New Beer Weekend #38

Maybe the monks at Westmalle felt 'robbed' after Extra 4 came in, as theirs is surely the most genuine/original one between the two.

Thank you, much appreciated!

 

I'm very pro St. Bernardus, but I'm not sure I've ever seen this beer. It might not get distributed here in my state, or maybe they all go to Seattle, but I'm definitely interested.

 

These are pretty humble beers and my approach quite eccentric from an American point of view I guesss, but I´d still drink them by the pint over any session IPA so to speak. Thank you!

 

Think of a session IPA with a better balance, Belgian yeast and esters, noble hops instead of new world, hints of English bitter and German pils...These Belgian brewers are some lovely bastards, monks or not.

 

One more for the weekend before I go back to the reality of work tomorrow, luckily I teach mostly seniors and they are done in about 7 weeks left in the school year. Enjoying a of Speciation Hackmatack.
4.22/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

375 ml bottle poured into a tulip

A- A fairly clear golden straw with a small head.

S- Sour, lemons, grapes/wine, oak, earthy funk, some light fruits.

T- Sour, light fruits/pears, lemons, grapes/wine, oak, earthy funk, hints of wheat.

M- Smooth, light body.

O- Another tasty barrel aged sour from Speciation, nicely balanced and easy to drink.

Until next weekend, stay safe everyone, cheers!

 

My last new beer this weekend is Wild Ride, New Belgium's 30th Anniversary Amber IPA.

13 JUN 2021 best by date

Pours clear amber orange with a creamy off-white foam head that sticks around with good lacing and retention.

Smells real nice and hoppy with notes of crisp white grape, apricot, melon, tropical pineapple, mango, papaya, passionfruit, grapefruity citrus, orange peel, lemon zest, subtle black tea, nectarine, hint of coconut, cherry, fig, dark dried fruit, toasted bready malts, caramel, toffee, slight molasses, and herbal earthy woodsy floral grassy pine. Good balance of hops and malt, definitely leaning on the hoppy side with an interesting combo of aromas.

Tastes super complex and unique, pretty interesting, great balance of flavors, not lacking or light in any way, very malty and very hoppy as well. Follows the aroma mostly, clean, bright and beautiful with robust malt, notes of chocolate, dark toasted bread, caramel, toffee, molasses, dark dried fruit, fig, cherry, nectarine, coconut, black tea, apricot, orange peel, lemon zest, grapefruity citrus, tropical passionfruit, pineapple, mango, papaya, melon, crisp white grape, and earthy herbal woodsy floral grassy pine. Just a great balance here, still a refreshing feel to it from the hop brightness, clean and crispy yet malty and rich, I'm really liking this.

Feels medium bodied, creamy slick with moderate smooth carbonation.

Overall a really nice Amber IPA and an extraordinary beer imo. This is definitely a new favorite of mine, I'm really enjoying that clean hoppiness with the amber malts. A unique combination of flavors for sure, and highly enjoyable to me. Cheers everyone, and happy New Beer Weekend!

 

I quite like the concept of american amber ales (I´ve talked Dale´s recently, even if not exactly it), and might grab an old favorite of mine I spotted last week after your post. It was a 'pioneer' craft beer locally which somehow has managed to endure the trends.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/28726/122744/

 

One day...one day. I look forward to the day.

 

Happy Sunday NBW! It’s a little later in the day than I would normally like to get started but you gotta take what the day gives you. Masters is over so we can get back to normal around here.

The appetizer tonight is The Leafcutter from Watts Brewing out of Bothell, WA. This was acquired via @kemoarps in NBS BIF #13 (thanks!!). Plus, I get to use this cool stange:



A: Pours nearly clear yellow gold with a bright white head that slowly recedes to a lasting thin cap and leaves a moderate amount of lacing
A: Grain, cereal, pale malt, grass, hay, more grain
T: Confirms the aroma and adds some lemony citrus and earth. The hops level becomes more pronounced, but not out of balance at all.
M: Medium carbonation, light-medium body. Crisp finish with late grassy bitterness.
O: Another one of those crisp, easy drinking lagers that are gone before you realize it. Just can’t put the glass down. Yummy.

 

Weelllll, I was gonna ramp it down with a couple easy drinking lagers, but then I saw I had an easy drinking lager that is new, so, this is probably my last new brew of the thread; Wander Higbee Hoppy Helles. The Max Higbee Center https://maxhigbeecenter.org/ is an organization that gives opportunities to the developmentally disabled here in my city. Their biggest fund-raiser every year is the biggest brewfest in my beer drenched city. Well, this is the 2nd year that they haven't been able to hold the fest. If you have an extra scheckel, maybe send it their way?

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/34416/543630/?ba=BBThunderbolt#review

 

I'm usually a big fan of the amber style and I enjoyed quite a few when I first got into craft beer around 6 years ago. It's a style that I don't see often anymore, though there are a few staples like Full Sail which gets distributed here, not really hoppy like an IPA though. What this Wild Ride IPA kind of reminded me of at first was Modern Times Blazing World with it's amber/red malt base and use of Nelson hops which I loved when I first tried it. This New Belgium beer is a really nice amber IPA I think, sadly it probably won't return after this batch, we'll see. The unique hop bill featuring Idaho 7 and Sabro makes it fairly interesting with the Mosaic and Galaxy, and the malt is really nice and well balanced, not too sweet or lacking in any way. I would like to see more well done Amber and Red IPAs. Cheers!

 

Hey @zid just to close this pale blue hoppy Belgian Sunday I think it´s fair to tell you that I´ve been feasting on fresh De la Senne lately (Boulba and Zinnebir), as you are a fan. The picture premiering the Tilquin glass is January, 1st (first beer of the decade IIRC), and the Hofbrau coaster a total coincidence, as Taras being also blue (magic?)...Now this is a badass beer given the context. Look at that.



The third Westmalle (well decanted an all) is tasting great, and I think it adds a new dimension to the table style as we know it. So nicely hoppy, fruity, clear and elegant. I think Belgians are drinking IPA well before Americans did, but that´s another thread.

Night all!

 

Congrats Frank @FBarber

I don't remember much about it, but I do remember I like it. Another one on the I should have it more often list.

The distance between Politician & Carnival Sideshow Ringmaster isn't really that far, eh?

Tonight's NBW is DDH Cabin Fever , an NEIIPA from Other Half, with Citra, Nelson Sauvin, and Kohatu.
O :
Overall , quite good, with a citrus/peach-nectarine-apricot/white grape[a la Nelson, as-expected] flavor profile. Leans to the sweet side of the NEIPA spectrum, but not overly so .I prefer the bitter side, but this isn't too sweet for me. Just really smooth, easy-drinking, and enjoyable, as I've come to expect from Other Half.

L : Hazy gold, with slight pink tint. One finger of ivory head, that leaves a thin ring, and a few spots and streaks of lacing.

S : Smells of fresh grapefruit, peach/nectarine, tangelo, and pineapple juice. Slight bready malt as it warms.

T : Taste is grapefruit, peach , as in peach schnapps, a tropical mix that leans papaya, and white grape. Occasional flashes of sweetened lemon, as in lemon pie filling. Light bitterness at finish , that disappears fairly quickly.

F : Feel is medium, juicy, with light, soft carbonation tingle. Leaves a slight coated feeling on the lips and front of the palate. [I opened it up yesterday , to share some with my sister-in-law/neighbor, as it seemed like something she'd like. It might have reduced carbonation a bit. . Guessing that because of that, + just in general, cans would probably have more carbonation. = .25 on Feel , most likely ]
4.23/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/33510/539228/

 

Hello Late Night NBW
Well speaking of barleywines. I have a fine one here thanks to the benevolence of Beerbassador of New Jersey @MacMalt .

A fine take on a style that some people are a bit resistant to: American barleywines.
Brew of '62 by Slack Tide Brewing Co.


Pours a beautiful burnished gold to orange. The sandy head froths up 2 fingers and slowly, lazily retreats. Very nice retention with scattered layers of lacing.
The nose initially had me thinking English barleywine. Notes of toasted caramel and hints of apple brandy led the charge.
But then I sipped. Oh wow, this really is a graceful American barleywine. The sweet is definitely there: again caramel, dates, raisins, baked apples in cinnamon. But there is a taming of the sweets with some hop bitterness. It's nuanced and complex. At first it comes on strong, then takes a step back. Definitely one to enjoy as a sipper. As it warms I pick up more of the floral citrus and mild pine along the lines of Centennial, or maybe Cascade, hops.
The carbonation is light, the feel is full enough for style but has a magical heft to it. It's always there. But the ABV is only a gentle warming, this is smooth.
Overall, a fantastic American barleywine. For those who think they only like English barleywines I would recommend this as a highly approachable version of the usually hopped up style.
4.18/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

 

The night is cooling off nicely, and it's time for more barleywine content in this week's edition of the thread. I have a feeling mine won't be the last on that front. It's nice to sit in the living room with the windows open while enjoying a contemplative evening. I'm watching a streaming tribute/celebration to a recently departed acquaintance that I respected a lot. @FBarber sent me this beer in a recent ninja strike, and it's quite honestly the perfect beer for this evening. Thanks again for this, Frank. Revolution's Mineshaft Gap is a barleywine aged in cognac barrels. I used to drink a fair amount of cognac in my younger days, but it's been many years. I occasionally see cognac barrel aged beers, but I haven't had the pleasure of getting my hands on many.

Poured into a snifter, Mineshaft Gap poured a clear but dark burgundy and produced a one centimeter head that dissolved before long into a delicate crown. As the glass depletes, the clarity comes into full view. It's easy to get lost appreciating the its hue. The aroma emanating from the glass was heavy on cognac, oak, grape, dates, and raisin. All of those are present in the taste and then some. The cognac hits first followed by a wave of dried fruits - dates, raisin, and fig. Oak and leather appear on the finish while the fruits linger. The essence of cognac stays on your breath without the burn. Nice carbonation and restrained sweetness made this a pleasure to drink. This is an excellent offering from Revolution's remarkably consistent Deep Wood Series.

Thanks again, Frank. The last sip is currently swirling my snifter looking like a fine cognac. This was stellar.

 

Happy share day to my fellow participants in the NBS BIF #13! It's been a blast to see the blind tastings and kudos to those of you who dove into the barleywine sub-theme for the weekend. I'll head in that direction after dinner, but first, I'm getting into another of the cans that @Ozzylizard was kind enough to send my way.

The New Now from Brewery Vivant is a double dry-hopped double IPA with Cryo Simcoe, Idaho 7, and Mosaic. Musical accompaniment is courtesy of Pagan's Mind's "Heavenly Ecstasy" album. With this album just a month shy of its tenth birthday, I'm pretty damn ready for them to finish up the new material that they've seemingly been working on for several years now.

Pours a hazy dark bronze with nearly an inch of dense, slightly off-white head that takes its sweet time receding, leaving resilient lacing on the glass in its wake.

The nose opens with a big wave of fresh-out-of-the-tree pine sap, but an array of fruit quickly broadens the aroma, featuring grapefruit zest, orange flesh, mangos, guava, and faint blueberries. An herbal component adds depth, dovetailing with the piney side to curtail any perceived sweetness from the fruits. Bare wisps of light caramel sweetness and wheat bread represent the malt bill's contribution, while the fermentation profile is incredibly clean, leaving the hops firmly in control of the nose.

Juicy citrus hits first on the palate with ruby red grapefruit and ripe oranges. Pineapple, guava, and hints of papaya move the flavor in a more tropical direction as it heads towards the mid-palate, where bitter, resinous pine sap and an assertive caramel note both hit hard. Hints of blueberry and floral hops poke through as it moves towards the backend, giving way to a finish that largely mirrors the aforementioned pine and caramel pairing. The light, fruit-driven moments at the front and back of the tongue present a somewhat odd juxtaposition when compared to the old-school mid-palate. Each combination has its merits, but it feels segmented and would benefit from more continuity and integration.

The body is a tad on the heavy side, even for an 8% ABV DIPA, but it's well-carbonated and goes down easily thanks to the dry finish.

Overall, the hop profile is quite lovely, but the body and somewhat disjointed nature of the palate could both use some tweaking. All the same, it's an enjoyable beer, and I'll be polishing this off as I prep Sunday dinner.

Thanks again, @Ozzylizard, and cheers all!

Score: 3.6

 

Here is the aforementioned big beer...



A fitting nightcap. Seances & Sacrifices, an 11.5% imperial maple stout that was aged in maple bourbon barrels. Brewed by Burlington Beer Co., canned 3/15/21 (a day before my birthday/BA anniversary last month!). For extra immersion, I have my favorite candle going while enjoying this one: Silver Dollar Candle Co.'s Bacon & Bourbon. Apropos, I feel.

This pours a beautifully-dark and obscure liquid in my glass. Generous several fingers of slowly-forming suds that sink to a retentive half-finger after five-to-ten minutes, leaving behind a consistent sheet of lace. Not too shabby, and I expected it to be a little less impressive, honestly (maybe just tempering my expectations for this one). Good legs, and the surface is totally clouded by deep, nitro-like foam. Nice!

Nose is deep maple and brown sugar with some backing notes of woodiness and burnt caramel. Slight soy sauce with bourbon-type sweetness and some light smoke in the back. Really giving me a similar vibe to Rockingham Brewing's Barrel-Aged Maple Glazed Belly of the Beast, which is definitely one of my all-time favorite barrel-aged stouts, and of a similar stripe (maple infused whiskey barrel aged bacon imperial stout). This definitely seems sweeter and not as smoky/savory, but I do still get a bit of both of those things. Overall, this doesn't really smell as decadent as it probably could, but perhaps they were careful with the maple addition considering they were also already aging in maple bourbon barrels. Better safe than sorry, of course.

The flavor profile is pretty on-the-mark, starting with caramel and oak with a little bit of maple in the mid-palate, melding nicely with some brown sugar, chocolate, and slightly-roasty malts. The finish is soft and bolstered nicely by the oak. Overall, though, this is amusingly not-crazy tasting. I expected it to be over-the-top bourbon with a strong sweetness, but it comes across very safe, in a way that seems... I dunno, maybe like a letdown in some other contexts it could be consumed in. Actually, though... I have to admit that I'm sort of relieved it's so drinkable. This is a nice, surprisingly balanced beer that lives in a category of beers where most examples thereof are constantly trying to outcompete one another in terms of pure flavor/insanity. I kind of can't help but respect its restraint, and so therefore, I think this is a very enjoyable brew. It's weird when you go into an experience expecting to be savaged but end up humbled in some sense, but... here I am.

Prost BA! See you next week, hopefully. Not sure what the new job has in store for me in terms of shifts and day-to-day changes but we'll find out soon enough. Until next time...