New Beer Weekend #54

I've been a fan of ESBs for a while (I watch too much British Cop shows apparently) but your description makes this sound really good! Better then Fuller's ESB, which is my go - to for my needed fix.

Cheers!

 

Day #2, a couple of Michigan beers, the first from my favorite brewery ….. anywhere.



l

4.35/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

This is a “Juice Is Loose” variant or one-off made “with all sorts of new hop extracts and compounds for an experimental batch of Science Juice” vs the Citra and Simcoe (I believe) used in “regular” Juice. Let’s see where this takes us.

This looks like regular Juice on the pour, with a hazy, approaching turbid pineapple colored body propping up a creamy white head that laces the glass beautifully. The nose, though is decidedly different, with a more exotic hop profile that is more on the pineapple/passion fruit/guava side of the spectrum than the dank citrus/earthy aromas from the original Juice.

The taste is really heavy on the pineapple and guava, and there’s some passion fruit as well. This is decidedly poundable, but I’m a bit more of a fan of the original’s dank citrus flavor profile.

 

Dude, I'm still finding splinters of my porch from when you struck during a "friendly" NBS BIF as well as beer in my cellar from that strike. All top shelf stuff; you put way to much consideration into your shipments to embarrass yourself.

Just sayin'

Cheers!

 

New Shandy Sunday

Skies are blue and the temperature is pretty mild in West MI.

With my wife gone for the weekend, it meant pizza, wings, and movies with my boys. Throw in some house painting and a little time for tennis, and we'll chalk the weekend up as a win.

Another win is this offering from Short's. It seems to be an update to the retired version listed on the Ba site.

-Courage

Short's Shandy
12 oz. Bottle (pkg 07/01/21) from Bonners, poured into a Siciliano's pils glass
Ale blended with homemade lemonade 4.1% ABV

A- A normal pour creates 1-full finger of fluffy white head atop a bright yellow body with loads of carbonation and a slight haze. The head settles to a light film, leaving light stick on the glass.

S- Lemon up front gives the impression of a lemony pop (soda). Some grainy/biscuity malt. Hints of grass, maybe a little floral note.

T- A really nice mix of fresh squeezed lemonade and a lighter brew. The lemon flavor starts strong and gives way to more of a "beer" finish. It gets close to a San Pellegrino or artisanal, carbonated lemonade vibe.

M- Crisp with lots of carbonation. Kinda sticky sweet at the same time.

O- A refreshing, and easy drinking summer brew. Stays just the right side of beer vs. lemonade addition.

A- 3.5 S-4 T-3.75 M-3.75 O-3.75

 

Man. Signing up for the Ba league for FPL is tempting. I played it for a couple seasons a few years back and took it too seriously (it was squeaky bum time after hitting accept on my transfers). These days I just play for bragging rights with my oldest and some of the soccer dads.

 

Hello Old Friend is such a great song, I really should listen to that whole album again soon.

 

It is so crazy to read you guys talking about the smoke and the wild fires. Because we were affected even here in New Jersey, week and a half or so ago. The weirdest haziest sky for several days, and 3-4 days or air quality warnings. The creepiest thing was the red color of the almost full moon.

 

Luppolo by Oxbow Brewing

4.19/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25



16 oz can poured into a glass

One finger white foam cap , clear golden liquid

Aroma is grassy , malts hops , whiff of lemon lemon

Taste is grassy, grains, bready, hint of lemon

Mouthfeel is crisp, hop bite, dry finish



Good beer

 

#2, this is supposed to be reminiscent of peanut butter cups.

I f*cking LOVE peanut butter cups. Like almost unnaturally so.

Let’s do this.





4.21/5 rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Pours a dark cola color with a light tan head that evaporates pretty quickly. The nose is a bit boozy, which is common with the Dragon’s Milk beers, and there’s nice cocoa aromas and a nutty aroma as well.

The taste features the cocoa flavors, and there’s a pretty nice peanut butter flavor as well, though I’m not sure it’s quite “peanut butter cup” level. The barrel is noted on the back of the palate.

The mouthfeel is a bit watery, but overall this is a really nice adjunct imperial stout.

 

My weekend begins with a new offering from Upper Pass Beer Company in Tunbridge, VT.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/46275/561772/



16 ounce, canned mid July.

Moderate to vigorous pour yields a one inch light pink head over a hazy pink body with scant lacing. Nose of raspberry and lime. Taste is pleasantly tart raspberry and lime with a slightly salty finish. Good feel and overall, a quite refreshing sour for the summer.
Cheers to the crew in Tunbridge, VT!

 

Hey NBWs
Drinking this one courtesy of @Chaz
Mommy Dearest from Blackstack Brewing
DDH DIPA 8.2 % avb
Hop profile is Citra, Triumph, Azacca, Sabro and Sabro Cryo


Pours thick yellow with a thin head soapy lacing and a thin cap

Aroma of grapefruit and pineapple, some melon

Taste is hoppy with grapefruit and pineapple prevalent, some grapefruit rind

Mouthfeel is a bit sticky sweet as if you put some sugar on a grapefruit. Full and soft with a bit of a grapefruit rind bitterness lingering finish, pineapple taste through out.

Overall it's bright tasting, easy drinking and no alcohol burn . It's a very drinkable DIPA Nice one.
4.25/ 4/ 4.25/ 4.25/ 4.25/ 4.19/ rDev - 1.2%

 

Brewery fresh is hard to beat. Cheers.

 

Thanks Craig!

 

Another new one from UPBC, Tunbridge.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/46275/561776/



16 ounce, canned 7/01/21.

Moderate pour yields a one inch white head over a bright, light golden body with some lacing. Nose of bread, tropical and citrus fruit, with a bit of floral attributes as well. Taste is fruitier than expected from a Kölsch, but quite pleasant with hints of citrus and floral flavors. Nice feel and overall, I'd recommend to those looking for a fairly unique take on the style.
Cheers to UPBC Tunbridge!

 

Good evening NBW
I meant to get three new beers in today, but that Scaldis Charactére knocked me out... I'm finally ready to review another Belgian beer. Straffe Hendrick Quadruple


11.2oz bottle bb 20-01-2024 poured into a snifter at just above fridge temp 11% ABV. The beer pours mostly bright medium brown in color with massive, persistent very light brown head. I poured gently and still have half a glass of head after 10 minutes. Eventually, there is an uneven ring with a mountain of head on one side of the glass. Thick, clingy lacing.
The aroma is malty and yeasty with hints of bread and clove. The taste is semisweet malt with brown and candi sugar notes before mild clove and noticeable earthy bitterness. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with above average carbonation and a mostly dry finish. No sign of the ABV in the taste or aroma. Overall, very good to excellent. This quad rides the line of sweet & dry beautifully and is very drinkable.

I'm happy to have had the chance to try these two today. If I had the means and a proper cellar, I would probably drink Belgian beer nearly full time. Cheers all!