New Beer Weekend #47

I picked today’s new to me beer up at the brewery last month in Asheville, NC - “Dark Age”, a BBA Imperial Stout by Wicked Weed Brewing:



At 54 degrees pours black with grayish/ruby edges; quick dark tan head recedes quickly leaving a small island of micro dots and a thin plus ring; some spotted lacing and thin legs upon agitation. Strong bourbon nose up front, followed by sweet prunes; chocolate as beer warms. Bourbon forward entry, then sweet caramel, chocolate and dark stone fruit; bourbon and oak middle; prunes and chocolate covered cherries middle; bittersweet dark chocolate and bourbon in aftertaste. Medium full body; moderate minus carbonation; medium warmth in mouth from 12.3% abv; smooth, almost silky mouthfeel; not adjuncty; slight phenolic bite; dry barrel finish. Overall outstanding; the barrel notes are well balanced with base; bourbon is front and center; a tad thin for abv, which makes this beer dangerously easy drinking, and I personally like the subtle booziness; well done!



4.25 | 4.25 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5
Score: 4.43 rDev +3%
Cheers y’all and have a great Sunday!

 

Make New Beer Sunday Great Again!!!!!

All along with a heroic sized classic American breakfast made by a delightful Chinese family up the street;
Sparklepuff by Flying Monkey's Brewery
Triple IPA


Sparklepuff pours thick like unfiltered peach juice. A roman candle explosion of hop chunks all throughout. They flicker about and the majority collect at the bottom of the glass and form a pile of half inch sediment.

Aroma is riddled with foreign fruits from the yeast, and booze. Not a hint of hop character.

Taste is of 'hop drink' with Bill Cosby lip puckering sweetness. More fruit of the same described in the aroma. Booze city and not a hint of malt.

The wildest note is how the hop chunks never catch in your teeth.

$4.95 a tall boy

Overall -
This isn't really close to a triple. Its extra strong beer with a bunch of unfiltered hops.

10.2% Abv.

Its got my wheels spinning but if I just wanted to get all cranked up i'd save on a few bucks and go with an extra strong beer that even puts its alcohol content its it name.

Out of 5?

1.8

Have a great Sunday everyone!

 

Good Sunday morning to those who enjoy getting together over a new beer or two. We made our first trip in a year and a half over last weekend. We visited family on the other coast for a graduation event. It was good to see the GF's side of the family (in person), although it was a little strange stepping back into the COVID protocols in Portland that we'd been shedding in VA. They weren't onerous by any means, just an mild check to the feeling of freeness that going on vacation brings.

We didn't really do any beer exploring this trip, though I did get a chance to sit and have a couple of beers with an ex-NBSer who took some time out from weekend hikes with the family. He's doing quite well and still enjoying beer even if he is not venturing to this site any longer.

Currently watching some soccer - something I don't do often, but I do enjoy watching national teams play in major tournaments. Also passing time until UVa tries to stave off elimination (ah-gain) from the NCAA baseball post season.


Anyhow, today's beer had me debating a side-by-side, but in not having had the beer before I wasn't sure the comparison would make any sense. This beer is a barley wine with "roasted malts and no shortage of hops for a pleasantly bitter, booming flavor."

Looking at a few reviews by NBW participants, the hops do seem to stand out, which could make Founders latest version of Nemesis an interesting comparison with Bigfoot. Then again, one reviewer noted the bitterness paired with the roasted malts made the beer veer into "imperial black IPA" territory.

What do I think of this?

It is a nice pour. The thick tan ring is still waiting patiently for me as I typed up my long introduction. My initial thoughts on the nose come from the stout realm - a cocoa powder-leaning chocolate. There is an under-currant going on that gets paired with toffee-like note to produce a sweet-tart yin-yang. I would want that lesser note to come out in the taste more for a barley wine, but am not expecting it.

As I go in for a sip, I finally notice pine on the edges that others noted in their reviews. The beer a rich toasted malt opening, but it is brief. Bitterness catches up fast, and it seems more roasted malt initially, but I'm also not sure the the piney hops aren't the influence the whole time. The later taste brings in a little of that currant, though it is still surrounded by roasted/piney bitterness.

As the beer works towards cellar temperature now, and the bitterness distinction seems to be shifting to be more distinctly piney hops. The roasted malt char seems to be melting away slowly with each sip - an interesting effect. It's being replaced with a weak coffee and melanoidin mix that kneels before the hop profile that is gaining power.

I'm leaning towards categorizing this to myself as an American barley wine/stout hybrid. I think there's enough sweeter/toasted malt character that eventually comes through to kick it out of my concept for the range of a black IPA. However, the roast character never completely evaporates.

Regardless of my feeble attempts to style-parse, I'd still argue to have this beer no colder than cellar temps if you want a "more barley wine" experience.

 

What is it with Green Bay team management and legendary HOF quarterbacks, anyway?

 

Good morning NBS/NBW and thanks @SawDog505 for the hosting. I have a feeling as this work chapter is changing, your next will be even better. My best wishes to you on that front.
We in the US tend to identify ourselves as our "work selves" lord knows I am guilty of it. As a business owner (2nd generation Electrical Contractor) I am both terrified of the business, and personally defined by it every day.
@Shanex thanks for the Mod work during your stint, I appreciate everyone who hosts, and the Mods who keep people out of trouble.
Just finished Skye with team #1 in Taiwan, they are in level 3 lockdown for the next few weeks as a new Covid outbreak has got legs under it. But they are fine and the baby is on course for late August arrival
Todays offering is from our close friends at Brick and Feather, A really well done Kolsch style Ale.
I really appreciate the simple elegance of this offering, Grains, hops, water profile, texture all on exquiste display.
Do good
Be well

Montague Gothic

Kölsch | 5.2% ABV

Brick & Feather Brewery
Turners Falls, Massachusetts

4.16/5 rDev 0% | Average: 4.16
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 16 oz can dated 6/8/2021 so 5 days from packaging
A - Lovely forsythia blosson color. Excellent clarity allows full view of the steady carbonation. A tight knit white cap is pretty quick to exit, leaving a ring in the glass
S - A bit of grains in the start, pilsner malt, possibly some wheat. A lemon hint from hops.
T - Very true to the aromatics, "focused" is the term I keep coming back to. The pilsner malt has that classic cracker, warm dough element. The slight citrus, primarily lemon rind is a nice offset.
M - Lite on the palate, effervescent with a fantastic texture. The finish is quick and requires another sip.
O - A really good Kolsch style, Flavors are nuanced, and with each sip show a surprising depth. An easy drinking offering that has a talented brewers efforts on full display

 

I'll be having this as part of the wheat beer online tasting next weekend. This is listed on this site as a Kristallweizen, a filtered Hefeweizen. The typical hefe flavors will be more muted in a k-weizen.

 

One of my favorite songwriters. The change in his voice from his earlier recordings to late in his career is remarkable. I must have a dozen of his LPs, a couple or three of his CDs, and a whole library of downloaded digital.

I just wish he had actually written down ALL of the (rumored) verses to Hallelujah!

 

Who's the stained glass artist?

 

Sorry that beer wasn't for you, but I did enjoy your review.

 

@Snowcrash000 ...

Comparing Cohen early and late on So Long Marianne...

 

Excellent write up! Now I am ISO Belgian Royal Stouts aged in Ardbeg barrels.
My favorite style beer aged in my favorite Scotch barrels!
And as always, awesome photography.
Cheers!

 

16 miles ain't all bad. You got me beat. I only managed 15.9 miles this morning.

 

No. I certainly never bumped into it over here, but I never hunted for it either. I assumed it was only available near the brewer (but I have no idea).

 

Societe's Bulbous Flowers. Extremely Exceptional NEIPA brewed in Sunny Southern California.
Love this beer. Thanks to @RaulMondesi for sharing.

 

But NBW was created because NBS seemed to be losing steam and many folks didn't want to or weren't able to contribute on just Sunday due to work, etc. Unfortunately NBW seems to be losing steam now also so if two days can't carry it...

It also gets old seeing the same beers in this thread and WBAYDN so maybe combining them over the weekend or on Sunday would be an option?