New Beer Weekend #68

Preach it brother!

 

Dang. What a nice "stable upon" beer. Great start.

 

Starting today off with another big stout, this one recently sent my way by @Coronaeus. This is The Chocolate Monocle, an imperial stout with chocolate, vanilla & lactose. It's a collaboration between Third Moon Brewing in Ontario & BreWsky in Montreal.

4.01/5 rDev +2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Pours an extremely dark brown with hints of light shining through on the actual pour, but fully opaque once in the glass. Almost no head combined with nice legs hint at the high ABV.

Roasty notes are the first to hit the nose with closer inspection revealing the vanilla and a sweetness likely from the lactose. The alcohol is present, but not overwhelming.

On the tongue this is quite rich, with chocolate coming through right off the bat, followed by some nice underlying roasted malts that carry through the long finish. I would have guessed this was brewed with coffee, although that's not the case. There are hints of vanilla, but the taste is almost reversed from the nose where the vanilla was much more noticeable than the chocolate. The alcohol is fairly well hidden. Sweet, but not overly so.

Fully bodied with a silky smooth texture and subtle warming from the alcohol.

Peter, I'm enjoying this one, and am looking forward to the "with almonds" version I still have in the fridge.

 

What a great writeup! And thanks for sharing the other articles. Quite enjoyable for me in these tranquil morning hours I have to myself.

 

Well Good Morning NBW
I actually finished this one last night, but walked away from the computer without hitting "return."

Alien Disco by Common Space
16 oz can lists the following:
Hops: Amarillo, Cryo Amarillo
Grain: Rahr Pale, Weyermann Eraclea Pilsener
Yeast: Berkeley Yeast Superbloom - Terpene producing ale yeast.
Slightly opaque and golden in hue. White fluffy head, good retention, slight lacing.
Nose brings forth orange blossoms, muted grass notes, with a mild generic fruity hint.
Flavor is primarily orange and lime zest with some crackery grain note as a base. After a few sips, some green grass makes an appearance.
Mouthfeel is medium, decent carbonation, with a slightly drying bitterness on the end.
Overall, a decent IPA. But nothing I'd push your grandmother out of the way to acquire.

3.56/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

 

Bring it on @cavedave, glad you’re enjoying one today!

 

Cross post from WBAYDN…this morning’s beer is a long time want - Proprietor’s BCBS (2016):



Bottled 9/15/16. Poured at 57°. In a word, spicy! Black with murky brown edges; fleeting fizzy dark tan head; no cap retention, no ring, no lace; medium thick legs. Nose is peppers, bourbon, smokey tobacco; chocolate as beer warms. Entry is chocolate, bourbon, hot green chilies sauce; sweetnesses from the maple, but no maple taste detected; bittersweet cocoa nibs on backend. Hot peppers tingle on tongue; light carbonation; full minus body; mouth warmth from 13.1% abv and Chipotle peppers. Overall, Excellent!; lasting hot peppers linger; the maple has faded (fine by me) and the bourbon is mild; spicy!; a BBA Mexican Cake minus the cinnamon; at 5 years old, this beer has held up well - I like!

4.0 | 4.25 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5
Score: 4.41 rDev +5%

 

I’m glad you liked it. I’ll be curious to see what you think of the almond version. I preferred the latter.

 

Back to standard time. I woke up at my usual time, except it was an hour earlier. Going back to sleep wasn't going to happen, so I started a book. Then the dogs woke up, and we started the day.
Today's new beer is Tropical Spots from Wiley Spots Brewing in Greeley, Colorado. It is a "double milkshake IPA with guava and dragon fruit," and has an ABV of 7.6%.
Somewhat hazy orange/pink color with just the hint of a head.
Aroma of sweet fruit and vanilla.
Taste of guava and vanilla.
Mouthfeel starts out sweet, but quickly devolves into a harsh bitterness.
This will be one and done.

 

Good morning NBS/NBW and thanks @Victory_Sabre1973 for hosting this week.
It has been a glorious fall weekend here in WMass, blue skies, nearing 50 in the day, clear in the 20s at night. My favorite time of year.
Todays offering is from Rodenbach, the Grand Cru is a statement, in both title and craft of product.
The offering is rich, luxurious, a bit tart, with each sip, particulalry as it warms, alluring.
Cheers all

Rodenbach Grand Cru

Sour - Flanders Red Ale | 6% ABV

Brouwerij Rodenbach N.V.
Roeselare, Belgium

4.24/5 rDev -2.1% | Average: 4.33
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from the 11.2 oz bottle into the test glass.
A - A ruddy, brown color, very little cap, very fine carbonation accumulates as a ring along the glass walls
S - Dark cherries, vanilla tannin, oak, some sweet malts, aged balsamic, and green apple skins.
T - Dark stone fruit, some ever so slight vanilla, a bit of late harvest grape, as the offering warms, the earthy elements pop. Grainy malts, with earthy musty threads. This is very complex
M - Medium body, semi sweet, then a shift towars slightly sour. Texture is luxurious, slick with a slightly tart linger.
Very cordial like with the gentle carbonation.
O - A bit of a revelation in 11.2 oz's. Outstanding texture, Softened by oak, the acididty doesn't run wild. The tannin touch is deft. Overall exceptional

 

If you like that, and you're willing to spring for Alexander, it is excellent. Rodenbach Grand Cru is one of the beers that got my wife and I into Belgian sours. Love that beer.

 

Thanks for the tip
I will be looking for Alexander.
Cheers

 

Beer #2 for today also comes courtesy of @Coronaeus. This is Bellwoods Brewery's take on Brave Noise. This beer is in support of a great cause, and I'm thankful to be able to try it.
https://www.bravenoisebeer.com/

3.56/5 rDev -5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a very pale, dirty yellow with moderate head that recedes relatively quickly to a thin ring. Aroma is all kinds of hoppy, with loads of grapefruit & citrus notes. Taste is dank, with orange peels and more sharp citrus notes. Tropical, but not overly so. Some bitter notes linger long on the tongue. Medium feel / carb.

 

Whoa! That's a better work day than any of the ones I worked last week!

 

Banter and some extra pics...beer on the bottom

Every year when the times change we just do everything we can to exhaust the boys so they're so tired by night it doesn't matter what the change was. So today we went for our longest hike with them in the pine barrens.

Here's an old bog that used to be used for cranberries, the damn remnants (below) for flooding and emptying are still on most of the ones around this hike...



Here's a picture of beautiful fall, lowbush blueberry on the ground beech trees and pitch pine...


Now I'm meal prepping for the week while enjoying a beer. Going with cape may honey porter, I took a gamble sending one to @BBThunderbolt before trying but cape may has earned my respect and this was a GABF winner in 2019.



Pours a dark brown with a hint of ruby when held up to light. Big crag like bubbly head, actually settles to a nice dense layer of light brown, some moderate lacing.

Aroma is mostly roast prominent with a touch of something sweet.

Tastes is much like the nose a really pleasant amount of roastiness, that is balanced out by the honey. On the finish I noticed some dark chocolate as well. I’d also even say as it warms it’s a touch smoky, this beer has a lot of depth.

Mouthfeel is very nice, for a 5.4% beer this beer drinks nice and full but also goes down smooth and easy. There is a nice bitterness that is comes from roasted malts I believe.

A great easy drinking porter, well roasted and well balanced, with local ingredients. Cheers to Cape May I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did @BBThunderbolt, cheers!

 

Sub Harmonics by Great Notion

4.26/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25



Can received in Bif14 from @snaotheus

Poured into a teku received from him as well

“G.O.A.T. Soda” canned 9.22, opened 11.7- a Tom Brady beer?

Is that really a goat on the label? I wonder if that is a Llama….

Hazy orange liquid, one finger fizzy off white foam cap, good retention, settles to a fizzy island and a fizzy lacings.

Aroma is juicy orange, citrus, whiff of peach

Taste is citrus orange, lemon, pine finish

Sudsy mouthfeel, Hop taste, smooth, clean, no hop bite

Good beer !

 

I'll get to it today!

 

Another new to me beer - “Incantation” a sour ale by Anchorage Brewing Company:



Bottled 2020. Poured at 57°. “Fermented in French Oak Foeders. Aged 22 months in French Oak Chardonnay Barrels with Brett. Blended into Missouri Oak with Passion Fruit, Guava and Apricots for an Additional 3 months.”



Opaque deep gold with a large amount of floaties; tight white head; very little cap retention; thin ring; a few spots of lace. Strong guava and passion fruit nose; white wine, oak, and a whiff of barnyard straw. Sour tropical fruit punch; guava, apricots, white wine, oak and just a hint of funky Brett. Medium light body; moderate minus carbonation; no warmth from 10% abv; dry oak barrels tongue coating. Overall a very pleasing sour; good combination of fruit flavors and Chardonnay/oak barrels.

4.0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 4.5
Score: 4.47 rDev +1.6%

Cheers y’all and have a great Sunday!

 

Boulevard Kviek IPA, 9.0% ABV; 4.05 overall

Pours an effervescent & slightly hazed gold/honey color with 2 fingers of cream colored head. Below average head retention & lacing

S: Berries, citrus & breadyness. peaches once warm

T: Cakeyness, a little caramel, grapefruit, pineapple & a little passion fruit & green melon up front. Pink grapefruit, green melon, cakeyness & kiwi fruit as this warms. Finishes dryish with pink grapefruit, guava & green melon

MF: Medium body, light carbonation, lovely balance

So easy to drink, I am usually not a fan of beers using this yeast strain, this makes me think it works better to my liking with the correct hops & higher ABV

 

Devil’s Reach a Belgian Style Golden Ale from Cape May Brewing. This beer clocks in at 8.6 ABV. I had this beer for the 1st time at the brewery 3 days ago and from a can now. It pours bright gold with a thick and long lasting head. Strong aroma of fruit with a bit of yeast. The taste is also fruity and has a nice slightly sweet malt flavor. The mouthfeel is surprisingly light and a finish off dry. Overall an excellent and enjoyable brew that drinks to easy for it’s high APV.