New Beer Weekend #23

14.2% is nothing to sneeze at.

Cheers!

 

I don't think the format has changed, either. Buuuut...

A post about a brewery-only, one time offering - even if new to the poster and a good review - isn't as useful to others; even a normal release from many breweries aren't useful unless you're within a local distribution area.

None of this is good or bad inherently, but it takes some context - context that might have been somewhat less necessary 10 years ago.

At the end of it all, my hopes are that people would use this thread to educate other people about beer from the drinker's PoV. This doesn't seem an issue.

To go s a step further, though, I'd hope it would spur discussion about a beer among the people who have had it . It gets fun when people interact - in agreement or in dissension, or some mix of both.

Just my opinion about what makes things fun and how the current beer scenario strains this in a way that brewers shouldn't necessarily care about.

 

Thanks @cjgiant for your thoughtful comments. I don't have the historical perspective of you and many others of this thread, but I do recall there was more interplay and comments when this was held on Sunday. I started the New Beer Sunday thread one time a year ago, without knowledge of the historical background or rules for starting the thread, so I don't wish to replicate that faux pas and leave the kickoff to others.

With the large number of posts over a NBW 2-3 day thread, it is hard for me (and I assume many) to always catch up on all posts until it is locked, if ever. Also, with COVID travel and local restrictions, many of us have converted from new beers spread across the week when we visit bars or breweries to a save new beers at home for the weekend model, perhaps adding to a more disparate range of beer reviews each week than in the past.

Perhaps a monthly theme style can be proposed each month, though not required, to gain a common broad style (hit all of the styles during the year) across 4-5 NBWs for a better opportunity for discussions, while still accommodating everyone who can post any beer across any style. For example, Dark Lagers Oct, Porters Nov, Stouts Dec, Strong Ales Jan, etc.. This wouldn't replace or alter the current monthly tasting threads of a more narrow style or beer / beer series, though the two can be connected within a month. Just a suggestion to perhaps have more common points of meaningful discussions beyond random reviews and acknowledgments of beers traded or BIF shipments.

I also have not considered the context perspective you raised (reviews of one off brewery releases), which is a good point for us to consider. Encouraging reviews of flagship / year round beers, or seasonal beers released each year is a good idea.

 

Poured into a 16 oz Nordic pint glass canned on 12/20/2020. Pours a hazy orange yellow with a finger plus sticky white head that leaves thin streaks of lace, with solid retention. 4.5

Aroma papaya, pineapple, mandarin, marijuana, apricot, and grapefruit rind. 4.25

Taste follows papaya, mandarin, pineapple, marijuana, apricot, and a little grapefruit bitterness. 4.25

Mouthfeel is bigger than medium, soft gentle carbonation, not sticky or dry, and at 6.5% ABV it drinks bigger in flavor and feel, but goes down really easy. 4.5

Overall this is a great beer at only 6.5%. I will be getting this next time I see it. So happy Burlington Brewing Company is now in NH. 4.25

 

Same boat as me I think it’s why it takes me so long long to finally get around to drinking them.

 

Poured into a 16 oz Nordic pint glass best before 3/28/2021. Pours a murky dark orange with a 2 finger sticky white head that leaves big thick streaks of lace with excellent retention. 4

Aroma mango, passionfruit, apricot, and grapefruit rind. 4

Taste the mango is strong with this one and passionfruit, apricot, and grapefruit. 4

Mouthfeel is pretty big, a tad sticky not dry, fairly soft carbonation, and at 8.5% loaded with flavor but goes down rather easy. 4

Overall this is nice, nothing special but what you would expect being brewed with mango’s and being 8.5%. A bold aggressive NEDIPA. 4

 

Good Saturday morning NBW

I purchased a gift pack containing two vintages (and different barrel selections) along with two glasses lately.

I thought I would sample the most recent first and perhaps allow the two year old vintage to mellow a bit in the cellar before that review. Here's this year's Barrel-aged Old Rasputin stout aged in rye whiskey barrels

The review:
500mL bottle labeled as XXII aged in rye whiskey barrels poured into the accompanying tulip glass from the gift pack. Served just above fridge temp and 11.9% ABV. The beer pours very dark brown with nearly no light penetration and abundant medium brown colored head. The head recedes to a thin ring and island leaving an impressive web of lacing. The aroma is rye whiskey heavy while still cool. Some nutty & cocoa notes as it approaches room temperature. The taste is bittersweet roasted malt with big notes of rye whiskey, oaky barrel and ashy bitterness. Flavors of coffee, dark chocolate etc sneak through as it warms in the glass. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with less than medium carbonation and a dry finish. Overall, excellent, if you like rye based spirits, which I do. Bold "traditional" barrel aged flavors and aromas with no additives to soften the experience.

For what it's worth, I appreciate the effort of all who contribute to this thread. I also enjoy the expanded time slot as it's easier for those with weekend commitments to participate. It's a great format to get information about new national (or international) releases or to find out which BAs have hidden gems in their own backyards.

Cheers all and the new beer in your glass today!

 

Good morning weekend reviewers. I hope to try several new to me beers this weekend...first up, “Maple Whiskey Barrel-Aged B.O.R.I.S” from Hoppin’ Frog Brewing Company, Akron OH. I believe I’ve had the base, Crusher, likely at a past bottle share...we don’t see much from this brewery here in SWFL...



The best by date of Nov. 8, 2023 is fairly unhelpful...still, well within the Brewer’s target...Poured inky black at 56 degrees; super fast fizzy thin head vanished immediately leaving no cap retention, ring, nor lace; no legs on swirl. Nose is raisins, and a little maple; whiskey on exhale. Toasted brown bread, roasted malt, and caramel; light maple and semi sweet whiskey middle; dark fruit finish. Slick feel, light carbonation, little to no warmth from 9.4% abv; medium body; dry oaky tongue coating. Overall, there is a pleasant toasted marshmallows linger with burnt dark fruit and a little maple; if you are not sure about the taste of maple in your beer, drink this one as there is very little maple flavor here...

3.5 | 3.75 | 4.25 | 4.0 | 4.0
Score: 4.01 rDev -7.6%

 

This weekend feels like a good weekend to kill for big beers I’ve been meaning to drink, now up Southern Grist/Burnish The Last Truthbender Tiramisu Stout, thanks @Buck89!
4.35/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Thank you Buck89 for this
500 ml bottle poured into a tulip

A- Black with a small mocha head.

S- Vanilla, chocolate, some coffee, touch of caramel malts.

T- Milk chocolate, some coffee, vanilla, touch of lemon peel, some caramel malts.

M- Smooth, full body.

O- Another tasty pastry stout from Southern Grist.

Cheers!

 

Good morning on the day after Christmas! Hoping everyone had a great holiday.
I am drinking Mocha Noir from Prairie, another one of their stouts.
Black color. Tiny tan head that disappeared in seconds.
Aroma of coffee, chocolate, bourbon, and a hint of vanilla.
Mostly espresso taste, some sweet chocolate. Bourbon present, but less noticeable than expected. .Hint of vanilla
Big, sweet sipping beer.



I wanted something special for dinner last night, and this was impressive. Gravy, mashed potatoes, and a phyllo purse with seitan.

 

I’ll be here tomorrow talking about Oxbow my friend.

 

My plans for the weekend (and for most of the next week) involve lots of sitting on the couch, watching soccer and / or football, and drinking good beer. In other words, laziness is the first item on the daily agenda.

First up for today is a beer that I've somehow never tried before, but will now courtesy of @Whyteboar in NBS BIF #12. Founders Backwoods Bastard

look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled 9/22/16. Served at 54 degrees and poured into a tulip.
Appearance is like dark, dark cola with a moderately lighter color around the very edges. Small amount of head, but given age / ABV about what I would have expected.
Aroma is sweet and boozy, with notes of bourbon, caramel & malts.
Taste is all sweet malts with the bourbon barrels clearly present (in a good way).
Feel is medium+ body, with low carb.
Overall - a good "sitting around on a Saturday" sipper.

 

Why not!?!

Cheers to Oxbow!!

 

They were on the list of best beers of 2020. Went with the euro hopped Belgian pale.

 

We had no power here yesterday after a monster wind storm (65+ mph gusts) so no Christmas post from me. Thank goodness for the wood stove and wood-fired oven.

Chasing Shadows is an Imperial stout from Folksbier and Timber Ales.
-Jet black can pour hosts a thin, tan cap of fine foam. This dissipates quickly.
The aroma is rich with cocoa and brandy notes. The flavor is full. Dark chocolate, licorice and espresso are prominent.
The mouthfeel is slick and thick. It took me an hour to finish this. -very good

 

ISO: any "brewery only" releases from the brewery that is apparently operating out of an igloo in Siberia.

FT: CBS



I think the value of the NBW/NBS thread, at least for me, has evolved to a more brewery-centric vehicle vs a beer-centric thread. With the rapid rotation/smaller batch model employed by more and more breweries to keep the "FOMO" quotient high, beers come and go so rapidly, I literally can't keep track.

But I can keep track of breweries, and as things "normalize" (i.e., travel becomes a part of my life again and I can visit breweries whilst traveling), I'll utilize that knowledge to drive my beer purchasing decisions. And that drives a lot of what I review in NBW - I focus on breweries (Transient, for example), so that if any of my fellow beer nerds are traveling in this neck of the woods and they're looking for a brewery to visit, maybe Transient is worth the trip based on the (very numerous) reviews of Transient beers I've posted in this magnificent thread.

PS: I was gonna let my Caramella sit for a while, but now I gots to try it.

PPS: I agree with your thoughts on CBS and the increased distro 110%. When they released it in December 2017 for the first time in a few years, there were lines. Now it's a shelfie (at least it is here, to an extent), but it's still a world-class beer, IMHO - and I absolutely LOVE the 12 oz format vs the 25.9 oz format.

PPPS: the expectations that are placed on BCBS and the variants can be ..... a bit extreme at times. I understand it's a pricey series of beers, but it is just beer - it is doubtful, IMHO, that you'll have a mystical, life-altering experience whilst drinking it.

Unless you shotgun it.

 

Which list?

I think I read at least four BA threads with titles of Best beers of 2020 by (insert organization/publication name here).

Cheers!