New Beer Weekend #21

Good day BAs! Thanks, @SawDog505, for getting today's thread off and running! Another crispy morning here in NW PA's tundra so my New Breakfast Beer:

Never mind - Post image is not co-operating.


Sibling Maker from Jack’s Abby. Purchased 10/20/20 for $10.59 (Including tax) for 16.9 oz bottle ($ 0.627/oz) from Shangy’s in Emmaus, PA. Reviewed 12/12/20.
Undated. Below the left edge of the label etched into the glass in near-microscopic, dimpled characters “60731W2122027” (Maybe. Even with a magnifying glass this is a “best guess.”). On room temperature shelf at store and stored at home at 42 degrees. Served at 57 degrees in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. Final temperature 64.9 degrees.
Appearance – 4.
First pour – Medium amber (SRM 12), slight haze (Unfiltered/unpasteurized).
Body – Deep amber (SRM 15), opaque. When held to direct light, becomes amber/murky and I half-expect to find some embedded prehistoric insect. Some sediment remains in the bottom of the bottle.
Head – None (Aggressive center pour). Bubbles last only a second or two past their creation. Eventually the soft effervescence produces a partial crown of extremely tiny bubbles extending about half-way around the rim and some thin, tiny islands floating in the center of the amber sea.
Lacing – None. Not unexpected at 12.6% ABV.
Aroma – 4.25 – Sweet toffee, no malt, no hops, no yeast. Strengthens as the temperature increases.
Flavor – 4.5 – Begins slightly sweet with toffee and no roasted malt, no hops, no yeast. No bourbon or barrel flavor until I exhale, then the bourbon coyly appears. No alcohol (12.6 % ABV, as marked on container) taste or aroma. A post-swallow gastric glow appears, mellow and comforting. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl.
Palate – 4 – Medium, creamy and edging toward syrupy, soft carbonation.
Final impression and summation: 4 (After deducting 0.25 points for no date) This is an excellent take on an English Barley Wine, lightly sweet, toffee-ish. I do not particularly notice any fruitiness from “complex alcohols”, but still incredibly good. This is one that, after abolishing my inhibitions, I’m seriously considering taking another six-hour drive to pick up more.
Rating 4.26, rDev +1.4%.

So far, the best I've had from Jack's Abby since the original Framinghammer.

Maybe later, if Postimages comes back up, the photo will be posted.

 

Good morning NBW
Thanks to @SawDog505 for starting the thread! I just finished night 6 of a 78 hour week, so I just want to get into an Indiana beer...

People's Brewing Company (Lafayette, IN) Ardelle 2014

Here's their description

I picked this bottle up at the taproom in November when I picked my oldest up from college. Based on this experience, I will be picking up a 2018 and 2020 in January when I take him back...

The review:
22oz bottle purchased at the brewery in November 2020 at 6 years of cellaring. They list this as an English Barleywine 9.2% ABV. Pours barely cloudy darker amber with a meager tan head on a hard pour. The head recedes to an irregular ring and persists. The aroma is moderate in strength featuring prune, leather, brown sugar and a little booze. The taste is semisweet and follows the nose with prune juice, leather, caramel, dark brown sugar, raisin etc. Mild bitterness. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with less than medium carbonation and a mostly dry finish. Overall, very, very good. Amazing for 6 years old. People's and their annual Christmas release are now on my radar.

Honestly, they had me at Maris Otter. Happy to have access to these.
Cheers all and enjoy the new beer in your glass this weekend!

 

The battle of the Southern German Pilsners

In a past thread I posted some initial thought about a new to me beer: Von Trapp Bavarian Pilsner:

“I recently purchased two six-packs of Von Trapp Bavarian Pils and I am indeed a fan of this beer. There is indeed a subtle flavor of herbal/spicy from the hops but this beer is predominantly bready Pilsner Malt. I will thoroughly discuss this beer next month in NBW. If I can find a fresh six-pack of Rothaus Pils I will do a side-by-side taste testing. It has been a while since I had a Rothaus (this beer is mostly old on my retailers' shelves) but my beer memory (which is good but not great) states that Von Trapp Bavarian Pils is similar to Rothaus.”

https://www.beeradvocate.com/commun...e-hell-out-of-you.634278/page-22#post-7092156

I was able to purchase a fresh six-pack of Rothaus Pilsner with a best by date of “07.02.21” with my guess being this means Feb. 2, 2021. Paying 16 bucks for this six-pack was quite ‘painful’ but I suppose the things we do for beer advocacy?

Ah, enough bellyaching let’s continue…

I was fortunate that a local beer retailer was able to obtain a rotating beer: Von Trapp Bavarian Pilsner.

Below is how this beer is detailed on the Von Trapp website:

“Bavarian Pilsner 5.0% ABV 35 IBU | 12 oz 6-pk Cans | Rotational Offering

Our version of a Bavarian Pilsner showcases the high quality ingredients we use to create our lagers. Choice malts imported from Bamberg build the smooth lager character and accentuate the noble hops of the Hallertau region. The hops provide light floral and subtle bittering notes, allowing the malt to shine through. Please enjoy.”

Well, utilizing Pilsner malt from Bamberg and noble hops from the Hallertau region certainly sounds like a Bavarian Pilsner to me.

Below is information about Rothaus Pilsner:

Rothaus Tannenzäpfle

“Das beliebteste Bier aus Rothaus ist das Rothaus Pils. Besonders beliebt ist unser Pils in der 0,33 l Flasche als Rothaus Pils Tannenzäpfle. Mit 12,4 % Stammwürze und 32 Bittereinheiten nimmt das Rothaus Pils eine herausragende Position unter den Pilsbieren ein.

Untergärige Hefe aus eigener Reinzucht vergärt das Rothaus Pils, bevor es ca. 4 Wochen in Ruhe reift. Dabei bildet das Pils seinen kräftigen und eleganten Geschmack und seine hohe Rezenz aus. Rezenz nennt man das durch die Kohlensäure im Bier ausgelöste Frischegefühl.”

The most popular beer from Rothaus is the Rothaus Pils. Very popular, our Pils in 0.33 l bottle as Rothaus is Pils Tannenzäpfle. With 12.4% Plato Wort and 32 IBUs, the Rothaus Pils takes an outstanding position among the Pils beers.

Bottom-fermented yeast from your own selected ferments the Rothaus Pils, before it conditions about 4 weeks. The Pils possesses strong and elegant taste and its high Rezenz. The feeling of freshness that is triggered by the carbon dioxide in the beer called Rezenz.”

Let’s drink!

Served in my Polish Pilsner glasses:

Appearance:

Von Trapp Bavarian Pilsner: Straw yellow with a firm white head.

Rothaus: Ditto.

Aroma:

Von Trapp Bavarian Pilsner: Mostly bready Pilsner malt aroma but there is some noticeable herbal/spicy hop aroma there as well.

Rothaus: Aroma is basically a ‘twin’ of the Von Trapp. I mostly perceive the pilsner malt aroma but there is some herbal/spicy aroma in the background.

Taste:

Von Trapp Bavarian Pilsner: The flavor follows the nose with notable bready Pilsner malt flavor plus some herbal/spicy hop flavors. A moderate bitterness.

Rothaus: Very similar to the flavor of Von Trapp. I would venture to say that the taste is a bit more dominated by the pilsner malt but there are indeed flavors from the hops. A moderate bitterness.


Mouthfeel:

Von Trapp Bavarian Pilsner: Light-Medium bodied with a dry finish.

Rothaus: Ditto.

Overall:

Von Trapp Bavarian Pilsner : This beer is very good! This beer features bready Pilsner malt aroma/flavor but there are noticeable herbal/spicy hop flavors as well.

Rothaus: This beer is also very good.

These two beers do not taste exactly the same but they are similar in a number of attributes: appearance, mouthfeel and balance of bready malt to hop aroma/flavor (mostly bready but noticeable hop aspects too).

Cheers!

@rotsaruch @RobH @KOP_Beer_OUtlet @BeerIsland @FBarber

 

I always had at least one Rothaus when I flew out of Frankfurt, a spot on classic German Pils

 

Good morning BAs! Only 13 more days ‘till Christmas! My new beer this morning is from 903 Brewers, Sherman TX - Pecan Porter, Brewer’s Reserve, an oak BA imperial porter with Pecans, Coffee and Maple...I’m familiar with the brewery, the adjuncts sound appealing, so I got this beer on Tavour recently - let’s go!:



Poured at 58 degrees yields a fast fizzy tan head that vanished like magic; no cap retention, thin incomplete ring, and spots of lace with agitation; ruby brown body, ok clarity; thin legs. Chocolate malt, toasted pecans... coffee? Taste upfront is strong smokey burnt molasses; maple, charred oak, burnt marshmallow sugar middle; barest of toasted pecans, no coffee. Medium light body, moderate minus carbonation; mouth warmth from 12.7% abv; alcohol burns tip of tongue; dry wooden finish. Overall, there is a long burnt candy linger, if you like that; the barrel notes blanket the base and adjuncts; as I drink, I keep thinking of eating “burnt ends” at Franklins’ BBQ in Austin, and while I love brisket, it is not a flavor I want to taste in a beer...one and done.

3.25 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.25 | 3.5
Score: 3.46 rDev -12.8%

 

Hello New Beer Weekend!!!

Wow, what a week. I started my new job, the first time since 1995, this week - and so far, I love it! I think I finally may have found a good fit for me. 3 times in my life my career path was wrong/didn't work out. When I was a kid I wanted to be a lawyer. Shortly after starting college, I realized that was a bad idea - too damn many of them. Then I wanted to get into my "passion" politics - then I discovered "the swamp", and it was only a 10th as bad in the 90's as it is today. Then I was in the restaurant business. That ended in part thanks to the situation going on now.

Hopefully the liquor store is a good fit for me, and I am for them. So far so good.

It's also good to be able to be paid for my work for a change.

Now, on to the beer- for research. Ok, I guess not since it isn't in Minnesota distro.

West O Beer - French Toast Coco. 7% ABV. A chocolate stout with cinnamon and maple syrup.

The can didn't list the ABV. I had to actually go to their FB page to look at their taplist to get the ABV for this beauty.

This has their award winning Coco as the base. The base comes in up front a bit, then the maple syrup and cinnamon kick in on the back. I like it. I do prefer the original better, but this is also damn good.

Review:

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

Pours a very dark brown - almost black. Less than a 1 finger light tan head. Head retention is good. No lacing on the glass.
The nose is a mix of a hint of chocolate, and a lot of cinnamon and maple syrup.
Taste - Not as much of the cinnamon and maple syrup as I was expecting from the nose. Up front it's a nice smooth dark chocolate flavor. The cinnamon and maple syrup come into play on the backside.
Smooth flavor. The body is good for the ABV.
Not bad at all. I'm enjoying this beer.


Be back around lunch time with an Imperial Baltic Porter locally made.

 

Good morning NBW'ers.

I've been up since 4, had the dog up in the hills for a couple of hours, and done all the chores I intend to do today. So, even though it's not quite noontime here, I feel entitled to start opening new beers...

Schilling Beer Co., Littleton, NH
Nordertor, a northern German-style pilsner at 5.0%abv
4.14/5 rDev +2%



From a 16oz can with an illegible date stamp. The 13th of something, 2020 - I would rather have seen the month but, hey. Served in a pilsner glass. The style guide says I should serve this in a flute but I say, screw that, what’s the point in having a pilsner glass if I cannot put a pilsner in it? I mean, right?

Pours a crystal-clear honey-gold with two fingers of pouffy white fluff. Retention is fairly unremarkable but leaves a nice creamy cap and collar and fat gobs of sticky lacing.

Smell is rich, malty and spicy. Damp cereal, apple cider, peppery spice, allspice.

Taste is sharper and more brightly bitter than expected. Earthy, peppery spice dominates. Sandalwood, dried flowers and apple cores. Dry bitterness with a grainy edge.

Feel is mouth-coatingly smooth, medium bodied and slick with fine, aggressive carbonation.

Overall, a full flavored, robust, hearty beverage, hopped all to bejeesus. There is nothing subtle here nor, I think, is there intended to be. A pilsner built for someone like me who’s wrecked his palate on too many IPA’s.

We do not use the term ‘poundable’ but, if we did, we would not use it in reference to this beer. It's pretty heavy and perfumy so, two, maybe three at a sitting, no more.

 

Greetings, NBW'ers and thanks to @SawDog505 for kicking us off again.

Up first today is a beer that was sent my way by @Whyteboar in the recent NBS BIF. I've had the barrel aged version of Narwhal, but apparently never the base version (how is that?). Anyway, I don't like cold weather (at all), but I do enjoy a good stout when it's cold out. Added bonus, I love that the beer cellar stays nice and cool this time of year (54.3 degrees when I went to grab this. Perfect serving temp.)

3.97/5 rDev -5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Fully opaque, jet black pour with a medium amount of head. Aroma has somewhat muted chocolate and coffee notes. Taste has plenty of roasted malts with plenty of coffee notes as well. Very nice, silky yet full feel. This is a really nice old school stout. Not a lot of gimmicks, just a nicely done beer that will be perfect to sip on over the next hour or two.

 

1) glad to see that you still have at least one beer I sent you earlier this year, as I still have a bunch that you sent me
2) If I recall correctly, I was underwhelmed by this beer and / or my expectations were higher than they should have been.

 

And hopefully reasonably priced since you are drinking it in Germany.

It is indeed a high quality German Pilsner.

Cheers!

 

I don’t remember it being too crazy unlike airports here

 

Thanks for kicking things off today @SawDog505 . Some great reviews and pics so far, can smell the baking at @Roguer 's house, and hope one day to come across Lawson's beers, perhaps they will have a drop here one of these years.

I'm starting the weekend with a beer that has been around for a long time, from one of my favorite breweries that for whatever reason never came across until I picked it up two weeks ago from Beer on the Wall, St. Bernardus Wit.




Prelude: $3.00 with tax for a single 11.2 oz can poured into a tulip glass. No canning date, can refers to a best before date on the top but it is not there. This was a single can purchase, so perhaps the best by date was on the plastic wrap for the six pack.5.5% ABV, imported by way of Jupiter FLA.

Appearance: Cloudy orange tan pour, bright fluffy bright bubbly white head lingers for a few minutes before leaving light lacing, mild carbonation sustained throughout. 3.75

Aroma: Bold, sweet clove, citrus, spices, pepper and wheat, on the funky side. Nice. 4.0

Taste: Play between the clove and citrus works well, wheat holding it together. Pepper, cinnamon as well, funky. 4.0

Mouthfeel: Light carbonation lingers throughout, medium creamy body, leans sweet, easy clean finish. 4.25

Overall: This is a solid offering from St. Bernardus. East clean flavorful wheat beer, clove and citrus pair off nicely, well done. 4.0

Maybe one more today, definitely one for tomorrow.

Cheers!