New Beer Weekend #89

Discussion in 'The Bar' started by ChicagoJ, Apr 2, 2022.

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  1. ChicagoJ

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

    Welcome to New Beer Weekend #89, and when it's tomorrow, New Beer Sunday #892. We welcome you to share your experience with any new to you beer. It may be brand new to the world, or a classic you just haven't had a chance to sit down and enjoy until now. Please share your experience, could be as simple as a couple of sentences, or your observations on each of the rating components. Pictures are also welcome and encouraged.

    Worked on baseball preparation for the my final draft later today. It's the only sport I still follow, strictly the Rotisserie Leagues at this point, and I really enjoy the competition and mathematics involved.

    Popping open two Central Waters BA Stouts this weekend, both purchased when I visited their Amhurst brewery in 2019. Can't wait to hit their second location in Milwaukee, hopefully this year.

    Central Waters Brewer's Reserve Bourbon Barrel Vanilla Bean Stout

    [​IMG]

    Bottle Notes: Purchased in August 2019 at the brewery, vintage 2019. Cellared until 11/17/21, refrigerated thereafter until opening. 12 oz, No ABV listed. Brewed and bottled in Amherst, Wisconsin.

    Malt Beverage aged in bourbon barrels with vanilla. We take a big American stout and stuff it into a bourbon barrel where it lays dormant until it is ready to meld itself with vanilla and blossom into it's own creation. Enjoy!

    Appearance: Dark chestnut brown base, creamy tan head leaves cover over base and creamy very thin fine bubbly lacing. 4.25

    Aroma:     Let this warm 15 minutes to reach proper temperature. Light to faint roast malt competes with vanilla for honors, molasses backs. Had to work to get this much, perhaps faded over the years. 3.0

    Taste: Full flavor in contrast to the aroma. Nice roast chocolate and fudge base, vanilla well incorporated, complements the base. Black licorice is next, followed by a nice smooth bourbon and oak emerging as this warms further.

    Ten minutes later, at the half way point, the bourbon moves front and center. Potent, balanced between smooth and a little kick. Should have let this warm more before going in, though I appreciated the complexity when it was still cold. The heat is, on..... 4.5

    Mouthfeel:     Thin to medium, consistent with this brewer's standard stouts. Light fizzy carbonation persistent throughout. Note balanced earlier, a whiskey potent during the second half, near boilermaker. Found a 9.5% ABV on the internet, this is much more potent, really enjoying. Bourbon aftertaste, and it's very good. 4.25

    Overall:     I find Central Waters' BA Stouts to be consistently very good to excellent, and this is no exception. Perhaps I'll pull my remaining two bottles straight from the cellar, as I liked the cold start but love the second half bourbon extravaganza. This was purchased in my exploratory stage, and while I rarely seek vanilla adjunct stouts at this point, I would pick this up without hesitation. Not sure if Central Waters distributes beyond Wisconsin and Illinois, but well worth seeking out this beer, or their BA Imperial Stouts in general. 4.5

    See you tomorrow with a Central Waters Rye Stout I'm saving for Prime Time!
     
    #1 ChicagoJ, Apr 2, 2022
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  2. JackHorzempa

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

    Let’s Party!

    [​IMG]

    Today’s new beer has an interesting brand name: Stickman Young People Fun Party Pilsner.

    On the can there is a story:

    "Stop taking yourself so seriously. We all look cool drinking beer out of snifters and discussing hop varieties, but sometimes everybody just needs to relax. This unfiltered German style Pilsner with all the classic flavor notes is just the thing to get your eyes off your Untappd page and start thinking about who you're drinking with.”

    Well, I am not young but I do like to party!!

    Served in my Polish Pilsner glass:

    Appearance:

    A brilliant golden yellow with a white head. Just from looking at it I would not have thought this beer was unfiltered.

    Aroma:

    On the initial pour vibrant hop aromas of herbal/spicy and even a hint of citrus. There was some bready malt in the background.

    Taste:

    The flavor sorta follows the nose with the hop flavors of herbal/spicy and some citrus but the bready malt flavor is more prominent in comparison to the aroma. There is a firm bitterness.

    Mouthfeel:

    Medium bodied with a dry finish.

    Overall:

    This beer is very good! I enjoyed the combination of hop and malt flavors.

    Cheers to a Fun Party!

    @rotsaruch @KOP_Beer_OUtlet @RobH

    [​IMG]
     
    #2 JackHorzempa, Apr 2, 2022
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  3. Roguer

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

    Good morning Weekenders, and thanks @ChicagoJ for the great thread kickoff! (You beat me by 6 minutes, but to be fair, I was cooking breakfast for two. :stuck_out_tongue: )

    My first new beer this weekend is Tree House's Tree of Life - Vanilla Bean, an 11.8% blended barleywine (fresh and bourbon barrel aged) with "heaps of hand-sliced whole bean vanilla!" (Punctuation theirs.)

    [​IMG]


    Wow! This is unlike any barleywine I've ever had. It's easily the thickest and chewiest. At the same time, it's not exactly a stout. There's plenty of chocolate, prune, and red grape (think: stout), but also just enough bark, soft leather, and pine (think: barleywine). It reminds me, perhaps, of some of Kane's huge BA barleywines in that respect, but even closer to stout territory. In a completely blind test, I'm not sure how I would classify it, perhaps defaulting to strong ale.

    This is a beer that hides its treasures. It is relatively unassuming in appearance, with nice head production that is almost immediately completely gone, leaving behind nary a trace. It smells very nice, but that aroma is fairly weak.

    But oh, on the palate!

    It's certainly on the sweeter side, with big notes of brown sugar, syrup, sweeter bourbon mash, prune, red grape, and tons of vanilla - particularly on the back half. This beer tells no lies. Vanilla? Check (and double check). Bourbon? Check - but restrained, as it is indeed a blended beer.

    In addition to the insanely thick mouthfeel, there is virtually no alcohol heat, a magic trick I have no idea how they pulled off in a near-12% ABV beer aged partially in bourbon barrels. You can tell it's big, but it's never remotely aggressive; the silent but strong type, perhaps (Barreled Souls is actually perhaps the best parallel here, instead of Kane).

    This is a wonderful way to start my weekend. :grinning:

    https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/28743/589311/?ba=Roguer#lists
    4.21 / +0.5%

    I've got the base beer (fully barrel aged, IIRC) on deck for possibly later this weekend. It will be interesting to see how it contrasts.

    Cheers!
     
    #3 Roguer, Apr 2, 2022
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  4. colts9016

    colts9016 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,391) Jul 2, 2007 Idaho
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    That beer sounds tasty!
     
    #4 colts9016, Apr 2, 2022
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  5. ZebulonXZogg

    ZebulonXZogg Grand Pooh-Bah (3,142) May 5, 2015 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Around the Bend Proximal Rye Barrel Aged Barleywine 2019
    [​IMG]

    4.15/5 rDev +7%
    look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
    by ZebulonXZogg from Illinois

    Almost like like a red wine on this brilliantly bright spring afternoon, indoors it's a murky reddish brown, more on the red side, small reddish khaki head fades to a ring. Nose gets some booze, candy, sugars and some hops. Some serious flavors emerge as this warms, molasses, vanilla, some fruit & booze. This is 13% BA Barleywine, and the heat is evident as it warms. It seems a bit thin for the style, but I'm just getting into Barleywines. Sold as a 2fer with its 2020 sibling. Tasty stuff for sure!

    I actually cheated and had this yesterday, so shoot me!
     
    #5 ZebulonXZogg, Apr 2, 2022
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  6. Mdog

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

    Thanks to ChicagoJ for the start, I'm looking forward to baseball season too.

    Today's new beer is WarPigs High Celebrant:
    [​IMG]

    Wow, lots of room reflection in that glass!

    Appearance: Clear ruby amber, good head.

    Smell: Rich fruitiness, sweet.

    Taste: Sweet, caramel, raisins, full bodied.

    Overall: A doppelbock from a WarPigs mix pack. Nice caramel and fruit flavors without being too sweet. Good feel and body, not boozy. A solid big bock! I think it is only available in the mix pack, if it was in 6ers I'd pick one up since winter usually lasts until May here in MN.
     
    #6 Mdog, Apr 2, 2022
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  7. Roguer

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

    Time for New Beer #2: The Cavern, a 7% ABV smoked Doppelbock by Fox Farm.

    [​IMG]
    @TongoRad

    I love smoked beers. I love Doppelbocks. I love smoked Doppelbocks. And I love Fox Farm. So this should be a batting practice home run, right?

    Weeeelllll ... the truth is more complicated.

    First of all, for what this is and seemingly is trying to be, this is fantastic. It's perhaps the most potently smoked beer I've ever had. Impressively woody on the nose, although it can't help but be a little meaty on the palate. I love it; it makes me feel like I'm back at the brewery, sitting outside in the chilly New England air, being warmed not by a fire, but by this beer its very self.

    So what's the problem?

    Well, the marriage of a rich malty Doppelbock and potent smoke is a natural fit for me (my favorite Aecht-Schlenkerla beers are Urbock and Eiche for that very reason, Urbock not being a Doppel but still being quite a strong beer). I can really enjoy a nice potent smoky presence in a lighter beer (both A-S and Fox Farm have good examples), but the pairing with a heavier, richer, sweeter malt base is just so nice for my palate.

    In this case, the smoke is simply so strong that it overwhelms the malt base. I get some semi-sweet notes of raisin and dark bread up front, but it's quickly overwhelmed by the woody and even slightly ashy and meaty smoke, with a lingering cola-like quality that wants to remind you that, "Hey, I'm a Doppelbock!" but in reality is more like the short kid in the back of a school stage production jumping up and down in the back hoping you can at least see the top of his head.

    It's essentially a lost opportunity for me. What should be a very harmonious union is really one superstar (the smoke) and one runner not even in frame. Counter-intuitively, if you're going to go with smoke this strong, you may as well go with a lighter malt base, as I'm not getting the full benefit of the base Doppelbock anyway.

    Is it good? Well, yeah. Is it what they intended? Probably, and it's pretty impressive no matter how you slice it. I still think it's a bit of a lost opportunity and a letdown compared to what I know this could have been.

    https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/45832/592680/?ba=Roguer#lists
    4.16 / -2.6%

    I mean ... 4.16 isn't too shabby for a letdown. Being an unquestionably beautiful beer with a phenomenal mouthfeel didn't hurt the overall score, for sure.

    Definitely not my last Fox Farm beer this weekend. Cheers!
     
    #7 Roguer, Apr 2, 2022
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  8. TongoRad

    TongoRad Grand Pooh-Bah (3,884) Jun 3, 2004 New Jersey
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I'd still hit it :wink:
    Cheers! :beers:
     
    #8 TongoRad, Apr 2, 2022
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  9. lordofthewiens

    lordofthewiens Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,225) Sep 17, 2005 New Mexico
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Saturday chores (dog walks, recycling center, groceries) completed. Getting ready to give the puppy a bath, since he rolled around in something pungent.
    My new beer for today is In the Shadows of Giants, a DDH New England IPA from Woods Boss.
    The beer is an opaque pale orange color. There is a small white head and a bit of lace.
    Aroma of citrus fruit, tropical fruit, and pine.
    Taste of grapefruit, orange, and pineapple. Taste of pine shows up late.
    Nicely bitter in the mouth.

    [​IMG]
     
    #9 lordofthewiens, Apr 2, 2022
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  10. jonphisher

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

    Wild and busy morning thus far today...I ordered two more fruit trees from a NY nursery for our yard this past fall and a bunch of evergreens from arbor day foundation. Well wouldn't you know all of them showed up the same day, yesterday. Been busy planting trees all morning, kids pushing the dirt in with their construction vehicles :grin:, just had a contractor over about our house addition and now I have to go pick up fresh milled white cedar boards, at an insanely good price, for the ever growing garden area. I will be back to join you all later today, until then, enjoy all your beers.

    Shoot @ovaltine I forgot to mention possible porch reno in the addition budget :stuck_out_tongue:
     
    #10 jonphisher, Apr 2, 2022
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  11. ovaltine

    ovaltine Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,787) Apr 6, 2010 Indiana
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    You may want to get an addendum for "porch reconstruction" as a voluntary alternate to your contract.
     
    #11 ovaltine, Apr 2, 2022
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  12. bbtkd

    bbtkd Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,790) Sep 20, 2015 South Dakota
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    New Holland Rye Barrel-aged Dragon's Milk Imperial Stout 2022 Reserve 1 w/Vanilla, Cinnamon, and Toasted Chilies, 11.8% ABV. Pours black with a 1.6 finger light-brown head that left some lacing. Nose is heavy cinnamon, vanilla, rye, and chilies. Taste follows, slightly sweet, faintly bitter, with some pepper burn. Excellent, slightly dry mouthfeel with expected carbonation. Overall excellent to outstanding adjacent.

    4.29/5 rDev +6.5%
    look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

    Bet we'll get an April blizzard since I put the snowblower away, got out the lawnmower, and put out the deck furniture.

    [​IMG]
     
    #12 bbtkd, Apr 2, 2022
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  13. MNAle

    MNAle Initiate (0) Sep 6, 2011 Minnesota

    Also Minnesota.
     
    #13 MNAle, Apr 2, 2022
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  14. MNAle

    MNAle Initiate (0) Sep 6, 2011 Minnesota

    Now, I'm contrarian enough I would have had it in a snifter! :grin:
     
    #14 MNAle, Apr 2, 2022
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  15. JackHorzempa

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

    My next comment is not intended to specifically be directed to you but...

    It seems to me that in today's craft beer scene the aspect of balance is sometimes (often?) a secondary consideration. It may be that commercial brewers feel the need to satisfy the demands of their customers (the majority of their customers?) to provide a beer that just screams "Moar!". When visiting both craft beer bars and brewery taprooms I have more and more (no pun intended) requested sample pours before committing to a full pint of a new brand of beer. I personally appreciate and value the balance of a beer but perhaps I am a minority beer consumer here.

    Cheers!
     
    #15 JackHorzempa, Apr 2, 2022
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  16. Roguer

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


    I think you're right, and normally, balance is a hallmark of Fox Farm. It's also odd when smoke is what is out of balance (as opposed to hops, or flavor adjunks like chocolate, coffee, and fruit). But unbalanced - or "MOAR!" - is exactly what I was getting at here, so you're not at all off the mark.
     
    #16 Roguer, Apr 2, 2022
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  17. LesDewitt4beer

    LesDewitt4beer Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,315) Jan 25, 2021 Minnesota
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Happy Saturday NBWeekenders. This beer is 100% stellar! So glad to share good vibes here and I wish I could share this beer. Cheers!
    BlackStack Piano Lessons DIPA 8.1% ABV
    4.37/5 rDev +2.8%
    look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
    by LesDewitt4beer from Minnesota
    16oz can into a Spiegelau glass.
    L: Pours a lightly hazed bright gold/yellow w/a 1.25" frothy eggshell white head w/a cap. Decent retention to edge foam. Fair carbonation & decent banding & webbed lacing.
    S: Pineapple, white bread, caramelized malts, orange, papaya, a hint of coconut, light alcohol as the beer warms.
    T: Orange, pineapple, papaya, light citrus zest, a suggestion of coconut. It is non-resinous. Well balanced citrus sweetness & citrus zest bitterness. Very bright & clean tasting.
    F: Incredibly soft, smooth, ultra clean semi-juicy light bodied mouth feel w/a moderately fast lightly drying finish.
    O: Wow! An incredibly easy drinking American DIPA w/a very fresh & light citrus approach that borders on juicy. Well masked 8.1% ABV that is non-detectable in taste. This beer makes me happy! It is very excellent in it's style.
    [​IMG]
     
    #17 LesDewitt4beer, Apr 2, 2022
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  18. Roguer

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

    And now for something completely different ...

    [​IMG]

    My first New Beer this weekend, Vanilla Bean Tree of Life, was a borderline stout, blended barrel aged, barely clinging on to its barleywine roots. It was also stupid good.

    So why not go all the way? Fully barrel aged, vanilla, imperial stout.

    Such is the nature of Space & Time - BBA Vanilla.

    Do you remember the first time you had Bourbon County? Back before there was an overwhelming number of imitations and homages, of excellent brewers nonetheless standing on the shoulders of giants?

    What about the first time you had vanilla Bourbon County (any of them, really)? One of the top rated beers on BA, and for damn good reason.

    What if I told you (cue the music) that you could have that feeling back again ... at only 2/3 of the ABV?

    I mean, I could pretty much leave it at that. This beer brings me back to vanilla BCBS variants in a way that few others have ever managed. It's sublime; it's incredible. Funny enough, @JackHorzempa and I were just talking about balance, and I may have given a false impression that strength alone leads to imbalance. Strength is not imbalance, when it is balanced by strength - and this beer is a prime example. It's not subtle, it's not quiet, it's not restrained, but it all works together damn near perfectly. (This is in contrast to the Fox Farm smoked Doppelbock, The Cavern, where the smoke overwhelms the malt base. This is a much bigger beer than that one, but it's not out of balance.)

    Full tasting notes are available in the review.

    https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/28743/596425/?ba=Roguer#lists
    4.67 / sole review/rating

    Wow. I'm glad this one came in a 750, as I'm splitting it with my partner, and I want more. :wink:

    Cheers!
     
    #18 Roguer, Apr 2, 2022
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  19. JackHorzempa

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

    In past NBS/NBW posts I have used the analogy of “symphony” in this regard.

    For example, when I discussed Schlenkerla Fastenbier:

    “Taste:

    Lightly sweet malt up front mixed with some chicory flavors; a nice combination of bready caramel malt and smoke. I notice some spicy notes in the mid-palate. It has a smooth finish of brown sugary malt, spicy hops, and creamy smoke.

    Overall:

    In my opinion all of the flavors and qualities of this beer work so well together in this beer. In music terms this is a masterful symphony!!

    https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/new-beer-sunday-week-526.271134/#post-3442852

    [​IMG]

    Cheers!
     
    #19 JackHorzempa, Apr 2, 2022
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  20. Smakawhat

    Smakawhat Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,191) Mar 18, 2008 Maryland
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    Hey what's going on?!

    I am having a new beer, gotta run these days.. but nice to have a bit of local slice of course!

    What's new for our hero today?

    [​IMG]

    Poured from the can into a Spiegelau IPA glass. Canned March 7th 2022.

    Custard like yellow, even slightly orange colored opaque body, with a simple turbidity. Very creamy and large head, big egg white foamed at four fingers with nice control, and lots of retention. Thick spoonful's of cream like top that just wont budge.

    Aroma is real inviting. Excellent notes of sweet florals and perfume (almost woody sandalwood?), even a candied orange like flavor. Hints a touch of spicy herbs also in the hop vein as well it seems. Real great hop nose.

    Palate seem to be a bit more grounded. Creamy texture, giving to some flavors also of creamed orange popsicle and light sweetness. Mid palate has a bit of chalky astringency but luckily doesn't deter from the experience, and in some ways helps to cut some of the sweetness. Chewy with hints of thick orange and a good piney to wood like flavor. Excellent texture you can just chomp and bite right in to.

    Very fun and tasty IPA well done here.

    look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25 | BA Generated score: 4.3

    Cheers!
     
    #20 Smakawhat, Apr 2, 2022
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