New Beer Weekend #68

Greetings fellow NBSers! A cloudy, windy, rainy, chilly day here in the Fourth Corner, in other words, November. starting off with with a straggler from Fresh Hop Season, Atwood Ales Fresh Disgrace. Using Skagit Valley malts, and estate grown Tettnang hops, this little beauty has some apple and spice notes.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/45649/576069/

 

I needed more coffee this morning. Icarus - Kalashnikoffee, received from @MacMalt in NBS BIF #14.

12oz can served in a Kane tulip. Dated 08/26/21.

Pours very dark brown (surprisingly light in color based on description, style, and strength). Small head. Smell is coffee, nuts, syrup sweetness, only a whiff of booze. And dark chocolate.

Taste is not what I was expecting -- it's deeply bitter in the roast/burnt region. The sweetness is there, but taking a backseat. Booze is more noticeable in the taste than the aroma (right now). Way more anise. Coffee and chocolate are still there, for sure, and the nuts are much less noticeable but still there.

Mouthfeel is medium, chewy/sticky. Overall, this is really nice. It'll be interesting to let this bad boy warm up.

20 minutes later or so...it's warming up, and the sweetness is coming out more. In my mind I'm thinking maple syrup; the label says brown sugar, and that's believable, too. Roast bitterness is still powerful, and I like it.

Thanks, Rob!

 

Time to hit yet another beer sent my way by @Coronaeus. This one is Milkshark (Pineapple), a "milkshake IPA with pineapple, lactose & vanilla" from Bellwoods Brewery. BA lists it as retired, but it must have come out of retirement, as this was canned on 10/14/21.

3.9/5 rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a murky, dirty yellow with a good amount of foamy white head that ends up leaving behind a nice amount of lacing. Aroma bursts from the glass with clear citrus & pineapple notes combining in a very inviting way.

Taste is interesting. While it largely follows the nose, the lactose is very evident. The end result is a juicy, creamy, smooth beer with an interesting pineapple & grapefruit flavor profile with a semi-sweet finish. I'm not entirely sure what to make of it, as I'm not usually a fan of lactose as an additive. This beer is tasty, and I have to imagine it's exactly what the brewer was going for, but for my personal preferences, a tad less lactose would have been to its benefit. That said, I've also noticed how quickly it's going down as I type this, which is usually a good sign.

 

Following the lead of @jonphisher , I too am having the Cape May Honey Porter. There was a certain amount of sweetness, but I didn't get a honey-like flavor from it. what i did get was a lot of big, strong, roast characteristics.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/25890/74086/

 

Let us know how it turns out @FBarber i just watched the cooking part of that video and I’m interested in making it now too. Let me know if it’s worth it.

 

Rahr & Sons Bourbon Barrel Winter Warmer. 11.0% ABV; 4.22 overall

Pours an effervescent crimson/hazel with one finger of tan head. Average head retention & lacing

S: Cinnamon, cakeyness, dark fruit (figs & raisins ) once warm

T: Barrel, brown sugar, dried cherry some barrel dryness, molasses, brown sugar, a touch warming booze & vanilla. Bourbon & vanilla as this warms, a little leafy hop, dark cherry & brown sugar as this warms. Brown sugar, cinnamon, Bourbon, & leafy hops in the finish

MF: Chewy, low carbonation , super warming

Nice effort, so superior to their regular Winter Warmer. Will now go back for a 4 pack!

 

Mayflower's IPA, received from @WunderLlama in NBS BIF #14.

16oz can served in a Mayflower pint glass. Dated 09/17/21.

Pours a clear golden with slight bronze tints and a big fluffy head that collapses into a stiff mountain range. Smell is pine and grapefruit zest, maybe a slight biscuit but it's way in the background. Maybe some lemon pith as well.

Taste is similar -- more of a pine bitter finish, less lemon. Biscuit malt is a bit more noticeable. Bitter finish.

Mouthfeel is light, clean, crisp and dry. This is a nice, easy to drink IPA.

Thank you, Maynard!

 

Greetings All from the Great Northwest where we are falling back and waiting for that 4:30 PM sunset. Not exactly my favorite time of year.

Today we have Green Skies Hazy IPA from Widmer.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/8/535845/

It's a well balanced brew with a mild bitterness.

Until next time,

 

Beautiful day here, got some yard work done and as the clocks have been changed, that means one thing. Happy hour comes an hour early. This beer comes from the generous @WunderLlama via NBW BIF 14, Rahr and Sons Barrel Aged Marzen- 9.6 abv, nice amber pour with great head retention for the ABV sustains well, medium carb, carmel, toffee, some warming from the abv., this is a fantastic take on the Marzen, enjoyed greatly, thanks Maynard

 

Next up, from @Ozzylizard as part of NBS BIF #14, is some Polish Champagne; a Grodziskie from Wallenpaupack Brewing. Nicely smokey, smooth, and crisp, it's quite the delight.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/50495/551928/

 

Good Sunday afternoon, New Beer Swiggers and commentators. I was grateful for the extra hour of sleep last night but it's already too cold and dusky to sit outdoors. I'm trying to work my way through the avalanche of new beers I received from @FBarber. I had big stouts each of the past two nights so I'm sampling some new IPAs today. The first is another from Hop Butcher: Teal Ridge. It's complex and fruity a hop bill of Citra, Simcoe, Vic Secret, and El Dorado. I'm drinking it from a glass I purchased yesterday.

It pours an opaque, dirty yellow-orange color with two full fingers of foamy, bright white head and thick, soapy lacing. The nose is strong and fruity with lemon, tangerine, pineapple, some sweet tropical fruit, and a whiff of pine needles. Its taste follows the nose and opens with lots of sweet citrus and the Vic Secret hops add tropical notes of passion fruit. I'm also tasting a hint of berry which I assume comes from the Simcoe. The El Dorado hops seem to contribute more pineapple and melon than bitterness. On the whole, it's a very fruity ale. The mouth feel is moderately thick and creamy with good carbonation and it seems awfully lite and crushable for 7.5% ABV.

I really like it!

4.25/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Another IPA from Frank awaits the call the bullpen. Cheers!

 

Glad you liked it! I think I prefer this version to the BA one - I just wish it were in a 500 ML bottle like the BA version. I'll probably have a couple of bottles on the table on Thanksgiving.

 

Great photos from the Pine Barrens!

 

Like many in this week's thread, I'm working my way through some amazing beer sent my way in our latest BIF. This one is Bottle Logic's Immer Erforschen, a German Style Pilsner sent my way by the incredibly generous @2beerdogs.

4.04/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Appearance is a crystal clear golden color with a finger and a half of medium density white head that slowly recedes to a thin cap. Aroma is really nice, with plenty of bready malts, biscuit & grains. Exactly what I want out of this style of beer.
Taste follows, with some nice toasty malts, bread & grass notes. There's a nice subtle bite on the finish that rounds out the flavor nicely. Slightly less crisp than ideal, but that's a bit of a nit. Overall, this is a very well done pilsner.

Derek, this was an excellent choice to send me. Love me a good pilsner, and I could drink this one again and again with no complaints.

 

Spent the afternoon bagging leaves for the compost pickup. Several of my neighbors are burning their leaves, putting me in mind for a smoke beer.

Hammerheart Dublin Raid Peat Smoked Irish-Style Red Ale
ABV: 7.4%
IBU: NA



Dark reddish brown from the front, but a murky deep red with a back-light, light carbonation revealed by the back-light. Thick, creamy, tan head with good retention, receding slowly with a mounds and craters surface. Sparse lacing.

Aroma is a mix of bright hops and campfire smoke.

Smoke dominates the flavor, from the initial taste through to the aftertaste, but it is a pleasant campfire smoke flavor. There's an undercurrent of earthiness to the smoke. The aforementioned bright hops keep it light and easy drinking. It is slightly bitter beginning in the middle and into the finish and aftertaste, with the lingering bitterness growing as I consume the beer. The finish is dry.

Body is thin, perhaps a bit too thin.

Overall, a pretty simple flavor profile resulting in a dry, smoky, easy-drinking ale.

L: 4.25 | S: 4.0 | T: 3.75 | F: 3.5 | O: 3.75 | Rating: 3.82

 

Juiceee Project citra & galaxy

4.31/5 rDev -1.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Can dates 9.30, opened 11.7



Two finger creamy white retention , ridiculous retention , resides over an orangeade colored liquid , after six minutes,, settles to a solid one finger layer

Aroma of citrus , orange, lemon, grapefruit, tropical fruit, bubble gum

Taste is tropical fruit, bubblegum, citrus, grapefruit

Smooth , hoppy mouthfeel, dry finish

Good beer

 

Good to see a Giants win occasionally.
Last one from the first incredibly generous box from @2beerdogs. I didnt think anything could top it until I got a second box that is just out of this world. One of the most incredibly generous boxes Ive ever received in any BIF.
Game Craft Brewing
Perfect Dark Especial Mexican Style Lager.
Pouring a dark cola color with a creamy 2 finger tan colored head that has good retention. Nice lacing as well.
Rye bread, bakers choc and coffee greet the nose. Taste follows with caramel, bread, chocolate, coffee and mild tangy hops.
Light/medium body, snappy carb, sweet fades into a drying clean and quenching finish. I havent had many Mexican Dark Lagers lately, or overall for that matter. This seems like a great Mexican food beer especially would be good with and Adobo based dish or Chipotle pepper in general.
Good quenching dark lager.
Thank You Derek.
Received this cool Yeti Bissel can cooler and Tshirt from my brother. He was able to go to the Bissel Industry Day Monday. Unfortunately I wasnt driving 3 hours to Portland, having a bunch of beers, than driving back.
Sunset from my back deck. Hate this DST in the East. Cheers all!

 

Greetings fellow NBSers from on the ridge in Mid Hud Val NY. Beauty day here that I didn't use to do chores, or any other physically productive task. Full disclosure- It's been a day of puffing Doubledave, and relaxing. Last two days were spent disposing (finally) of the last of the two trees came down in the blow. I deserve it. This incredible beer adds immeasurably to the welcome relief of this day

I had fears about this beer being past prime. Last I looked at a review was a couple years ago. That review from 2018 was not only hopeful, it was glowing. But 3+ years is a long time, so I had a great degree of trepidation. Imagine my surprise to check the page today before I opened this bottle, hoping to recheck the date of the last review for accuracy in my post, and to find a quite recent review by our own @SABERG ! And it was beyond hopeful, it was a paean (by his standards) to the excellence of this beer, and how well it has held its own for ten years. Hill Farmstead Elaborative One.
Full aroma that hits with raisins and figs, walnuts (amazingly), cola, sherry, honey bread, light malty vinegar, and rich grain. Amazingly complex. As it warms very light oak/booze barrel notes and a husky grainy note take it to eleven.

Hard to describe the taste as it has so much going on, and changes so much in character as palate adjusts and beer opens. First sip showed almost no sweet and the light malty vinegar notes in nose were much stronger in the taste. But the tart/sour steps back and joins all the flavors in the aroma to make a startling and delicious balanced beer that has stood well the test of time. Before I finish the glass I also get peach, plum, sour apple, treacle. Superb. .

Lighter in mouth than it looks, perfect body for the flavors they frame, with perfect carbonation, flavors that shine, and just the right amount of deep dark fruit notes and vinegar hints for clean lingering finish that begs for next sip.

Wow, 6.5% ABV and it held up amazingly. It is less blended, and MUCH less oxidation than I feared. Hard to believe even the walnut flavors stayed in the mix after so long. Such a treat!

Hope you also have a Great American Beer in your glass. Cheer!