New Beer Weekend #70

I'll thank both @Harrison8 and @snaotheus for this fresh hop IPA, although the former deserves credit for actually picking it out (check out my post on the BIF thread earlier today to sort this out). Fresh hop IPAs are rare on the east coast so I welcome every chance to have one. This one comes from the heartland: Kansas City. It's very good!

Poured into a pint glass. It pours a bright orange with a large, foamy, bright white head and thick, long-lasting lacing. The smell is fresh and fruity: Lemon, grapefruit, orange, melon, and floral hops. Great nose! The taste opens with tart lemon and grapefruit, along with orange and melon. The Yakima Chief hops add some spicy notes to the fruitiness of the Citra and Mosaic. The Simcoe adds earthy pine needles and clean bitterness. This ale has lively carbonation and drinks easily at 7% ABV. Overall, this is a great fresh hop IPA from the heartland. I'm very happy to have had the opportunity to try it.

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

 

Howdy NBWs
I sprung for this one at 23 bucks a four pack. Not excessive but more than I typically spend for a 4 pack. I enjoyed it so I guess it was worth it.



4.50 4.50 4.25 4.50 4.50 4.4 rDev -0.5%

poured from a can dated 11/3/21
Grapefruit like thick cloudy yellow, big foamy head slowly dissipates to a white cap and nice lacing
Aroma of tropical fruits and orange, a hint of woodsy cedar dankness
Taste is definitely sweet citrus. some pineapple and a little lingering cedar and a slightly astringent orange marmalade
Mouthfeel is thick and creamy, not real carbonated. Very full and layered. Slightly prickly on the finish and the orange marmalade lingers.
Overall it's easy drinking and at first taste appears to be very sweet but not really the case as it's being drank. Nice orange rind and pineapple layers. It's a full tasting almost stout like heaviness beer and not one you would drink multiple at a sitting.

 

Hey what's going on?!

Taking it easy, and letting Sunday just roll in as slow as I can.

Time for a new beer



Poured from the bottle into a tulip branded Founders Barrel Series glass.

Creamed looking coffee out of the pour, and a nice deep copper brown body color touching with hints of faint red as well. The head creation is a simple two fingers but has lots of staying power, and coats real nicely. Good rich looking two fingers of real nice vanilla yellow like color and a thick sheeting coating. Great looking beer.

Classic Founders nose. Thick rich bodied notes of soft chocolate, almost nougat like and nutty. Rich round sensing barrel hints of just a touch of faint oak, and cream. Sweetness is prominent but not overbearing luckily, with touches of milky coffee to go in the mix as well.

Palate is classic. The mouthfeel seems to lack slightly not giving the hint of classic richness and barrel aging the series is known for. Strangely doesn't come off feeling imperial, but the flavors still transpire lovingly. Rich milky chocolate, not so much dark tasting, with a nutty nougat again flavor that is real delicious. More coffee is apparent on the palate particularly in the swallow. Hints crispy waffer almost waffle batter mixing as well, dare I say a faint hint of maple like syrup? One can dream!

Good tasting brown, seems to lack the girth and richness but that seems to be for more of the darker styles so can't complain there. But was quite surprised by the lack of body, but it's not by any means terrible and doesn't hurt the overall enjoyment of the beer.

look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5 | 4.45/5

Cheers!

 

Third >10% stout of the day means this will be (or at least should be) my last beer of the day. This one is courtesy of @2beerdogs. Derek sent me an absolutely crazy amount of beer in our last BIF. I will retaliate. Not sure when, but I will retaliate!

Anyhow, this is Graham Canyon from Chapman Crafted Beer. I added it to the database as a Stout - Sweet / Milk, but was genuinely not sure if that is the right style. It's described as a " S'mores style pastry stout" with Vegan Marshmallows, Vanilla Bean, Graham Cracker & Cacao Nibs.

Before we get to the actual review, I'll proactively acknowledge that this beer was MUCH livelier than I expected. An aggressive pour resulted in this....

3.5/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Dark brown / black with LOADS of dense, long lasting head the color of the Docker's pants you wore 20 years ago. The head lasted forever, and left behind loads of beautiful lacing. Just a very nice looking beer. Aroma takes al eft turn in the opposite direction. It's pleasant enough...sweet with clear vanilla and graham cracker notes, but somehow doesn't fully align with my personal tastes.

Taste is similar to the nose. You can detect the various ingredients (vanilla, graham cracker, marshmallow etc.) but the whole is less than the sum of its parts. I'm enjoying it, but something just doesn't quite fully work. Smooth going down, and just a touch watery. Glad I got to try this.

 

At Southern Yankee Crafthouse. Their "tied house" tap room and restaurant. A great little place, the brewery is way up in north Houston, well actually its a place called Spring. Though this is their new satellite bar in the city proper, and I have posted a few of their beers here before.

The beer is called Who's Paul? Well I'm Paul ha. I have been coming to this spot since they opened a few months ago, and they kept saying they are going to add some tap space, one of the new ones is the Who's Paul Pale Ale. I finally get to try my coincidental name sake beer At 6.1% ABV.



Pours with a slight haze. A golden/orange color. With a white cap of foam that sticks throughout. Plenty of lace left behind.
Aroma is citrus, peach, orange rind in the nose. Biscuit bread like malts. Fairly simple and by the books, but enjoyable all the same.
Taste wise, the hoppy fruitiness is up front. Citrus, peach, lemon and orange peal. English biscuits with a touch of sweetness. The malt character is substantial, which I appreciate for a straight ahead Pale Ale. Lingering bitterness, and an all around well balanced example of the style.
A medium body that is well carbonated. Crisp and first, but smooths out at the same time. Very clean, and just overall really enjoyable to drink and come back to. Which I value a lot.

Yep, a simple and very enjoyable Pale Ale. What the style should be. It doesn't brake any barriers, but I'll take something that I just enjoy drinking over a lot of the newer trendy styles. Its a good beer to drink, and I'll give it more points for that than being new and trendy. Well done.

Overall score is 3.99, right on my personal line of B+ or A-
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/54216/375760/?ba=champ103#review

 

Enjoyed a few of those so onto something maltier still. I quite like these west coasties which run maltier. I mean, sure, hope bombs are great and all but I really don't mind something where the hop character is supported and occasionally, that malt base leads.



This is my first 3F beer if memory serves. They've been in CT a while but I've not grabbed anything. Nice bevy. Clean, sweet, some hop character but all in all this just a rounded, full bodied ale. No major bitterness, not too sweet. Tasty.

 

Me too! Schlafly does a great job in producing their Pumpkin Ale.

Cheers!

 

Hello New Beer Weekend!!!

A bit late to the party, I know, but better late than never.

I'll just dig right in here, and post my new beer:

In Your Dreams - Comet - Spilled Grain Brewing - Annandale, MN - 5% ABV

This is a wet hop beer, and my first of the season.

This is damn good. I really like the earth flavor that the wet hops provide. It really kicks it up. I do have one regret with this beer - They had another In Your Dreams, but with a different wet hop. I wish I would have bought it to compare and contrast. Oh, well. I should know better.

Review:

4.19/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

This is a wet hop beer - 2021 release - Canned 11-17-2021 - Consumed 11-21-2021 750ml crawler.

This beer pours a nice clear golden color. There's a 2 finger fluffy looking white head to this beer. Frothy, and fluffy, with small bubbles in the foam. The head retention is quite good, and there's just a tiny bit of lacing on the glass. There's also a good amount of carbonation rising in the glass.
The aroma is a nice pine aroma, and is very floral, with earthy tones.
The taste is very full of pine, but it's more of an earthy and floral flavor than I usually get of a IPA, or Pale Ale, due to the fresh hops.
The body is very sticky and resin feeling. the hops linger, and stick in my throat. There's also a smooth feeling to this beer as well.
Very solid and strong. Delicious, and recommended.


I may have another new beer tonight, we'll see.

 

Day 2, more beers from our friend @BBThunderbolt.

And one of my favorite beer glasses, courtesy of the same beer nerd. He’s a keeper!





4.17/5 rDev +12.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Pours a beautiful golden straw color and is nearly clear with a foamy white head. The nose is packed with bready malt aromas and some grass.

The bready malt is most prominent on the taste, and has almost a rye flavor that is delicious. There’s also a bit of grassy hops that works really well with the malt.

The mouthfeel is crisp per the style, and fitting for this outstanding lawnmower beer with a bit of a bite. A “beer drinker’s” beer, if that makes sense.

 

I'm 100% with you on this, I'm not sure what it is but it's so visually appealing

This is good to know, I have not tried this one but I know it is supposed to see distro here this year. When? I'm not sure, I think soon, I read it in their brew news. I rarely buy beers over the 6-7% range but your review has got me curious about trying this one.

I’ll add to this I’m not sure what it is but particularly hoppy beers above that range tend to trigger my sinus headaches badly. Why?? I do not know.

 

#2, I don’t see many dark IPA’s, so when I see our friend @jonphisher bust a move on this beer, also courtesy of @BBThunderbolt, I gotta jump in.







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

Pours a clear dark cola color with a slightly creamy light tan head that laces the glass nicely. Beautiful beer. The nose features substantial resiny pine notes and a roasty char and some cocoa as well. Wow.

The resiny pine is clearly the headline performer in this dark IPA, but it’s the roasty char and cocoa that really makes this for me. Delicious stuff.

The mouthfeel is medium and dry, making this a quick quaffer. This is very well done, IMHO, and exemplary of Boundary Bay’s prowess as a brewery.

 

Bustin' moves together NBW style...

Seems like we definitely picked up on some of the same things with this beer. The pine, the char, and the finish. I too struggled not to drink this one too fast, very drinkable beer. Nice to read a review of the same beer when its so fresh in my mind still.

 

Last one, a nice finish to a good night for this old beer nerd. Thanks for the bounty of excellent beers you sent my way, @BBThunderbolt. You rock on a world class scale.





4.1/5 rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy peach color with a sudsy white head. The nose is heavy on the mango, and there’s some peach as well. Very nice.

The mango is forward and dominant on the taste, with the peach and a bit of malt on the back of the palate for balance.

The mouthfeel is medium and on the softer side per the style. This is a juicy, flavorful, easy drinking hazy that would make a very nice fridge IPA for the hazier side of things.

 

haha I too enjoyed that one, I drank it earlier this week.

 

Bought this one in honor of getting an offer from a new employer! This is The Exquisite by The Referend. It's a 100% spontaneously-fermented ale aged in a single NJ charred oak apple brandy barrel. It was very expensive. It was regularly topped up in the barrel for 26 weeks and was originally brewed and barreled in 2018. It's not on BA. 'nuff said!

The pour here is a burnt orange color with hay-like yellow undertones, capped off with a thin-quickly-receding head of white foam that leaves behind zero lace. Not exactly the best pour ever, but I'm thinking this will be really good. You just don't continuously care for a beer like this for half-a-year and then drop the ball for the bottle release. I would be amazed if it came out bad after all that TLC and effort.

The nose is awesome, deep barnyard funk with a rustic, stone fruit-forward scent. Brett and bacteria are certainly prominent, but there's a stately fruit aspect that punches through nicely. A little bit of band-aid, sure, but it doesn't interfere. Kinda bolsters the "wild + spontaneous" selling point without getting in the way, so I enjoy it. There is also a bit of a savory thing going on; maybe sweatiness like Brett can also bring out, but it isn't a negative. Kind of just makes it come across as more complex, if you can believe that.

Bracing, intense tartness upfront. Feels like I just sipped on liquefied SweeTarts candy, with strong peach, apricot, and sour cherry coming in waves. Rustic funkiness and some "horse"-y elements, but they're in the background. Solid feel with a bit of phlegm buildup before the finish, but it's mostly dry. Very fun stuff. Maybe not as complex as I want for the price and style. Perhaps could be blended a bit better to bring out some depth. That said, still enjoyable as hell. Recommended.

 

I am surprised to see an Arcadia beer. Thought they were gone. Looking it up now, I see the brand was purchased by Short's. @PapaGoose03

 

I've never heard of the specific arrangement of ownership or franchise of the Arcadia name or of the beers and recipes, but, yeah, Shorts is brewing and distributing them under a 'pup' brewing company name and using the Arcadia name on the bottles or cans. Can't remember the 'pup' company name and it's not important to know that here anyway.

Some day I'll learn of the the legal ownership arrangement, but if you've seen documentation, you're farther ahead than I am.