New Beer Weekend #91

Good Sunday morning NBS/nbw and thanks @SawDog505 for hosting this weekends event.
Todays offering is from Crossroads Brewing Co. A very good export style stout. I really value the dry and slightly bitter elements. The offering runs in a no nonsense narrow track. Its a stout that I could drink a few of and maybe a big bowl of beef stew, or Canadien Meat Pie.
Now Im hungry.

Enjoy your Easter Sunday in the fashion you do.

Black Rock Stout

Stout - Foreign / Export | 7.3% ABV
Crossroads Brewing Company in Athens, New York

4.09/5 rDev +0.2% | Average: 4.08
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
by SABERG from Massachusetts

Poured from a 16 oz can, batch coded, no date.
A - Chalkboard black back drop, carbonation supports a really lovely loose knit mocha froth. Lacing is ring after ring.
S - A bit of milk chocolate to start, char, roast malt, hint of earthy hops, some dusty woody element is quite nice.
T - Starts with that really nice bitter chocolate/char element, nothing sweet about it, a hint of blackberry, a bit of earthy hops again, with a hint of tobacco.
M - Medium in body, dry during the entire experience. Linger is bakers chocolate, and lovely char notes. All that dry and lightly bitter make for an excellent experience
O - A very good export style stout, dry and well bittered, flavorful and dare i say crisp. Next trip to NY I will seek out more.

 

Spring cleaning continues, caught up on my WBAYDN posts, plan on doing the same with NBW/NBS today.

Today is New Beer Sunday #895, and my beer today was purchased for @TongoRad 's Bock tasting which has been postponed for now. This is my first Eisbock beer, so I took some time brushing up on this style before diving in. I have to admit, this is one of the 1% of beers I am somewhat intimidated in trying (new style, brewing method, higher ABV, heavy malt), but hopefully it works out and it isn't too potent or malty.

Pollyanna Jotunheimr 2022



Can Notes: $6.75 single can purchased at Beer on the Wall. 16 oz canned 1/28/22 2:53 PM. Eisbock lager, 10.0% ABV. Brewed and distilled by Pollyanna Brewing Company, Saint Charles, Illinois, USA. Stay Optimistic.

Appearance: Multiple pours into a 12 oz snifter. Plum clear base, heavy carbonation, light tan head dissipates nearly instantly. 3.5

Aroma: Mega strong malt and barley, fruitcake, molasses. The aroma becomes more balanced and palatable to my personal taste preference as this warms. 3.75

Taste: Consistent with the aroma, more palatable for me. Sweet syrupy, pumpernickel / dark rye, some spices, nutmeg, cinnamon. Relieved and pleased this did not turn out like the aroma. As this warms, I am enjoying, yes enjoying, it even more. 4.25

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body, syrupy feel adds depth. Sweet, but alcohol, which I cannot discern in flavor beyond characteristics noted above, keeps the sweetness in check. Strong first few sips, grows stronger thereafter. About a quarter of the way through at this point, and I'm already planning a post beer nap. Getting slight alcohol warmth, pleasant. Becomes more balanced as this warms, with the alcohol asserting its authority and muting the malt hammer smelled up front. Light carbonation persists throughout. 4.25

Overall: This beer turned out to be a pleasant surprise. Aroma and taste improves as this warms, alcohol keeps any attempt of malt domination in check. Pollyanna did a very good job with this offering. The taste and flavor is high quality, and I'm really glad I stuck with this beer after the initial aroma. Malt heavy beers are not my cup of tea, but this one exceeded expectations. While this isn't going to be a staple beer, I'd gladly take the plunge annually. Let this warm and enjoy the ride! 4.25

Style tastings and New Beer Weekend / Sunday continues to open new doors and experiences, and for that I am grateful. I hope you are pleasantly surprised with your next new beer, and are willing to take the plunge into a beer or style you may be hesitant to consider the next time you are at a store, bar or brewery.

 

Interestingly enough @FBarber sent me a nice little surprise box this week that included that beer @ChicagoJ. When I do drink it, it will be my first eisbock as well.

 

Something new from a local, Hoptopus, an Imperial hazy fruit juice, I mean IPA.
3.73/5 rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
by ZebulonXZogg from Illinois

Kinda looks like my orange peach and mango fruit juice I drink in the morning, except for the big frothy head head and lacing, kinda smells like it too, very aromatic. Well, like most of these hazy IPA's it a bit to fruity and sweet for my tastes and not enough hop bite to balance it. Medium bodied, good carbonation. As "hazy IPA's go, it'sa one's done!

 

Every time I see one of these (smoothie sour beers), I think of this .....

 

well technically i usually take out the tub about 15 minutes before eating, a nice uniform softness by then…does this make me any less of one?

That was pretty damn accurate

 

I'm guilty of that as well - especially if the words "Barrel Aged" (or variations thereof) appear anywhere on the bottle or can. If that's the case, I'm probably gonna have that beer in the fridge for a minimum of 1 year, and probably closer to the 3-5 year range.

 

"These people just put very strange things in their food."

Substitute "beer" for "food" and you've encapsulated what strikes me many times when I read the ingredient lineup in the smoothie "beers."

 

Opened this from Fair Isle Brewing this afternoon. Brand new to me, and first time seeing this in Houston. A brewery from Seattle.

Fay Fuller Saison. Can Conditioned, with a house blend of wild yeast and bacteria. Dry hopped with Tettnanger and Hallertau Blanc hops. 5.2% ABV.



Pours a slightly hazy golden/yellow color. With a dense two finger white head that forms. Excellent retention and lace left behind.
Aroma of lemon and citrus rind in the nose. A vaguely light Brett yeasty character. Though not exactly Brett, just enough to give it a nice light funky. Light esters and an almost grape/vinous quality.
Taste wise, again, lemon and citrus. Pithy almost. Just enough tartness and light "funk" to give a very nice yeast presents. Along with esters, peppery spice . Grape and light bitterness lingering. Oh, I like this a lot.
A medium body with great effervescent carbonation. With a wonderful tart and dry finish. Which makes this really easy to come back to and drink. I already want to go and pick some more up.

Yeah this is a really good example of a Saison IMO. Really well done all around. Just enough balance between the fruity notes, hops, yeast, and tartness. I highly recommend this.

Overall score is 4.25, A
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/57519/581468/?ba=champ103#lists

On another note, last week, I reviewed all IPA's. I usually always look for a diverse range of styles but didn't happen last week. This week is more my style, with a Weizenbock, Beire De Garde, and now Saison. Yeah, I much prefer variety

 

Got the pool opened up, so maybe a swim later. It's supposed to be in the mid 80s today, so it's a good day for a stout.
This is S'mores Achromatic, from WeldWerks Brewing in Greeley, CO, with an ABV of 11.2%.
The beer is a near black color, with a tiny head around the circumference of the glass.
Roasted malt aroma, coffee and chocolate.
Taste of milk chocolate and coffee. Sweet.
Thick and chewy mouthfeel.
A nice dessert beer.

 

Hey NBWs
Happy Religious Holiday Day
Grimm Magnetic Compass IPA
6.4 abv. Rakall, Mosaic, Citra, Columbus hop profile

Pretty tasty and slightly tart.

Poured from a can dated 4/5/22
Bright yellow orange cloud thick appearance. Nice 1 inch fluffy head, soapy lacing and thin veil

Aromas of apricot, mango, grapefruit , papaya. There is a bit of a earthy, pine, grassy note and vanilla

Taste is tropical, slightly bitter tasting as in grapefruit and orange zest. Biscuit and vanilla tasting. Earthy flavor comes through the citrus.

Mouthfeel is kind of chunky and resinous. Tingling on the tongue up front and tart on the back end. Hint of alcohol in the finish, almost sour and not sweet at all.

Overall for as thick and heavy as it looks it drinks fairly light, a bit like sour candy and pretty easy drinking. If you like IPAs with a pucker factor this is it.
4.50/ 4.0/ 4.25/ 4.25/ 4.25/ 4.21. rDev -4.5

 

No new beer yesterday but starting with a long time want thanks to @SouthernSips, Funky Buddha Maple Bacon Coffee Porter.
4.4/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
by larryi86 from Delaware

12 oz bottle poured into a tulip

A- Black with a two finger tan head

S- Coffee, maple, dark chocolate, just enough smoke/bacon.

T- Coffee, dark chocolate, some smoke, maple, slightly earthy, touch of toffee, very well balanced.

M- Smooth, medium body.

O- Very well balanced and easy to drink. I remember tons of hype around this when it was first released and all these years later this is still a beer worth hyping.

Cheers!