New Beer Weekend #42

I am pretty sure I would enjoy this Suarez beer. I appreciate a smoky aroma/flavor of campfire. I am not a fan of meaty in a smoked beer.

Cheers!

 

Tonewood in Oaklyn NJ released a smoked foederbier. Haven’t tried it yet though

 

This definitely falls line with the quality that Suarez brings with beers. Some reviews said it’s slightly meaty, but I’m not getting any meatiness

 

Drekker Chonk Funky Monkey Sundae Sour, 7.8% ABV. Pours gunky thick and opaque medium red, with a one-finger pink head that left puree residue. Nose is vanilla, peanut butter, black currant, and chocolate. Taste follows, plus banana, quite sweet, slightly tart. Excellent thick and smooth mouthfeel with decent carbonation, overall outstanding to near world-class. One of the better Chonk variants I've had.

4.46/5 rDev +1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Chonk is one of their better fruited milkshake sour series, with lots of great variants.

 

Howdy all! A sunny and breezy mid-50s day here in the Fourth Corner, which is good, because we're having our annual Barleywine bottleshare this afternoon, and we'll be able to stay outside. Before I head over there though, a quick entry here: White River Saison from Ferment. Nice yeast and grain with a dry finish, I could drink a couple pints of this:

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/53606/370366/

 

Hmm?

I am not a fan of meaty in smoked beers. But the fact that you didn't pick up meaty?

This is what I would classify as a dilemma here.

Cheers!

 

If you ever get around to trying it I would be interested in hearing your thoughts.

It sure does read like a tasty beer:

"Woodland Smoked Lager 4 pack
Woodland smoked lager is a smoked lager aged in our American Oak Foeder. With notes of mild smoked, gentle oak, soft vanilla, lilac, and freshly baked bread, this lager is crips and clean. Coming in at 4.8% ABV."

Cheers!

 

Two new beers for me today, while at True Anomaly in Houston.

First up, Juno-1 Helles Lager, at 4.7% ABV




Pours with a beautiful clarity. A straw yellow color. A two finger white head rises with good retention. That eventually recedes and leaves a bit of lace.
Aromas is toasted pale malts and grains. Baked bread and bakery goodies. Just a touch of grassy hops in the finish.
Like the nose, taste wise is pale toasted, bread like, and grainy malts. A lemon and grassy hop flavor and just a touch of lingering bitterness.
A light body that is effervescent and crisp. Wonderfully clean and dry. This is downed in big gulps, and just all around moreish. I can drink this all day.

An excellent Helles. The perfect example of what a straight forward, less is more, lager should be. This is up there with Saint Arnold and Holler as one of the better lagers in town. Well done all around, and highlight recommended.

After a few more tries, I can see increasing the score, but for now a solid 4.17, which is an A- for me.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/55586/431957/?ba=champ103#review


Next up is Dark Matter Belgian Dubbel. 7.4% ABV


Pours a dark brown, ruby red color. A two finger beige head forms and recedes after a minute. Light lace is left behind.
Aroma has the malts as the show here, as it should be. Toasted, baked dark rye bread and grains. Not a lot a lot of spiciness or fruitiness going on, which isn't bad but makes this a little one dimensional.
Taste wise, all the malts up front again. Toasted, dark bread, and grains. Some fruits show up here. With plums and raisins. Though lacking in depth overall IMO.
A full body with moderate carbonation. Fairly nondescript here overall. Something to sip on, and not bad. Though not something I'm particularly wanting to come back to.

If they didn't say this was a Belgian Dubbel, I probably would have said this is closer to an stronger English Brown Ale or something along those lines. Not bad in anyway, just lacking in unique style characteristics (phenolic spiciness for example). Which is kind of par for the coarse with a lot of American breweries examples. Always appreciate the attempt at something like this though, and even if it doesn't hit all style points to my liking, still something I can enjoy for what it is.

Overall score is 3.63, which is B
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/55586/402907/?ba=champ103#review

Overall, True Anomaly has become one of my favorite breweries in town. I have a couple of foeder aged Saisons I bought to go as well. Might open one, or both this weekend...will report back.

 

I would buy a lemongrass beer just to try.
Thanks for sharing. I will still try cuz now I am curious. Lol. cheers!

 

Silver Moon Brewing’s
Catch & Release IPA
BEND, OR
Canned Feb 8,21

Walked into Grocery Outlet Thursday and straight into a pallet of 6 packs of this beer for $5.99. I didn’t even care! $6 for a 6!

My review is here:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/10271/533184/#navigation

sitting in the sun on the deck with the last one in a pint glass. Cheers ya’ll. Have a stupid good weekend!

 

Moving on the Foam One Flew Over. I do like Milkshake IPAs and enjoy trying them from lots of breweries but still feel Tired Hands does it best; that said Foam did an amazing job with this and feel this could have easily come from Tired Hands.
4.43/5 rDev +6.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

16 oz can, dated 4/29/21, poured into a teku

A- A hazy golden straw with a two finger white head.

S- Lime zest, citrus, pineapple, coconut, vanilla.

T- Lime zest, coconut, citrus, vanilla, touch of pineapple, hints of earthiness.

M- Smooth, creamy, medium body.

O- A well done Milkshake/Pastry IPA, coconut and lime zest work great with the hops and aren’t overall sweet.

Cheers!

 

Or are taking another approach.
An Ommegang rep told me they created Idyll to have a beer for “the Coors Light drinkers who visit Cooperstown”. It appears they have now gone one step further.
Ommegang has started a sub-brewery under the name Contra Brewing. So far they have one beer out, an AAL called Deerslayer, which was described to me as ”a cross between Bud and Coors”. https://drinkdeerslayer.com/beer/

The only thing linking the two breweries is the shared address. I guess Ommegang wanted to get into the mass market AAL business without sullying the name of a respected Belgian style brewer.

 

If you sent me beer in the still ongoing NBW BIF #13, my trip to Transient today will impact at least some of you. Certainly this beer, a few other hoppier offerings, and a big boy stout.

Glassware courtesy of our beer nerd friend @WunderLlama. Heads up my friend.





4.04/5 rDev +2.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Pours an ever so slightly hazy golden straw color with with a dense white head that laces the glass beautifully. Gorgeous beer. The can references dry hopping, and that is apparent on the nose, with a floral hop aroma that accompanies the lemongrass and cracker notes.

The floral hop flavors are forward on the taste, but the lemongrass is also present, and the cracker flavor really works in this crispy, dry Helles lager. Definitely lawnmower beer worthy.

 

The weather is really starting to heat up down here in Florida, so I really want a nice thirst-quencher - a solid Weissbier is always a wise choice. The Weissbier from Urban Chestnut Brewery in ST Louis may be the most impressive domestic version I can remember having. All of the classic elements are there - a hint of clove, banana, and bubblegum with the effervescent mouthfeel typical of the style. I will be buying more if it is not already sold out.

 

A bit on the old side...packaged 12/2020.

Pours a hazy orange with a chunky and sticky white head.

Nose is bright with grapefruit, orange and an oily hop aroma.

Flavor follows the nose closely, with a nice malt presence to smooth things out a bit. Slightly resinous on the tongue, very subtle finish for such a bold flavor profile.

Overall, this is excellent. I’ve tried a a bunch of hazies and not cared for hardly any of them...just not my thing. This one really grabs you though, Nelson and Simcoe work together quite well.

Cheers BA’s!!