New Beer Weekend #53

I knew I was cursed when it was in the 80s in Fairbanks.

 

Good very early am NBW
I spent 14 hours outside volunteering for my daughter's high school "senior retreat" today. I am embracing the silence as my wife and daughter have crashed upon returning home.

Funny story concerning the acquisition of this beer. We were near the Clemson U campus on vacation and I was sent to buy some ice for the cooler. My wife's response when I show up with 2 bags of ice and a huge can of malt liquor is WTF? She doesn't get it, but I never pass on a malt liquor tick...

It's a fancy one too...


25oz can stamped DEC2021 poured into a mug at fridge temp 8.1% ABV. The beer pours bright golden light amber with minimal off white head. The head recedes to a thin ring and single layer of bubbles. The aroma is mild with sweet notes of grain and orchard fruit. The taste is semisweet grain with light caramel and apple notes. Minimal bitterness and minimal diacetyl. The mouthfeel is thin to medium bodied with average carbonation and a somewhat dry finish. Overall, very good malt liquor. Maybe a touch sweet, but a steal at under $2.

I'm not gonna lie, I kinda wish this was available around here. It has it's place. Cheers all!

 

Poured into a 13 oz Teku glass not sure when it was canned, but again it came from @jzeilinger and trust with in the month. Pours a very attractive slightly hazy orange with a finger plus sticky off white head that leaves thin streaks of lace with excellent retention. 4.75

Aroma peach, bubble gum, mandarin, papaya, apricot, and some grapefruit rind. 4.5

Taste follows peach, mandarin, papaya, bubble gum, apricot, and a little grapefruit bitterness, but really well balanced. 4.5

Mouthfeel is bigger than average, plenty of carbonation but a little soft, maybe a tad sticky but not dry, and at 10.6% big on flavor but excellent drinkability. 4.5

Overall I have always liked this brewery, especially when they brew big Stouts. This is a really impressive TIPA from them. Again thanks JZ for this can. 4.5

 

Good Sunday morning everyone! Today’s new to me beer is Bourbon Barrel Oil of Aphrodite (2020), by Jackie O’s Pub & Brewery, Athens, OH:



Bottle purchased at Taproom on 7/18/21. ABV 13.5%. Poured at 56°. Tight tan head renders an island of micro dots; heavy ring and bands of soapy lacing; cap, ring and lace do not last long; a few spots of lace and medium legs on swirl. Strong bourbon nose up front followed by toasted nuts. Taste is boozy bourbon and sweet chocolate, dark fruit and raisins; semi sweet caramel malt and earthy hop bitterness; nutty middle; vanilla on backend. Medium full body, creamy feel, moderate minus carbonation; face flushing warmth from alcohol; barrel dry finish. Overall, mostly sweet chocolate and bourbon; long boozy oaky bourbon linger; a bit thin, but easy drinking; barrel a bit stronger than base.

I liked it plenty, but the dryness from the barrel is a little more than I want; I’d gladly drink again. Cheers!

4.25 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.25 | 4.5
Score: 4.46 rDev +3.2%

 

Do you have some Free Time?

Today’s beer is cleverly named by Upland Brewing: Free Time Vienna Lager.

Below is how this beer is detailed on the Upland website:

“Free Time

Year Round

Vienna Lager Bright copper in appearance with a perfectly balanced malt and hop profile, Free Time is an easy drinking lager with a crisp and dry—yet slightly toasty, caramel, and sweet—finish. It was brewed with high quality malts from Sugar Creek Malt Co. in Lebanon, Indiana, to be refreshing and sessionable—best enjoyed in times that call for a shift beer or any time that comes well deserved.

ABV: 4.7%

IBU: 25

YEAST: Augustiner Lager

MALT: Vienna, Munich 20, Caramel, Munich 60

HOPS: Nugget, Mt.Hood, Vanguard”

https://uplandbeer.com/beers/free-time/

When it comes to lagers it seems like Vienna Lager is not the most popular sort of style. I am lucky that very close to me there are two small, local breweries that brew Vienna Lagers: Workhorse Brewing and Von C Brewing. The ‘bonus’ with drinking the Vienna Lager at the Von C Brewing tasting room is that they serve this beer in dimpled mugs via a side-pull tap pour. That beer is ‘extra’ enjoyable on tap.

Let’s see how Upland Brewing fares with their Vienna Lager.

Served in my Spiegelau Lager Glasses:

Appearance:

Amber colored with a BIG fluffy off-white head.

Aroma:

A prominent bready/malty aroma
Taste:

Flavor has a notable malt (rich, bready) flavor which is indeed pleasantly balanced with low-moderate hop bitterness.

Mouthfeel

Medium bodied, moderate mouthfeel with a dry finish.

Overall

This beer is very good! It has the quality that the Germans would describe as süffig (drinkable).

Cheers!

@rotsaruch @RobH @KOP_Beer_OUtlet

 

I agree with everything you say there.

A couple of days ago I also purchased a six-pack of the Von Trapp 11/18/21 batch at Kunda. This is my third six-pack (so far) purchase of their Kolsch this year.

Prost!

 

The last beer of a box gifted to me by @colby600 in a shining example of the spirit and generosity of members here that make this site a special place.

Tree House Shipshape Pilsner

Clean medium gold color with white cap and lacing.

Aroma of sweet malt, light bread crust and floral hops with a mineral edge.

Taste is upfront malt with a distinct mineral backbone. Hops are still floral but with an assertiveness that both balances and complements the malt. Not a lot of different flavors but good flavors and the overall effect is low key yet striking.

Medium full texture with balancing carbonationl

There is an overall balance and complexity that compares favorably with the original European ancestors.

 

It's an awesome beer and I don't blame you one bit.

 

Good morning NBW
I have several Belgian beers that I purchased before vacation and I need to clear fridge space for Oktoberfest beers. So, here we are...

Lucifer Black
11.2oz bottle coded 18/08/16 (nearly 5 years old) poured into a tulip glass just above fridge temp 8.5% ABV. The beer pours opaque, dull medium brown with khaki colored head. The head recedes to a thin cap and leaves plenty of lacing. The aroma is mild with notes of leather, raisin, prune and sweetened bread. The taste is semisweet burnt sugar caramel with mild flavors of sweet and tart fruit. Pleasant bitterness for the style. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with average carbonation and a mostly dry finish. Overall, very good to excellent.

I have to commend Belgianstyleales.com for their handling of this bottle. They claim to keep the beer cold in their warehouse and this five year old bottle had very little oxidation. I'd love to sample a fresher bottle at some point in time.

Cheers all!

 

Hey What's going on?!

Man.... I ran out of new beer! Looked in my beer fridge and there was not just no new beer, there was .. NO BEER AT ALL! This needed to be fixed.

Very busy of late, and today no exception, lots of running around. However, it was nice to get into some new beers, so good timing for NBS and the weekend.

What's new for our hero? Well this is a nice surprise.




Poured from the can into a Spiegelau IPA glass.

Giant, and supper fluffy forming off white colored head. Reaches a super tall fistful in height, but with at least not too much out of control character. Quite a clear body, almost West coast like appearances, with lots of soapy and pill like lacing as the beer slowly settles down. Super aggressive, but not too out of kilter and a great looking appearance.

Multi hop claimed bonanza doesn't disappoint. Lots of things going on here, mostly juiced up weedy notes. Touches very earthy with a mild dank, and just a hint of tropical. Comes out very woody sensing, and very dry it seems. There's even a faint burnt pine sensation, and then gum drop candy like smell to go along with it. Quite varied and complex.

Palate comes in with much fan fare. Juiced up backbone with a faint dank orange flavor but with less citrus notes. Gum drop and earthy sweet tones in the mid palate, with an exceptional mouthfeel that's rich, thick, but not a mess. Aftertaste brings more hop surprises, suddenly the citrus rind explodes with oil and zest, lemon, orange, grapefruit rind finish, nearly drying on the lips and puckering.

This is a real nice bonanza of hop character, and a great change of pace from all the sugar bombing NEIPAs of late.

look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5 | Final Score: 4.44/5

Cheers

 

Coffee saison!

A: Fluffy tan head. Beer settles into a dark opaque brown
S: Fairly tame aroma. Some earthy and berry notes.
T: Cola, Cold-brew, Sour Cherry, Woody.
M: Decent carbonation, thin body, firm bitter finish, touch of alcohol burn.

Overall, this is not the most expressive saison; nothing pops. However, it is a very nice beer if you're in the mood for something different.

 

Taking advantage of my train pass for a second day of brewery visits, as I don’t get out to the burbs much. Today I’m in Geneva in Kane County to check out Penrose brewing (had a few from them before, hit and miss) and Art History Brewing (a new brewery).

In lieu of no Mosaic Promise this year (my brother says they will likely come back in a year or two), I’m going with a Mosaic hop IPA.

Penrose Dryft



Brewery Notes: 6.3% ABV $6 12 oz draft.

This Mosaic forward IPA brings the choicest
qualities of both realms. Tropical hop juice plays sticky soft to the tongue, enlightening modern day lust. Dank lupulin resin wafts atop a firm bitterness, pulling from a clearly rooted past. Focus towards the core, dryft into a new domain.

Appearance: Clear straw golden pour, medium carbonation, creamy white head leaves generous fine lacing. 4.25

Aroma: Mosaic on full display here, mango, tangerine, blueberry on the sweet side, balanced by a strong pine grassy backing. Very enticing. 4.0

Taste: This is the beer for me. Mosaic comes through well, SweeTart bursting tropical flavor, mango, tangerine, blueberry, backed well by a bitter live holding this all together. If you like Mosaic, you’ll like this offering. 4.25

Mouthfeel: Slight fizzy carbonation throughout, dry and bitter overall, with bursts of intermittent sweetness. ABV felt, a bit chalky, easy finish. 4.0

Overall: This is a solid offering, my favorite to date from this brewery. Grade more harsh for styles and profiles I like, and Penrose is on point with this Mosaic offering. Highly recommend, wish this was available to go. 4.25

Mostly haze/sour on the tap list, would like to try the wild if it wasn’t bourbon barrel aged, so just one more planned here, a different IPA.

Cheers!

 

Second and final pour here on New Beer Sunday #857, also an IPA.

Penrose Taproom IPA



Brewery Notes: $5 + tax 12 oz draft pour into Beecher. 7.1% ABV

This beer packs a ton of Hop Head Farms Chinook hops into a golden blonde base. Tropical fruits, assertive hop bite, and ample dankness fuel our fresh Taproom IPA.

Appearance: Clear straw bronze base, creamy rich white head dissipates after a few minutes leaving a creamy and generous lacing. Medium carbonation. 3.75

Aroma: Dank pine and grapefruit, light to mild in strength. 3.25

Taste: Consistent with aroma. Sweet grapefruit and bitter slightly dank pine blend well. Caramel malt sweetness makes this a traditional MWIPA. 3.5

Mouthfeel: Neutral to sweet, very dry, light and easy, slight fizzy carbonation persists. Drinks slightly lighter than the strong ABV, but don’t be fooled. Easy clean finish. 3.75

Overall: This is a good MWIPA, sweet and bitter, caramel and grapefruit, dank pine. 3.5

Will finish this and then hit Art History Brewing. Hope my palate is up for the challenge after two IPAs. Would have flipped the order if given the chance, but this taproom open first.

 

Crushed Gems is a double dry-hopped IPA (with Citra, Simcoe and Idaho) from Other Half.
The can pour is pale yellow with a 1 cm foam cap and a a punch aroma of pineapple and berries.
The brew is richly flavored. Pineapple, passionfruit and melon are most prominent. There is sweetness and moderate hop bitterness.
The mouthfeel is exceptionally smooth.
This is a treat.

 

Now at Art History Brewing, also in Geneva, ILL.

Would typically order the cask pour first, but based on the Classic American Pilsner discussion, started with their offering tapped this weekend.

Art History Brewing Geneva Belle



Brewer Notes: 4.5% ABV 22 IBU.
Pre-Prohibition Lager with American 6-Row Barley & Flaked Corn, Mount Hood Hops.

Appearance: Light straw clear pour, bright white creamy head lasts a few minutes before leaving a light layer above the base. Nominal carbonation. 3.25

Aroma: Nice aroma, barley like I remember at the AB tours in Saint Louis or Tampa as a kid, or outside other breweries over the years. Light corn backing, but this is about the barley, and it’s nice. 3.75

Taste: The taste is lighter than the aroma leads. Corn leads here, sweet and slightly buttery. Barley there but worship it came through more taste wise. Somewhat like a corn hush puppy, though not as good as White Fence Farm in Joliet. 3.25

Mouthfeel: Light and easy, considering with style. Leans sweet with the corn, light and easy, slightly sweet finish. 3.25

Overall: Nice attempt at a CAP, wish the taste was bolder and more balanced than the aroma. OK, but one and done on my end. 3.25

Hoping the cask offering turns out better.

 

Greeting fellow NBSers! A sunny, warm day here in the Fourth Corner, just a perfect summer day. Starting my beer day with one from @samkuhgee and the recent Can Cans BIF, Smoking Gull Pale Ale from Half Acre.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/50265/352118/

 

My second beer of the weekend and also a second beer from Hammerheart.

The one today is described by the brewer as:

This brown Ale is an English style brown ale with some interesting hop choices and a little bit of Belgian malt that gives it a unique flavor, with out venturing too far out of the style. It has a rich nutty malt character, while maintaining a strong hop presence. The beer is named after our head brewer's son, Hokan.

So, a brown ale in the English style, except it isn't quite... I'm intrigued.

Hammerheart Hokan's Brown Ale
ABV: 6.8%
IBU: NA

Note the first (gentle, down the side of the glass) pour:


When I saw the rapid rise of the head, I stopped pouring immediately. Even so, that's a 4 1/2 inch head above a 1/4 inch body! It did NOT gush out of the can; it's just that the head very rapidly rose to the top of the Imperial pint nonic.

Second pour, about minute later. More body now, but even more head.



Fourth pour, 4 minutes from the first pour.


The beer is a deep dark brown from the front, with a backlight revealing a bit of a red-ruby tint, a bit of murkiness, and gobs of carbonation. The carbonation is no surprise there, given the huge khaki head above a 1/4 inch body in the first pour. Wow!

Excellent retention (or, putting it another way, c'mon man, recede already), meant it took 7-8 minutes to get a first sip! Nice, sticky lacing.

Excellent aroma. Roasted malts, for sure, but also well diversified by dark fruits and even a hint of celery! (Wasn't expecting that.) This "celery" might sound odd, but it added a welcome brightener to the aroma.

The flavor is very good. The backbone is the roasted malts. (And, even though this brewery is known for smoked beers, no smoke.) The flavors on top of the backbone are enjoyable and interesting. With every sip, the nose picks up the subtle celery "spice" (if you've ever used celery from a spice jar in cooking, that's the subtle - hints only - smell in the aroma I'm picking up). The flavor on the tongue broadens into dark fruits, earthiness, and, or course, the roasted malts. The bitterness begins shortly after and builds into the finish and aftertaste. The finish is malty, earthy, and a bitter.

The mouth feel has a moderate body with, despite the head production, little contribution from the carbonation.

As I make successive pours, I have to be very careful as the head builds like that expanding insulation foam to quickly rise to the top of the glass, even if I wait until the glass is nearly empty.

Overall, a well-brewed, tasty brown ale. Even if not exactly "English" style, I like their take on the style.

I just don't know what's up with that rapid-rising head.

L: 4.25 | S: 4.0 | T: 4.25 | F: 3.75 | O: 4.25 | Rating: 4.14