New Beer Weekend #112

Mrs O, Ranger, and I are at the lake, which isn’t far from Ft Wayne, so a couple of beers from that fine city are in order. First up, a nice old school IPA.





3.71/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours a slightly hazy amber color with an oatmeal colored head that provides ample lacing. The nose is led by a significant caramalt aroma with a bit of fruity hops.

The hops are more pronounced on the taste, with a bit of tangerine and some floral hop flavors as well, with the caramalt at the back of the palate for a nice, balanced IPA with a medium mouthfeel that could use some more bitterness to improve the flavor profile, IMHO.

This is a nice “sit at the bar and pound a couple of pints after work” kind of beer that I always appreciate.

PS: Ranger thinks he’s the captain of a pirate ship. Who am I to argue with a doggo as smart as he is?

 

Greeting NBW family, my favorite beer loving people in the world. Our stay away from home continues this week but I’m hoping this is our last weekend here so we can finally get back in our home. But…this beer was brought to me by the world’s greatest mother in law back from her Maine trip. I requested this and dinner, which I drank last week.

Here we go…

Maine Beer - Black Barn Program No. 36



Pours a beautiful and absolutely crystal clear copper; big hefty and very cohesive and dense light brown head. A nice thick cap just linger and lingers, substantial lacing.

Nose is malt forward; showing toffee, slightly toasted rustic bread, and earthy woodsy hops.

Tastes mirrors nose, without the toffee, with heavy rustic bread vibe the toastiness shows a bit more and even gives off some nut and grain, followed by black tea and earthy hops and some subtle darker fruity vibe from the yeast.

Light but close to medium body with a full hearty feel, the carbonation is very present but creamy and smooth, there is low but noticeable bitter finish that lingers on a clean and dry finish. Super easy to drink.

This beer is very enjoyable, it’s best part is how well balanced all the flavors are and how drinkable it is. It also retains a decent head and continues to lace the whole glass. A wonderful altbier.

@rocdoc1

 

Two happy campers right there

 

Hey, NBWers,

Last week I drank a LOT of new beers. Last Sunday I was at the 2nd annual Among The Pines Festival. Held at Precious Things Fermentation Project, pretty much my favorite nanobrewery on earth, 22 breweries, all local, served beer. Each brewery set up a station along the trails that are, literally, among the pines at Precious Things. No tokens, once you've bought your ticket, you drink as much beer as you can for 4hrs, and you walk out with a wild ale brewed by Precious Things and YaYa Brewing. As you can guess, proper reviewing and posting wasn't really possible under such conditions. After an Uber ride to the home of my friends Abbie & Avery, who I had attended with, where more beer and some chicken biryani was consumed and a dog was played with, I staggered about 9 blocks down the hill to my place with a pretty good buzz going.

Today, it's a little easier to drink a beer and review it. I hit Zero Avenue, a pale ale from Atwood Farm Brewery, courtesy of @BBThunderbolt.

A little chill-hazed, with a nice fluffy head. Got an odd taste to it, though. Kinda herbal for an American pale ale. At 4.5%, it goes down relatively easy, but doesn't do much else for me.

Perhaps my only new beer for today. Thinking about strolling down to Golden Handle. This weekend is the official Grand Opening of their new digs at the old Steel Barrel, though they've been open on a "soft" basis for two months.

 

A rarity from Foam Brewers!

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/45496/620437/



16 ounce can' s bottom reads:

"Canned on 08/31/22
Crispy Boi"

Moderate to vigorous pour yields a 3/4 inch white head over a very bright, almost clear body with minimal lacing.

Nose of biscuit, light malt and lighter hops.

Taste of dry toast with a finish of slight hop bitterness.

Fairly nice, light to medium mouthfeel.

Overall, a real nice, low (4.2%) abv, crispy summer quencher.

Cheers!

 

Man, what a beautiful brewery I just looked it up and found all the pictures I could. Do they close up during winter? I imagine if they don’t then that is one cozy spot to have a beer when it’s nice and cold out.

 

True dat!

 

Depends on the extremity of the weather. There's definitely fewer seats available in the winter time, though, unless someone is willing to sit out in the cold.

 

#2, it’s Marzen time, baby.





3.96/5 rDev +18.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Beautiful copper color with a sudsy light tan head, this has that quintessential Marzen look, IMHO. The nose features a nice toffee aroma and a bit of grassy hops and some bread. Very nice.

The toffee is forward on the taste and is deliciously complemented by the grassy hop flavors that impart a bit of bitterness. The crisp mouthfeel just adds to the enjoyment factor this beer proudly carries.

I’m a sucker for a good Marzen in the late summer timeframe, and this one works well for me.

 

Good evening BAs! Thanks @beergoot for starting today's NBW thread!

Well troops, another cool, foggy start to the day finally gave in to a cool, sunny afternoon. The groundhog finally showed up around 1130 and two of my neighbors mowed their yards. Not me though, it's not deep enough yet. Maybe tomorrow to suck up the apple leaves. Today's New Breakfast Beer:



Dragon’s Milk Reserve 2021 Reserve 2 from New Holland Brewing. Picked up at Shangy’s, Emmaus, PA. $ 4.80 (Including tax)/12 oz bottle ($ 0.40/oz) on 18/09/21. On room temperature shelf at store, stored at 37 degrees at home. Reviewed 10/09/22. Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
Date on shoulder too blurred to read, but on label “2021 Reserve 2”. Served at 54.3 degrees in a hand washed and dried Jester King Snifter. Final temperature 60.4 degrees.
Appearance – 4.
First pour – Deep Amber (SRM 15), clear.
Body – Brown (SRM 20), opaque. When rear-lite, same but translucent khaki at the edges. Loose sediment in bottom of bottle.
Head – Average (Maximum 2.3 cm, aggressive center pour), dun, high-density, average retention, diminishing to a 0.4 to 0.7 cm crown fed by effervescence.
Lacing – Good. Wide, tight band of nearly microscopic bubbles with the upper edge breaking away to form a bit of torn curtain.
Aroma – 4 – Moderate chocolate malt. No hops, no yeast. As it further warms, vanilla comes through.
Flavor – 4.25 – Begins slightly sweet with fruity chocolate and caramel malt. As it warms, vanilla becomes more evident. No ethanol (12.3 % ABV, as marked on label) aroma or taste. Noticeable gastric warming. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl. Not really getting any bourbon or oakiness from the barrels.
Palate – 3.5 – Thin, watery, lightly fizzy carbonation.
Final impression and summation: 4 The thin body almost ruins this stout for me, ‘cause it ain’t very stout at all. However, this is one of the rare vanilla aged brews in which I can actually taste the vanilla and at least imagine the aroma as well. The lacing is surprisingly good for 12.3% ABV – must be a ton of protein remaining. The ethanol burn is weak enough to be enjoyable. At the price point I paid, it’s worth picking up a four-pack or two.
Rating 4.05, rDev -2.9%

Now to go back and catch up on the rest of the thread.

 

I have, and I don't think I ever reviewed it. The inside is a Murican concept of a Bavarian hunting lodge. I wanted to buy some beer to go, but the bar tender couldn't be bothered taking any from the cooler to sell to me. Food was average and overpriced.

 

It's good to be svelte on the veldt!

 

Later start than usual for me, waiting for a pizza to arrive and popped open the first of two new to me brews from one of my favorite breweries, Beachwood, out of Long Beach, California. We were blessed with a Chicago drop early this week!

Beachwood Sole Magic




Can Notes: $16.53 Four Pack purchased from The Beer Temple. 16 oz canned 8/19/22, purchased refrigerated 9/7 and upon reaching home until cracking open tonight. 5.8% ABV, Mosaic and Citra hops. Brewed and canned by Beachwood Brewing, Huntington Beach, CA.

Dig deep and celebrate your inner magic with this soulful West Coast IPA! EmbRACE the hops!

Online Notes: A soulful NEW West-Coast India Pale Ale brewed in collaboration with our friends HOKA to show some love to our growing So Cal running community. Featuring Mosaic and Citra hops this delicious, flavorful IPA is the ultimate post-run brew.

Appearance: Multiple pours into a shaker pint glass. Creamy white head leaves significant cover long after the poour. Crystal clear golden straw colored base, light carbonation after the initial pour burst. Looks Great! 4.5

Aroma: Very strong and enticing pine aroma from the moment I crack the can. Dankness prevails as well, just a classic old school aroma. Getting grapefruit and pineapple from the Mosaic as well, citrus lurks beneath the surface, where it belongs. I'm in for a treat tonight. 4.5

Taste: Tastes as expected, though the dry and bitterness stronger first impression than the taste, which is mostly a dank pine. Taste less complex than the aroma would lead, with the tropical and citrus profile near dormant compared to the flexing pine and dryness. 4.0

Mouthfeel: Very dry, medium plus bitterness, flavors take a back seat. beyond the pine. Water thin in texture and carbonation, Drinks a bit stronger than the ABV, but perhaps I'm a bit hungry and dehydrated to accurately assess. Dryness lingers like a long run. 4.25

Overall: I personally like the strong pine and dank and very dry WCIPA classic profile, but others should take heed and note the very dry and pine nature of this, with all other aspects muted. My score reflects my tastes, a great return to the style I can't find regularly here, and I'm grateful to have this and three more in the refrigeration. May pick up more once I make a little room in my already bursting beer refrigerator. 4.5

Have high expectations for my beer planned for tomorrow, looking forward to my Beachwood weekend from the comfort of my Chicago home.

Cheers!

 

Here's another new-to-me pilsner.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/32906/170785/



16 ounce can.
Canned 081722.

Moderate to vigorous pour yields a one inch white head over very light golden body with lacing.

Nose is light bread and biscuit with a bit of hops.

Taste is slight biscuit and slight bread and more hoppy bitterness than expected.

Nice fairly full mouthfeel; more than adequate.

Overall, quite refreshing and lighter in color than most Bavarian/Czech Pilsners.

Cheers!!

 

Actually, I am more bison-esque these days

 

Good evening, all. Days are getting noticeably shorter, eh? Probably the last harvest of big tomatoes from the garden today, but the cherry varieties are still producing. Finally picked some eggplant and will get those on the grill tomorrow.

What's in the glass, you may ask?



Collaboration between Origin Beer Project and Finback, described as follows on the web site. Labels say 16 punch, but obviously 12 ounce cans. Wonder if they couldn't get 16s when it was ready to can?

"Non-Linear Progression is an English-style Ordinary Bitter at 3.8%. Fermentation and cellar process is where this experience shifts from textbook to forward thinking.

An extended boil with a generous amount of aged hops + primary fermentation & a brief conditioning time in neutral oak nudges this beer into its own category.

Layers of dried apricot, herbaceous tea like aromas and a balanced tannin presence combine in a way we never could have imagined. Extremely drinkable and nicely balanced."

Ok...by what I can gather, it's a mish mosh of processes and techniques. So let's get to it.

Pours nicely enough. Deep gold, very clear. Soapy two inch head that falls to nothing.

The smell comes strong with the oak. Even if it was a brief stay in a barrel, it had a big impact. Malty sweet bread, I'd lean peach versus apricots. A little funky, actually. I do not know the impact of using aged hops, do that a wildcard here. There is a pronounced vegetative aroma - kinda green and earthy.

Taste...holy Mighty Morphin Flavor Rangers, Batman. Each sip strikes a bit different, so stream of consciousness unraveling here. First impression was strong, oaky tannin. Certainly some evidence of the longer boil with some grain bitterness and a slightly cooked, near smoky note. I didn't find my peachy note (or maybe apricot) until the beer warmed and it showed first long into the aftertaste. Once established, the fruit became obvious. There's a decent bitter hit, a very slight sweetness. When it all melds itself back together, the effect puts me in mind of a plain but pretty strong herbal tea - green and herbaceous. I swear I pick up a faint vanilla flavor. The peachricot gets stronger with warmth and repeated sips, very slight peppery spice.

The feel is medium-bodied, slightly slick. Quite astringent. Almost no carbonation.

OK...this one is out there, no doubt. It certainly slightly bends the style description, but it actually hits the descriptors in its own way. Bitter, fruity, malty, hoppy, color, low carbonation - checks or at least tickles the boxes. I dont think the balance is all that remarkeable - the oak seems strong but everything shifts around so maybe its more like a good moving average? I like it and I'm having fun with it so that will skew me up a bit on the score. It's unique as the beer store dude said, but weirdly likeable. I'd say 3.7 or so without considering the like factor. I've only had one other English bitter and it was far from a good example. This beer tastes good to me, but may not be a great example either.

I wonder...as it says in our style description, English bitter is usually served on cask. I wonder if some of the tricks played are an attempt to emulate cask beer flavors. It's flavor developed considerably as it came up to room temp.

 

Smeerolie Coconut Milkshake


4.21/5 rDev +3.2%

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

Poured from a 14.88 ounce can dated 1/21/21 (Batch: 277) into a snifter.

Look- Black, dark brown frothy head, opaque, below average head retention and lacing.

Smell- Coffee, coconut, vanilla, strong strength of scent.

Taste- Coffee, cocoa, vanilla, coconut, sweet.

Feel- Between medium and full body, mild bitterness, below average carbonation, mildly creamy, moderate syrup like feel, moderately mouth coating.

Overall- This beer had a nice mix of bitter and sweet. I expected the body to be thicker than it was based on the name.

 

I was shocked to realize I haven’t had this one before—given that I’ll drink anything from Bale Breaker if I have the chance. Bottomcutter. Still nursing my first can (and I’m thinking I’ll be having another soon), but here’s my preliminary review—and I almost never get an rDev of exactly 0 so I must have hit the mail on the head this time. Cheers!
________

4.24/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
12oz can (canned 7/9/2022) into a tulip. Pours a nice clear honey amber with a frothy white head, plenty of sticky lace.

Aroma is big tropical citrus and pine—mango, orange, grapefruit. In a word, dank.

Taste is likewise sticky and slick. Plenty of malt backbone to counter the big hop presence. Tons of prickly alpha acids on the palate. Reminiscent of old-school West Coast IPAs like Stone that I haven’t had in a long time, and am now realizing I have missed.

Mouthfeel is sticky, medium heavy, resinous. Bready malt and booze.

Overall a classic imperial IPA, nicely balanced.