New Beer Weekend #74

I did say it was a big one... this is rye barrel aged The Mitz RIS by 603 Brewery in Londonderry, NH. I have never had a Mitz variant before, but I've seen them around. I picked this one up at a small shop a stone's throw from my girlfriend's house when out and about earlier. I'm pretty pumped for this one, because rye barrel stouts are comparatively harder-to-encounter than BBA stouts due to the relative difficulty of finding rye whiskey barrels. These were sourced from Sagamore Spirit Distillery, which happens to be in MD. Someone probably has a connection here, eh?

Pours a gorgeous, jet-black color topped off with a generous dollop of light-khaki foam that builds up to a single, well-rendered finger with an excellent showing of lace and spectacular legs. Just a really nice looking imperial stout.

Nose is dark sugar, toffee, and a bit of dark cherry/plum mingling with heat from the spirits poking through. Loving the light spice that comes through... some cinnamon and nutmeg with allspice. Tannins and oak-borne vanilla come out as this one warms, and I'm really enjoying sniffing it. Time to dive in!

Rich chocolate and caramel with a light hint of dark cherry and boozy oak on first sip. Spice really makes its presence known with a hefty hit of allspice and nutmeg at the end of each small gulp. Smooth but not thin, with a deft transition from the light sweetness in the middle of the palate to stiff oak in the finish. That said, I don't think it's too stiff, although the warming ethanol note is nice and prominent, and the rye barrel is pretty apparent. Perhaps some people might want this a little more "drinkable," but I think it's a perfect sipper for a cold evening. Very good stuff!

 

All NBW BIF #14 beers (and glassware) for me today. First up, this excellent APA courtesy of @BBThunderbolt, as is the glass from nearly 5 years ago. These BIF’s live on and on and on …..





4.1/5 rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a slightly hazy straw color with a foamy white head that provides some lacing. Bright citrus notes on the nose and a bit of sweetness from the oats.

The citrus is dominant on the taste and delicious, with ripe orange, grapefruit, and passion fruit imparting dank citrus notes that are complemented perfectly by the sweetness of the oats. Delicious beer, IMHO.

The mouthfeel is medium and a bit creamy, but not as creamy as I’d expected. Still, this is an APA I’d revisit over and over. Really well executed, again IMHO.

 

One more for the weekend, a Wee Heavy from Canada.
3.99/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle poured into a tulip

A- A dark ruby red/brown with a small tan head.

S- Dark fruits, sweet cherries, some oak, caramel malts, earthy.

T- Dark fruits, sweet cherries, oak, earthy, caramel malts, some alcohol, finish has a slight cough medicine/anise quality that seems out of place.

M- Smooth, medium to full body.

O- Smells great but the finish is a little off putting. Still a solid beer, just could be more balanced.

Until next weekend, please stay safe and wear a mask, cheers!

 

Yes and yes. I was looking for this a few months ago, figured it was a lost cause. Then a few weeks back it shows up all over the place. I even had it on draft last week! Not as tasty as the cans, maybe it was a little old.
12 oz. seems not enough, maybe too used to all the 16 oz. cans...but, it goes down way too easy, so maybe prudence is a virtue? There have been a bunch of outstanding triples lately, not sure why but won't question. If you loved this find a Bell's Mars. Different, but more of the same.

 

#2, courtesy of @snaotheus. My review adequately speaks for my feelings on this beer.





4.25/5 rDev +9.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pours a gorgeous clear brown color with a light tan head that provides significant lacing. Beautiful beer. The nose is chock full of chocolate and roasty coffee notes. I am in full-on salivation mode.

The chocolate is forward on the taste, with the roasty flavor at the back of the palate and a subtle hoppy bitterness that is, quite simply, a brilliant addition to this delicious beer.

The mouthfeel is medium and a bit creamy, drawing you back for me. I could drink GALLONS of this most excellent brown ale.

 

Back with a truly new beer to me, Warchild, from Georgetown, who are apparently big fans of Point Break:

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/4378/298662/?ba=woemad#review
A decent, semi-murky, tropical fruit forward IPA, but I don't think it could ever replace Georgetown's stalwart hoppy beers (Johnny Utah, Bodhizafa and Lucille) in my heart.

 

I kinda wish I'd grabbed a 6er of that at the store this a.m. instead of the Georgetown beer I just posted.

 

Greetings All from the Great Northwest where we have some snow and it looks a lot like Christmas.

Hard to believe this beer is "new", I originally reviewed the SA Winter Lager back in 2008. Apparently it was retired and brought back. So here you go. Sam Adams Winter Lager:

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/35/520715/?ba=RJLarse#review

It's a lot like the original, but it's great to meet old friends this time of year.

Until next time,

 

Last one, from @BBThunderbolt, this was hidden behind a couple of other beers, wish I’d tried it fresher because it’s still really good with some whiskers on it.



3.96/5 rDev +13.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a slightly hazy orange color with a white head that laces the glass beautifully. Ripe citrus on the nose, primarily tangerine, and a bit of malty sweetness.

The tangerine is forward on the taste and really nice, with the sweetness from the malt on point for this APA. A medium mouthfeel works nicely as well.

Overall, this is a well done APA, just wish I hadn’t tucked it behind other beers in my fridge so I could’ve tried it fresher because it’s really good with some whiskers on it.

 

Whoa! That is a blast from the past. Hope you're having a great Holiday season, Rod.

 

Great beer. Never understood why Ft George stopped brewing it for a few years. Still don't see it enough, locally.

 

Destihl Brewing Peanut Butter Porter, 6.1% ABV; 3.58 overall

Pours an effervescent chestnut with 2 fingers of tan head. Average head retention & lacing

S: Peanut butter and not much else

T: Follows the nose, some roasty & dry notes as well up front. More peanuts, some roastyness, a little dryness & some charred grain notes. A watery finish with some peanut notes

MF: Medium body with medium carbonation, body thins out once warm

Had higher hopes for this one. Mouthfeel is meh, and the flavor profile is only slightly better. I think a lot Bourbon will be drunk to get rid of these other 5

 

A: Gtown has a whole line-up of Point Break beers that don't get packaged, brewery only.

B: Warchild is not up to Gtowns usual level.

 

Bell's is 50 miles from me, I have Mars all over, and I have tried it. Larry did a good job with it when they did the whole planetary series and Mars is still quite good. But Not Triple Sunshine good, IMO. Just a matter of preference or taste I have to think, not slighting Bell's or anyone else - Lawson's just tripped all my switches with that one.
Cheers!

 

Good evening, NBW peeps. Catching up with a classic I don't see often in these parts, and a perfect beer for how I'm feeling today...dry and bitter.



Thirsty Dog Siberian Night, bottled in October 2020, according to the label.

Pours blacker than black with a tidy brown head that lasts quite a while and leaves a fine ring. It looks "thick".

The smell hit me with chocolate first then a tidal wave of roast malt, pretty close to if not burnt in some part. A bit if coffee perks thru eventually. Molasses and a small bit of dates or maybe prune.

The taste is roast malt, bittersweet chocolate, acrid coffee, a very small taste of dark fruits. A hint of milk chocolate, molasses/brown sugar and a very slight sweetness. The roast evolves into a bit of charred emptiness.

It doesn't feel as thick as I thought it would, but it is plenty thick enough. Dry and bitter finish, a slight chalky feeling and an oddly lingering sweetness.

Overall, an easy 4 to 4.2 and a good example of the style. I don't, however, think I would buy it again.

 

Continuing along with @jonphisher the Sunday Christmas Advent beers; this is another relatively 'Local' to me so shame on me waiting so long to try it.
Poured nearly transparent in a dark amber color and oddly, no head formed at all, just a beige ring around the top.
The aroma was cinnamon and cloves, maybe orange and ginger. Some malts showed up too, but in the background.
The taste almost reversed for me; malts pre-eminent and the spices (definitely getting ginger now) Really nicely balanced and play well together.
The feel is thinner than I expected, but not at all unpleasant.
OA, this is a fine beer that I'm happy I finally had a reason to try!

Cheers all!