New Beer Weekend #76

Tonight's beer is one I don't see often so I was glad to find it. It isn't as rare as the Steller's eagle that has caused quite the stir in New England lately and a traffic jam in my rural area last week, but still uncommon.



Surly Darkness, I am presuming the 2021 version since it matches what is currently on the web site.

In the glass it looks almost black, but on the pour it looks a deep ruby red dark brown. Quite pretty to watch. That inch plus of dense, brown foam falls to a substantial layer of bubbly goodness that laces incredibly.

The smell is rich, dark malt and more rich, dark malt. As it comes to life with warming, noticeable alcohol, coffee, baking chocolate, a dried fruit like dates and figs with some cherry. I think a slight caramel brown sugar note creeps in.

The taste...holy mother of dark malty goodness! The promise of the aroma is delivered by the boatload. Waves of malt, the chocolate melds with the caramel and fruit notes, a mild coffee flashes by, and it becomes almost like fudge. The malt rules but doesn't overpower. Just when you think it's done, a strong bitter hit wakes you up along with a smack of booze for good measure.

The mouthfell is smooth and rich, but not thick. Carbonation is tame as it should be. The quick but strong bitter hit and alcohol tingle remind you this isn't a lightweight.

Overall...I might have to grab my knapsack and spotting scope and go hunt down some more of this. Outstanding in every way, easily in the 4.5 neighborhood, kids.

 

Alright fitting in one more @BBThunderbolt beer. This one is an ipa.

Georgetown Brewing - warchild



pours an hazy orangey pale, sudsy head with a semi vigorous pour; no lacing.

The smell was very noticeable, upon pouring I got tropical fruit smells. I’m not the best at picking fruits out so I’ll leave it at that. It smells like a tropical island drink, maybe pineapple and orange juice.

The taste is much the same, as I sip it it sort of reminds me of the flavors of Hawaiian Punch. There is also a spritzy like citrus note that makes me think lemon or lime.

Medium body, drinks pretty smooth, not thick or cloying in anyway; low bitterness on the finish but it is there.

Overall a pleasant hazy ipa, fruity and tropical, but not overly so and it still has classic ipa characteristics. Looking forward to seeing what the other Georgetown’s sent my way are like.

 

I'm gonna stop you right there. At 8.8% (which I didn't even notice until you posted this) it would be a VERY dangerous IPA (I'd label it a double at that ABV) as it hides the alcohol a little *too* well. I'm even more impressed with it now.

 

A cellar dive production!
Hill Farmstead Anna Blueberry!!

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/22511/511965/




375 ml. bottle.
Bottle conditioned since Sept. 20, 2019.

Moderate pour yields a 3/4 inch very light pink head over a reddish purple body with scant lacing.
Head dissipates down to a thin ring in minutes.

Wonderful nose of earthy blueberry with a tiny bit of funk.

Taste is an earthy blueberry tartness with blueberry tannins.
As it warms, the honey comes forward to ease these tannins a bit.

Nice feel for a headless beer.

Overall, a very nice Anna variant and glad to finally open this.
Cheers to Shaun!!!

 

Next up for me is a New England IPA collaboration between Heist Brewing in Charlotte and More Brewing Co. in Illinois: The Cool. I'm not familiar with More Brewing but Heist is capable of great NEIPAs, witness Citraquench'l. Unfortunately, this one is a bit of a mess. The hop bill of Idaho 7 Cryo, Sabro Cryo, Waimea, Strata, and Azacca is adventuresome - to say the least - but it drinks like two separate beers duking it out for supremacy: the sweet tropical fruit and the earthy cannabis and pine just don't work well together. The appearance and mouth feel are fine but it just doesn't work for me. Too bad!

3.91/5 rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

 

Cloud 8, an NEIPA from 8th Wonder.

12oz can served in a tulip. No date on the can. Day 9 of Brewvana's 12 Beers of Christmas.

Pours a murky light yellow-amber with a smallish to medium sized head. Smell is juicy. Lots of citrus. A little bit of resin.

Taste is kind of overripe tropical, orange juice, somewhat mild, maybe some hay / light grain husk.

Mouthfeel is medium to thick. Overall, it's decent.

 

Thought my first review was going to be my only beer today but got the news that tomorrow is a snow day so I’m enjoying a second one, Other Half DDH Space Daydream.
4.5/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

16 oz can, dated 12/22/21, poured into a teku

A- A hazy golden straw with a two finger white head

S- Citrus, lime zest, some grapefruit, pineapple, some melons, a little earthy.

T- Citrus, lime zest, some tropical fruits, melons, earthy/bitter finish.

M- Smooth, creamy, medium body.

O- A great NEIPA, like other beers with lactose from Other Half this doesn’t over do the lactose

Cheers!

 

Sunless Sea


Jackie O’s creates another masterpiece coming in at 13.1% ABV. Aged in whiskey casks for 19 months after being brewed on New Years Eve 2018, the stout has been conditioned with vanilla beans, almonds, cardamom, cinnamon and coriander.

The flavors mesh perfectly and create a work of art. Sip and ponder the flavor. If you fear the cardamom, don’t worry. It is present but adds to the complexity. The whiskey is present but not a slap across the face.

This beer is now my highest rated beer. A must buy if seen. I will seek more.

 

Here's one I picked up on its release day at Freak Folk Bier's new digs.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/57206/579984/





375 ml. bottle.
Brewed January 2020.
Bottle conditioned 'til ready.

Moderate to vigorous pour yields a 1/4 inch off white head over a reddish-mahogany body with no lacing. Floaties (maple?, cascara?) sink to the bottom of glass during and after pouring. Head dissipates to a ring in minutes.

Nose of dark fruit, red wine; as it warms the maple syrup is slightly apparent.

Taste mirrors nose somewhat with a nice Flemish ale tartness.
Finish has red grape tannins and a hint of maple syrup sweetness.

Feel is just good as expected with the lack of head.

Overall, I liked it; some will, some won't.
Seek this out for a unique treat!
Cheers to the folks just down the road in Waterbury, VT!

 

R.I.P.

 

So, yesterday I tackled a 2016 bottle from my stash! Let me share my review from yesterday, or today...it was NYE.


Poured aggressively into a Snörkel tulip glass.
Thick head of tiny dark tan bubbles that dissipated to a thin cap. No lacing left in the glass.

Aroma of dark roasted malts, burnt coffee beans, raisins and char.

Taste is an abundance of dark roasted malts, coffee, bitter cacao and black cherries. Help up surprisingly well after 5 years!

Mouthfeel is heavy and full of tongue coating malts. Carbonation seems to be light, but could be due to age, not a negative. Not Eben a hint of double digit abv.

Overall, there's a reason why this is so highly rated. It's a winner through and through, even after sitting for 5 years waiting. Strong RIS, not to be taken lightly.

 

Goose Island's Bourbon Count Brand Fourteen Stout. I still have tomorrow off. I didn't realize it, but apparently my wife is working tomorrow. We're getting hints that school for the kids will either be delayed or cancelled, but the school is doing an awful job of actually notifying.

500ml bottle served in a tulip. Drink by 23SEP26. 13.2% abv.

Pours black, almost still, tiny head. Smell is spices -- cinnamon and nutmeg, anise. Coconut, booze, dark coffee.

Taste is lots of coconut, a substantial amount of cinnamon, lots of chocolate, boozy and sweet vanilla and chocolate.

Mouthfeel is thick, sticky, a little syrupy. Overall...it's not bad. Far from my favorite.

I've known for a long time that it's awful hard for a brewery to make a beer with cinnamon that I actually like, the beer gets overpowered really quickly. I think this beer made me realize that the same is true for coconut, though maybe not quite as emphatically.

 

This site lists the beer as 7%...

No alcohol present in the flavor or in any "burn", but I could certainly feel it creeping up on me.

 

Hello Late Night NBW.
I wanted to chime in with a few of my highlights for this last year. And interestingly enough, most of my highest rated beers were either sent to me during our NBS BIF's or were part of the EBF event.

Highlights:
from @MacMalt
Space Hurricane NEIPA
The Queen's Pawn
Soir
Von Albrecht

from @Roguer
Matter of Time
Gggreennn!
Very Hazy

from @WunderLlama
Green City

From @strohme2
Bombon De La Muerte

From Extreme Beer Fest (not my highest rated, but really tasty and VERY interesting)
Black Miso
Special HYDRA (Raspberry+Cheery+Mango)

These are just the top highlights. There were many, many others that were superb. Such a great community here. Thanks to you all in NBW and NBS, and to those @Todd and others who put together the events.

 

Look what I done started!

Seriously...I will be looking for more. Should fit nicely with my "aging" program, but then again it is SO good right now... Just has everything it needs and nothing it doesn't.

 

Yes, please tell him...

 

Thanks for sharing Jack.