the same shade as the Hoppy Brown from last week, though the glass I am using is taller and thinner. It is obviously clear despite the dark hue. My initial pour was half liquid, half foam, with the latter falling slowly but steadily. Second pour didn't have as much of a rush of the topping despite what was mostly a dump of a couple ounces atop the settled-in beer.

Nose is somewhat earthy and with a bit of toasted bread. There are light notes of wood and hints of indistinct fruitiness. Mostly, the nose appears to be more malt-driven with more neutral notes from the hops.

Taste seems to follow this in initial sips - earthy to dry leaf overall with medium toasted malts and a woodsy bitterness maybe being the components that join to produce such an effect. There's a light fruity note that plays at the edges - I'm thinking maybe the yeast is adding this aspect, though I cannot for the life of me put a finger on the type of fruit. More toast, earthiness, and a little bit of pine wood finish the beer.

Mildly aggressive carbonation, once the bubbles subside, there is a light bitter coating on my tongue with the flavor somewhere between the skin of a dark nut and pine wood.

Another fairly dry beer for me today - but I'm not complaining. I might do a side-by-side of this and the Hoppy Brown at some point. As I type, I recall the other beer being more bitter and more distinctively fruity, but I'd like to explore the nature of the toasted malts and hops because I feel they may have some similarities, as well.

 

Warm hand splash by dancing gnome

4.18/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Canned 10.9,opened 11.1



“Save the Elvis”

“Warm Hand Splash is the double version of pale ale Wishbone! This is an all citra banger, and at 8%, those oils are seriously saturated. Grapefruit and lime are the biggest contenders here, with a touch of juicy tropical elements like passionfruit and lychee. “

Can received from @Pinz412 in a Lif associated with Bif #12

Two finger fluffy off white foam cap , good retention, settles to a pencil thickness , good lacings over a turbid orange liquid

Aroma is tangerine citrus , whiff of lime, whiff of lychee

Taste is grapefruit, grapefruit rind

Hop bite has a good linger

Good beer

 

Naked River Moon Pie Imperial Stout, 8.5% ABV. Pours light black and thin, with a 3-finger tan head that left great foamy lacing. Nose is chocolate, graham, and marshmallow. Taste is graham, coffee, and chocolate, slightly sweet, slightly bitter. Thin mouthfeel, overall outstanding. Not quite a pastry stout.

4.35/5 rDev +5.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Thanks to @hoptheology for this great beer, which also adds another state for me.

 

Starting off with something light today. I have several new to me Suarez beers that I bought in September that I haven't gotten around to drinking yet. Time to change that up.

First up is State Pils, which is brewed with all NY sourced ingredients. I'm assuming this will be really good, as every Suarez beer I've had has been, but let's see....

4.33/5 rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured into a Suarez Willi Becher glass. Extremely clear, light straw color with a really nice, dense head with excellent retention and lacing. Aroma is warm bread. Light and sweet and comes off in waves. Between the look and smell, this beer is begging to be consumed.

Taste has just the right amount of hoppy, herbal goodness. Bread & grass notes, although the bread isn't as prominent as on the nose. Light, crips, and refreshing with just the right amount of carbonation.

Final verdict....another very well done Suarez beer and a good start to my Sunday afternoon.

 

Okay, I am going to have to admit I inadvertently lied about the dark beers. I keep getting lighter - and while this next beer is still not a pale beer, it's definitely not dark, either. It's also from the brewery of my last post, Port City, and it's their ninth anniversary beer - Colossal IX (as you might have guessed, all their anniversary beers are called Colossal). Last year's beer was a Doppelbock, and this year's is a Weizenbock. I thought this beer's release was put off for some (I want to say technical) reason, but I'm far from positive. As you'll see below, if there was a delay, in my mind it was worth the wait.


The cloudiness was sorta ugly streaming from the bottle, and the cloudy result in the glass looks like an unfiltered iced tea . The head wasn't too impressive, but I didn't pour too heavily - and while it didn't start out large, it kept the body covered as I typed this up.

A big malty nose greets me before I sip. Port City's own description of "banana, dark fruit, toffee" is pretty much on. There's almost a banana split aspect to this, fresh cut, medium ripe (no green/no brown) banana and an accent of strawberry (somewhat surprisingly) bring this impression to mind. An aspect of clove leads to a little side battle of toffee bread pudding and fresh banana bread is also going on. This is a fun beer to let sit under my nose before taking a sip.

When I finally do, the feel is nice and soft, with a lightly engaging carbonation. The expected richness of dessert bread is not present on the palate. There's an distinctly unripe banana note to open - more tangy than sweet, with a little bit of unsweetened raisin as well. A bit of caramel malt sneaks from behind this leading my palate to the more expected medium dark bread. There's enough neutral bitterness to keep this bread from seeming like the desserts described in the nose - more of a bread with perhaps a thin swirl of spice and brown sugar running through it.

This beer is teetering on the balance beam between a caramel drizzled but not rich and sweet dessert bread and a more dry banana bread was made with less-ripe bananas and is more sweetened by finely minced figs and raisins than a bunch of [brown] sugar - both including clove and perhaps some other earthy fall spices. I am really enjoying the nuance of the flavors in this beer - there's a good chance I'll have a second after I finish the last few ounces of this.

 

The brewer’s description makes it sound like a blend of two beers, but a different way of interpreting that description is that they are saying that the style is like a blend of two different styles. This short interview makes me think it is probably the latter - but they certainly aren’t clear about it. I’m definitely not sure what they mean.

Either way, you’d still classify it as the brewer does - as a “Baltic” porter (given how people use that classification here). The whole “bottom fermenting yeast” thing with so-called Baltic porters isn’t really a rule. Oddly enough given this discussion, Carnegie Porter was once made with a combo of top and bottom fermenting yeasts. (Personally, I think considering porters as neither ale nor lager is the way to go... but that’s a can of worms we can keep closed )

@cjgiant

 

I would agree with you upon reading that article - that the brewer thinks the style itself has aspects of a couple other styles, making the final product seem a blend of those aspects. I don't take from that that DB tried a blend and decided Baltic Porter best fit the result, but as always, I could be wrong.

 

Now that all my fresh hops are gone and I've basically caught up with my IPAs, I'm back to chipping away at the "cellar," although today's first selection hasn't been in my possession very long: JW Lees Harvest Ale 2012.

9.3oz bottle served in a WABL sample glass. Brewed in 2012. Cellar release 11-2012. Pretty sure I bought it a month or two ago at Whidby Beer Works.

Pours a murky dark amber with only the tiniest ring of head, no visible carbonation. Didn't even give a gasp when the cap was removed -- moderately concerning. Smell is booze, raisins, maybe some oak, maybe some fig.

Taste is raisins, dates, figs, very slow and subtle bitterness making me think of grape must, fruit skins, and wood. Maybe some dark honey, some toffee (now that I say that, sticky toffee pudding comes to mind).

Mouthfeel is not lively, but not dead. Kind of thick, definitely sticky. Overall, this is really interesting and quite enjoyable.

 

Hoppin' Frog T.O.R.I.S. The Tyrant RIS, 13.8% ABV. Pours thick and black, with a slight brown head. Nose is coffee, taste is coffee and chocolate, moderate to heavy bitterness. Excellent mouthfeel, overall excellent.

4.1/5 rDev -5.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Really great fall day to watch my neighbors do yard work while we watch football. Screw the leaves, they'll blow away.

 

Hey hey, another new beer for the weekend ready to roll!

Panil Ambrata Barriquée - (Italy)



Poured from the bottle into a tulip glass. Batch #2, vintage 2018, Bottle #949.

Great looking appearance. Surprising big retention and staying power on a Flanders style brew, a three finger perfect yellow vanilla colored head, fine bubbles and stays for a lengthy time. Body is deep red rust with lighter edges of gleaming ruby and bright light. Excellent looking brew.

Excellent aroma comes with the appearance. While not quite out of this world, it is superb. Splintery pencil wood and shavings, mixing with a light sour cherry note. Faint touches of light wine vinegar, even a cookie biscuit note seems to make an appearance along with some light sage herbs too. It's a unique one in this category, not quite world class, but certainly exemplary.

Palate is quite a mouthful. Very different than what I expected. First unfortunately not giving to great body or depth in mouthfeel as the beer is a bit wet in feel. Affects what is however a very distinct and fascinating palate. Moderate sensing funk with light cherry to a very soft raspberry tartness, mixing with jut a faint hair of vanilla sweetness. Very spicy flavor on the aftertaste, giving to almost black pepper saison finish, and some real heated earthy herbs of sage and sort of marjoram like. Mixes in some full soil and dirt earth character too.

Very much unlike any other Flanders I have had. Doesn't really stand up to the classics I think, but it is it's own unique animal and I am quite intrigued by it. It is also 4 years old, but has held up quite well. I would definitely like to explore this at a different stage of it's life for sure, mostly younger.

look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4 | 4.04/5 rDev -1.2%

Cheers!

 

Suarez beer #2. This one is Fine Line - their Kolsch. Looks like the best by date on this one was actually a few days ago, which while not way off is still poor inventory management by me. Review below, but the high level is that while I didn't like this one quite as much as the State Pils, it was still very good, and this is totally crushable.

4.09/5 rDev -4.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Brewed early August and best by a few days ago. Poured into a Suarez Wille Becher glass. Appearance is pale straw and very clear, with minimal carbonation yet a very nice thick head with excellent retention and lacing. Smell is floral and sweet, with grassy notes. On the tongue this is incrediblly crisp and clean. Lightly hoppy with some biscuit / bread notes. Medium carbonation and very crisp going down.

 

At Local Group Brewing in Houston. I have done a couple of reviews for NBW with them in the past. They have a new Oatmeal Stout.

Gravity Dancer, Oatmeal Stout. 4.5% ABV.


Pours a dark black, nearly opaque. With just a touch of ruby brown around the edges. A one finger beige head forms, and leaves some lace behind.
A substantial roasted malt and cereal grain character in the nose. Along with toast, and a bit more chocolaty aromas come out as this warms, light coffee as well.
Like the nose, taste is that big malt flavor up front and center. Roasted malts, a touch of coffee, and silky milk chocolate. Which makes this a touch sweet. Finishes with a lightly bitter char.
A medium body with good crisp carbonation. This is ultra silky smooth, as should be the case with an Oatmeal stout. Which makes this really easy to drink and come back to.

I enjoy this a lot. A simple low ABV stout, and the oatmeal just adds a great silky texture to everything. Nothing fancy, and that is A-OK with me. This is pretty on point for the style, and glad they continue to make simple, not over the top stouts. Well done IMO.

Overall Score 4.02
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/58735/516109/?ba=champ103#review

 

My second new-to-me beer this weekend is, like my first one yesterday, also a cross-post from the online lambic tasting also happening this weekend.

Lindemans Cuvée René Oude Kriek
ABV: 7.0%
IBU: 18



750ml bottle, dated December 7, 2016, nearly 4 years in the bottle.

Clear dark red with a column of rising bubbles. Short pink fizzy head with no retention - it was a race to get any head at all in the photo. No lacing.

Aroma is a complex of fruit (indistinct at this point, but the label says it should be cherry), tart acidity, funky and earthy.

Taste is definitely cherry, as taken directly from the trees in my uncle's back yard in Michigan. As with his cherries, it is quite tart and acidic, but not to the level of being truly sour. The earthy funkiness nicely balances the tart cherry, resulting in a beer that, while still on the sweet side, is well back from the level of sweetness in yesterday's framboise. The tartness is much more prevalent than the framboise as well. The tart acid provides even a bit of a drying effect in the finish and aftertaste. As the beer warms, the tartness becomes more and more prominent in the flavor, initial, middle, on the finish and into the aftertaste. So, in the end, the lasting effect is not sweet at all. While 7% isn't exactly huge, the alcohol is, nonetheless, not a factor in the taste.

Mouth feel is on the thin side of moderate with the tartness and carbonation providing a tingling sensation.

Overall, a much more enjoyable and refreshing beer than the framboise. This one I very well might make a repeat purchase.

L: 3.75 | S: 4.25 | T: 4.5 | F: 4.0 | O: 4.25 | Rating: 4.30

 

Packers are 5 minutes from a loss to the hated Vikings, tho... (NB: I'm not much of a NFL fan, and even if I was, the Vikings would not be my team, so, ...)

 

Yeah, we're sucking wind here.

 

Happy Sunday! My first NBW post! I bought a 6 pack from work. Luckily the beer manager let me know about it, since I don't work in that dept, because it sold out within hours of displaying it! Short story: Yuengling Hershey's Chocolate Porter is very good. Long story after the photo:



look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured a 12 oz. bottle with a bottling date I can't f'ing read into a pint glass. It pours a dark brown color with a quick disappearing tan head and minimal lacing. Smells of chocolate and some roasted malt.

The aroma follows through in the taste: Hershey's chocolate syrup and roasted malt. It has a dry finish with some mild spice bitterness. I noted some slight metallic flavor in the aftertaste that went away after a few sips. Good carbonation, but a little thin in the body for this style to me. Overall, very chocolatey, but not too sweet. Very good.