New Beer Weekend #18

I know they never will but imagine 12 oz 12 packs of peeper or mo at a reasonable price. It would be awsome.

 

The Kolsch from Jack's Abby's Springdale line is also excellent, if you ever run across it.

 

Good afternoon NBW, I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. With going back to full down lockdown it just feels like a good weekend just stay inside, play some video games and drinking beer.

3.9/5 rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle, dated 10/20/20, poured into a snifter

A- Black with a small tan head.

S- Chocolate, slightly smoky, some graham crackers and vanilla, touch of marshmallows, some roasted malts.

T- Roasted malts, chocolate, a little smoky, some pale malts, some vanilla, touch graham crackers, hints of marshmallow.

M- Smooth, light to medium body.

O- A tasty stout, a little on the dry side for a milk stout. Like a lot of the flavors just wish the cinnamon was noticeable.

Cheers NBW!

 

Ok, I think I'll do as @JackHorzempa suggests and do a side-by-side, but not with a Kölsch like @jonphisher had, but with a von Trapp beer. I will be taking their Bavarian Styled Pilsner and putting it up against an "Authentic Bavarian Pils" from Ayinger (which I have had multiple times before).


First thing I noticed is a light haze to the Ayinger beer. It's a pale, straw colored brew with a small cirrus cloud near the top. This could be a little chill haze, time will tell. Either way, the von Trapp beer pours as a more golden color, so a bit darker and with a little less obvious haze.

The head of the American brewer's beer isn't quite as impressive as the import, showing just a little more hesitance in growing but really in being formed a bit more loosely. Ayinger has a little more of a creamy and cloud-like impression to it while von Trapp's falls more evenly. Ayinger's lacing is a bit stronger as well.



Ayinger has a bready nose with a bit of straw and dry grass. von Trapp's version is a little more grainy, but has a very similar hop profile. There's an odd "softness" to the classic brewer's take - like I want to say Ayinger used a softer water than von Trapp. I will ualify that by saying I am not sure I can explain why I think that and I definitely can't defend it scientifically - it's just an impression or feeling.

Ayinger's feel is easily more palatable to me, as it is observably softer (whatever the reason). There's a firm, but not distracting carbonation. The von Trapp has a more crisp feel, with more aggressive, firm carbonation.

There's a light sweetness to Ayinger's opening - sorta towards a white bread impression. There's an earthy aspect joining the dry grass bitterness, with a hint of bite in back (which seems to be a combination of hop and carbonation). Light grass notes linger.

In comparison, there's a very light toasted bread opening to von Trapp's beer with a bit of a mineral note. Somewhat ironic that I get that from von Trapp, as it's similar to notes I often get from German pilsners in general. The grass note is a tad greener and a little more forceful than in the Ayinger beer (the Ayinger is considerably older than the von Trapp - perhaps by over 6 months). The end and linger has a little vegetal lean away from grassiness.



Interesting to note the differences in these similarly-styled Pilsners. Considering they're both a specific sub-style, I'm a bit surprised they seemed as different as they did. Sure - I used a lot of the same descriptive terms, but the difference in levels of the similarities, when added to the nuances in each, made them different enough that I think I'd notice the differences even if I weren't having them together.

A fun task, as always. And for what it's worth, I am liking the Ayinger a bit more in this sitting as well as thinking it's a slightly better constructed beer. Wonder if you'd think the same if you tried this

 

Does drinking the new 2020 version of a beer I've only had once during its inception in 2019 when it first came out count as drinking a new beer?

 

Interesting you got some of the smoke from the beer. My senses couldn't find it despite searching for it. I did basically like the beer, though, and agree that it's fairly dry, especially considering the inspiration ingredients. Cheers!

 

Herd is the Word a 7.2 % DDH AIPA from Twin Elephant brewing. This is the 1st time this beer has been brewed. I would have liked to have had a pint of this at the brewery but wasn't able to so I purchased a 4 pack blind. TE's IPA's are always at least very good often excellent. This one is excellent, The grain bill consists of Pilsner, Pale and Crystal malts. Oats and White Wheat. The hops used are Citra, Strata, Ekuanot. Cryo and Sabro. English Ale yeast is uued, This brew a very hazy gold with a thick and lasting white head, The aroma is tropical fruits with a bit of coconut. Unlike the aroma the grains come out in the taste which leads to a balanced brew. The mouthfeel if full and soft. the finish is fruity and lasting. A fine refreshing brew as was expected.
In case anyone is wondering the brewery refers to it's patrons as the herd hence the name.

 

Interesting talk of the side by sides. I was thinking it would be fun/neat to creat a thread dedicated to side by side positing as I always think they’re fun to read and fun to do. Good idea? Has it been done before and failed?

@JackHorzempa @cjgiant

 

Hmmm... I don't recall ever seeing one. I like the idea and think it might make sense, especially if people could do the same comparison and quote the original/other posters who compared the same beers.

I think the difficulty might be keeping it in the "public eye" (i.e. on the site's main page). Some people (me included) use WBAYDN to post their side-by-sides nowadays, which of course is always there. However, with that, the comparisons are lost to the ages within a day.

 

That was my thought to @cjgiant that so many already get done in this and the other drinking thread that a side by side thread may be pointless/get lost quick.

 

I forgot I had this baby in the fridge...



Massachusetts just closed the border to us so there's no telling when I'll get back to Tree House again. But, in the meantime, here's an IPA that's so brand-new I just posted the first review...

Thankful, IPA - American
4.13/5 rDev 0%

From a 16oz can, dated 11/16/20. Served in an IPA glass.

Pours a thick and murky appearing, dull and dirty orange juice-colour with two fingers of pouffy, sea foam-like head. Retention is just OK but leaves a heavy, creamy cap and wads of lacing. (4.25)

Smell is yeasty, bready and fruity. Peach, pineapple and pink cupcake frosting. (4.25)

Taste is in line with the nose but with (despite what the can says) a clean, earthy bitterness that makes me think simcoe. Grapefruit pith, juicy peach, orange peel, woody herbs, a dash of lime. A sort of sour, boozy, grapefruity aftertaste lingers. (4.0)

Feel is bright and juicy, medium bodied with ample fine, tingly carbonation. (4.5)

Overall... erm, another Tree House IPA - not their best, not their worst - but I’d rank it in the lower quartile. (4.0)

 

Howdy NBW’s


4.5. 4.5. 4.5. 4.25. 4.5. 4.55

Poured into a tulip glass yielded a thick foamy head with heavy lacing as it was consumed. Dark chocolate color
Aroma was deep dark Chocolate and a bit of roast and alcohol
Taste was chocolate forward, not sweet but as in semi sweet chocolate, some roasted malt and a tick of alcohol
Mouth feel was kind of chewy, sticky chocolate, and a faint alcohol burn type finish
Overall it’s a really nice RIS, easy drinking and very appealing
I’m going back for more and going to cellar some. Cheers

 

Was just talking about this beer in the Kane thread, right on cue. I have to grab my six pack this year, I’ll have to look next time I’m out. I only have one left from last year.

@DrStiffington

 

Greetings fellow NBSers! A sunny, but lightly chilly, Saturday here in the Fourth Corner. Today is the day we normally would have had our annual Birthday bottle share. Several of us have Bdays within a 10-14 day period, and so we simplify by having one bash, with to around 60 folks and over a hundred brews. But, this is 2020. So about 6 of are having a small cookout/bottleshare, while, at the same time, we're having an on-line share in memory of our friend Lane who passed away from cancer a few months ago, and his birthday would have been this past Monday.

Thanks to @Ozzylizard for this new brew, Fresh Roasted from Lancaster brewing. Nicely peanutty! https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/743/438006/?ba=beertunes#review

 

Moving on to another new DFH brew, Costumes & Karaoke.

4.14/5 rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

12 oz bottle, dated 8/28/20, poured into a snifter

A- A somewhat clear copper with a small white head.

S- Turmeric, anise, ginger, cardamom, some cinnamon, vanilla, honey. Nice balance spice and sweet.

T- Ginger, cardamom, turmeric, some vanilla, anise, some cinnamon, touch of honey.

M- Smooth, medium body.

O- A fun cream ale, easy to drink. Very nice balance between spice and sweet. Unique and very enjoyable.

Cheers!