New Beer Weekend #32

Evening all! Finally took down the Christmas lights as the snow had melted away enough to actually get to the lights on the bushes ... this is definitely the latest I've ever had them up. Happy to finally sit down and relax for a bit.

Right now, I am drinking Tired Hands - DDH Punge a double dry hopped nelson sauvin and motueka double IPA. Many thanks to @zekeman17 for this one!


Pours a completely opaque, sludgy, pale yellow color. This is one of the lightest colored IPAs I have seen in a while. Lovely, thick, full three finger head forms on top of the beer, ligers, then dissipates until a ring of white foam remains along the outside of the beer. The aroma on this is very gentle, subtle - its got notes of green grapes, white wine, a gentle dried grassiness, papaya, and some sweet pineapple. Its not one that punches you in the face with its pungency, but its still got a lot going on and is very inviting.

Taste follows the nose with notes of white wine, papaya, that pineapple and grassiness coming through more on the back end. Im actually getting a bit of white bread malt coming through this that kind of surprised me, but it works. The finish has some mild bitterness with notes of pine, wood, and dried grass. Feel is light, light to medium bodied, and really quite drinkable.

Overall I expected to enjoy this as I have been impressed with the beers I've had the chance to have from Tired Hands and it did not disappoint. A really nice IPA all around.

 

For this next beer I am headed way outside my usual comfort zone with Ellipsis Brewing - Nunchucks - Orange Creamsicle Cheesecake. Have to send a hearty thank you to @Scottsbeer for this one!


Ok, so this one pours a bright, almost neon like orange color. It is opaque, and when held to the light it almost glows. There is a fizzy, soda like collection of bubbles that appears when the beer is poured, but other than that momentary fizz, there is absolutely no head on this beer. The aroma on this is weird. On one hand you have the orange tang aroma - this sugary, somewhat artificial orange aroma. But on the other hand, its got cinnamon, vanilla, graham cracker, and a little sour cream like note to it. They do not necessarily blend all that well together.

Taste somewhat follows the nose with that bright orange flavor coming through. It is sweet and reminds me of Fanta or Tang. But again, we've got these cinnamon, graham cracker, and vanilla notes all within this sour orange framework. Its wacky, but weirdly, it kind of works. Feel is lively, prickly, again - soda like with its carbonation. Light body on this one. The sour only mildly registers on the palate, just enough to give the impression of a sour note.

Overall this is about as wacky a beer as I expected from the start. Really interesting to drink, but its not something I'd pick up again.

 

I am doing my best to get this edition of NBW/S to 6 pages ... but it seems a lonely endeavor this evening ... I have felt like things have been quieter on this thread the last few weeks, but then again a number of factors have limited my personal involvement, so I assumed that was just me. Regardless this is my favorite thread on BA these days and I thoroughly enjoy reading through all of y'alls reviews.



This, in all likelihood, is my last beer of the evening: Free Will Brewing Co. - Vanilla Ralphius courtesy of @zekeman17.

Pours a slick, oily, opaque black color. The dark mocha colored head appears and then disappears really fast. However a thin ring of foam lingers on the beer for a bit before also dissipating. The aroma on this is absolutely killer. Obviously there is the vanilla - thats immediately noticeable, but with it comes a rush of bourbon, roasted malts, toffee, a little dried tobacco and some light espresso-like notes. But the vanilla is the show here - its prominent enough to permeate the aroma, but avoids becoming overpowering. It also has no "artificialness" to it. Its so well integrated into the beer.

The taste is no less impressive than the nose. There are notes of roasted malts, bourbon, wet oak, a slight smokiness, toffee all permeated by a thread of lovely vanilla and bourbon notes. The underlying stout is delicious, the vanilla and the bourbon just compliment it so well. There is a moderate bitterness to this one, especially towards the back end. Finally, this is hot - there is a definite alcohol/bourbon heat to this one on the back end lingering into the finish. The feel is smooth, moderate to full bodied - to me this is right in that sweet spot. Thick enough to be a sipper, but not so thick you have to chew it to get it down. Gentle, but decent carbonation. Somewhat harsh on the finish, but not in an unpleasant way.

Overall this is a lovely barrel aged stout and the use of the vanilla in this is expertly done. Perhaps the thing I liked the most about this was the 8.4 oz Red Bull can. Perfect amount for a 14.1% ABV beer on a work night. While I am not going to say I wish more places used these small cans, since I think the price difference would be passed onto the consumer, rather than adjusted accordingly, I will say its the perfect amount for a work night.

 

It really was fantastic! If you can get it, grab it for sure.