New Beer Weekend #100

Thanks, @SawDog505 for kicking us off. I was just about to do the same (we are WAY late in getting the thread started this weekend!)

I'm starting with a big beer today. Gratitude, a "Barleywine Style Ale" from East End Brewing Company, received from @adrock314 in connection with our Fantasy Premier League BIF.

Pours a bright, almost glowing light amber. Plenty of head that for some reason reminded me of a tan macaron in both color and texture. Overall, this is an attractive beer.

Aroma is sweet caramel and molasses with fig and some light alcohol lurking. It's fairly reserved overall, in that nothing bursts from the glass. That said, it still smells quite good.

On the tongue, the alcohol makes a clear and immediate impression, as does the bite from the hops. The malts definitely take a back seat. There's a little bit of sweetness, but it's clearly secondary.

Full bodied and silky smooth. There's a little bit of alcohol warming on the way down, but it's subdued. Low to medium carbonation. Very long finish.

Overall, a good Saturday sipper!

 

Do you like Gin?

I am a fan of Gin. For those of you who do not partake Gin is a clear liquor whose flavor profile is heavily influenced by the botanicals infused during the liquor production. Juniper is the one botanical used but a number of others can/are added as well. For example, Tanqueray 10 has eight different botanicals added: juniper, coriander, licorice, angelica root, chamomile flowers and three kinds of fresh, whole citrus. Every brand of Gin will taste differently due to the differing variety (and relative amounts) of botanicals added.

Which brings us to today’s beer: Lawson’s Saison Aged in Barr Hill Tom Cat Gin Barrels.

Since I am a fan of Gin I have high hopes for this beer but:

· Will the flavors of the base beer (Saison) marry well with the flavor notes imparted by the Barr Hill Gin barrel?

· Is Barr Hill Tom Cat Gin a tasty Gin (I have never had it)?

Below is a short description of this beer from the Lawson’s website:

“After months of anticipation, this magical process has mingled the classic aroma esters of a strong Belgian Saison (inspired by “Avec Les Bon Voeux”) with the earthy and herbal notes of Tom Cat Gin.”

There is also an interesting video available on the website:

https://www.lawsonsfinest.com/lawsons-finest-x-barr-hill/

Who doesn’t like magical!?!



Served in my Tripel Karmeliet tulip glass:

Appearance

A deep golden – amber color with an off-white head.

Aroma

An enticing combination of aromas: some vanilla, some spiciness, some fruitiness, some citrus, some…

Taste:

The flavor follows the nose with all of the above flavors matching the aromas. There is a hint of sweetness.

Mouthfeel

Medium body with an off-dry finish.

Overall

This beer is very good. Nothing in this beer specifically says “Gin” to me but the barrel aging definitely added complexity to this beer.

Cheers!

@rotsaruch @RobH

 

I was writing up my beer review in preparation of starting the thread when @SawDog505 (and @Roy_Hobbs) beat me to it. Thanks for getting things started, guys.
My daughter and grandkids have lived here for the past week. My wife and I are so happy they are here. The grandkids have been here most every day to swim in the pool. The more I'm with them, the more I'm enjoying their company. They're actually pretty cool kids! We've revived something I did as a kid: Sunday dinner at the grandparents.
My new beer for today is This Bock Is Your Bock, This Bock is Maibock, brewed by Ex Novo Brewing in Corrales, NM. The more beers I drink from this brewery, the more I am liking them.

A clear gold color. Small white, rapidly disappearing head.
Aroma of sweet malt and floral hops.
Taste of light toast, late hop bitterness.
Medium-bodied, easy to drink.

 

Thanks for kicking things off @SawDog505 ! Beautiful morning outside, taking a stop to try my final new to me gift beer on hand from my brother from my favorite Wisconsin Brewery.

3 Sheeps Offshore



Can Notes: 12 oz canned 3/8/22, gift from my brother, refrigerated by him and I.7.2% ABV, Featuring Cashmere, Simcoe & Centennial Hops. West Coast-Style IPA, brewed and canned by 3 Sheeps Brewing in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.

Appearance: Multiple pours into a 12 oz skinny nonic glass. Clean clear golden tan base, mild carbonation, large bright creamy full white head leaves ample lacing throughout. 4.5

Aroma: Mild hoppy aroma, pine, grassy and floral, getting a sweeter malt build typical of Midwest IPAs. May have faded over the 3 months since canning. 3.75

Taste: Consistent with the aroma, though more bitter than nose perceived. Bitter pine and citrus lead, light grassy floral backing. 3.75

Mouthfeel: Alcohol stronger than anticipated and blunts out some of the flavor. Dry and bitter, mild carbonation felt, resinous, malt sweetness present and counters but does not balance out, consistent with a WCIPA offering. 3.5

Overall: Consistent with WCIPA style, though the alcohol tastes apart / separated from the taste profile. WCIPAish, heavier malt caramel sweetness shifts this to a typical midwest take. Overall, good offering, will buy next time I see this fresh in the wild, and adjust scores and notes as warranted. 3.75

On the fence about tomorrow's choice, either a cellar pull or perhaps a single purchased later today. Cheers!

 

Thanks for the treatise on gin.

 

No apologies necessary Tim.

 

Really excited to find and try this finally.

Trappistes Rochefort Triple Extra...that just does not roll of the tongue ha. 8.1% ABV. A Belgian Tripel of coarse.



Pours a beautiful, light hazy straw yellow color. A pillowy white head forms and rises to over two fingers. Retention and lacing for days. This is a looker.
Aroma is baked bread and yeast up front and center. Doughy, and like that first whiff while walking into a bakery. Strong malt and yeast presents, without a lot of that peppery spice, flora character I love with the style, though still there just in the background.
Taste wise, again, all that malt and yeast is the show. Baked bread, some honey like sweetness. Some apple and pear, which gives this a bit of tartness (are those some esters I detect?). Some earthy hops. Again not a ton of that peppery/floral spicy character, but that is very subtle in the background. Still the malt/yeast interplay here is really well done.
A full, and velvety body. Certainly plenty of carbonation, but leaves an overall softer impression. Which just makes this all the more silky smooth. Really easy to sip and drink. Very much moreish, and makes me want to savor this.

Of coarse this is really well done. Glad I was finally able to find a bottle near me. Maybe I just have a bias for Trappist breweries, but I can't get enough of this, and will be looking for more soon.

Overall score is 4.23, its an A for me.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/207/510204/?ba=champ103#lists

 

If you enjoy history, on the Discovery Channel there is a Moonshiners spin-off called Moonshiners: American Spirits and they did an episode on producing a reconstruction of an Al Capone bathtub gin. It was quite interesting (for me).

Cheers!

 

Hey what's going on?!

Working for the weekend, and getting in my fill. Real nice day, but the wind is a bit high.

Things could be worse..

However, I have a good fridge. However, after consuming many new tasty brews from my locals, I am getting a little low. Still there are many new things to try.

What's new for our hero today? Why one of my favorite styles with a twist.



Poured from the can into a stange glass.

Dark lemon, with maybe a bit of haze coming though, and some really microscopic fine carbonation. Quite a fluffy and bright white head, IPA like somewhat but more soapy. Big retention with an easy three to four controlled fingers in height, and some decent lacing.

Clean and fruity aroma, and more hinting towards orange and grapefruit zest and oils slightly. Faint touches of herbal spicy notes, and a mild bakery notes on the malt side just squeeking out as well.

Palate manages a simple romp. Slightly juiced but with a cleaner malt and lighter flavor and texture. Mid palate hints citrus to tropical with a nice classic spicy hop herbal in the mix. There's a nice interplay in classic and untraditional new hop flavor which is a good contrast. Finishes clean with more of a hint of citrus oil bitterness and zest than classic Kolsch character.

Decent tasting Kolsch with a twist on the style.

4 Across the board overall

Cheers!

 

I'll look it up!

 

I have a trifecta of local lagers, plus maybe a few more beers to honor this 100th NBW. I’ll be back later today, I swear weekends are busier than weekdays for us nowadays. I didn’t know that was possible.

I love when I pour a looker @champ103 appearance is underrated I think. It’s the first “taste” of the beer.

 

Your experience with this beer is just like mine with a local hefe last week. Specifically this line…

I had my last of the four pack yesterday and liked it even more. I knew it was a hefe but with an extra newness to it. The tettnang hops were noticeable on the finish but welcome, well balanced and it give it a more refreshing note that was nice.

 

Moving right along with my second new beer this afternoon Always enjoy new beers from this brewery.

Maine Beer Company Little Whaleboat IPA. 6.5% ABV



Pours with just a touch of haze, that clears up after a bit. A straw yellow color, with a rocky white head that forms. Good retention and lace left behind.
Aroma is lemon and citrus pith up front for me, with pine resin. A light grainy, malty aroma as well. Simple, and to the point.
Taste wise, lemon and citrus pith again. Maybe a touch of pineapple rounds out the fruity hoppy flavors, with a touch of pine resin. Enough of a malty grainy flavor for balance, and a lingering bitterness which I like.
A medium body with good crisp carbonation. This becomes smooth, clean, and finishes wonderfully dry as well. Certainly easy to drink as well.

I do like the clean simplicity here, even if it doesn't get to the heights of their other IPA's which I think I enjoy a bit better. No bother, once again, another classic and enjoyable IPA from this brewery.

Overall scroe is 3.84, B+ for me.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/20681/576820/?ba=champ103#lists

 

Up next is another beer courtesy of @adrock314. This one is Geestelijke, a Farmhouse Fermented Ale, aged on Lees.

Pours a fizzy, translucent amber with a decent amount of short-lived, white head. Plenty effervescent in the glass, with the carbonation resulting in an omnipresent ring. Aroma is very musty with some general barnyard funk, but overall, not the best smelling beer.

Taste is......interesting. The musty, barnyard funk is there from the nose, but it's playing second fiddle to a strong yeast flavor. I can't describe this beer, and don't know what to make of this, if I'm being honest. I often wish I had more advanced beer reviewing skills, and this is one of those occasions. I can't fully describe what I'm experiencing. Very different flavor than a typical farmhouse ale. Glad I got to try something so unique.