New Beer Weekend #30

Discussion in 'The Bar' started by ChicagoJ, Feb 13, 2021.

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  1. ChicagoJ

    ChicagoJ Grand Pooh-Bah (5,247) Feb 2, 2015 Illinois
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Hello Beer Advocates, and welcome to another New Beer Weekend! Sit down, relax and pop open a new beer or two. So many great beers out there, this thread has helped me find many great breweries and beers. I hope you have enjoyed these threads as much as I do, and we look forward to hearing from BAs from around the globe sharing their beer experiences.

    Housekeeping: This is your opportunity to share your experiences with beers new to you. The brewer and name of the beer and a picture helps set the stage. Appearance, aroma, taste and mouthfeel are key, your overall impression and anything else you would like to share.

    We have a very supportive community and would love to hear from you, whether you've rated thousands of beers or this is your first attempt. I've appreciated this thread since first coming across it, for helping me appreciate beer reviews, exposure to new beers and styles, and the great information and camaraderie from passionate beer enthusiasts across the globe.

    First round: I bought the newest Revolution Brewing Variety Pack a few weeks ago, and I'm ready to tackle all three this weekend and perhaps one or two more. I'm starting with the Hazy NEIPA style, Revolution Brewing's Nelson-Hero

    [​IMG]


    Can Notes: 12 oz canned 1/21/21 18:48:43, 7.4% ABV, slammed with Nelson Sauvin hops. (Love the homage to wresting artwork with this release).

    Online Notes: 35 IBUs, Bright white grape notes and classic IPA character grapple for the belt. New Zealand's signature Nelson Sauvin hops give our Hero a Full Nelson of new-school aroma and flavor. No Half Nelsons here.

    And away we go.....

    Appearance: Darker orange hazy base, nice creamy and generous head leaves fine lacing in its wake and a nice cover over the top. 4.25

    Aroma:
    Nice citrus and tropical mix, very sweet. Tangerine and pineapple primary. 3.75

    Taste:
    Tropical fruit dominates here, though some grape noted. Citrus takes a back seat, somewhat surprising from the aroma. Sweetness not as dominating as aroma would lead, light bitterness attempts but fails to escape a full-nelson hold by sweetness. Grapefruit, light citrus, faint pine. Picked out a lot of different flavors, but the whole is a bit muddled. Slight hop burn which I rarely get. 3.0

    Mouthfeel:
    Creamy medium body, light to faint carbonation, slightly dry, sweetness tingles the tongue, lingers in the aftertaste. 7.4% ABV light at first but hits you midway through the pour. 3.25

    Overall: This is an OK beer, not my favorite style. The look and aroma were promising, but the taste was typical of an average haze. Will drink the remaining two cans, but wouldn't necessarily seek this beer out again. 3.25
     
    #1 ChicagoJ, Feb 13, 2021
    Last edited: Feb 13, 2021
  2. SawDog505

    SawDog505 Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,922) Apr 9, 2010 New Hampshire
    Pooh-Bah

    [​IMG] Thanks for kicking this weekend off again @ChicagoJ .Poured into a 16 oz Nordic pint glass canned on 1/26/2021. Pours a murky orange with a solid finger plus sticky white head that thick streaks of lace with excellent retention. 4

    Aroma is pine, mandarin, apricot, and grapefruit rind. 3.75

    Taste follows pine, mandarin, apricot, and grapefruit not a ton going on, but still tasty. 3.75

    Mouthfeel is a solid medium, more carbonation than most NEIPAs, a tad sticky not really dry, and at 6.5% really bold flavor but easy enough going down. 4

    Overall this one taste a lot like Sluice Juice a staple from them, but it is a nice brew just the same. 3.75 Cheers all.
     
  3. Roguer

    Roguer Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,811) Mar 25, 2013 Connecticut
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Not quite ready for a new beer yet (working through my last round of coffee), but I thought I'd interrupt for an announcement:

    https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/nbs-bif-13-sign-up-thread.655057/

    That's right: the BIF that supports this very thread is now accepting sign-ups. If you're in this thread, that's a good start. :wink:

    If you're interested, follow the link above. Please read the rules and expectations before applying. If you have questions that aren't answered by my (rather lengthy) post, feel free to shoot either me or @2beerdogs a BM.

    Be back soon. :slight_smile:

    Also thanks to @ChicagoJ for once again kicking us off exactly right. (I do so wish people would read the first post before they jump into the thread; it would save me some time spent in moderation. :wink: )
     
  4. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    Czech it out – serendipity! :beers:

    Earlier this week I bottled my annual homebrew of a Tmavý Ležák (Czech Dark Lager) and I couldn’t stop thinking: I can’t wait for this beer to carbonate so I can drink it. Bottle Conditioning takes a couple of weeks to complete.

    A few years ago a small, local brewery was considering brewing a Czech Dark Lager. I gave them my recipe and my tasting description of this beer (see below) but they never did brew this style of beer. I don’t know why.

    A description of my Tmavý Ležák:

    “Appearance: A dark chestnut brown color with a red hue. A tan head with excellent head retention as the beer is consumed.

    Aroma: A subtle aroma of roasty (coffee-like) and a hint of cocoa.

    Taste: The flavor follows the nose with a pleasing combination of subtle chocolate and coffee-like. A low/moderate bitterness.

    Mouthfeel: There is a soft/creamy mouthfeel with an off-dry finish.

    Overall: Very Good. (My wife says excellent).”

    Now, yesterday I was browsing the beers at my local Retail Beer Distributor and to my utter surprise I saw on the shelf: Ten7Brewing Stimulus Czech – Czech Dark Lager.

    This was brewed by a local brewery (Ten7Brewing) which I am embarrassed to say I have never heard of before (so many new local breweries have opened over the past few years) but I was pleased to see that somebody was willing to brew a Czech Dark Lager. Finding a commercially brewed Czech Dark Lager is like finding a full sized spare tire in a new car (well, maybe not quite that rare).

    It took a bit of web searching but I found a site that provides some details on this beer:

    “Czech Dark Lager - 5.5% Our take on a classic dark lager brewed with floor malted bohemian pilsner and specialty malts. Well balanced and full bodied with notes of toasty goodness.”

    https://www.toasttab.com/ten-7-brewing/v3

    Well, there is some information there but what I would really like to know is what “specialty malts” means for this beer? When I brew my Tmavý Ležák below is my grain bill:

    Grain Bill:

    · Weyermann Pilsner: 30%

    · Weyermann Vienna: 30%

    · Weyermann Munich Light (I): 20%

    · Weyermann Munich Dark (II): 10%

    · Weyermann Caramunich I: 5%

    · Weyermann Dehusked Carafa II: 5%

    So, Pilsner is only about a third of the overall grain bill with Vienna/Munich malts (which are base malt) being 60% of the overall grain bill. It would have been interesting to me to see more malt details from Ten7Brewing.

    But, let’s not overthink things since how the beer tastes is the important aspect.

    How does Ten7Brewing’s version of a Czech Dark Lager taste? Let’s find out.

    Served in my Young’s dimpled mug:

    Appearance:

    Dark brown colored with a tan head.

    Aroma:

    There is a noticeable aspect of roasty (coffee-like) with some chocolate there as well.

    Taste:

    The flavor follows the nose. There is a noticeable amount of roasty and some chocolate and a bit of toasty. There is a moderate bitterness.

    Mouthfeel:

    Medium bodied with an off-dry finish.

    Overall:

    This beer is quite nice. I would personally have preferred for less intensity as regards the roasty aroma/flavor but all in all a good effort from Ten7Brewing in brewing a Czech Dark Lager.

    @rotsaruch @KOP_Beer_OUtlet @RobH

    P.S. If anybody would like to read more about Czech beers shoot me a PM. My article about my two week beercation to the Czech Republic in 2019 was published last week and I can provide you with a link.

    [​IMG]
     
    RobH, ChicagoJ, Dimidiata and 39 others like this.
  5. Roguer

    Roguer Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,811) Mar 25, 2013 Connecticut
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Good morning (again), fellow New Beer Weekenders! My partner and I need to make an effort to push through all the sours in the fridge, so we may as well get started.

    First up, I have a pair of fruited kettle sours from Humble Forager. I've had a handful of beers from them, and all over the map: a couple of damn impressive beers, and a couple of OK-kinda-definitely-good-but-not-amazing beers. These are Coastal Sunrise and Coastal Sunshine, and I figure it's best to take them in order, right? :grinning:

    [​IMG]


    Plus, Sunrise is labelled as a breakfast smoothie sour, so, naturally.

    [​IMG]


    "Breakfast Smoothie Sour with red raspberry, black currant, tart cherry, vanilla beans, and marshmallow." 6% ABV.

    BLUF: it's very tasty, tart but not particularly sour, and only moderately sweet. Smells and tastes like berries blended with vanilla, but the individual berry notes don't particularly stick out (which isn't a criticism).

    There's an odd, musty barnyard quality to the flavor profile that grows with successive sips. It's not exactly unpleasant, and perhaps is due to the black currants (and whatever souring agents they used), but it is surprising; I would much more expect that kind of flavor from an oak-aged Lambic or wild saison.

    Overall very enjoyable, but not incredible.

    https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/58881/530686/?ba=Roguer#review
    3.67 / only review or rating
     
  6. ESHBG

    ESHBG Pooh-Bah (2,099) Jul 30, 2011 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    My new after midnight beer was Troegs Joyous IPA. I was bummed to see Fresh Cut replaced as the spring seasonal, as I really dug that beer. This beer is...odd, but not bad. It pours a very ugly dark/muddy orange juice-ish color (reminds me of the Stone Never ending Haze beer which I hated unfortunately) and the smell is strange too, lots of fruit going on but something odd to my nose, may be the yeast. The taste is also odd but not bad and has a lot going on: fruity, a touch bitter, something different (the yeast I suspect). I picked up two singles and I will drink the second one again soon to see what I think but I don't hate it. Would I drink it regularly? Probably not. So my final verdict is that it is definitely worth trying but I can't see this being a big hit, and I am a hazy fan.

    ABV 6.5%
    Grain: Caramel, Flaked Oats, Honey Malt, Munich, Pale, Pilsner
    Hops: Azacca, Citra, El Dorado, Sabro
    Yeast: Hothead Kveik

    https://troegs.com/beer/joyous-ipa/
     
  7. Roguer

    Roguer Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,811) Mar 25, 2013 Connecticut
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    As promised, moving right along to Coastal Sunshine, another fruited sour (also 6% ABV), this one with pink dragon fruit, soursop, and passion fruit.

    [​IMG]


    Wow! This is incredible. Super juicy, with a guava-like pungent earthiness that I can't attribute to any of the fruit (because I simply don't know them that well, and I've never had soursop to the best of my knowledge).

    Incredibly inviting on the nose; luscious and juicy on the palate. It's like biting into fresh fruit absolutely bursting with juiciness.

    This beer may not be for everyone, naturally, but if you're looking for a juicy mild sour, this one is a home run.

    https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/58881/530943/?ba=Roguer#review
    4.21 / -2.8% (3 full reviews / 5 total ratings)
     
    ChicagoJ, Dimidiata, LeRose and 32 others like this.
  8. Whyteboar

    Whyteboar Grand Pooh-Bah (4,286) Jun 7, 2008 Michigan
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Nice review, but if I want to try it I have no idea what it is! For those of us with still a lot to learn, please post the name of the beer and the brewery. Please? Thanks!
     
  9. SawDog505

    SawDog505 Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,922) Apr 9, 2010 New Hampshire
    Pooh-Bah

    [​IMG] Poured into 16 oz Snulip glass canned on 2/1/2021. Pours a hazy orange with a finger sticky white head that leaves thin streaks of lace, with excellent retention. 4.5

    Aroma is tangerine, vanilla, pineapple, papaya, hints of cantaloupe, apricot, and some white grapefruit rind. 4.5

    Taste follows tangerine, papaya, cantaloupe, vanilla, peach, apricot, and a little grapefruit bitterness in the finish really well balanced.4.5

    Mouthfeel is above medium, soft creamy carbonation, not sticky or dry, and at 7.6% it drinks really easy, but maybe a tad bigger in body and flavor. 4.75

    Overall this is another really impressive beer from this brewery. I really dig it. 4.5
     
  10. SawDog505

    SawDog505 Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,922) Apr 9, 2010 New Hampshire
    Pooh-Bah

    Bent Water Blast off, sorry I meant to post that. Cheers
     
    ChicagoJ, FBarber, 2beerdogs and 13 others like this.
  11. lordofthewiens

    lordofthewiens Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,225) Sep 17, 2005 New Mexico
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    It's a beautiful day here, with temperatures heading for the low 60s. Hard to believe we're supposed to get a bout of frozen precipitation and up to 3 inches of snow tomorrow.
    My only chore of the day, just completed, was to install some owl decoys, in an attempt to deter the pigeons from nesting on our roof. That being done, with no more ladders to climb, it is time for a beer.
    I picked up a couple new Prairie beers the other day. The first one is Cocoa Berry, an imperial pastry sour with "orange, lemon, lime, raspberry, blueberry, grapefruit, cacao nibs, and toasted marshmallow flavor." The ABV is 7.9%.
    The beer is a clear ruby color with a pink head that recedes quickly.
    Nice aroma. Berries, cocoa, and marshmallow.
    Taste a little lacking. Berries, mostly, marshmallow and cocoa. Really couldn't get the citrus.
    Tart, not sour. Crisp and refreshing.

    [​IMG]
     
  12. Reef

    Reef Pooh-Bah (2,613) Dec 2, 2016 South Carolina
    Society Pooh-Bah

    Not all that long ago, there were just a few breweries to keep track of in Charlotte, and you couldn't buy bottles or cans at the brewery. Those were the days of going to Brawley's Bottle Shop and venturing into the walk-in to find the freshest cans of Hop, Drop, 'N Roll. Then all hell broke loose, Hop Drop started distribution across the Carolinas, and this is where we find ourselves today, Hop Drop being the West Coast stalwart in the shade of Resident Culture, High Branch, Heist. Maybe others, I haven't been there in a year and lost track. I am happy to buy OG Hop Drop when it is fresh. Thank you for coming to my TED talk.
    Now NODA got busy and put out some Imperial Hop Drop.
    [​IMG]

    The pre-2020 BA reviews of this are from 2013 and describe it as a copper or amber color. The 2021 version is a sunny orange with a stubborn white head and lacing. There is a strong citrus aroma which seems similar to regular Hop, Drop IMHO. The dry hopping pays off with more intense pine and citrus flavors. I think the hops and malt are well balanced without too much sweetness. Not much indication of the 9% ABV until you get 16oz. deep. Seemed like a 4.25 to me. I need to buy a few more, it may be another eight years until it returns.
     
  13. eppCOS

    eppCOS Grand Pooh-Bah (4,570) Jun 27, 2015 Colorado
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    Hello again, NBWers, and thanks to @ChicagoJ for kicking off this edition.
    It's always exciting to post a new beer.
    It's even MORE exciting to post a new Half Acre beer.... AND one that hasn't even been reviewed yet here on BA? WTF?
    in any case... cheers...

    Half Acre Hallow DIPA. 8% - canned 1.25.21, enjoyed last night 2.12.21.
    More you say? Can do, see below.

    4.24/5 rDev 0%
    look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

    L - another haze-bang unfiltered DIPA at first glance; decent head, didn't produce a ton of lacing.
    S - the aroma on this is not all that prominent but I get peach/mango/citrus notes and pith. As it warms, the hops become more noticeable on the nose, but it never gets what some would call "dank."
    T - I think this might be the best attribute of Hallow - tastes like a larger Bodem, but with less sweetness/malt than Bodem, leans more toward bitter tropics. Never tastes boozy either; good, full palate, impact here. More of the stone fruits, some tropical hop impressions, really interesting taste profile without anything standing out in a particular way.
    F - Great carbonation, mouth feel, doesn't get "lactose" creamy (thanks HA!), but stays ripely and acid-balanced.
    O - a great new overall and year-round DIPA from Half Acre. More a DIPA than an imperial.

    [​IMG]

     
  14. SawDog505

    SawDog505 Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,922) Apr 9, 2010 New Hampshire
    Pooh-Bah

    [​IMG] Hits different NEDIPA with a combination of 2 beers they brew. Nunchuck Ping Pong and Eldorado Falcon. Poured into a 16 oz Snulip glass canned on 2/8/2021. Pours a hazy orange with a finger sticky white head that leaves a bunch of thin streaks of lace that leaves a thin layer bubbles as it slowly settles. 4.5

    Aroma is marijuana, tangerine, papaya, pineapple, honeydew, and apricot really nice pleasant. 4.25

    Taste follows marijuana, tangerine, papaya, pineapple, honeydew, and apricot low on bitterness but big on flavor. 4.25

    Mouthfeel is medium, gentle soft carbonation, not dry or sticky, and at 8% ABV it goes down very easy. 4.5

    Overall I am really enjoying this one, dank and juicy at the same time. Well done. 4.25
     
  15. nc41

    nc41 Initiate (0) Sep 25, 2008 North Carolina
    Trader

    I was shocked how good this beer is, imo it’s better than the HDR. They don’t even taste like they come from the same family. Trade worthy too.
     
  16. ChicagoJ

    ChicagoJ Grand Pooh-Bah (5,247) Feb 2, 2015 Illinois
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Returning for round 2 today, the second from Revolution's League of Heroes 12.

    Zenith-Hero

    [​IMG]

    Can Notes:
    12 oz canned 1/21/21 @14:11:52. ABV 7.5% Reach The Peak Of Sultana Hops

    Online Notes: IBU 65. Hit a lofty new summit with a Hero powered by the layered fruit complexities of Sultana hops. Big and burly, with contrasting tropical fruit notes climbing to the fore alongside pine and wildflower. Zenith-Hero contains multitudes.

    Appearance: Clear bronze pour, faint carbonation, light off-white head leaves generous lacing and film above the pour. 3.75

    Aroma:
    Faint lemon aroma, light kiwi back. Tried to get more with no success. 2.75

    Taste:
    Taste bolder than aroma, but remains reserved. Bitterness leads, nice pine. Sweetness tries to emerge, lemon and a tropical fruit I can't get a handle on. Malt leads with caramel adding to the sweetness, though the bitter hops perform well to keep this in check. Some old school WCIPA vibes, I'm liking this more about midway in, the tropical fruit a bit distracting for my preference, but brewed as intended. 3.75

    Mouthfeel:
    Dry and bitter overall. some sweetness emerges throughout. Medium body, light carbonation, dry and bitter aftertaste. ABV more in check with this one than the Nelson-Hero tried earlier today. 3.5

    Overall:
    This is a nice, dry and bitter IPA with notes of sweetness. Part WCIPA, part "new school" IPA, it alternates throughout. Overall enjoyable offering. 3.5

    Note: For a frame of my points/scoring reference regarding, a 3.5 for me is a solid-very good beer (3-3.25 a good beer). My average score is typically 0.25-0.50 lower than posters here, and 0.25-0.50 higher than posters on rate beer.
     
  17. woodchipper

    woodchipper Grand Pooh-Bah (3,735) Oct 25, 2005 Connecticut
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    An SN new to me-
    [​IMG]
    3.79/5 rDev -4.5%
    look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

    Poured straight from the fridge from a 12oz can dated 12/02/20 to a Nonic.
    Gold body with a slight haze. You can see your fingers on the other side of the glass. Medium white head laces well but fades to a single layer rather quickly. Tiny bubbles rise through the body like a Pilsner.
    Aroma is mild, (maybe because this can is 70+ days old?). A little pine, a little floral.
    Taste is definitely west coast imperial IPA. Nice hop front, alcohol finish.
    Mouthfeel is medium, maybe a little too much carbonation.
    Overall meh. Maybe I will try a fresh one someday if I see one.
     
  18. Snowcrash000

    Snowcrash000 Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,041) Oct 4, 2017 Germany
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Liefman's - Goudenband 2011 / 2019

    Flanders Oud Bruin from Belgium (8%).

    [​IMG]

    I'm going to do another side-by-side here, as I was recently lucky enough to be gifted a bottle of 10 year-old Goudenband and thought it would be quite inteersting to compare it to a fresh bottle. The differences were surprisingly subtle here, but maybe that shouldn't come as that much of a big surprise considering that this is not a very hoppy beer to begin with.

    Upon pouring, the color is an identical reddish mahogany coloration, with the 2019 managing a much more impressive, medium and fluffy, somewhat lasting, head while the 2011 pours with no head at all and the difference in carbonation is already noticeable here.

    The nose is not quite as different as expected, with both vintages having a similar aroma of caramel malt, toffee, dark fruit and red berries, as well as some oak and tannic accents to them. The 2019 feels a bit brighter in the nose though, with the red berries, cherry, raspberry and cranberry in particular, standing out the most here, with lighter plum as well, while the 2011 has a deeper aroma to it, with the dark fruits taking over the red berries a little with additional notes of raisin and fig, although the red berries are still present.

    The taste very much follows the nose, with a very similar overall flavor profile that varies a little in accentuation. The 2019 feels a bit more acidic, fresh and vibrant, with the tart red berry notes of cherry, raspberry and cranberry standing out the most, while the 2011 is a bit rounder and more mellow, with not quite as vibrant, but deeper and a bit more complex dark fruit and red berry notes of raisin, fig, plum, cherry and elderberry, while it also has a richer caramel malt presence, making this one a little sweeter, with a more distinct toffee presence. Also, the 2011 feels perhaps just a little bit more tannic, with just a hint of balsamic vinegar creeping in, although there's a very similar amount of musty oak to both of them.

    I think that the biggest difference between these vintages probably lies in the body and mouthfeel, with the 2011 having quite noticeably less carbonation to it, feeling just a little flat, although it's really not too bad.

    Overall, I was quite surprised by how similar these tasted at 8 years apart, with the 2011 being almost 10 years old, but then again I guess it really makes sense when you consider that this is not a hoppy beer to begin, which is quite focussed on the malt and bacteria in the first place. I honestly didn't believe the label at first, which states that "even after 10 years this tastes as fresh as ever", but this really is mostly true, with very little oxidation and signs of that typical sherry character showing through here.

    Of course it's not quite as fresh, but the flavor profile really is very similar, with the 2019 feeling a bit more tart and vibrant and the 2011 a bit more sweet and mellow, but I did like them both equally for their different accentuations, with the 2019 being more fresh and expressive and the 2011 more complex and well-rounded overall. Although, once again, the difference really is quite subtle here, which I think is amazing considering that these are 8 years apart. I really do think that carbonation is the most noticeable difference here, which is why I probably prefered the 2019 just a little bit, but they both make for a very enjoyable drinking experience that is quite vibrant, rich and well-balanced, just with the focus shifting a little.

    Currently listening to: Fields of the Nephilim - Dawnrazor.
     
    ChicagoJ, Dimidiata, LeRose and 31 others like this.
  19. rgordon

    rgordon Pooh-Bah (2,701) Apr 26, 2012 North Carolina
    Pooh-Bah

    Just as a point of reference here it is 31 degrees raining and freezing everywhere. The trees are suffering and coming down. It's just bone wet cold and the dogs do not want to go out. But I did get vaccinated today and am glad for that. God help the helpless trees!
     
    Dimidiata, 2beerdogs, FBarber and 7 others like this.
  20. woodchipper

    woodchipper Grand Pooh-Bah (3,735) Oct 25, 2005 Connecticut
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    This was the beer I was anxious to start with today. But it was at room temp and I thought I should chill it just a little first.
    [​IMG] 3.9/5 rDev -5.6%
    look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

    Poured from a 12oz can dated 11/09/20 to a Nonic.
    Dark brown body with red highlights on the edges of the glass. Creamy head really invokes the "espresso" in the name.
    Aroma is a mild, musty malt smell. Really faint sense of the coffee to come.
    Taste is a big hit of coffee with a sweet back-bone. There is a sense that the caffeine content is high.
    Medium body with proper carbonation to remind you that you're not drinking a chilled coffee, its a brown ale.
    Overall a well executed beer given that the goal was to replicate a certain style of espresso. Unfortunately for me, its a little sweeter than I like but I'm not holding that against CCB.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    This picture makes me imagine a barista creating some art in this foam.
     
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