New Beer Weekend #106

Good morning BAs! Thanks, @WunderLlama, for starting this weekend's thread.

To dive right in for a rare (for me) Saturday NBW post:




Pineapple Resin from Sixpoint Brewery. Purchased at Franklin Beer, Franklin, PA, 27/07/22 for $ 3.50 (Including tax)/16 oz can, $ 0.219/oz. In reefer at store, stored at 37 degrees at home. Reviewed 30/07/22. Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
Stamped on bottom of can “BEST BY SEP 07 22”. Served at 43.3 degrees in a hand washed and dried Jester King Snifter. Final temperature 51.6 degrees.
Appearance – 3.75.
First pour – Straw (SRM 3), clear.
Body – Straw (SRM 3), slight haze. When rear-lite, same.
Head – Large (Maximum 6.5 cm, aggressive center pour), white, frothy with average retention, receding to a ragged two cm cap and crown fed by effervescence. An irregular three-dimensional band of lacing remain as the head contracts.
Lacing – Fair. Parts of degrading high density bands with dripping stalactites hang on the glass. See also above.
Aroma – 4 – Strong aroma of pineapple. No malt, no hops, no yeast. Aroma shifts to more of a cooked pineapple as it breathes.
Flavor – 4/0 – Follows the nose – pineapple and sweet but not cloying. No malt, no yeast. No ethanol (9.1 % ABV as marked on label) aroma or taste. No gastric warming. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl. 4 for the pineapple, 0 for no hint of Resin!
Palate – 3 – Medium, watery but approaching syrupy, soft carbonation.
Final impression and summation: 3.75 To me, Resin always tastes deliciously of conifers – this brew tastes and smells like pineapple (as advertised) but lacks any taste or aroma of Resin (Not as implied by the name). Overall, not a bad Impy IPA but calling it “Pineapple Resin” seems erroneous – “Pineapple IPA” would be a better nomenclature.
Rating 3.84, rDev -3.8%

 

Thank you @WunderLlama for your wonderful open!

Come near the end of clearing my "New Beer" Cellar, have two Jester King Biere de Garde offerings planned for the weekend. They were purchased in May 2020, cellared until December 2021, and then refrigerated until this weekend. Going with the older (by a month) bottle of the two today, and it is ranked #2 here in the style (Biere de Garde). Wish I had @Ozzylizard 's awesome beer and brewery appropriate glass for this one.

Jester King Repose



Bottle Notes: Purchased in May 2020 from Local Option during a COVID clearance sale (either $10 or $12), cellared at the bar and at home until 12/23/21, refrigerated since. 6.5% ABV, 25.4 oz, Blend #2 - July 2017. Farmhouse Ale brewed with hay & refermented in brandy barrels.

Ingredients: Hill Country Well Water, Malted Barley, Hay, Hops, Mixed Culture of Brewers Yeast and Native Yeast and Bacteria.

Notes: Repose was inspired by the dusty, hay-filled barns of Nord de France. We lautered the wort through a bed of hay and boiled it with old hops aged for years in the attic of our horse barn in burlap bags. We then "kept" the beer in Brandy barrels for many months prior to blending. Unfiltered, unpasteurized, and 100% naturally conditioned through refermentation in the bottle.

Speak softly, for even those born of the great wild must rest. Be careful in your observation, and do not be misled by the apparent softness of slumber. When she awakens, emerging at last from her sanctuary of oak, you shall be quickly reminded that she is indeed progeny of the feral earth.

Appearance: Multiple pours into a large tulip glass. Dark brown bronze pour, light bubbly head dissipates near instantly. 3.75

Aroma: Tart cherries lead. After this warms further (about 15 minutes in) the brandy and oak emerge. Blends well, sharp, enticing. 4.0

Taste: Consistent with the aroma. First tastes 15 minutes after pulling from the refrigerator, the tart cherry is the strongest flavor though the brandy has a stool nearby and acts as a peer. Oak strong and adds character. 3.75

Mouthfeel: This 5 1/2 year old bottle is completely flat. Sour and tart, but subdued, body medium to heavy water, a bit of sweetness pokes through. Alcohol barely noticeable at first, is kicking in as expected after a few ounces in. Oak and tartness lingers. 3.5

Overall: Would like a fresher version to note the changes over time. I enjoy the flavors, the flat non carbonation is somewhat impacting my enjoyment. Wouldn't say this version is a top Biere de Garde, but would revisit these notes if I'm fortunate to come across a fresher bottle down the road. 3.75

My Jester King beer tomorrow is a saison. Until then, cheers!

 

I don't currently have any - drop me a beermail with your current address and I'll pick up a couple for you when I'm in TX in Nov!

 

An ‘homage’ to Pliny the Elder?

The new beer today is Tired Hands Static Image West Coast IPA which is interesting in a couple of ways:

The first interesting thing is that Tired Hands is most well known for their Juicy/Hazy beers but for Static Image they went ‘old school’ and decided to produce a ‘regular’ IPA instead (I suppose the new terminology is “West Coast IPA” as the label states).

The second interesting thing is that my good friend who gifted me this beer stated it tasted like Pliny the Elder. Since Pliny the Elder was first brewed in 2000 that is also an ‘indicator’ of ‘old school’.

I regularly homebrew my version of Pliny the Elder (a batch every year for the past few years) so I am fairly well versed on this beer. I homebrew my batch based upon the recipe that Vinnie Cilurzo published for the beer and the hops I use are: Columbus, Simcoe, Centennial, and Amarillo.

Below is what Tired Hands lists on their website for their beer (with some emphasis in bold by me):

“Static Image

A revised nostalgic embrace from the beers that made us fall in love with hops in the first place. Brewed with an uncomplicated grist of American 2 Row barley and German Vienna malt, and hopped quite generously in the kettle with Columbus, Mosaic, Amarillo, Cascade, and Simcoe. Fermented with a classic American ale yeast, and walloped with two back-to-back Citra/Amarillo/Columbus/Cascade dry hop additions. -Notes of pink grapefruit, fir needles, candied orange, unripe peach, and citrus flower. 7.5%”

So, a little bit of difference there both from a malt perspective (i.e., using some Vienna Malt) and a difference in hop selection which is highlighted via bolding above. From my perspective Cascade could be viewed as a substitution for Centennial, Mosaic is added the to mix for kettle hoping, and they substituted Citra for Simcoe in the dry hop additions(s).

But despite these tweaks, will this beer taste similar to Pliny the Elder?

To quote the wise owl, let’s find out:

Served in my Spiegelau IPA glass:

Appearance:

Golden colored with a BIG fluffy white head.

Aroma:

A very vibrant aroma of hops. It is mostly citrus but there is some tropical fruitiness and even a very tiny hint of floral.

Taste:

The flavor follows the nose with citrus being the most dominant flavor for my palate but some tropical fruitiness as well. As the beer opens up there are some subtle flavors of onion/garlic. There is a notable bitterness.

Mouthfeel:

Medium bodied with a dry finish.

Overall:

I think this beer is very good - excellent. Tired Hands did a good job brewing this non-Juicy/Hazy IPA.

I wish that packaged (bottled) Pliny the Elder was available in my area so I could have conducted a side-by-side tasting here.

Cheers!

@rotsaruch @RobH

 

Happy NBW! Going with a WCIPA this weekend.

Alesmith/Revision Split Aces

Appearance: Clear gold, big head.

Smell: Mild citrus.

Taste: Mild sweetness, then a mix of slight cherry, mild citrus, and breadiness. Light to medium body, finishes somewhat dry.

Overall: Saw this on the forums and people seemed to be enthusiastic so I picked up a single. It's interesting, not super bitter or super dry, kind of a weird cherry note to it. Usually cherry to my palate is alcohol, but this isn't super strong. Solid and tasty enough, worth a try.

 

Hello NBW-ers. I have a new Irish Red Ale to add. "Stunt Plain' Red Rye Ale by Bravo Brewing Company of scenic Pascoag Rhode Island. The rye is subtle, and the beer overall is true to the Irish Red style. Cheers.


3.94/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A 12-oz. pour at the brewery. Dark beige soapy head with long retention and blotches of lacing. Clear reddish amber color with ruby highlights.

A balance of caramel and toasted barley malt greets the nose with faint grassy and herbal hops.

Neutral taste with moderate bitterness, roasted character now leeds the malt taste, likely from the addition of rye to the malt bill. Hop flavor is more pronounced with some of the bitterness coming from the roasted malt. A hint of baked apples and pears arrives late as bitterness rises to above average, the hint of fruit sweetness is quashed by a drying finish. Roasted malt and hop bitterness lingers briefly.

Medium body with lasting carbonation, smooth and balanced. Alcohol is hard to detect. True to style and easy going down.

 

I've been semi-avoiding Tired Hands lately due to Jean's childishness, but I'll have to say, this has me intrigued.

 

In my hotel room in Little Rock, killing time before I get back on the road. Heading up to Southern Illinois to see the family, we got a lake house. So stopped in Little Rock last night. Had a few new beers at Fassler Hall.

First up is Off The Beaten Path, from Gotahold Brewing. A Munich Dunkel at 5.5% ABV.



Pours a dark ruby brown color. A beige head rises to two fingers. Good retention and lace left behind.
Aroma of caramel malts, baked bread. Cereal grains and toasted malts. A simple and enjoyable malty aroma.
Taste wise, a buttery caramel/toffee flavor. Not overly sweet. Baked/toasted bread and grains. A touch of diacetyl, but doesn't get in the way of my enjoyment.
A medium body with good carbonation. Crisp, and finishes smooth. Very easy to drink. I could come back to this easily.

A good example of a Munich Dunkel. I think I'm getting just a touch to much diacetyl for my preference. Though, even that doesn't detract all that much. Enjoyable, and glad I came across this.

Overall score is 3.74, boarding on B+
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/59462/615079/?ba=champ103#lists

Pretzels and beer cheese go well with this


Next is Peregrine Pale Ale, from Flyway Brewing, in North Little Rock. 5.4% ABV, Pale Ale.


Pours with a little haze. A golden/yellow color. A dense white head forms, and recedes after a minute. Lace is left behind.
The aroma is very fresh. Bright citrus and peach. A light peppery spice, and pale malts. Simple, but it all works so well together.
Taste wise follows the nose. All the fresh and bright citrus hoppy flavors are there. Pale malts, that are cracker like. A bit of peppery spice and lingering bitterness.
A medium body with crisp carbonation. That finishes smooth, clean, and dry as well. Really easy to drink. I can come back to this with ease.

A really nice Pale Ale. That is straight forward, and simple. Though less is more, as I can drink this all day. What a pale ale should be.

Overall score is 4.14, an easy A-
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/45706/339098/?ba=champ103#lists

Walked by an old church downtown, always love the old architecture.

 

Another brewery that baled on Arkansas, bummer

 

NBW (bonus vacation edition)...long but hopefully fun post...

We just got back from our yearly vacation up to Vermont, we have been going each summer for 9 years now. On that first trip the first beer I ever had in Vermont wasn't the well known "best beer in the world" that most people may guess. I drank a Switchback Ale out of a clear plastic cup at a pizza place in the empty town of Ludlow, I still remember it perfectly. Well, I've only revisited that beer a handful of times, never reviewed, and haven't had in at least 3 years.

I thought it would be fun too do this, so on the last night we were there, Thursday, I bought a single and thoroughly enjoyed drinking it and reviewing it. I'm not sure I know anyone who thinks "switchback" when they hear Vermont beer so I wanted to share this cool beer with my favorite group of beer loving people. I only bought a single for this sole purpose...

Switchback Ale (5%)



Cloudy light amber in color, pretty nice quick to form head builds; off white in color. Really nice little thick cap of that same head remains for most of the session.

A neat fruity ester smell comes off this beer from the yeast. Some very lightly toasted bready notes, grain husk, some earthy hops linger in the background.

Taste leans into the lightly toasted note; with some grain and nuttiness…hops are still earthy but they almost show a little bit of black pepper like spice as well. The fruity yeast note is still there but it is not as noticeable as in the aroma.

This beer has a great mouthfeel; just verging on medium body. The bottle conditioning is evident and contributes substantially to this beer. It almost has the liveliness of some of this Belgian one but it cuts itself off and becomes almost creamy; very unique sensation. The beer finishes dry with a low end of moderate bitterness.

This is an incredibly unique beer and there is no other beer I have had that tastes like it. It’s like a semi hoppy red ale with aspects of aspects of a hefeweizen, mainly in the body and feel yet not quite as fluffy, and fruity yeastiness except it’s no banana.

This beer is such a pleasure to dissect and drink; a beer lovers dream.

I didn’t look at this till the end of writing this review but it is 100% my experience with this beer…kind of wild.



I love the concept of them creating this beer as a "flavor concept" in a way I think this beer is maybe the alter ego to heady topper. Both are so unique, balanced, drinkable, and stand alone as 100% unique beers that are still being made today

Maybe these beers were both created in the same spirit, from the same state the allowed the greatest band of all time to be formed...

-----------

Some go to Vermont for the beer, I go for the Maple I dream about these all year long, maple creemees (aka soft serve), just one goofy snapshot of me living the dream....



Be back later today with some new singles I brought back from vacation, a lot of Schilling singles, a few new brewery to me Notch singles, and a few VT singles too; all coming over the next few weekends.

@ichorNet I can't believe I found a single of the green empire magic brownies beer you posted a bout a while back, that review stuck with me and I can't wait to give it a try eventually.

 

A good-looking crew enjoying their ice cream!

 

Hey what's going on?!

I am actually gonna have a bunch of friends over later, and I got kabobs for the grill to go. Can't wait it's gonna be busy so just getting a new beer in before hand.

Strangely I don't have much new but that's alright.

Here's the latest



Poured from the can into a tulip glass.

Sudsy on the pour with a pale gold and opaque looking body. Lots of active fast rising carbonation, to a faint off white head that dissolves in cola sounding snapping bubbles to a very thin pencil collar. Hints also green slightly which is kind of neat.

The aroma even off the pour is bold and noticeable. Big amounts of sour and zesty lime that hits quickly. Spritzy and large amounts of bitter citrus oil, and even a nice cake like sweet dough that hints underneath on the nose. Very nice, even with what seems like a large hint of acidity.

Palate is a good sour refresher for once. Minimal sensing sweetness, a faint touch of graham cracker crust, but a real bold lime zest and fruit punch that hits wildly. Not as big or rich expecting mouthfeel, but not a wet watery mess either. Faint touches of vanilla and pie crust on the finish, with almost creamy sensing lime and cake density.

Pretty much got this in real nicely. This is definitely more sour than sweet too with just a hint of sugar and pie like tones, which is what I prefer in these beers.

look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25 | Final: 4.21

Cheers!

 

Thank you, @WunderLlama, for getting this thread started.
I feel like I am back working again. My oldest daughter has Covid, but is recovering nicely. My second daughter broke her hip three weeks ago. She is also recovering well. My BIL was hospitalized with a kidney stone last week. He needed a stent put in, and he too is doing well.
A cooler day in the forecast, with temps in the 90s. I think we'll head downtown for the Farmer's Market and have some lunch. First, though, I'm having a new beer. This is Mountain Time from New Belgium Brewing, part of a mixed 12 pack.
A clear gold color. Small white head.
Sweet malt aroma, hint of hops.
Sweet corn taste, late kiss of hops.
Crisp, goes down easily.

 

Yikes, when it rains it pours I guess…that is a lot of medical notes there and it is good to know everyone seems to be doing well.

 

Thank you for reviewing Switchback.

Normally I don't like trying new & completely unknown beers, but several months ago the owner of the beer store I frequent recommended Switchback & I bought a 6 pack. I was really taken back & amazed at how good the beer was, but had trouble figuring out the style & flavor profile.

Your description of the beer being unique & no other beer tastes like it was spot on. Also your comment of it being right on the edge of a Belgium style & then backing off was perfectly described.

You really hit the mark on your review of that different, but delicious beer, (more folks need to give this beer try). I will definitely purchase more Switchback! Thanks/cheers!

 

Good morning weekend BAs! My breakfast juice is “Fortunate Islands” a tropical pale ale from Modern Times:



One finger of rocky white foam domes deep gold liquid with very good clarity; excellent cap retention; medium heavy lacing; solid ring; streaming carbonation. Nose is lemon and lychee. Entry is light bitter lemon peel, followed by lychee, mild grapefruit and semi sweet passion fruit; firm malt base. Light body; semi crisp feel; moderate minus carbonation; no astringency. Overall an enjoyable pale ale; good balance between bitter hops and clean light malt; tasty light bitter citrus linger. I could drink this often.

4.75 | 4.25 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5
Score: 4.46 rDev +9.3%

Cheers and Aloha y’all!

 

Good afternoon NBW
I hit four beer stores looking for a potential "milkshake IPA" tick. I found one branded as such, but was unwilling to purchase a four pack. After the style shake out, I am back to being three styles short with the pale and amber Czech beers missing as well.

None of that worked out, so I bought a four pack of Helles

Maplewood Tiger Mountain Helles Lager

16oz can stamped 05/23/22 (about 2 months old) poured into a perfect pint, no ABV listed on label. The beer pours between mostly bright and hefe-hazy, light gold in color with nearly white head. The head recedes to a thin ring and single layer of bubbles. Slight lacing. The aroma is mild with clean yeast and soft pils malt. The taste is more pils malt and earthy, noble hop flavor with a notable mineral quality front to back. It offers slightly higher than average bitterness for a Helles. The mouthfeel is thin to medium bodied with average carbonation and a mostly dry finish. Absolutely no diacetyl. Overall, lovely beer. I detracted some points for lack of clarity and bitterness, as neither are a trait of the style listed on the label.

I'm out for today. Mrs. Jkblr and I are attending a wedding this evening where Mrs. Jkblr will be the only person I know. Can't wait !

Cheers all!

 

Thanks for the kind words @barrybeerdog, I couldn't agree more with your comment above. In our IPA/hop filled world beers like this get the short end of the stick with reviews/ratings on here.

Does Swtichback distribute to South Dakota?