New Beer Weekend #17

I was so excited a few years ago when I found a bottle of Pannepot at a store in California. It has glowing reviews. I have never seen the Reserva before. Based on my experience versus others', I think there was something deeply wrong with my bottle. I would give it another chance, but that was memorable as one of the worst beers I have ever tried.

 

Watching the Eagles game (which is painful) and sticking with the pattern from yesterday by following up a stout with an IPA from Hill Farmstead. This one is Three Magic Letters, which is brewed with Nelson Sauvin, Riwaka and Simcoe hops.

This is good, but didn't stand out for me. Maybe if I drink more the Eagles game will become more interesting.

4.06/5 rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Canned 10/27/20 and poured into a tulip. Appearance is nice, although it doesn't stand out in any particular way. Bright, glowing hazy yellow wiht not a ton of head / head retention. Lacing is solid. Aroma is really nice, although it's not exactly jumping out of the glass. Grapefruit, and I hate to say it, but a bit of cat pee on the nose (is it possible to say "but not in a bad way"?)

Taste is medium bitterness with maybe some mango / grapefruit notes? I'm not a big IPA guy, and find the taste good, but not great. Fairly pillowy feel.

 

Damn, y'all treating my eyes to some fine drinking! Great selections, beautiful pics, and well described. Thanks. Hard to pretend this blueberry tea is beer, but I'm trying. Cheers!.

 

Thanks, my wife picked it up at some thrift store

 

@snaotheus that beer came in a box from Tavour. Very enjoyable beer and must say everything that Tavour sent was actually really good. If ever in the area I will have to visit them

 

Just because I was in Livingston Manor, NY yesterday doesn't mean that I was anywhere near Livingston, NY, home of Suarez brewing. The two towns are actually separated from each other by the Hudson River and 2 hours of driving.

No, this particular fine beer comes to me thanks to @zid:

Stands to Reason smoked lager by Suarez Brewing
(the smoked jerky, on the other hand, was obtained in Livingston Manor, and seems to make for a perfect accompaniment ).

It's a gorgeous beer, translucent dark saturated chestnut-tinged chocolate brown with a dense and moussy head. It's not just for appearance's sake about that head, either, because it indicates a protein rich beer; which is key, because otherwise this sucker is bone dry, yet still maintains a moderately full feel due to those proteins.

The smoke is but one aspect here, and it's a gentle contributor at that. Other parts of the tapestry include dark cocoa, toasted pumpernickel, rootbeer-like spiciness and molasses.

The finish, aside from the aformentioned dryness, is also a touch woody and tannic, while the bitterness has just enough snap to keep everything lively.

Overall it's a very pleasant easy-drinker with enough complexity to keep you wanting to come back for more. It's also nicely unique in design, making use of what seems like a Dunkel or Schwartzbier base and allowing that to express itself equally as well. A lovely and very enjoyable A- (4.25).

Thanks again, Chris!

 

Howdy, NBWers... back with a 2nd taste, and a new review for me of...
Half Acre Burl DDH DIPA. 8.5%. Canned 10.27.20
More?
Read on:

4.24/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

L - golden straw opaqueness; good but not ridiculous head. Decent lacing.
S - Heeey now. Citric/mosaic goodness obviously on the nose - papaya-grapefruit citric elements, some pine.
T - this is where Burl (STILL MADE, not retired!) shines; smooth, dangerously good DIPA that highlights everything we all love about Citra and Mosaic (wild guess). Much more satisfying in the 2020 edition than prior tastes in the taproom, and way better than the 2020 Sailor's Kush (which HA kinda ruined because they put in... yeah... sabro. Ugh. So dry/woody/off-putting).
F - Great mouthfeel; good carbonation, dangerously smooth.
O - one of the better DIPAs from Half Acre. It may not have the complexity of the best DIPAs out there, but there's nothing to complain about here.

 

Good afternoon NBS/NBW and thanks @zid for the wonderful start this week.
Its grey and cooling down here in WMass. Cleaned up some blown down trees at the cemetery this morning, tough year for trees.
Todays offering is from Notch Brewing, the feel on this beer is so silky with enough crispness to keep things jumping. A lovely Lager in all respects.
Do good
Be well

Ungespundet

Lager - Kellerbier / Zwickelbier | 4.5% ABV

Notch Brewing
Salem, Massachusetts

4.13/5 rDev +3.3% | Average: 4
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poued from a 16 oz can dated "born on 10/20/20" into the test mug
A - Dark straw colored back drop, excellent clarity displays meandering random spheres. The loose knit white froth is its own being. Hangs on top like egg white, just before its really ready.
S - Sweet malts, a biscuit underlay, earthy floral element.
T - A bit of graham cracker, hint of honey, again with the earthy hops, no citrus here, Excellent flavors run in a narrow band
M - For a 4.5% offering this is creamy and rich on the palate, Start is semi sweet, then a gentle nudge of bittering hop pushes the palate experience toward neutral. Finish is crisp, with a lovely biscuit linger
O - A lovely offering from a talented brewer, The depth of flavor is worth the deep dive into this lovely treat.
Visually that loose frothy cap is simply outstanding.

 

This beer was brought into my home by my son. He had a great sales pitch "you probably won't like it". Well Gentle on my Mind from Housatonic Brewing reminds me of that John Hartford song made famous by Glen Campbell but I'm not going to link to the song because I have to be a in a pretty wierd mood to hear that.
Turns out my son was wrong. Won't knock your socks off, but there is nothing wrong with this beer. Brewery's website says it contains Citra, Amarillo and Azacca, but not much info beyond that.

3.54/5 rDev -9.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a 16oz can dated 10/6/20 to a Nonic at fridge temp.
Hazy orange body, medium white head, moderate lacing.
Must dominates the aroma, not much for citrus or sharp hops.
Tasting brings some mild citrus and the mustiness is gone. I would like a little more bitter finish.
Mouthfeel is medium to light.
It's okay, no real complaints.

 

Late picture of last night's swilling of Walcott, a smoked English Brown Ale from Austin Street Brewery. Cheers.

 

You know that someone’s going to be after you to post your impressions and opinion of this beer, right? As it so happens, I’ve been curious about this one myself.

 

Howdy NBS! This is my first of two new beers this chilly Sunday. I'm making some fajitas right now and this beer seems like it will pair pretty well with 'em.



I had never heard of Wildbloom before I saw a couple of their beers on the shelf at Craft Beer Cellar in Nashua, NH yesterday when I was doing a bit of beer shopping for stuff to bring to a bonfire at my friends' house. Evidently no one really knows much about them because even the Untappd page for this beer has only a couple ratings. Exciting stuff, especially because the description for this one is "classically styled Pale Ale with 100% whole cone Maine grown Cascade hops." That sounds great, so let's see what they've achieved here.

The pour is a pale yellow hue with very little clarity, though it's not a totally opaque beer. A generous initial showing of head that measures about two fingers but quickly sinks down to a half-finger, leaving behind spectacularly-consistent lace is the first thing I notice here, and I'm therefore already getting the feeling that this will be a pretty high-quality beer.

The nose definitely has that classic Cascade thing going on... slightly pine-y with a little bit of freshly-cut grass and hints of citrus oil (mostly grapefruit) and a touch of orange pith. There's a hint of crackery malt as well, but it's drowned in the simple yet beautiful character of fresh Cascade hops. Yeah, this is gonna be solid for sure.

My first few bigger gulps of this one are quite balanced, bringing forward equal parts quenching semi-bitter pale ale and solid English style session beer by turns. The Cascade isn't aggressive at all, and there's just a bit of citrus in the beginning portion of each small sip I start taking after getting a quarter of the way through the can. Clean pine and firm bitterness with a drying and satisfying drinkability. Moderately crackery malt flavors help keep this really nice and easy, while the hops do provide just enough interest to hold my attention. This is definitely one you could have a few of in a row and feel barely anything, and I look forward to trying more from this new brewery soon. Oh, something I should mention... the owner and head brewer is (or was?) also brewing at Henniker Brewing Co., which probably explains why the can says this was made in Henniker as well. They're actually a pretty damn good small brewery from NH who tends to focus on classic European styles and who tends to do so with aplomb. Definitely intrigued... I'll have to follow them for upcoming releases!

Back in a while with another (very different) entry... until then...

 

Black Clouds Mexican Chocolate by Dancing Gnome

4.6/5 rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Canned 7.30,opened 11.15

Received in a Lif from @Pinz412 in bif#12


Thanks @Pinz412 , really like this one

“Break the heat”



16 oz can poured into. Tulip . Luxurious , slick, shiny motor oil that forms a pencil thin brown foam cap that quickly evaporated

Aroma is cocoa, milk chocolate, vanilla and cinnamon

Taste is cocoa, milk chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon. First notes are chocolate. The cinnamon lingers nicely on the aftertaste . Get a hint of chili taste but without the heat

Small bubble fizzy sudsing. Liquid velvet , rich , soft and smooth , absolutely no hint of the 11%. Abv. This could prove to be a deadly beer .

Really good beer, delicious repeatable

 

Really tasty. Great both hot and cold. Next year I'm going to forage for my own blend of this tea I just discovered from Bigelow.
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