New Beer Weekend #83

Discussion in 'The Bar' started by ChicagoJ, Feb 19, 2022.

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  1. ChicagoJ

    ChicagoJ Grand Pooh-Bah (5,247) Feb 2, 2015 Illinois
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Greetings and salutations, and welcome to what will hopefully be a wonderful beer filled weekend. Glad you are able to join me this week!

    This is my first New Beer Weekend / New Beer Sunday thread of 2022. I have two special beers released by Goose Island in 2020. I also would like to let folks know that tomorrow, New Beer Sunday #887 will coincide with the 17th Anniversary of the thread, which by calculations originally kicked off February 20, 2005. Perhaps you can grab a special new beer to you to celebrate tomorrow!

    This is a link to the oldest thread, New Beer Sunday #366, accessible today (at least on the Front End) which was kicked off by @malty .

    This is a thread to present a beer you are trying for the first time, and to share your thoughts regarding appearance, aroma, taste, mouthfeel and your overall impressions. You can provide BA ratings, words and or a picture. Perhaps a couple sentences or a more thorough dive. It's all up to you.

    Bourbon County Brand Birthday Stout (2020)

    [​IMG]

    Bottle Notes:
    16.9 oz, calculated bottle date 8/5/20 based on the best by 8/4/25 11:10 AM date. 14.6% ABV. Stout aged in 2019 Old Forester Birthday Bourbon Barrels. Develops in the bottle up to 5 years. Collaboration with our friends at Old Forester. Brewed, Barrel-Aged & Bottled by Goose Island Beer Company, Chicago, Illinois. Contains wheat. Enjoy in a snifter.

    Appearance: Poured about 3/4 of the bottle into a Bourbon County snifter and let it sit for 20 minutes before first sniff and taste. Short dark tan cream head dissipated about 1 minute in, the time of the photo, leaving just a creamy ring above the base, and faint cover above a fraction of the base. A strong fizzy sound and fine small bubbles and carbonation observed during the initial and subsequent pours, pitch black base as standard. 4.25

    Aroma:
    Began diving in when it was properly warm, getting a very nice bourbon lead, smooth, strong, light caramel and toffee notes follow. Leaving it sit a bit longer, I get brown sugar. Really enticing aroma, strong, nice balance, not getting the malt with the powerful barrel notes. 4.5

    Taste: My first sip turned into three, as the tongue wanted more, much more than a restrained go. This is glorious, so glorious. The bourbon is absolutely the star of this show, going strong 1 1/2 plus years in, slightly over my sweet spot of a year. A nice silky smooth bourbon, nice firm oak taste, sweetness from notes of brown sugar, creamy soft caramel, maple syrup, leather, no lace. Getting tobacco and raisins as well as I continue the dive in, now about 1/3 of the bottle in. At this juncture I pour the remaining bottle into the snifter, and wish there was more. They nailed this, big time. 4.75

    Mouthfeel:
    Visible and audible carbonation does not last once this warms, but it's OK. The body full, creamy, decedent. Sweet overall, but bourbon keeps things in check. The bourbon is strong, though now that I'm just before the half way juncture, it feels slightly lower than the 14.6% ABV. Still potent, with a nice warmth, no burn, throughout. Sweetness lingers in the aftertaste, maple, caramel. 4.25

    Overall:
    Goose Island really did a good job with this special version. Not familiar with Old Forester Birthday Bourbon, but perhaps I need to get acquainted. Barrel and more barrel is what I want from BCBS beers, and really the main interest in any "variants" beyond the standard version. Goose delivered, and though it was in the $30-$35 range for this bottle, or 2 1/2 to 3 times the regular bottle price, I don't feel disappointed that I splurged on a single bottle at the high cost of $2 per ounce. It's not a value play, but it is an excellent offering, and one worth getting a pour at 312 day or perhaps on draft if you really like this style of beer. I highly recommend and am savoring the rest of this. 4.5

    This should hold up for another several months if you still have a bottle in your possession. Pairing with nuts (pistachio and walnut) after the taste judging, it's a wonderful way to end my day (I'm sleeping 6-7AM to 2PM most days at this juncture, my preferred sleep schedule).

    Perhaps you can guess which beer I have planned for tomorrow. Otherwise, I'll see you then.
     
  2. jonphisher

    jonphisher Grand Pooh-Bah (3,850) Aug 9, 2015 New Jersey
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    A wonderful beer filled weekend it will be! I will join you as soon as my day allows me.

    Thank you for always posting these neat stats and thank you to whoever started this idea so many years in the past. I love coming in here every weekend and having beers with all of you, it is always a fun time.
     
    MacMalt, Roy_Hobbs, Beersnake and 8 others like this.
  3. SawDog505

    SawDog505 Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,922) Apr 9, 2010 New Hampshire
    Pooh-Bah

    [​IMG] Thanks @ChicagoJ for getting us started and reminding us about this threads long history, it has been a favorite of mine for a long time.

    Poured into a 13 oz teku glass canned on 2/14/22. Pours a dark hazy orange with a half finger sticky off white head that leaves a bunch of thin streaks of lace, with excellent retention. 4.5

    Aroma mango, peach, orange sherbet, passionfruit, and apricot rather inviting nose to say the least. 4.5

    Taste follows the mango is clearly the lead dog, with plenty of support with peach, orange sherbet, passionfruit, and apricot following. 4.75

    Mouthfeel is above average, soft creamy carbonation, not sticky or dry, and at 6.8% it drinks bigger in body and flavor, but is crazy approachable. 4.75

    Overall this for me is probably the most consistently amazing brewery for this style so my expectations are always very high and they rarely don’t deliver. 4.5 Cheers and hopefully this is just the start of an amazing weekend of New Beers.
     
    vurt, LeRose, MacMalt and 23 others like this.
  4. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    A Reality Czech

    Today is a new beer brand from Sly Fox: Reality Czech.

    It is a low(er) ABV (3.9%) unfiltered Czech style Pilsner (Bohemian Pilsner).

    Below is how Sly Fox describes this beer on their beer menu:

    “Reality Czech Keller Pilsner

    Sometimes (or any time) a crushable beer-flavored beer is just what you need, and this unfiltered Bohemian Pilsner delivers just that. A crisp, light bodied malt flavor balanced by glorious Czech-grown Saaz hops. Na Zdravi.”

    In the Czech Republic (Czechia) this sort of beer would be called a Světlé Výčepní and frequently would be described as being a 10° beer which details the original gravity level of the starting wort to produced the beer. For the interested student:

    “Basically the Czechs describe their beers by color and strength. First, let’s learn our colors:
    • Pale = Světlé
    • Semi-dark (Amber) = Polotmavý
    • Dark = Tmavý (or Tmavé)
    • Black = Černý
    When it comes to beer strength, what we would typically associate with alcohol (ABV) strength, the Czechs instead describe the original gravity of the wort used to brew the beer. They have words for this but more commonly I have seen numbers in degrees Plato to describe the beers strength. In order of lower to higher strength:
    • 10° or Výčepní
    • 12° or Ležák
    • 14° or Speciál (or Speziál)”
    https://www.morebeer.com/articles/Czech_Beers

    Below is a photo of a 10° Pale Lager I had the pleasure of drinking at Únětický Pivovar during my visit to the Czech Republic a few years ago:

    [​IMG]

    So, how will Sly Fox do in brewing this sort of Czech beer? Let’s find out.

    Served in my Polish Pilsner glass:

    Appearance:

    Pours straw colored with some haze and a rocky white head.

    Aroma:

    A combination of bready malt and herbal/spicy hop aromas.

    Taste:

    The flavor follows the nose with a combination of bready malt and herbal/spicy hop flavors. There is a firm bitterness.

    Mouthfeel:

    Light - medium bodied, smooth mouthfeel and a dry finish.

    Overall:

    This beer is excellent! It has a delicious combination of bready malt and herbal/spicy hop flavors with a great balance between the malt and hops.

    Another high quality Pilsner from Sly Fox!!

    @RobH @rotsaruch @KOP_Beer_OUtlet

    [​IMG]
     
    jts211, vurt, LeRose and 36 others like this.
  5. Roguer

    Roguer Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,811) Mar 25, 2013 Connecticut
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Thanks @ChicagoJ for kicking off the thread, and a special shout out to @JackHorzempa , who is drinking almost the same beer as I am. But not quite. You'll see what I mean ...

    [​IMG]

    No, this isn't Sly Fox Reality Czech; this is Moonlight Reality Czeck. Despite the slight difference in name, you could nearly cut-and-paste Jack's experience with his Czech-style pilsner for mine, as they sound very, very similar. Also major thanks to @JayORear who sent this one my way, along with some other beers that will be making an appearance in this thread. :grinning:

    Before I start off: pilsners in general aren't among my favorite styles. I basically like all styles of beer, so not being among my favorites doesn't mean that I don't enjoy pilsners, but when it comes to pale lagers, I prefer Helles and Kölsch in particular (the latter admittedly a hybrid style). I haven't developed a preference for Bavarian or Czech pilsner that I've noticed.

    First off, this is an absolutely gorgeous beer. Head production is excellent, and lacing and retention are simply incredible.

    Aroma is nearly as impressive. I don't often cut-and-paste from my review, but I think I've already captured my thoughts there succinctly (for a change), so:

    "Lovely soft and bready aroma, with delicate floral hops and just a kiss of citrus.

    Fairly bitter up front, with a fairly neutral bite to the bitterness. Malt base is soft and clean, not overly sweet. It's a great example of what "beer flavored beer" should be: biscuit, a touch of rye, hints of lemon zest, grass, and the slightest impression of earth and tobacco.

    I don't know that "balanced" is the best word, as it's definitely bitter-leaning, but the hops don't in any way suggest a modern American take on the style (in other words: it's not an India Pale Pilsner). It's just very bitter, but very clean and absolutely crushable."

    Just like Jack's offering: herbal, spicy, and bready. Check, Czech, and Czeck!

    As I mentioned, this isn't my favorite style, but it's a superbly rendered take on that style. I very much enjoyed this one, and I suspect that I will be giving the other can to my wife with some regret. :wink:

    https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/763/22173/?ba=Roguer#lists
    4.27 / 0.0% (whoa!)

    Thanks, Jay! Cheers!
     
    vurt, LeRose, MacMalt and 31 others like this.
  6. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    Another extract from my above linked article:

    “And one thing my wife and I always did upon drinking our first beers at the pub was to lift our glasses and proclaim “Na Zdravi” which means cheers. I did not ever witness the Czechs in the pub do this but they did not give us dirty looks when we did it; just trying our best to fit in.”

    So, Na Zdravi to you!!
     
  7. SawDog505

    SawDog505 Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,922) Apr 9, 2010 New Hampshire
    Pooh-Bah

    [​IMG] Poured into a 13 oz thin tulip glass canned on 1/26/22. Pours a very dark near pitch black with a 2 finger mocha head that leaves some thin streaks of lace with excellent retention. 4.5

    Aroma is cocoa nibs, vanilla bean, toffee, and caramel one dimensional as it gets, but not a bad thing. 4

    Taste follows cocoa, vanilla, toffee, a little hint of coffee, and caramel with know alcohol detected. 4

    Mouthfeel is above medium, gentle carbonation, maybe a little dry, and at 10% it drinks like that, but still easy enough drinking. 4.25

    Overall I am enjoying this one, far from blown away but I would grab another 4 rack of this without hesitation. 4
     
    vurt, LeRose, MacMalt and 22 others like this.
  8. Roguer

    Roguer Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,811) Mar 25, 2013 Connecticut
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    New Beer #2: Double Nugget Nectar, also courtesy of @JayORear .

    [​IMG]

    OG Nugget Nectar is, of course, a legend. Similar to Pseudo Sue and Zombie Dust, NN is a very hoppy beer that is reminiscent of an IPA, without reaaaaalllly being an IPA. Kind of. It's like trying to explain the differences between hardcore thrash, crossover thrash, post-hardcore, thrashcore, and metalcore: devotees will insist these are all clearly different genres, but for the average listener, they're all close enough. :wink:

    What made NN so trailblazing was the combination of a heavy dose of Nugget hops with a strong toasted malt base (Vienna and Munich in particular). This resulted in a unique collaboration of flavors that just worked so damn well - and still does.

    What happens if you bump up the ABV by another 2% (bordering on double digits now), and add some other hops to the blend? You get Double Nugget Nectar.

    Does this remind me of OG NN? Yes. Is it really damn tasty? Yes. Is it ground breaking and unique? Ehhh ... not really.

    The extra hops in the mix result in a flavor profile that reminds me of orange and apricot marmalade slathered onto toasted rye bread. At 9.5% ABV, it's not as drinkable as OG NN, and you may need to pace yourself (OK, you should definitely pace yourself!). It's also inevitably simply less innovative: this is an evolutionary beer, not a revolutionary beer.

    I like this one a lot, and I'm definitely looking forward to throwing back that second 16 oz can ... in a few days. :wink:

    https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/694/533799/?ba=Roguer#lists
    4.10 / -4.9%
     
    vurt, LeRose, MacMalt and 24 others like this.
  9. jvgoor3786

    jvgoor3786 Grand Pooh-Bah (4,222) May 28, 2015 Arkansas
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Using the Wayback Machine I found this from March 14, 2005. Unfortunately it didn't capture the thread. I may keep searching...

    [​IMG]

    https://web.archive.org/web/20050314033932/http://www.beeradvocate.com/forum/
     
    SawDog505, MacMalt, SABERG and 13 others like this.
  10. jvgoor3786

    jvgoor3786 Grand Pooh-Bah (4,222) May 28, 2015 Arkansas
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Here you go. 4/3/2005

    https://web.archive.org/web/20050410201907/http://beeradvocate.com/forum/read.php?thread=458066
     
    MacMalt, Beersnake, MNAle and 9 others like this.
  11. Roguer

    Roguer Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,811) Mar 25, 2013 Connecticut
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader


    That's really incredible. It's also nice to note how much the thread has (predictably) evolved over the many years. There's always been churn and feedback - both positive and negative - in response to change, but it's very clear that whatever traditions we value, we value them because of our own subjective experiences. Meaning: whatever New Beer Sunday was to one person, doesn't mean that's what New Beer Sunday was.

    That thread bears little resemblance to the cherished New Beer Sunday that eventually became New Beer Weekend - and that's not a bad thing. It's simply a reminder that change is inevitable, and inherently neither good nor bad, but complaining about the "good old days" is often rooted not in fact, but in nostalgia and personal perspective. :slight_smile:

    Still personally glad for @ChicagoJ 's shout out to the NBS numbering. :slight_smile:
     
    LeRose, MacMalt, SABERG and 13 others like this.
  12. rgordon

    rgordon Pooh-Bah (2,701) Apr 26, 2012 North Carolina
    Pooh-Bah

    That beer just might be my main staple if I had steady access. It looks and sounds like a delicious beer.
     
    MacMalt, cavedave, FBarber and 4 others like this.
  13. Mdog

    Mdog Pooh-Bah (2,539) Jan 7, 2004 Minnesota
    Society Pooh-Bah

    Leffe Blonde[​IMG]

    Appearance: Clear gold, good head.

    Smell: Skunk at first, then cloves and phenol-y yeast.

    Taste: Bubblegum sweetness throughout with some cloves and phenolic yeast notes in the finish.

    Overall: Decided to try this after seeing it a fair amount on the WBAYDN? Thread. I don't usually go for the Belgian pale ales, but this was enjoyable. I liked the bubblegum note and the yeast notes were complementary instead of distracting. Now I'll have to try their brown ale.
     
    vurt, LeRose, MacMalt and 23 others like this.
  14. GreenBayBA

    GreenBayBA Grand Pooh-Bah (4,265) Aug 30, 2015 Wisconsin
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    [​IMG]
    Other Half Brewing Big Citra Vibes. The look is hazy, warm, dark yellow. The smell is pure citrus. Orange, mango, pineapple, and cantaloupe. The taste is incredible! Orange juice garnished with sliced tropical fruit. Honeydew takes the lead, with pineapple tagging in. The mouthfeel is fluffy, soft, smooth, creamy, with light carbonation. A slight bubbly champagne feel. Overall, the name of the beer says it all. Other Half Brewing always delivers!
     
    vurt, LeRose, MacMalt and 22 others like this.
  15. jkblr

    jkblr Grand Pooh-Bah (5,132) Nov 22, 2014 Indiana
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Good morning NBW
    I drove over to Kentucky after work yesterday to hit up a bottle shop and grab some stuff. Oddly the brands distributed on both sides of the river are quite different. We don't get Madtree here and I picked up a couple interesting singles.
    [​IMG]
    Madtree ¡AHUEVO!
    Stout inspired by Mexican hot chocolate
    12oz canned 11.17.2021 (about 3 months ago) poured into a Xocoveza chalice at fridge temp 7.7% ABV. The beer pours black with no light penetration and light brown head. The head recedes to a thin ring and single layer of tiny bubbles. Sparce lacing. The aroma is mild with pepper heat and lactose. The taste is semisweet, pepper laced, roasted malt. I'm not getting a ton of chocolate or vanilla, but it's there in the background. Nice pepper and cinnamon heat. The mouthfeel is medium plus bodied with average carbonation and a semi dry finish. Overall, very good. Reminds me of old school Xocoveza, which is not a bad thing.

    At three months old, I couldn't commit to a four pack last night, but after drinking this, I wouldn't hesitate in the future. I'm going to avoid stores for the rest of the month and try to do some more cellar clearing. Plenty of new stuff to try around here...
    Cheers all!
     
    vurt, LeRose, MacMalt and 22 others like this.
  16. Roguer

    Roguer Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,811) Mar 25, 2013 Connecticut
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Holy shit, New Beer #3 from @JayORear this weekend is no laughing matter. This is a beer that quite literally goes to 11.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    Beachwood's appropriately named Hops of Fury is an 11%, 100+ IBU IIIPA with Warrior, Summit, Galaxy, Simcoe, Amarillo, and Citra in the boil, Columbus in the mash, and Mosaic, Citra, Nelson Sauvin, and Centennial in the dry hop.

    Holy. Hell.

    Can all of those hops possibly come through?

    Short answer: no.

    Longer answer: well, kinda yeah, even if mostly no, but holy shit is this a hop bomb.

    Because of New England IPAs, you might think of modern hop bombs as super juicy. This ... is not that. No no no. There are hints of "juicy" hop notes - some zest here, some overripe apricot there, maybe even some mandarin orange - but this thing is all about the bitter pine, resin, green herbal notes, and dankness.

    It's PtE dialed up to 11, minus the subtlety and nuance.

    Do I love it? Well, no, not really, but I do certainly appreciate it - and I do really like it. It's just more herbal and dank than my personal cup of tea, and for all the hop varietals they chose to include, while they all surely contribute to the overall flavor, they don't do much to make that flavor palette more complex or varied. Other beers have done that as well (PtE, Heady, Enjoy By), where it requires a complex blend of varietals to arrive at the desired melange of hop flavors. This one simply doesn't do it as well; it seems like overkill, and a focus on maybe half of those hops - in every stage - would have resulted in a more expressive result.

    But again, it's damn impressive, and your personal preferences might be more in line with the end product. I really like it, but if you like West Coast IPAs, and you don't mind a heavy-handed approach to dank and herbal tones, you might very well love it.

    https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/25959/111714/?ba=Roguer#lists
    4.17 / -3.0%

    Of the three new beers from today, I think my favorite has been the pilsner. That's an upset, given my propensity for IPAs, but quality speaks.

    Thanks again, Jay, for the experiences! One more for either later today or tomorrow. :slight_smile:

    Cheers!
     
    vurt, LeRose, MacMalt and 23 others like this.
  17. GreenBayBA

    GreenBayBA Grand Pooh-Bah (4,265) Aug 30, 2015 Wisconsin
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    [​IMG]
    Surly Brewing Permanent Echo IIPA. I thought @Mdog might beat me to this one. The look is murky copper. The smell is malty, bready, with light fruit odors, that whisper pear and apple, with a touch of white wine presence. The taste has that Surly distinctuve bite. This is a lighter version of Abrasive. It has the delicately beautiful brutal bitterness that makes Abrasive so unique, but scaled down. Roman Meal bread, with grapefruit sweetness. The mouthfeel is grainy, thick, and full, with higher carbonation. Overall, this is about what I hoped for. A 12 oz. lighter version of Abrasive. I hope they serve this beer at the concert venue I am going to in Minneapolis, MN, in April.
     
    BillManley, vurt, LeRose and 22 others like this.
  18. champ103

    champ103 Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,296) Sep 3, 2007 Texas
    Society Pooh-Bah

    At Holler Brewing, with their Laaaid Back IPA. 7.2% ABV

    [​IMG]

    Pours with a good amount of haze, a vibrant orange color. A two finger white head forms with excellent retention, and rings of lace left behind.
    Aroma is big peach/stone fruit like, and melon in the nose. A big blast of hoppy fruitiness. Light malty baked bread is noticeable, and works for a great balance.
    The Hop flavor up front goes from peach, stone fruit, and melon. After this warms a bit, more citrus and piney/resin like flavors come out. A light malty/grainy bread character for balance. Then a substantial dry bitterness lingering, which helps bring it all together.
    A medium body with moderate carbonation. There is certainly some sweetness from the fruity like hops, but finishes beautifully dry. An IPA that I really enjoy. I can come back to this a lot.

    That perfect mix of new hop flavors and old school piney citrus and bitterness flavors. Well balanced with a ton of hop characteristics going on. Like everything from Holler, well done.

    Overall score is 4.07, A-
    https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/45647/589503/?ba=champ103#lists
     
    RobTx, vurt, LeRose and 24 others like this.
  19. JayORear

    JayORear Grand Pooh-Bah (3,058) Feb 22, 2012 California
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Loved all your reviews today, Andrew. I'm impressed with both your insight and stamina. If I'd had both a Double Nugget Nectar and a Hops of Fury before 1pm, I'd be flat on my back. As I'm sure you've guessed, all that bitter, dank, and herbal are right up my alley, so I love HoF. Like Double Two-Hearted, I didn't expect Double Nugget Nectar to be a bigger version of NN; taken on its own, I love all that thick apricot and caramel goodness. I drank an honestly embarrassing amount of it over the last several weeks. Glad to see you appreciated the Reality Czeck . . . as I mentioned on WBAYDN, that was my chaser between PtEs at SF Toronado back in the day. Cheers!
     
    MacMalt, Beersnake, ChicagoJ and 6 others like this.
  20. JayORear

    JayORear Grand Pooh-Bah (3,058) Feb 22, 2012 California
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Hey, that book's next in my queue . . . any initial thoughts?
     
    MacMalt, Beersnake, ChicagoJ and 5 others like this.
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