New Beer Weekend #82

I do (or try to) - but my appreciation for all things beer usually leads to a +rDev result. That and the fact that, in general, my glass is always half-full-to-overflowing.

If you had to give me a $20 bill every time that drove Mrs O crazy, I’d be the world’s first trillionaire - which would naturally drive Mrs O crazy.

As I said, I am a conundrum. But I do love beer, so I’ve got THAT going for me.

 

My quest for "good beer" started in the 80s as a result of commuting to the UK for my job, spending weeks at a time in the English midlands (Leicestershire).

My English hosts introduced me to English cask ale, and I quickly adopted English bitter on cask as my favorite. I was told about the CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) organization trying to save traditional brewing and serving methods from the homogenization of corporate consolidation.

Once back in the USA, this led eventually to craft beer.

When I originally set up my account here, I used an image of the Sherlock Holmes statue to pay homage to England.

I'd set up a holiday-themed avatar this past season. After that, rather than go back to Sherlock, I decided to use a picture of the late English actor, John Thaw, playing one of his most famous characters, Chief Inspector Morse, since the character Morse was an aficionado of English real ale.

 

First time trying Blessed, and not disappointed. Tastes like booze-soaked Samoa Cookies; huge notes of chocolate, vanilla, & toasted coconut. Finishes warm and boozy, with very little residual bitterness.

 

Barreled Souls Sticky Fingers BA Maple Imp Stout, 14.1% ABVl 4.41 overall

Pours an effervescent ebony with a pinky of mocha colored head. Minimal head retention & lacing

S: Tons of dark fruit, leather & oakyness, maple notes once warmer

T: Lucious maple sweetness/dryness, a little Bourbon barrel, leafy hops up front. Maple candy & dryness, plus sweet hints of Bourbon, plus a little leafy & woody hops . Finishes dry with Maple sweetness, Bourbon notes & a little dark cherry & fig

MF: Fairly thick, near still carbonation, very warming. Carbonation picks up once warm

Well done BA Maple Imp Stout, the ABV is very well hid

 

Greetings, NBW friends. I’m a HUGE Super Bowl fan (the first one I remember vividly is Super Bowl V, when the Colts beat the Cowboys on a walk-off field goal by Jim O’Brien), so I spend some time on my beverage of choice for this day.

For my Super Bowl beer this year, I’ve chosen a hop bomb from a Top 5 brewery for me (note: my Top 5 includes approximately 15 breweries) with a beer from a variety pack that has a name that reflects how I think the Super Bowl will go - specifically, that the Bengals will finally reach the zenith of professional football and beat the Rams.

Let’s do this.





4.17/5 rDev +6.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
by ovaltine from Indiana

Pours a beautiful copper color that is nearly clear, with a light tan head that grips the glass like Saran Wrap. Beautiful beer. The nose has loads of pineapple and a nice pine note as well, with a bit of citrus for kicks.

The pineapple is forward on the taste, and is delicious. The pine and citrus notes (ripe orange) work well with the pineapple, and there’s a nice caramalt flavor that really elevates this beer, IMHO.

The mouthfeel is medium and dry, fitting for a WCIPA. Revolution is one of my favorite breweries, and this beer is yet another example why.

 

New beer # 3 today while watching the SB and eating some coal fired wings so this will be brief.
Totally new and unknown brewery for me.
Little Willow Brewing
Tree Hugger DDH DIPA- Mosaic/Citra
Pours a hazy, not turbid golden yellow with a minimal snow white head that turns to a thin cap, decent lacing.
Aroma is dark berries, orange, mango and melon.
Taste follows with blueberry, passionfruit, mango and melon. Tastes a little on the sweeter side but there is a bitter citrus pith on the finish. Nice tiny carb throughout the drying finish. Light malts so leaning towards a WC Cali style malt profile.
Super easy drinking with a soft feel and no hint of 8.5%
Really good beer that I would purchase again. New brewery thats not your typical NEIPA. Word.
Prob done with new beers for the evening. Cheers!

 

I’m gonna drink vicariously through all of you the rest of the night. Opted no beer after putting the kids down, just in case it’s one of those nights with the sick one. Fingers crossed it is not.

Hope you all enjoy the rest of your Sunday night and have just as good a week. I’ll continue to lurk tonight and look forward to sharing beers again next weekend. Until then, cheers.

 

Best of luck with the kids. Hope no ones too sick. Have a good night and week my friend.

 

You too!

I think we’re good, just staying on the side of caution just in case. Normally no beer Monday but hey no beer tonight means a beer on Monday so not all is bad

 

Good evening, NBW. Just watched the halftime show after napping thru most of the first half of the game. Thought the show was very entertaining and I enjoyed it.

Departure for me tonight. Brand new brewery and brand new beer.



Toka is a "New Zealand" pilsner from Hive Beer in Westerley, RI. The address seemed familiar, and indeed they are tenant brewers who rent Gray Sail Brewing's 3bbl pilot system. One percent of Hive gross sales go to support honeybee research at the University of RI.

The beer is an unfiltered pilsner hopped in the kettle and dry hopped with Nelson Sauvin, Motueka, and Pacifica hops.

Nice pour of pale straw yellow, a bit of cloud, and an enormous, rocky white head that presents well and just covers the glass.

It is amply hopped, citrus, grassy, and pine resin, yet the malt shines pretty well through it all. A slightly sweet grainy biscuit smell carries through and holds up the more aromatic hops. Very pleasing.

This beer tastes great. It is full of flavor and very clean. There is a slight sweetness, then the hoppy notes take over for a bit with citrus, green grassy earthiness, and a touch of resin. The grain comes back with a bread/biscuit flavor followed by a mild level of bitterness. A bit of peppery spice builds in on the finish.

Feel is light, dry, refreshing. Carbonation is lively enough without being a distraction.

You take your chances with your beer money and sometimes you score. Total whim purchase, but this is an excellent beer. Any of the faithful in the southern RI neighborhood - recommend giving it a try if you like pilsner. I found it at Nikki's as single 16 ounce cans that are substantially higher priced than direct purchase. Nonetheless, this is a worthy beer, IMHO. Have to add the brewery and beer to the collective, but I'm thinking a 4.25 all day long here and I guess as a German pilsner with duly noted hops substitution.

 

Sounds great have to try it since Im close by Grey Sail

 

Same happened to my Jever glass.

 

And yes Nikkis gets higher prices than anyone...A reason I try to avoid them. I started going to them back when they were on the Prov/N Prov border. They were on the cutting edge back then- always with new stuff and fair priced. Since they moved they do have a great selection but So do many others that dont put a premium on the fact they carry craft brews...

 

I might have to take a ride down myself. They have an Italian style pilsner as well and saving over two bucks a can is worth the driving time.

 

Hazy supposed to be hazy. Now when it is off color for the style or chunks I am with you

 

Salvator by Paulaner


A delicious 7.9% doppelbock from Paulaner.

Reddish copper colored body poured with a nice foamy head at first and minor lacing throughout.

An inviting aroma of chocolate and caramel. Like the aroma, the taste is sweet malt caramel and chocolate with a hint of hoppiness. Overall, a good tasting but very sweet doppelbock.

Mouthfeel is a bit slick, cloying. Not surprising given the sweetness. Body seems appropriate ABV. Still, it’s an easy drinker given the relatively high ABV. Carbonation is middling.

A very tasty beer that I enjoyed cold as it cut the sweetness a bit. Normally I prefer to let beers warm. I’ll try this one again since the flavor is good.

 

Closing my night (and my weekend) on a beer my brother-in-law just left at my place after his fiancee's surprise 40th birthday party: Return to Space from Great Notion.

16oz can served in a footed pilsner. Dated either 01/12/22 or 02/12/22. So it's either a month old or a day old.

Pours a hazy light yellow with a fairly large head that collapses into a thick skin that crawls a centimeter up the side of the glass. Smell is screaming citrus pith, lots of tropical juiciness.

Taste is dryer than I expected from the smell. Citrus pith and grapefruit rind.

Mouthfeel is fluffy and dry. Overall, very nice.