New Beer Weekend #22

Good afternoon, NBW'ers.



My new beer this weekend is...

Shattered Illusions of Love from River Roost Brewery, White River Junction, Vermont
a Barrel-Aged Baltic Porter at 10.8% abv
3.64/5 rDev -11.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

From a 16oz can, batch #SI0L-001, dated 08/05/20. Served in a River Roost-branded... I’m not sure what kind of glass that is. Some sort of chalice? A stubby IPA glass?

Pours in a dark chestnut-brown stream, cola-black in the glass with no discernible highlights. A scant half-finger of fizzy chocolatey head that doesn’t last but a few seconds, leaving a rousable thin, slippery sheet of lacing.

Bourbon is evident in the aroma. Cocoa and caramel.

Taste picks up where the nose leaves off. Sweet, meaty and roasty. Booze-soaked raisins, bitter chocolate, chocolate caramel, molasses. Sugary cola and raisinettes.

Feel is smooth verging on syrupy, medium bodied but feeling heftier than that due to fairly low carbonation.

Overall, too heavy, sweet and syrupy for my tastes.

 

Pours a nice solid jet black color with a nice head and lacing
Aroma has coffee and caramel hints
The taste follows the nose with a coffee and caramel flavor
A light bodied decently carbonated beer
A well done Porter

 

Hey what's going on!

been busy with the holidays, and definitely ready for this year to be over...

So here was a neat mass market find for our hero that was kind of surprising.



Poured from the bottle into a nonic pint glass.

Pale light brass colored, with a fairly deep yellow and very clear body. Occasional rising carbonation, but mostly minimal. Head is real bright white, kind of fluffy and manages about two solid fingers in height, then slowly sinks to a nice collar.

Aroma is of adjunct grain, but also heavily sensing a bit of chemical notes. Hits slightly medicinal like as well, a touch of sweetness as well kicking in. Fairly ordinary as well even for a mass market lager.

Palate actually manages to surprise me. First sip manages slightly sweet watery notes, but then some depth comes in. Sweet adjunct quite a bit but with control. Definitely tastes like sweet rice and a hint that goes toward a nice honey like flavor. Good coating palate and quite refreshing, with no odd aftertaste either.

Unique sweetness on a mass market lager, but one that is easy drinking and surprisingly memorable. It's not amazing, but far better than I was expecting.

look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75 | BA Generated: 3.6

Cheers!

 

First new beer today is advent beer #19, apparently a Helles Lager from Erl. Happy Saturday, NBWers!

500ml can served in a big snifter. EXP 2022/05. Day 19 of my advent calendar.

Pours very clear, very light golden with a medium head that fades away. Moderate to low carbonation. Smell is mild...a little yeasty funk, a little grass, grain, and honeysuckle.

Taste is more yeasty funk, mild, mushy graininess, grassiness is mostly lost.

Mouthfeel is kind of thick or heavy, not oppressive but not refreshing. Overall, it's OK.

 

Cross posted from the Holiday Ale tasting thread:

Bell's Christmas Ale, a holiday Scotch Ale

Nice! I really like this one. Like it's best European counterparts, it manages to be rich and malty, but not overly so; sweet, but not cloying; elegant and complex. The driving flavors are definitely caramel, toasted dark bread, and dried fruit (particularly dates). Roasty notes dance about, mingling nicely with the toasty bread one minute, suggesting hints of smoky peat the next. Suggestions of candied orange peel, nutmeg and vanilla also take part in the courtly dance. The finish is decidedly (and appreciatively) dry for such a malty beer; while the sharp snap of bitterness may be cracking the whip a touch too hard. Lovely stuff, still, and I'm glad I got a sixer.

 

I picked up a new truck earlier today. Now I am drinking beer waiting for the payments to start. After dropping me off at the dealer, my wife went to Fox Farm and picked up a nice haul.
Here is Wile, a Citra NEIPA.

4.1/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 16oz can dated 11/18/20 to a Nonic at refrigerator temperature.
Almost opaque hazy yellow/orange body. Light from behind brightens the edges but not the depths. 10mm/3/8" white head fades rather quickly, but laces well.
Orange pith aroma is slightly dank.
Taste is similar to aroma, but spread over time, dankness first, orange rind and pith middle. That orange sweetness dries out completely as the mouthful is gone.
Medium body, carbonation seems delayed for some reason.
Solid beer.

 

Thank you @JamFuel for kicking things off today. Several good beers already reviewed here including a few Christmas offerings in conjunction with the weekend tasting event. Hope you can join us!

My second and final beer with Christmas in the title (Prairie Artisan's Christmas Bomb was enjoyed yesterday) is from Goose Island, Christmas IPA.



Facts: Purchased as a single a few weeks ago at Beer on the Wall, two locations on the can, but I believe this was brewed in Fort Collins, CO, as opposed to Chicago, IL. This is an 12 oz can, an IPA with 38 IBU and 7.5% ABV, and a best by date of Saint Patrick's Day 2021. Poured into a Harry Caray Budweiser pint glass. Ho Ho Ho and Away We Go!!!

Appearance: Twelve ounce can poured into a shaker pint glass. Clear bronze appearance, significant carbonation, nice creamy rich head lingers for a few minutes leaving significant creamy lacing in it's wake. 4.0

Aroma: Sweet bread and caramel malt aroma backed by cinnamon, light pine backing. Mild strength. 3.25

Taste: More hop bitterness in the taste than detected via aroma with pine the main flavor. Sweet malty presence backs and balances this pour out well, bread, fruit cake, caramel. Light lemon and cinnamon backing. 3.0

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body, slight creaminess, persistent carbonation throughout. Dry and lightly bitter overall, clean crisp and refreshing finish. 3.5

Overall: This is a malt sweet forward IPA, balanced with pine and lemon hop taste which is OK, nothing stands out. Average offering. 3.25

Depending on mood, I'll return later with a bock or an imperial stout.

Merry Christmas one and all!

 

My first from Freak Folk and to say that this beer lives up to it's reputation is an understatement!

Brewed in March 2019, bottled in December 2020.

Poured into a Belgium tulip at approximately 40 degrees.

Appearance - Pours with little to no head, clear, amber hue reminiscent of, dare I say, rose´. Trace evidence of yeast-like sediment present. 4.25

Aroma - Bombarded by a bushel of green apple, sweet tart candy with a conspicuous funky profile in attendance. 4.5

Taste - White grape and Sour Patch Kids hit first, followed by prominent early harvest white peach that leads out a fusty hay-bale quality. Unfortunately, my pallet could find no evidence of the Tahitian vanilla bean; although a more sophistcated pallet could probably find some merit in the addition. 4.5

Mouthfeel - Light and very dry with mild carbonation with a champagne-like character. 4.25

Overall - This is a great representation of a wild fermented ale. Forethought and artisanship are uniquely rewarded in this offering from Freak Folk.

 

Dolphin Sparkles DIPA presents as a yellow-orange can pour hosts a fine foam cap and a bright tangerine aroma.
The flavor is full with peach, melon and berry notes. -no evident “dankness” as others have mentioned.
This finish is smooth. This is light-bodied for the style and quite tasty.

 

Cross post with the Online Holiday Beer Tasting thread.

Dovetail Holiday Bock



This is very similar to the Goose Island Christmas IPA I had. Very heavy malt presence, though more complex with a heavy rye influence which I enjoy. Hop presence felt, but no discernible tastes. Liquid rye bread, heavy on the caramel, an average to good offering.

I have a nice new to me imperial stout planned by the closest brewer to my house planned for tomorrow. Looking forward to more posts and great holiday beer reviews.

Happy Holidays To You!

 

Another Holiday Ale cross post:
Next up is a very pleasant surprise from south NJ:

Cheer from Bonesaw Brewing in Glassboro

I actually went out looking for the holiday beer from Double Nickel. Although the store carries many Double Nickel varieties, they didn't have that one, so fate seemed to push my hand in this direction.

And I'm glad it did. As you can see above this is a high-er gravity brown ale brewed with cocoa powder, orange peel and spices. My initial gut feeling was that could work if handled with finesse, and that's exactly how it was done. This is a very deftly handled pleasant weave of flavors, full flavored overall yet nothing in particular is standing out too much, satiny smooth in feel, and pleasingly dry in the finish. As I get down to the bottom of the glass it seems to me that it was the addition of the cocoa powder that allowed all this to work so well, which makes it a brilliant move on the part of the brewers. I'm imagining this with a ton of chocolate malt in its place and I don't think you'd get this fullness without more sharp roastiness and residual malt character, which would throw off the excellent balance shown here. Well done, Bonesaw crew, and highly recommended!

 

Super Radiant double IPA from Tree House
Canned 11/19. 8.2 abv
Pours cloudy thick looking yellow, aggressive pour yields about a 1 inch soapy white head that lasts a while, thin lacing
Aroma is a peachy orange affair with a hint of mango, slightly tropical
Taste is ripe peach and tart orange little to none sweetness
Mouthfeel is prickly and chewy, a bit sticky and smooth out to a dry finish
Overall it’s a nice tasting juice bomb, easy drinking for a double, smooth and thick tasting. I liked it.

4.50/4.50/4.25/4.25/4.25. 4.33. rdev. .07%

 

Poured into a Deciduous Brewing Company Snulip glass canned this week. Pours like a glass of pineapple orange juice with a finger plus sticky white head that leaves thin webs of lace with excellent retention. 5

Smell is pineapple, ripe melon, guava, tangerine, and apricot amazing wouldn’t change a thing. 5

Taste follows as juicy as any beer I can think of. Pineapple, guava, tangerine, cantaloupe, and apricot very little bitterness and incredibly balanced. 5

Mouthfeel is bigger than average, not sticky or dry, creamy soft carbonation, and at 8% ABV I am trying to slow down, but is so darn good. 5

Overall I have had many great NEDIPAs this year, but this one is the best I have had in 2020. 5 Cheers all.

 

I'm a huge fan of Toppling Goliath IPAs and this might be the best one that I've tried. I think it's better than King Sue honestly

 

I have beers at the opposite ends of the beer style spectrum this beautiful evening in Northern Indiana. The first is from my beer nerd friend @Roy_Hobbs, who sent two traveshamockery good boxes of world-class beers my way, with my first Suarez beers (!!!!!), the magnificent Hill-Farmstead saisons (and other fantastic beers from that phenomenal brewery) - and multiple beers/styles from the hidden gem for me, Fox Farm.

This a a world-class saison from them. I could drink this until it came out my ears.





4.62/5 rDev +9.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a perfectly clear straw color (there is some slight haze on subsequent pours) with a sizzling white head. Absolutely gorgeous beer.

The nose has “da funk” ubiquitous with the style, and there’s tart fruity aromas and a bit of lemon. The tart fruit comes across as green apple on the taste, and there’s ample lemon flavor as well to accompany the funky flavor - and just a smidge of black pepper at the end of the taste. Wow.

The mouthfeel is clean, crisp, and effervescent. This is in league with the H-F saisons. I don’t say that lightly.

 

There are not many Bell's beers found where I live, but thankfully this one is often found down here and normally very fresh. Is simply one of the most balanced and flavorful amber ales I have had the pleasure to quaff. A very nice and refreshing hop profile complements the toasted and caramel flavors - a winner all year round.

 

Glad you enjoyed it. I LOVE this beer. First time I tried it it immediately reminded me of HF, which is as high of a compliment as can be paid. I keep at least a half dozen (and currently close to twice that) in the cellar at all times. Their farmhouse ales are all fantastic.

 

Poured into a 13 oz Teku glass canned on 11/19/2020. Pours a very hazy yellow orange with a finger plus sticky white head that leaves some thin streaks of lace with excellent retention. 4.5

Smell peach, vanilla, pineapple, mango, and passionfruit. 4.25

Taste follows peach is the star, but not over the top thank goodness. Vanilla,pineapple, mango, and passionfruit all lend a hand and make very enjoyable. 4.25

Mouthfeel is above average, soft rather creamy carbonation, not sticky or dry, and at 8.2% ABV extremely approachable. 4.5

Overall this actually a really nice NEDIPA with lactose and peach purée. I will without a doubt be getting this again. 4.25

 

I loaded up on more Fox Farm goodies last night, then made the trek to Suarez today (which is a beautiful, albeit relatively lengthy drive from where I am in CT) The net result is that I have more beer that I didn't need, and my wallet is considerably lighter. Rather than drink any of those new beers, I'll continue to try and clear out some of the old beer I have lying around. This one is Catharsis, an American Porter from Tree House.

3.83/5 rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Very dark pour with adequate head that lasted maybe 45 seconds before receding to a thin ring. Aroma is lots of chocolate and fudge, and smells very sweet. Taste largely follows the nose, with some nice roasty notes. Not overly complex, but very drinkable and easy going down. Feel is a tad on the thin side. Overall, a solid, but unspectacular beer.