New Beer Weekend #112

So I have friends in Ukraine and have been rather stressed since Russia launched its attacks on the country. Recently however, some surprisingly good news has been coming from there so to celebrate I pulled out what was likely the rarest beer in my cellar and the only one with buckwheat, which I grew fond of when over there on mission trips.

Received from @Roguer in a recent NBW BIF as part of an LIF. Spiritual Needs, from Cigar City brewery.
Poured beautiful- black as shadow and sported a light brown 15mm head that dissipated to a ring but never goes away.
The aroma on the nose is BA stout, whiskey leads with roasted malts, an interesting nuttiness and dark fruit. Then as you breathe it in which taking a sip, the whiskey really hits.
The taste is good, very good. The whiskey that was so prominent in the olfactory sense is noticeable in the swallow but little before then. Nutty something, guessing the buckwheat, is found in concert with the chocolate and fruit and earthiness. Very nice, just hard to define.
The feel is good, maybe a little thin but I can’t complain.
This is really good, thanks Andrew!

 

Hoppin Frog Re-Re-Pete 3X American Imperial Brown Ale.



Mahogany with a 1/2" light tan head, fades to a wisp. Light lacing. 4

Aroma of caramel, toffee, molasses, toast. 4.25

Taste follows nose. 4.25

Medium body, light carbonation. Sticky, semi-sweet finish. 4

One of the best Brown Ales I've had. Very tasty! 4

Canned 5/7/20. At 15.6% ABV, it aged well.

Courtesy of @Ozzylizard . Thanks Bob!

4.16 rDev + 8.3%

 

Sorry all I was a tad busy yesterday, hoping to make up for it today with a few new beers in my fridge. Thank you @beergoot for doing the honors. Poured into a 13 oz Teku glass canned 8/23/22. Pours a hazy yellow with a half finger sticky white head that leaves thin lines of lace with solid retention. 4

Aroma is peach, mango, tangerine, pineapple, and apricot. 4

Taste follows peach, mango, tangerine, pineapple, and apricot very well balanced. 4

Mouthfeel is above average, soft gentle carbonation, not sticky or dry, and at 7% it drinks slightly bigger but extremely approachable. 4

Overall this is a very nice brew, does nothing to dazzle but I would gladly grab this one again. 4 Cheers all.

 

Picture of said beer. Oops sorry.

 

Poured into a 16 oz Teku glass not sure when it was canned. Pours a very attractive pink with a finger off white head that settles rather quickly, leaving a few streaks of lace. 4.25

Aroma is raspberry, lemon, blueberry, vanilla, and rhubarb. 4

Taste follows raspberry, lemon, blueberry, vanilla, and rhubarb. 4

Mouthfeel is above average, plenty of carbonation, maybe a tad dry, and at 6% ABV big flavor, but easy enough going down. 4

Overall this is a really good sour and I would highly recommend this one.4

 

Good day BAs! Back again with another new beer from my stash in Beer Reefer #! - the total inventory as well as New Beer inventory are both dropping - soon I'll be able to see the back and the bottom of the reefer.



Happy New Year’s Eve 2019 from Hoppin’ Frog Brewing. Picked up at the brewery, Akron, OH, 03/10/22. $ 19.26 (Including tax)/bomber ($ 0.875/oz). In reefer at brewery, stored at 37 degrees at home. Reviewed 09/11/22. Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
Undated except for “2019” on the label and “Ready to be enjoyed after June 1, 2019” on the side info. Served at 56.4 degrees in a hand washed and dried Jester King Snifter. Final temperature 61.3 degrees.
Appearance – 4.
First pour – Pale Amber (SRM 9), clear.
Body – Medium Amber (SRM 12), translucent. Under direct light, translucent reddish orange. When rear-lite, translucent with a distinct orange cast.
Head – Small (< 0.5 cm, aggressive center pour), gone by the end of the pour, leaving neither crown nor cap, just a one to two mm bubble ring, constantly being renewed by effervescence.
Lacing – None, as expected at 15.8% ABV.
Aroma – 4.5 – Sweet malt. No hops, no yeast, no ethanol.
Flavor – 4.5 – Follows the nose. Sweet but not cloying. No yeast, no hops. No ethanol (15.8 % ABV as marked on label) aroma or taste. However, esopharyngeal and gastric warming occurs immediately on completion of a swallow but doesn’t rise to the level of pain. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl.
Palate – 4 – Full, lightly syrupy, soft and barely noticeable carbonation.
Final impression and summation: 4.25 Despite the lack of head and lacing, this is a beautiful beer – the color alone is enough to entice me! The aroma may be somewhat weak and monotone, but it is more than compensated by the extreme malty flavors – distinctly caramel and toffee. However, there is a bit of harshness on the aftertaste but not enough to distract from the good stuff. Overall, glad I bought it and wish I had a couple more to age.
Rating 4.37, rDev +3.8%

Cheers y'all! Enjoy a good beer or six!

 

It has been a while since I was in Frederichsburg. I was suppose to go with friends again, for the first time in forever in the middle of 2020, but you know that pesky Covid thing. Then we never rescheduled (we use to do New Braunfels, Hill County fun weekend stuff during Wurstfest). I have had several of their beers though, and Altstadt does some pretty good German styles. Especially the Kolsch and Alt. Really want to check out the brewery as well.

 

Yesterday was at Southern Yankee Crafhouse. Which is their restaurant, satellite taproom, tied house, whatever you want to call it. The location is right in central Houston, and is really cool (the brewery is way up in North Houston, and I ain't going up there ha). Also right by the Museum District and the massive Hermann Park.

First up is Ich Bin Paul, Marzen/Oktoberfest. 5.8% ABV


Pours a clear amber/orange color. A one finger white head forms. That recedes and leaves some light lace behind.
The aroma is fairly simple. Lightly fruity, baked bread and cereal grains. Simple, but enjoyable.
Taste wise, there is a fruitiness here, that boarders on dark fruits. Though that gives way to a malty baked bread flavor. Certainly some sweetness here, but it is never over the top, and balanced with just a light lingering bitterness.
A medium to full body. A bit of a hefty malt character gives this a fuller body. Still, crisp carbonation, clean, and semi dry. Very enjoyable to drink and come back to.

In that slightly bigger Ayinger Octoberfest style that many American breweries emulate. In that vain, its a good one. I can certainly come back to this, as the nuance malt character is very enjoyable. The sweetness doesn't overwhelm, which can often be the case, and its pretty balanced. I like it.

Overall score is 3.83
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/54216/620662/?ba=champ103#lists


Next is HeyYeaYea, Double IPA, 7.8% ABV. This uses Denali and Mosaic hops.



Pours a hazy orange/yellow color. A two finger white head forms with good retention and lace.
Aroma is citrus, orange rind and pine. Plenty of hops, and its enjoyable if the not most nuanced.
Taste wise, again, that citrus orange rind flavor up front. More grapefruit even. Just a touch of pine, along with a slight floral taste. A sweetness builds as the warms. A lingering bitterness helps balance this a little. This seems a bit more nuanced and rounded than the nose.
A medium to full body. Moderate carbonation, that I wish had a bit more crisp bite. Also, a touch sweeter than I would like. Though, overall something that is enjoyable.

A pretty enjoyable example of a Double/Imperial IPA. The alcohol is not over the top, which I like, and the hop profile meets a nice middle ground. As it has a bit of both new age and old school hoppy notes. Maybe finishes a bit too sweet for my tastes, but a minor quibble. Another good offering at their brewery and restaurant.

Overall score is 3.87

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/54216/402914/?ba=champ103#lists

Both are solid B+ beers for me. I'll look for these again on subsequent visits.

With a huge plate of awesome Fish & Chips.


I mentioned Hermann Park above, because I went to a concert in the park last night after Southern Yankee. The Miller Outdoor Theater is in the park (named after a Houston mining engineer of all things, so not a Miller product placement ha) and has been hosting events here for 99 years. Which is a hell of a long time in Houston ha. It was a beautiful night for it as well.

Went so see one of my favorite jazz singers, Somi.

 

Love the pics, Mike! I'm pretty confident that in the ovaltine household, the hierarchy goes 1) Joy, 2) Range, and 3) you.

This sounds like basically the best thing ever.

 

Hello New Beer Weekend!!!

I know I've been a bit lazy posting beers here lately, and I am sorry about that.

I've decided this morning to post about a beer that I made a thread for in the Midwest forum.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/commun...essman-raise-funds-for-march-of-dimes.668717/


Bob Feuling Brown Ale - American Brown Ale - Lupulin Brewing - 6% ABV

This beer was brewed in collaboration with Westside Liquor, and is a fundraiser for The March Of Dimes.

There's a lot I can say here not talking about the beer. Working for Bob, though only for a little more than a year before he passed in February, I didn't get the chance to know him too well. He had been in declining health the last several years, and couldn't get out much, but he always loved visiting his stores, and interacting with those who worked for him. He iIs missed, but his wife Linda carries on the legacy that they started.

I am also an honest beer reviewer. I do my best to be a Vulcan, and not let my emotions and feelings get in the way of an honest beer review. I was asking myself throughout my typed reviews here and on UT if I was being honest about what I was typing. I think I have been.

First off, beautiful pour. Dark brown with a thick tan head. I had to let it dissipate a bit before finishing my pour from the 16oz can. Great lacing on the glass. The aroma is somewhat faint, but not surprising. I get hints of brown sugar and a roasted nut aroma on the nose. Taste is the brown sugar and roasted nut that turns to a pleasing bitterness on the back from the hops. Smooth, creamy, full bodied. Yeah, this is the ticket this morning.

Was I honest with my review? Yeah, I would say I was. My thoughts on it melded up with friends who have had this beer before me at the launch party, and those whom I gave four packs to that I bought. Myron, who worked with Lupulin, may only be the 4th best driver we've had (5th or 6th depending how slow he delivers product), but he nailed it with this. This is solid and I raise my glass to you Bob. Rest in peace.


Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/40035/620798/


4.41/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Dark brown pouring from the can, with a very thick tan colored head - 3 finger. The bubbles in the head are for the most part fairly small. The head retention is quite good, and there's some incredible lacing on the glass.
Notes of brown sugar, and a roasted nut aroma on the nose.
Taste - Up front I get brown sugar first then the nutty flavor. The front flavors then change on the back to a sight hoppy bitterness that compliments the nuts and brown sugar. The bitterness on the back reminds me more of an English Brown more so than an American.
The body is thick, a lot thicker than you'd think a 6% would be. Smooth and creamy feeling, with the bitter feeling on the back that sticks to my throat.
This is one hell of a solid beer. They knocked it out of the park with this one.


I may be back later today for another, if I can get off my lazy butt, and walk over to my local.

 

Abolitionist Ale Works Dirty Beard Imperial Stout.



Ebony with a 1/2" tan head, slowly fades. Minimal lacing. 4

Aroma is chocolate, coffee, molasses, caramel. 4.5

Taste is dark chocolate, coffee, molasses, caramel. 5

Full body, thick and oily, light carbonation. Semisweet finish 4

This is one of the best Imperial Stouts I've had. 4.25

4.57 rDev + 7.5%

 

LOL! Actually, the hierarchy is 1) Joy, 2) James (aka "Little O"), 3) Ranger, and 4) me. And if any random grasshoppers are hopping through the yard, they have a shot at that 4th spot.

 

Very pretty beer right there!

 

Yeah, this beer missed the mark for me.

 

It's hard to admit at first...I convinced myself they are fun to drink and went ftom there. And I totally agree. The poorly done or "more equals better" ones are terrible.