New Beer Weekend #102

The veil crucial taunt. Awesome hazy dipa. Nice head retention and spotty soapy lacing. Aromas and flavors of big red grapefruit, tangerine, peach, pineapple, passionfruit, mango, melon, gooseberry, citrus peel/rind, wood, peppercorn, pine, wheat, cracker, toast, herbal, floral, grass, yeast earthiness. Medium pine/rind bitter finish. Medium carb and med plus body. Balanced bready/grainy malts and sticky/resinous hop mouthfeel. Long resinous drying finish with minimal hop astringency. Mild increasing warmth of 8%. Maybe a bit of lingering hop burn. Fantastic Citra showcase. Tasted just as expected, a great house dipa. Very vibrant and dank hop profile and pretty aggressive on resins. 4.1


Cheers

 

I purchased this beer not knowing it was being released. I follow Central Waters Brewing on all forms of social media, so this was a pleasant surprise. I really like the original version of this beer. This is a true pastry stout. Raspberry Kringle Stout. I live one block away from the bakery that produces the best kringle in North America. Please google that for reference. Lifted before the sun, the color is a purple-red dark wine/black color. A light brown foam provides a cover. The smell is raspberry, pecan, coffee, chocolate, frosting, and powdered donuts. Many beers are given an arbitrary smell rating in line with their flavor. This beer truly smells incredible. I want a candle of this. The taste (nervous anticipation) is not too sweet, as I expected. Raspberry for sure, then pecan, buttery pie crust, chocolate, decaf coffee, brown sugar, bourbon, and I dedect, a whisper of cinnamon. Delicious! The mouthfeel is smooth, oily, luscious, with medium carbonation. In line with the rest of the Brewer's Reserve series. Overall, this is a pastry stout. The definition of a pastry stout. My favorite pastry stout.

 

Hey. While still in Richmond you need to check out The Answer. Brewpub adjacent to fantastic Vietnamese restaurant. Also, Triple Crossing brewpub and of course, Hardywood. Stone has a location down there too, I think still extant. And a great bottle shop, Corks and Kegs. There's also a Total Wine, to top things off. RVA is up there with San Diego, Philly, etc., etc. A beer fantasia.

 

Another busy day for the phisher clan, tomorrow is a big day for us. We live on Main St so every year our street gets closed 4th of July for parade. Lots of friends and family come over and it is complete chaos in the greatest way possible, been busy getting things ready for everyone. Now for beer talk...

Tonewood's original brewery remains open and it has become the focus of mixed ferm stuff; which they always dabbled in but now can really focus on in one place while they continue the clean beers at the new place. This was the first can from "tonewood mixed fermentation project'", I added the brewery notes cause it is very interesting to read, all the malt is locally grown right here in south jersey...

Mae was built upon a thoughtful blend of Pilsner malt, raw wheat, and malted red wheat from our forever friends at Rabbit Hill Malthouse and traditionally spiced with crushed coriander seed and the zest & juice of a variety of orange-colored citrus (navel orange, tangerine, clementines to start…). Mae was co-fermented with a beautiful wit yeast and Brettanomyces, packaged in cans and laid to rest for a few months until she started singin’. Beautifully effervescent, aromatic and zippy with notes of pineapple (thank you brett!), orange flavored hard candies, underripe peach, all with an underlying coriander subtleness.

Tonewood - Mae (can conditioned 5% brett witbier)



And again some nice detail on the label…



This is a beautiful looking beer that looks the part, nice light and pale in color with some shades of yellow. Vigorous carbonation that builds quickly into a huge white mountain. Splotches of lacing left behind and a substantial little layer of bigger white bubbles persist.

The nose has a nice little lemon zing to, followed by some orange citrus, a little bit of coriander and a little hint of funk.

Taste first shows orange citrus, then some of the coriander shows with a pleasant unique minerality, it has a very refreshing something to it: almost tropical like in nature.

Super refreshing beer to drink; light in body, carbonation comes alive as soon as it hits the tongue, there is almost like slight little hint of acidity as well.

This beer is so freaking cool; I love the format of 16 oz instead of a 750 ml which I feel most breweries sell this stuff in, I love that it is a witbier yet unique with a slight twist; you get witbier but you also get a wild little vibe to it. It is incredible drinkable and refreshing and it is right in my happy spot for ABV. Such an awesome little beer; it reminds me of something Allagash would do but this was done down the street by my favorite brewery. What a time to be a beer nerd.

They released a second mixed ferm can conditioned beer too but I didn't grab it yet, considering my experience with this one I will 100% try the other one if it is still around next week.

I usually don't take advantage of the three day NBWs but tomorrow I will 100% try too, I hope to see some of you join as well. Cheers everyone, this is always such a fun part of my weekend.

 

Beautiful, I think I may try and get into my morning bean before company arrives tomorrow.

 

Beautiful day here, just a bit of residual humidity. I like this part of gardening where it's mostly minor maintenance. The grandson and I did some light weeding and tied up the cherry tomatoes that are bent on reaching 8 feet tall, evidently. Found the third leak in the swimspa piping - no clue how to fix this one, so sent pictures to my parts company...

In the glass tonight after grilled fresh swordfish:



Schilling Modernism, a Czech-style dark lager. Don't know anything about it, so let's dive in.

Pours a clear cola color with reddish tinting. Beautiful light tan, fairly dense head that falls to a nice layer of foam. Very nice looking brew.

Very inviting smell. Lightly roasted malts, a hint of molasses sweetness, a little bit of chocolate, maybe a touch of dark fruit. Straightforward aroma that begs to be tasted.

Yummy. Sorry to go all scientific, but it is a tasty beer. Sweet and toasty initially. A bit of biscuit comes in for a visit, then a very mild coffee note. Chocolate rolls in briefly at the end. Maybe a hint of dark sweet cherry. The hops are a little earthy and ever so slightly spicy. The roast is at that pleasant level with just a little bit of char. Good bitterness on the finish.

Light bodied, feels soft, a bit of foamy cream from the lingering head, moderately carbonated. Spiciness does accumulate a little - a black pepper vibe.

This is a pleasant beer that's a great drinker. It's nicely balanced with a pleasant level of roast, more than adequate malt presence, and nicely hopped. I'm liking this a lot and wish I had found more than one. This brewery is becoming a favorite and on the short list for a weekend beerventure. I even love the simple, straightforward label that tells me everything I need to know. Right around 4 on this one, kids. Straightforward and tasty.

@JackHorzempa

 

Yea definitely a beer mecca out here. Too much to see on one visit. I kind of wanted to see stone first, but answer is up on top for must see along with plenty others. I did notice the Vietnamese food mentioned in their website. I never knew how big the beer scene was here until I saw it for myself. I will be back multiple times. Cheers.

 

And there's even more than we cited. On a side note, Joey's Hot Dogs, in Glen Allen. Maybe 15 minute ride from The Answer, straight up Broad Street. Best chili dogs in the US of A, bar none. And to qoute Jack Woltz, from the Godfather: "...and I've had em all over the world".

 

These apps are fucking insane at wood and iron. Philly cheese steak spring rolls are literally one of the best things I've tasted. I could drink the queso. Pepperoni cheese rolls were top tier as well with marinara.


Untappd milestone for uniques after the veil lol.


Alewerks tavern brown. Very good American brown. Weak aromas with mostly fruity/yeasty esters. Flavors of caramel, brown sugar, brown bread/crust, toast, cocoa, coffee, nuts, wood, pepper, pine, herbal, grass, light smoke/char and yeast earthiness. Med hop/char bitter finish. Medium carb and body. Balanced bready/grainy malt, chalky roast, and sticky/resin hop mouthfeel. Long resin/char drying finish with mild acrid/astringency. Well made for the style. A little too bitter, drying, and yeasty, but otherwise very enjoyable. 3.83


Amazing California bacon burger with guacamole. Same with the fries. Burgers and pizza are my true vices. Not so much beer anymore lol


Cheers

 

At first glance I wasn't sure about this one but it's light and fantastic. Very session-like. Cheers!
Rhinegeist Vision West Coast Pale Ale 5.5% ABV
3.93/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
by LesDewitt4beer from Minnesota
12oz can pkgd 5/12/22 into a pint glass.
L: Pours straw pale medium neon yellow w/a 1" soapy white head, decent retention, med-low carbonation, sticky lacing w/light banding.
S: Lightly floral, lime, grapefruit, light malts/grains.
T: Citrus, lemon zest, very light caramelized malts, grapefruit, a whisper of bread. Clean, gently zesty & floral tasting. Well balanced.
F: Stern, clean then soft, light bodied mouthfeel w/a fast, lightly drying finish.
O: A very quenching and easy drinking Pale Ale that is overall light, clean and zesty. Actually a fantastic session ale. It is excellent in it's style.

 

Cheers cheers all,
I've been sitting on this one for a little while, no particular reason, just wasn't ever the one that I grabbed.
Metier Brewing is amazingly enough the first black-owned brewery in Seattle, and I think they opened fairly recently, though I couldn't track down the specifics on that. I know they've done a bunch of outreach work throughout the city to try and encourage the idea that beer and brewing should be for everyone, work which I think is laudable.

Lily of the Nile is a stout brewed on chicory and done in collaboration with a slightly more established local brewery in Reuben's (with whom they've worked to found Mosaic State Brewers Collective, a foundation through which they've done a lot of the aforementioned outreach/etc).



Pour is a lovely rich dark brown that gives mahogany glints in the corners and in the light. An initial soft espresso-cream head dissipates quicker than I expected leaving just a clump in the middle and eventually nothing. Minimal lacing.

Nose is immediate after cracking the tab. Sweet roasty malts and a very clear impression of molasses. Some sweet spice layers, some more roast, a bit of sweet wood and eventually you could convince me of some faint fudgy chocolate.

Flavour is a really unique take on the approach, with the molasses again taking the first impression and then the chicory comes across and really dictates the flow of things. Initially muted and distinctly woody, it slowly emerges and unfolds, showing layers within it's first impression of almost incense-like woodiness (but not incense), and an almost suggestion of smokiness, but without any actual smoke character... like it seems like it woudl perfectly compliment good smoky BBQ ribs or something. Like a smokehouse, not while it's active, but as you're transferring new fresh wood into the pile on a warm day (but take out the explicit smoke component that lingers around a smokehouse. I'm not explaining myself well, but it's also a hard concept to really describe).
There's a transition point where the focus slides from the chicory characters explored above into the final stages where it almost has that sicklysweet lactose character, but I think that's an illusion as I have no reason to believe lactose was involved in this beer. Transitioning through that into the finish, it returns tot he brown sugar/molasses with deeply roasty bordering on burnt malts, and a dry bitter finish that has elements of bakers chocolate and almost a mild herbaciousness. There's an almost black pepper component in there that's really interesting and I'm not sure of its origins. The finish lasts as dry and bitter.

The body here is medium, and dry, with sharp carbonation.

This is a really interesting and reasonably unique brew to my palate. I enjoy it, even if I ultimately find it more stimulating of my curiosity and intriguing moreso than being one I'd necessarily want to go grab another of. Ultimately, like I said, I dig it.


Hope everyone stays safe this holiday weekend. We're getting some nice extended Junuary rain and overcast leading up to the 4th (which s how it always used to be... the running joke when I was a kid was that summer didn't start, and the skies didn't start to be clear untli July 5th, just after the fireworks show, but, predictable, people around here have been in constant meltdown mode over the fact that it wasn't 80 degrees in like April this year. So many transplants. Hopefully this wetter cooler spring/summer means a less intense fire season this late summer/autumn.).
Cheers!!

 

Rowdy & Dick amber ale from E9

16oz can served in an E9 wineglass. Can is dated 05/06/2022. Got it through a local CSA.

Pours a dark amber color with about an inch of fluffy head that settles into a thick creamy layer. Lots of active carbonation. Smell is nutty, toffee, honey sweetness, a little toasted bread.

Taste is along the same lines - nutty, toffee, honey, toasted bread, but with a mild roasty bitterness that balances nicely.

Mouthfeel is smooth, light, hint of creaminess. Overall, this is a very good amber for my money.

 

Greetings all from the great northwest where we continue to have un-summer-like weather. Rain last night, more precipitation today and temps in the low 70s.

I have Farmstand IPA, infused with mango juice.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/63/605480/

A little sweet and fruity for my taste.

Until next time happy Independence Day

 

Poured into a 16 oz Nordic pint canned 6/24/22. Pours a very hazy and attractive orange with a finger sticky white head that leaves thick streaks of lace with excellent retention. 4.5

Aroma is guava, peach, passionfruit, mandarin, and apricot. 4.5

Taste follows guava, peach, passionfruit, mandarin, and apricot not over the top from the guava and peach purée, but they do highlight the flavor profile. 4.5

Mouthfeel is above average, not sticky or dry, soft gentle carbonation, and at 6.8% it has more flavor than most, but easy going down. 4.5

Overall this is another excellent beer from one of the best in the business. Highly recommend. Cheers all and enjoy your 4th. 4.5

 

Poured into a 16 oz Nordic pint glass canned on 5/31/22. Pours an attractive hazy yellow with a 2 finger sticky white head that leaves thin streaks of lace, with excellent retention. 4

Aroma passionfruit, pineapple, tangerine, apricot, and a hint of grapefruit rind. 4

Taste follows well balanced passionfruit, pineapple, tangerine, apricot, and grapefruit. 4

Mouthfeel is a solid medium, maybe a little dry, fairly soft carbonation, and at 6.5% it drinks bigger. 4

Overall this is rock solid, not sure it is something I would purchase again, but still nice. 4

 

Gonna sneak a new one in before the madness arrives. Main street closed, 5 K ran by, we got 45 minutes of quiet till people start showing up. Time for a new coffee beer, @ovaltine your review had me excited to try this beer...I love coffee and vanilla so this has to be good right.

Kane - Morning Bean



Pours a nice dark dark brown with a really nice dense slowly forming light brown creamy looking head that leaves some lacing. Settles to a substantial ring and some thin islands in the middle.

A very pleasant smelling nose; almost like a coffee vanilla ice cream. What is nice is the substantial and rich coffeeness it has, it is more coffee than dessert.

The taste is as pleasant as the nose suggest; deep rich black coffee that is mellowed up by some vanilla like sweetness. I've never actually had an affogato (espresso over ice cream) but I'm guessing it is reminiscent of this beer. There is a noticeable roastiness to the taste as well that lingers after the sip.

Full bodied beer that drinks very smooth; it has a creamy soft carbonation, there is a subtle sweetness and a roast driven bitterness on the finish.

This is a very well made beer IMO, it is as advertised (coffee and vanilla) and very well balanced and drinkable. The balance between the coffee and vanilla is about perfect if you ask me; the best of both worlds. The lactose rounds it out and gives it a smoothness that is quite nice. I'd venture so say this is one of the most enjoyable coffee beers I've had and I usually do not like coffee in beer.

Happy 4th everyone! I will be busy but I'll catch back with you all later today.

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Main stree only closes once a year so me and the oldest took advantage earlier this morning...

 

Yep, the clear bottles are still norm for Premium. It just wouldn't be the same beer in any other container & that includes the cans they use, (it's not the same in a can) Cheers!

 

Rainy morning here in MN, probably will be a hot and humid one for the fireworks watchers.

Dry Hop'd Zwickl

Appearance: Hazed amber, huge head.

Smell: Slight bread, some citrus.

Taste: Sourdough bread, sweetness/fruitiness like canned fruit cocktail, some citrus in the finish, medium body.

Overall: I was interested to try this collab beer, but it ended up not quite hitting the spot for me. Kind of weird sourdough flavor mixed with odd fruitiness just didn't taste great to me. Interesting to try.

 

This is a stovepipe, I don't know why, but we don't get this in CT and I wanted to try it but didn't want a six pack so I bought the single which was what was available.

Great Divide - Yeti



Looks dark black, jet black, frothy head that lingers, some very nice lacing. It's a little cool still so there's a bit of haze on the glass. Smells of dark chocolate, toasted malt, licorice, syrup/molasses, maybe some BBQ bark.

Taste follows. Very chewy, thick beer. Not overly sweet, finishes dry and bitter. Actually reminiscent of Storm King. Maybe it's cascade? Anyway, nice easy drinking, bitter option. Good beer. Easily worth the price of admission.