New Beer Weekend #29

Hello NBW!
Extreme Beer Fest in Cybecrspacccceeeeee
First off tonight.
Lost Abbey's Libri Divini Oak Aged Wild Ale with lemon & vanilla

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/18149/518875/?ba=2beerdogs#review

Pretty good one to start with. Wakes up the palate, although not very lively on the feel.

 

Alesmith Speedway Stout with Espresso & Madagascar Vanilla



3.98/5 rDev -2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Pint can poured into a tulip. Full dark tan head over a dark brown body. Lots of lacing. Once it warmed a bit the aromas came forward: malts, vanilla, dark chocolate. Coffee made its presence known in the taste along with the previously mentioned aromas. Mouthfeel was very creamy and easy to drink. Alcohol was very well hidden. Definitely got better as it warmed up.

With the coffee presence being understated I think the other three wouldn't benefit from cellaring.

 

On to Beer #2 in EBF Cyberspace

This one is really tasty.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/52338/518873/?ba=2beerdogs#review

Special Hydra by Mortalis Brewing in NY

To say "fruity" would be a serious understatement.

 

On to the recent beer received in BIF 12.5....

Founders Imperial Stout
4.48/5 rDev +2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Bottle received from @Whyteboar in Bif12.5

Poured into a snifter , pitch black 10w40 motor oil that has been ridden hard and put away wet. Capped by a dense creamy one finger brown foamy layer, good retention, good lacings, settles to a ring with islands



Aroma of roast malts, roasted coffee, dark chocolate

Roasted malts, char

Good sudsing, Very smooth, slight acrid char finish on the back of the tongue

Good stout, thanks @Whyteboar
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Beezer by Old Irving Brewing
4.27/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Can received in bif12.5 from @FBarber

Fluffy two finger foam cap poured in a schilling stemmed glass, Hazy orange liquid



Citrus aroma, orange

Orange citrus taste

Hop taste , gentle hop nibble, semi dry finish

Good beer, thanks @FBarber

 

Hello NBW friends. I don’t like to do these “batch” posts, but with our boy Little O visiting for the first time in 6 months and that magnificent event coinciding with another magnificent event (Extreme Beer Fest) this weekend and me grilling steaks in the midst of all this activity, I had to punt and review these “live” earlier this evening and post them now.

PS: the steaks were great, but after the last beer (they’re posted in order below, with the first consumed around 6:15 pm Eastern time and the last finished around 7:45 pm), I wouldn’t try to grill a toothpick right now.

And away we go!!!



3.99/5 rDev +9.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Pours a mostly clear copper color with no head at all. Really nice lemon and vanilla aromas and a smidge of oak.

The lemon is forward on the taste, and there’s a nice vanilla flavor, but the oak is not present on my palate. There’s also a nice funky note, per the style.





4.1/5 rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is a fruit smoothie for grownups. It’s a thick raspberry color, little discernible head, and a sledgehammer of raspberry, cherry, and mango aromas on the nose.

The taste is led by the raspberry, and the cherry is a great complement, with the mango at the back of the taste. This is a thick, viscous, chewy fruited sour with no alcohol presence whatsoever in a 7% ABV beer. Really digging this.



3.92/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a golden straw color with a sudsy white head, and features a nose with the marshmallow sweetness and a bit of bready malt and a little grassy hop aromas.

The marshmallow is forward and very strong on the taste - with a little less sweetness and a little more hop flavor, this would approach world-class, IMHO.



4.49/5 rDev +14.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I could write a long-winded review of this magnificent beer, because it checks a LOT of imperial stout boxes, but I’ll just say this - it’s the closest thing I’ve had to Dark Lord since I first had Dark Lord a few years ago. Absolutely love it.





4.5/5 rDev +11.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This beer pours a dark copper color and is nearly clear. Given its age (bottled October 2013), it’s no surprise the head is very minimal. What a gorgeous beer this is.

The nose is toffee and caramel, a significant booze note - and oh the stone fruit notes from those dates and figs. I am loving this and I haven’t taken the first sip.

The taste follows the nose in lockstep, and is a revelation as the beer warms - so many layers of deliciousness. A perfect barleywine, IMHO, I need another bottle to age and see how it evolves.

 

I rarely see Victory beers locally anymore, so I didn't realize Storm King was no longer distributed. That beer was among the first "walez" I managed to find back in the early 00s, when I first discovered BA. Makes me sad that I probably won't encounter another bottle.

 

Beer #3 in Cyber Extreme Beer fest.
This one is very interesting.

Special Reserve Mallow by Modist Brewing in Minnesota.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/43654/518872/?ba=2beerdogs#review
Beer #3 for day #2 of EBF Cyberspace.
A slightly cloudy lager in appearance. fluffy 2 finger cap drops off to a nice film with a slight, but constant stream of bubbles to replenish the head.
Nose carries a mild sweetness that has a smooth vanilla overtone.
Flavor is vanilla forward, but smooth and mellow. Some crackery malt peaks in underneath. The traditional noble hops lager notes are absent or concealed by the sweetness. Later a slight crisp finish gets back in the lager tradition. Not super sweet, but still on the sweet side.
Mouthfeel is crisp, great carbonation.
3.75/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

 

Enjoying this beer courtesy of my fantasy football win. Thanks to @gonya.



Pours a very cloudy orangish color with a short head but nice, sticky lacing.

The smell is citrus - orange and grapefruit, along with a bit of mango.

The taste mixed citrus and tropical, with some nice underripe pineapple and citrus zest.

The mouthfeel is thick and pillowy, low carbonation and medium/thick body.

Overall, this it tasty and way too easy to drink.

 

Lagunitas willettized coffee stout
....solid black
...medium light carbonation with a slightly above average body.
....aroma is bourbon,oak, mocha candy, black coffee molasses.
...taste is roasted malt,licorice, bourbon,coffee, milk and dark chocolate. Alcohol is up-front and not hidden much. Leaves a sweet sticky caramel like taste in the mouth.
...overall it was an excellent beer, couldn't have more than one for numerous reasons but a great beer

 

On to other new beers of course!



Poured from the can into a Spiegelau IPA glass. Canned Jan 13th 2021.

Pale lemon opaque body. Fairly solid looking but not too chunky on the turbid scale, but quite uniform in its color, hints maybe even a little green. Head is lush, fine and super creamy looking. Real fine bubbles mixing with a solid three finger top and layers of cake like ring lacing.

Fine hop aroma. The light abv range doesn't give way on the nose to this hop expressive brew. Fruity and almost cherry to strawberry strangely, with a real nice soft sweetness that isn't overbearing. Comes with a touch of earth as well on the nose, a sweet dirt sense interestingly. Very fun aroma.

The declared abv definitely shows up in the mouthfeel, but with a touch that makes the beer just great. Light bodied but with not a hint of wet, or even pale ale male depth. Rich hop notes and a neutral base make a mid palate that is a candy like stone fruit to pitted dark earth tones, and still this faint hint of cherry or is it just me? Refreshing finish, with clean faint mint and herbs to mix too.

This is a real enjoyable light IPA that doesn't go to session lengths or Pale Ale simplicity. A bit more going on here, very unique creation. Can see myself drinking a good bunch of this.

look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25 | 4.21/5

Cheers!

 

Goller Steinhauer Weisse, 5.2% ABV;3.53 overall

Pours an effervescent & slightly hazed gold with tons of cream colored head. Zero head retention or lacing

S: Cloves, green bananas

T: Follows the nose, dryness, breadyness up front. Juicy fruit flavor as this warms, bready sweetness, green bananas. Finishes slightly sweet/dry with green banana

MF: Medium body, slight carbonation

Fairly run of the mill Hefeweizen, okay drinkability

 

Greetings All.

Impressive thread. Takes an hour to scroll through.

Today it's Snail Bones IPA.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/700/274095/

Very sweet and fruity.

Until next time,

Happy Trails!

And GO CHIEFS!

 

Drinking the last of my new Tired Hands ipas courtesy of @JayORear !



DDH Refreshing (Motueka) - Tired Hands - 8% abv dipa

A - Opaque lemon yellow with plenty of fluffy off-white head leaving some lacing as it dissipates

S - Tons of citrus - notably lemon, grapefruit, orange

T - Grapefruit, lemon, orange, some tropical notes, slight bitterness, sharp grapefruit bite on the finish that lingers

M - Medium body, creamy

O - Another excellent Tired Hands ipa. It's been a while since I've had some new Tired Hands haze, and all three I've had recently were stellar. Thanks again, Jay!

 

Hows it compare to Outer Range single Nelson? I was less enthusiastic about ORB all Nelson than I expected. Its all woody, no sauvignon blanc. Weird.

 

I've had several beers from New England Brewing lately, and they've all been impressive. The peanut butter is strong in this one.



Pours a black color with a thin, tan head that lasts forever but leaves minimal lacing.

The smell is loaded with peanut butter and little chocolate underneath.

The taste is slightly bitter, strong peanut butter, chocolate, and a of char on the finish.

The mouthfeel is medium/low carbonation but very smooth with a slightly thick body.

Overall, this is really nice. I was worried it would be too sweet, but it's not at all. The chat on the end really adds to the beer.

 

New Province Vast Empire IPA, 7.4% ABV; 3.73 overall

Pours an effervescent honey color with a thumb of ivory colored head. Below average head retention & lacing

S: Some citrus & breadyness

T: Breadyness, pine, tangerine & dryness up front, plus grapefruit. Grapefruit, tangerine & bready dryness, plus a little grassyness as this warm & some cakeyness. Finishes dry with grapefruit, a little caramel, pine & tangerine

MF: Medium body, fairly firm carbonation, good balance

A solid old school IPA that delivers on drinkability & flavor

 

I'd say better and bigger. Although the ORB Nelson didn't give me that taste impression. Huh.
Cheers!

 

Hello New Beer Weekend!!!

Home from work, and we were quite busy today. I was somewhat surprised, because it's so bleeping cold out (-13 as I'm typing), but also happy at the same time. I'm not an owner, or even a manager anymore, but I still have the mindset of one. I'm happy to see sales.

Now that I'm home, and my weekend has started time for a new beer, and one I bought yesterday at work. It was calling me, and I couldn't resist.

Diet Starts Tomorrow - Karben4 Brewing - Chocolate Oatmeal Stout - 6.3% ABV.

So, I guess the beer diet did start tomorrow from when I picked this up. How is it? Well, so so. I've had better of this style, but it's not bad either. Somewhat underwhelming to be honest.

Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/30629/312409/

3.74/5 rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Pours pitch black. 2 finger dark brown head. Head retention is terrible, and it dissipates super fast. No lacing on the glass.
The nose has a mellow, and a bit weak chocolate aroma. Not too strong, but there.
Taste - Not a lot of chocolate up front. It hits more on the backside. More of a dark chocolate flavor. A slight roasted malt flavor also working here.
The body is decent, About where it should be for this style.
Overall, ok, could be better, but not bad either.


That is all for tonight for new beers. See you tomorrow for more.

 

Highlight of the night...and that is saying something.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/53187/518870/?ba=2beerdogs#review

This one is an absolute beast of subtleties...I know, oxymoronic.

 

talked to by local beer store about this Jan 5th my case finally showed up Friday. I like the original better but these are fresher and in cans they will be my go to from now on.