New Beer Weekend #22

Transient Artisan Ales The Juice is Loose DIPA. Have been wanting to try this for a long time, and received two in an incredible NBS(W?) BIF box from @ovaltine. Pours a translucent (not murky) orange, with a nice two-finger head that holds longer than your typical NEIPA. Fluffier than some, too, which I always find visually pleasing. Nose is expectedly citrusy, but with a bright herbal note that signals a more-than-one-dimensional beer. As I drink, foam rings layer down the inside of the glass, definitely not usual for an NEIPA. Taste follows the nose, with a "zippy" carbonation I usually associate with Swish, effervescent but more sizzling than bubbly. Taste is very orange-juicy, but with just a hint of dankness that still somehow remains "bright." Mouthfeel is medium, with a pleasing slickness that stays on the tongue and practically compels you to keep drinking. This is one of those beers that would be dangerous to have around, as you'd probably not stop at two, or even three. Very well-executed and an absolute pleasure to drink. Thanks, Mike!

 

Transient has a lotta really good stuff, IMHO, but the Juice is always in my beer fridge. Your review is spot on, BTW. Glad you enjoyed it.

 

#2, Prairie crushed this, IMHO.





4.6/5 rDev +9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours black with zero leakage anywhere and sports a dark tan head. Beautiful imperial stout. The nose features decadent milk chocolate notes up front and a substantial whiskey barrel aroma on the backside. There’s also some toffee notes dancing around the edges.

The toffee notes step forward significantly on the taste, balancing oh so well with the milk chocolate flavor and winding its way into the barrel, which provides copious whiskey and oak flavors that come across as vanilla. Absolutely delicious.

The mouthfeel is substantial and creamy, per the style. May be my favorite Prairie beer.

 

Surly BA Double Vanilla Darkness Russian Imperial Stout, 12% ABV. Pours thick and black with a slight brown head that is leaving some lacing as I drink it. Nose is vanilla, chocolate, and rye. Taste follows, slightly sweet, slightly bitter, with a pleasant rye burn. Excellent thick and smooth mouthfeel, overall world-class. This stands up nicely against BCBS Vanilla and BCBS Rye.

4.59/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I'm in the process of replacing our kitchen light and have the new brighter bulbs in the old light fixture for now. Even with about twice the light as before, the dark beer, can, and box don't show up as nicely as I'd like. Might have to amp it up further. Scottie, more lumens!

 

Holiday Ale by New Holland


4.28/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Canned 11.10,opened 12.19 , poured into a chalice



Received from @Whyteboar in Bif 12.5

Ale with milk sugar , nutmeg , vanilla extract , cinnamon and chai tea aged in bourbon barrels

Thin fizzy white layer over a translucent dark tea colored liquid with active stream of micro carbonation. Good retention settles to thin layer , good lacings

Aroma is nutmeg, cinnamon , spices , gingerbread cookies

Taste is spices, nutmeg , creamy vanilla , cinnamon with the burn , slight ginger taste without the heat

Good sudsing. Creamy mouthfeel , sweet , balanced the “hot” spices with the lactose well. Christmas flavors

Good winter warmer . Very Christmasy

thanks @Whyteboar , I am enjoying this one

 

Here's another crosspost from the Holiday Tasting thread, but since it's new to me it belongs here as well. I've had the base and Birthday variations, but this is my first time having Prairie's Christmas Bomb. It poured a beautiful jet black color topped with a one finger head of tan foam. The aroma leaned heavily into cinnamon and chiles. The taste was layer after layer of different complimentary flavors. The peppers added some heat on my palate, but not a lot of flavor. Cinnamon and nutmeg were the most predominant flavors in the taste with a nice dark chocolate flavor beneath. This beer accomplished all of that without being exceedingly sweet, and still had some nice big imperial stout roasted malt flavor. The mouthfeel was thick and luxurious. A very well done stout that was perfect for a chilly night.

4.15/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

 

Poured into a 16 oz Kettlehead Brewing Snulip glass canned on 12/17/2020. Pours a very dark brown with a half finger tan head with a few wisps of lace, very little retention. 4

Smell peanut butter, chocolate, gram crackers, and maybe a little toffee. 4.25

Taste follows like a peanut butter cup, gram crackers, and again a little toffee. 4.25

Mouthfeel is maybe medium, carbonation is less than I want almost watered down, not dry, and at 8.5% it almost drinks too easy. 3.5

Overall the nose and taste are really nice and what you would want, maybe a tad one dimensional but not an issue for what it is. The look and feel aren’t what I want out of an 8.5% Imperial Stout, thin, little retention, and not creamy on the palate. Still recommend and for some that are just getting into Stouts, this is an excellent gateway Stout. A old school beer drinking buddy of mine, it drinks like 6.5% and he is right on. 4

 

Hello New Beer Weekend!!!

Home from work, and I'm still loving it, while working my ass way off.

But, now on to beer.


Bourbon County Caramella Ale.

This is tasting amazing tonight. My review will say it all. I love it.


4.48/5 rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Pours a brown-ish/amber color. 2 finger off white head. Looks frothy. The retention is damn good for the high ABV. There is no lacing on the glass.
There's a nice and strong, yet mellow at the same time boozy aroma. Lots of malty sweetness. Some caramel. Some apple, and a hint of cinnamon.
Taste - Lots of apple on the flavor, and it's up front. It gets a bit of the cinnamon in the middle. The backside is loaded with caramel. The sweetness kicks in with the caramel.
slightly boozy. Thick, full bodied.
I'm totally digging this bad boy. Tasty!!!


see you all tomorrow.

 

Good evening NBW
A cross post from the holiday tasting

Rogue 2020 Santa's Private Reserve Peppermint Bark Milk Stout

750 mL fully painted & printed bottle poured into a snifter at just above fridge temp 8.3% ABV 26 IBU 163 SRM per label. The beer pours dense black with just the slightest brown highlight at the edge when held to light. The head is medium brown in color and recedes to a thin ring and single layer of tiny bubbles. No lacing. The aroma is mild with sweet peppermint and malted milk. The taste is semisweet peppermint bark (the kind where mom smashed candy canes and mixed them with white chocolate) up front and it really carries through. There's a little roasty malt on the finish and minimal bitterness. The mouthfeel is medium plus bodied with average carbonation and a mostly dry finish. Sweetness is subdued and nicely balanced. No noticeable alcohol in the aroma or taste. Overall, good beer and very nice holiday beverage. Lacks a bit of actual milk stout character, but I'll allow it given the target here.

Cheers all!

 

DDH Ever Clever from Bearded Iris.

16oz can served in a big snifter. The only part of the date stamp on the bottom that I can read is "Flipadelphia," which is super useful for determining whether this is fresh or not. Bought it at Tavour.

Pours super hazy with a fairly small head. Smell is super juicy, very tropical, a little pithy bitterness.

Taste is not so sweet, although some sweetness is there. Lots of the pithy bitterness. Booze comes through loud and clear.

Mouthfeel is medium, smooth, dry. Overall, nice beer.

 

Poured into a 20 oz stemless tulip glass canned on 11/30/2020. Pours a very dark near black with a 2 finger light brown head that leaves a few patches of lace with solid retention. 4.25

Aroma is char, rum soaked raisins, deep dark chocolate, oaky bourbon, vanilla, and pipe tobacco. 3.75

Taste is a lot of the same but more pleasant. Rum, whiskey, dark chocolate, oaky vanilla, dark fruit, char, and again hints of pipe tobacco and some leather. 4

Mouthfeel is above medium, maybe a tad dry, gentle carbonation, and at 10.5% it drinks bigger but still a very approachable sipper. 4

Overall I think the fact that I am not a fan of rum made this less pleasant than if it was just whiskey and rye, but still worth a try and may actually cellar one. 4

 

...and variants actually distributed throughout their distribution footprint. We've never gotten them before. I presume that when regular BA Darkness hits, it'll be in 4-packs of 16oz cans vs. the previous 25oz bottles. I applaud them for that.

 

Late to the game today, but have a nice holiday ale from @FBarber. Today was a little crazy but I made it through, hopefully safely. Went to a big box store at the mall that’s only 10 minutes away, took me over 30 minutes to get there. The mall absolutely packed like there isn’t a pandemic, the store I went into showed no signs of limiting the number of people in there but at least people were wearing masks correctly for the most part. Luckily I was only in there for 10 minutes picking up an online order, but it still felt like the most unsafe thing I have done all year. The whole thing was very overwhelming and I actually feel horrible that I went because I realize that going to overcrowded places like that is the reason there is uncontrollable spread in my area. After finally making it home hopefully safely, I took a shower and did some small chords around the house, now I finally feel ready to review something new! Enjoying this Marz Krampbiscus!
4.09/5 rDev +6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Thank you FBarber for this
12 oz can poured into a tulip

A- A fairly clear bright red with a two finger pink head.

S- Tart, cranberries, hibiscus, a little earthy, some toasted and caramel malts.

T- Tart, cranberries, caramel malts, some toasted malts, hibiscus, a little earthy.

M- Smooth, light to medium body.

O- A tasty and nicely balanced holiday ale. The cranberries and hibiscus are the focus of the beer but still let a very nice malt profile come through.

Thank you guys for listening to me vent some, stay safe, cheers!

 

That sounds good, excited to try my can tomorrow!