New Beer Weekend #63

Thanks @ChicagoJ
And Happy #867 (and #63).

And yes @JackHorzempa it is STILL time to drink fest biers.

But I am start with a beer that I did not put in boxes for the NBS BIF because it's an IPA and it's coming up on 2 months with an 8/11 can dating. But, now I'm bummed that i didn't send a few out, it's quite good.
The Philadelphia Experiment IPA by Henhouse Brewing in Santa Rosa, CA.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/29164/353148/

Thanks Danny!
Slightly hazy, straw to gold in color. Fluffy white head, that is firm for a few minutes and then slowly tapers off to a thin filmy ring.
Aroma is smooth pineapple, tropical notes that are hard to nail down, and a very pleasant wet grain meets honey note.
Flavor follows with more of a balanced ride between the hops and the malt foreshadowed in the aroma.
Feel is fine for the style. Mild carbonation, medium mouth feel, and a mild slick finish.
Overall, a very pleasant ride. Nothing to make this one stand out big time, but quite sessional.
3.73/5 rDev -3.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Cheers All.

 

Tonight is a new beer to me.

Schlafly – Oktoberfest

5.5 %ABV

The beer has no listing on the label beyond Oktoberfest, and a “Lager – Marzen” on BA.

The beer was removed from a 45ish degree temp fridge after having been refrigerated for approximately 30 hours. Beer poured into a classic Haufbrauhaus dimpled mug.

First Impression: Beer appears to look the part, but under-carbed.

Appearance: Under-carbed, but otherwise mostly looks the part. Perhaps a bit more amber than I would expect, and perhaps a bit more murky. No lasing, and head faded quickly. What is shown in the photo is a fairly aggressive pour. 4.0

Smell: Not much to note. Just some faint ‘bier’ smells. Like most American marzens, you really have to stick your nose in the glass to get any smell. 3.5

Taste: This was actually really enjoyable to drink. I’m not sure that it is a truly well done beer for the style, but it was enjoyable. Perhaps I am bias though, I have always loved Schalfly, and I can drink their scotch ale (if and when they ever produce it) like it’s water. Easy drinking. Not as crisp or clean as others. 4.35

Mouthfeel: Nothing unique or special; perhaps a bit thin. 3.75

Overall: I’d buy this again – In fact, I quite enjoyed this. I’d gladly give this to someone else if they asked for a good marzen. It has its’ flaws, but overall I enjoyed it. 4.35

BA Review Score: 4.07

I think the overall score of 4.07 is a tad high – I think it should be closer to 3.95. Even though I quite enjoyed it, I am just not sure it’s quite worthy of a 4/5 star rating.

Beer review can be found here: https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/583/6746/?ba=Beer_Economicus#review

Cross-posed with WBAYDN and Oktoberfest tasting.

 

Tonight is a new beer to me.

Revolution – Oktoberfest

5.7 %ABV

The beer has no listing on the label beyond Oktoberfest, and a “Lager – Marzen” on BA.

The beer was removed from a 45ish degree temp fridge after having been refrigerated for approximately 30 hours. Beer poured into a classic Haufbrauhaus dimpled mug.

First Impression: Beer appears to look the part, and is well-carbed.

Appearance: -Carbed appropriately, or at very least not under-carbed. If anything, perhapos overcarbed – almost hefeweizen-type carbonation. Perhaps a bit more amber than I would expect, and perhaps a bit more murky, although less murky than the Schlafly that I drank prior. No lasing, and head faded after about 15 minutes. What is shown in the photo is a fairly aggressive pour. 4.0

Smell: Not much to note. Mostly that generic, non-identifiable (for me) ‘bier’ smell. If I search hard enough, I can get yeast and some wheat-malt bread-like qualities commensurate with dark breads like pumpernickel or rye bread. Is it carraway? I dunno, maybe. 3.75

Taste: To my palate, this just isn’t good. There’s a weird faint hop-bitterness with a minor hop present that I’m not enjoying, and is overpowering the other (subtle) flavors. Perhaps this is just that dark-bread flavor I smelled above manifested (strongly?) on my palate. Everything else is muted and watered down tasting. 3.50

Mouthfeel: A little thicker/sticky than I would expect. Nothing much else to note – it’s certainly not like water. 3.75

Overall: I don’t plan to buy this again in the next 2 years unless I hear it has changed/improved. I can revisit it again in 2-3 years otherwise. I didn’t enjoy this, don’t much like it, and I’m surprised this is rated better on BA than the Schlafly I had prior. It certainly has more flavor than some others, but I’m not sure it’s still worth drinking. (On that note, I only drank about half.) 3.5

BA Review Score: 3.62

Beer review can be found here: https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/22072/61979/?ba=Beer_Economicus#review

Cross-posed with WBAYDN and Oktoberfest Tassting.

 

Tonight is a new beer to me.

Sierra Nevada – Oktoberfest

5.5 %ABV

The beer is listed as an Octoberfest Amber Marzen on the can, and a “Lager – Marzen” on BA.

The beer was removed from a 45ish degree temp fridge after having been refrigerated for approximately 30 hours. Beer poured into a classic Haufbrauhaus dimpled mug.

First Impression: Normally I include only non-taste first impressions, but my first sip was strange enough I must include it: It has an odd mouthfeel to me; as it entered my mouth it went across my tongue as if like water, yet as I swirl it around my mouth it’s thicker. I actually paused when I took my first sip. Similarly, the first smell (while taking my first sip) is off-putting. 3.5

Appearance: An aggressive pour yielded the photo below. That head dissipated in less than 5 minutes with limited lacing and only a residual amount of head at the surface. Color is consistent, and it’s more clear than other American counterparts. Something interesting related to the mouthfeel – when I went to take my first sip, there was still 1-2 inches of foam, and normally the foam stays in place, and you have to “drink through it” much like with a correctly maid latte. However, here, the foam just rolled away like soap pushing away fat atop a pan ready to clean. It had an oat-like chunkiness to it. 3.5

Smell: I referenced a funky smell during my first sip (above), and that smell has not dissipated after over 15 minutes. I’m getting a lot of very vegetal flavors – particularly celery. Strange and off-putting. 3.0

Taste: To my palate, this isn’t necessarily bad, it’s just unremarkable. It’s very bland. I can see how some people would actually really enjoy this, but for me it is bland and not worth drinking (I don’t intend to consume more than half. Not worth the calories.) 3.50

Mouthfeel: Nothing more to add than what is above. Odd. 3.25

Overall: Since SN changes their beer every year, I suppose I’ll have to revisit next year. Hopefully next year is better than this year. 3.5

BA Review Score: 3.36

My score feels justified. I think it is certainly the worst of the 3 that I have had tonight.

Beer review can be found here: https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/140/560917/?ba=Beer_Economicus#review

Cross-posed with WBAYDN and the Oktoberfest Tasting.

 

Drinks real EZ for an 8.8%ABV. However I did just drive 150 miles...got a 6pk and will rate/review tmrw. Not too hazy, sticky lacing, a rather bready nose, really smooth and uncommanding taste though quite hopped, light alcohol. A clean tasting hazy Imp IPA. Brilliant. Cheers Advocates!!

 

Baptist Helles from Brauerei Goller

Light yellow gold color with small white cap and good lacing.

Mild aroma of sweet, biscuity malt and floral hops.

Pleasant taste of simple malt with just the right amount of hop seasoning. Simple malt flavors with a low key approach, which is to say good flavors but they don't jump out of the glass. I should also point out the whole comes across as very dry with an absence of sweetness. Finish is clean and aftertaste is dry.

Medium, creamy texture with balancing carbonation.

A very likable food friendly beer in the Franconian style.

 

Time to rise and shine this Sunday morning with something i picked up in Wisconsin yesterday.

Thumbprint Pear 21 - New Glarus Brewing - 4.0% ABV according to UT.

Damn, this is delicious! If you're looking for a breakfast beer, this is it. So easy to drink, and packed with flavor. I wish Wisconsin were closer than an hour and a half drive, because I'd get this beer a lot while it's out.

Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/590/557009/

4.31/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

This beer pours a beautiful golden color. Semi-clear. A good amount of carbonation bubbles rise up the glass. The head that's formed is 2 finger. It's also white and fluffy looking, with decent retention. As the head dissipates it creates a bit of lacing on the glass.
The aroma can be summed up in on word - pear. This pear aroma has a bit of a wild, tart, funk to it, but the pear is very strong, and is the main aroma.
This is a pear bomb with flavor. It's not as wild/funky/tart as the aroma let on. There's a lot of sweetness to this pear. It has the taste of a perfectly ripe pear. A nice sweet, juicy flavor from it.
Bubbly feeling. Crisp feeling. A very refreshing feeling from drinking this beer.
Damn, this is quite good and very easy drinking. Solid.


See you all in a while with more delicious (hopefully) new beers.

 

Good day BAs! Today's NBS entry is a partial cross-post with WBAYDN:




Each Beast a God from Third Moon Brewing. Received 16 oz can in a Ninja strike from @Coroneaus. Stored at home at 40 degrees. Reviewed 3/10/21. Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
Undated can. Served at 56.3 degrees in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. Final temperature 61.8 degrees.
Appearance – 4.
First pour – Amber Brown (SRM 18), barely translucent.
Body – Deep Brown (SRM 30), opaque. When rear-lite, translucent ruby at the edges. Small amount of sediment precipitates onto the inside of the glass.
Head – Average (Maximum 2.5 cm, aggressive center pour), chestnut, high density, short retention approaching fizzy, leaving a 0.3 cm yellow earth crown and no cap. Second pour produces 0.5 cm collar.
Lacing – Poor. A partial band of extremely tiny bubbles
Aroma – 4.5 – Initially strong maple, no hops, no yeast.
Flavor – 4.5 – Begins with maple, sweet but not cloying, followed by slightly bitter coffee, no malt, no hops, no yeast. No ethanol (8.5% ABV, as marked on container) taste or aroma. Distinct glowing coals gastric warming rapidly follows. The bourbon barrels eventually show up on the exhale. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl.
Palate – 4 – Almost medium, just short of syrupy, soft carbonation.
Final impression and summation 4 (After deducting 0.25 point for undated can) In general, an excellent BBA stout, with the bourbon adding a pleasing counterpoint to the maple.

Rating 4.32, rDev 0% (First Review)

This is one of "those beers" where my maximum capacity is two, once a day. Much as I like/love maple, this borders on too sweet for me. Now to have my follow-up "breakfast" of maple and brown sugar oatmeal.

 

that is a mighty fine beer , new glarus does an excellent job…noticed you had a Ng glass, too= very nice !

 

Yeah. I've got 2 of them, and I love using them when I drink a NG beer. If I lived closer than an hour and a half from cheese land, I'd be crossing over a lot to get this beer. It's damn good.

Now, on to my next new beer, and another that I picked up in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin, and not a New Glarus beer this time.


Munsterfest - 3 Floyd's Brewing - 6% ABV.

I'll start by saying - I love my boot glass I picked up at Bemidji Brewing a week ago. It's perfect for the season.

I've had a couple of Oktoberfest beers that really knocked it out of the park yesterday(1 I had many years ago, and a new one), and while this one doesn't, it's still good. You can't go wrong with this beer in my book.

Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/26/33236/

3.69/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Pours a nice amber color. Semi clear. The head is 1 finger, it is decent lasting, but has minimal lacing on the glass.
The nose is pretty light, actually. I get a faint malt/caramel aroma, but nothing too strong.
Taste - This beer has a good deal of caramel in it, and it kicks in on the back. Up front is a buttery, bread, biscuit flavor.
The body is somewhat creamy feeling. A bit bubbly. Smooth.
Not bad. Glad I bought it to try.


I'll be back for at least one more before I stagger over to Back Shed Brewing to try their Festbier/not Festbier. What that means is they wanted to brew one, but, because they only opened in August, they didn't have time to properly brew one. cheers!

 

Morning duties completed, thought I might as well drink a beer. It happens to be a new beer, Fluffy Pumpkin, from Odyssey Beerwerks in Ft Collins.
A very dark brown with a two-finger tan head. Some lace.
Aroma of pumpkin spice, vanilla, and marshmallow.
The taste follows the nose. Late bitterness.
The bitterness really detracts from this beer. Otherwise, it was pretty solid.

 

Disclaimer: I drank this beer yesterday, at the source. I didn't review it here at the time, because I was too busy talking to my friend who was along for the adventure. I'm posting this now, because my review of said beer is the first one, and if anyone is in the area of the brewery, this might get them interested in stopping in. I did check this in on Untapped at the time.


Oktoberfest - Trap Rock Brewing - St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin - 5.9% ABV.

This was the 2nd Oktoberfest beer that I had yesterday, after the Whispering Embers at Valkyrie Brewing's/Dallas, Wisconsin's Oktoberfest celebration. I was very impressed with this beer because of one interesting thing: a roasted peanut flavor. Wait! Roasted peanut?

Yes, that really added a nice extra flavor that worked so well with the style. I do have one more 32oz crawler of it, and might pop that open to enjoy in the near future.

Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/54894/512196/

4.03/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review is on tap at the taproom, from my notes on untapped.
This beer pours a darker amber color. The head is white. There's not too much there when poured from the tap.
The nose has a pleasing bread, biscuit, caramel aroma.
The flavor starts off with the standard malt, caramel, bread, biscuit flavor. After the start there's a big surprise: a strong, and pleasing, roasted peanut flavor! This was totally unexpected, but works very well with the other flavors.
Decent body.
The nutty flavor was a surprise, but a good one, and really is an interesting, and delicious, take on the style.

 

Hofbrau Hefe Weizen

Hazy medium gold color with white cap and lazing.

Aroma of sweetish grain with some spice elements such as coriander and clove with a touch of banana.

Taste is an amplified version of the scent with a more than medium level of flavor. I can pick out the spices and I'm going to add orange peel to the mix. Don't really taste hops much but do notice a sense of dryness in taste, finish and aftertaste.

Light medium texture with balancing carbonation.

Tasty and satisfying with a refreshing finish.

 

I went to cheeseland yesterday, took off early, went to Anchor bar and had a burger and 2 beers. Next got some brats(in the freezer now) at Superior meats, next Earth Rider (cedar lounge) the pint of Royal Bohemian Pilsner tasted great, the fest was ok too. Next stop: Round Man (Spooner) had a flight of not so good beers, the Log Chain American Lager was the best of the flight. Next Louie's meats (Cumberland) for sausage. Next Comstock Creamery for cheese of course.

Next and last Saint Croix Falls. Trap Rock Brewing. First time I was there and have had any of there beers. Has three pours and a few samples. All were good but none were great.
Patio Party Pilsner: I thought this one was the best, It was clean, fresh and crisp. Not really all that bitter. some floral/herbal hops. slightly dry finish. a Italian pilsner they claimed. I would give this one about a 3.89/5.
Honey Brown Ale: Light duty beer, but tasted clean and didn't notice any off flavors. A touch of honey, a light roasted or heavy toasted malt. a touch of chocolate. light body but easy drinking.
Oktoberfest: Seemed light duty at first but gained some flavor as it warmed. flavor: toasted bread, a little caramel, and a touch of nut, like lightly roasted peanuts. A clean smooth beer, slightly sweet. nothing bad about it

On a side note there is a new SUPER Hy-Vee in Eau Claire. I have not been there yet.
It has eateries in it. one has about 30 plus beer taps, one has a booze bar

 

Chains 7% “Our New England style IPA brewed with a trio of Amarillo, Citra, and Galaxy hops.” from J. Wakefield. Miami, FL. Thanks to Jared @HeartofMiami

Pours a beautiful, cloudy gold. Not hazy or opaque but just “cloudy”. Nice bubbly white head reduces to a ring and plenty of residual lacing. Aroma is dank and bitter hop, grapefruit, tropical fruit juice, and pine. Taste follows suit with a strong bitter profile on the front followed by a medley of tropical fruits and finishing pine. Crisp and easy drinking but with a body full enough to satisfy. Good beer. Would drink again.

 

Good Sunday afternoon NBS/NBW and thanks @ChicagoJ for hosting this weekend.
I appreciate keeping the NBS count alive and well. This weeks offering is from Lost Nation.
A lovely Marzen style, of the New England Marzen's I've had this is one of the top 3. Not to sweet, nice dry finish, while providing that Vienna malt mouth coating that seems so appropriate.
Cheers all
Märzenbier

Lager - Märzen | 5.5% ABV

Lost Nation Brewing
Morrisville, Vermont

4.1/5 rDev -2.4% | Average: 4.2
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from an undated 16 oz can, into the test glass
A - Dark copper color, a touch of haze tries to hide the content, Gently carbonated, a thin off white cap slowly recedes to a ring.
S - Doughy grain first off, a bit of noble hop, earthy with hint of cut grass, sweet dark brown bread in the mix.
T - Semi sweet malt, a hint of dark honey, again earthy hops, yellow raisin comes to mind. again with a hint of light brown sugar.
M - Medium in body, delicate on the palate, pleasantly dry, within a tight range. The finish has a bit of graham cracker.
O - A very nice Marzen, note to sweet, not to heavy, with a crisp finish.

 

I don’t know why but I was wondering if they’d brew/can a marzen this year. Looks like they did after all, and from your description sounds like they made a good one. Was this the first year they canned it?