New Beer Weekend #115

Rescue Buoy

11.3% Russian Imperial Stout by Rip Current Brewing

Twelve ounce can. Undated. The body pours a dark black. Small-and-quickly-fading head with little lacing throughout the tasting.

Aroma has notes of vanilla, coffee and dark chocolate. Taste substantially follows nose with a molasses background flavor that is not too sweet yet is very present. Nice coffee finish works well with the malt. No overt evidence of the high ABV.

Good mouthfeel and carbonation. Heavy but appropriate for the style and ABV.

 

That is a solid pairing right there; we also made chili. A big pot yesterday to have on these back to back cold and nonstop rainy days.

 

It's been a while since I've been there but they do have a bottle shop in the basement so yes, they may have singles of this.

 

Good Sunday afternoon, New Beer Sippers and commentators. I'm multi-tasking: reviewing new beers and hoping to see Aaron Judge break the American League HR record. While Magnify Brewing Co. may be best known for its IPAs, it also brews a lot of high gravity, adjunct-laden Pastry Stouts. State Fair is a BBA Imperial Stout with cannoli cream, chocolate sandwich cookies, and powdered sugar. Although listed on the BA database as an Imperial Stout, it is a quintessential Pastry Stout (or maybe an Imperial Pastry Stout, LOL). Frequently, these high gravity Magnify stouts are ugly ducklings - the head lasts only seconds and there is an oily film at the top. While the optics aren't great I've become used to it. The flavor is spot-on if you like cannoli, and the mouth feel is super thick and creamy. It's not for everyone but it's a fun stout to sample. Here's my full review:

4.25/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
2022 release. Poured into a tulip glass at 59°. It pours an almost black with an oily film. The dark mocha-colored head fizzled away almost immediately, which is common for Magnify's high gravity stouts. Its fragrant smell reminds me of an Oreo with chocolate and vanilla cream. I can also smell the cannoli filling. However, there is no detectable bourbon on the nose. The taste is extremely sweet and reminds me of both a cannoli and an ice cream sandwich. The flavors are very rich although the bourbon is barely noticeable. This Stout has a super viscous, chewy mouth feel with a low level of carbonation, and the 13% ABV is very well hidden but it does sneak up on you. Overall, State Fair certainly achieves its intended flavor profile although the sweetness is a bit overpowering. It is an excellent dessert sipper and would pair well with vanilla ice cream.

I'll need a palate cleanser after this but fortunately I have one. Cheers, NBW!

 

Back again with a pretty good Pilsner. This is from East Rock, a lager-only brewery in New Haven.

4.35/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured from a 16oz can stamped BEST BY 01.10.23 to a Pils glass at fridge temp.
The body is a clear light gold. A puffy pure white head floats above, but fades in just a few minutes, however lacing is impressive until the end.
The aroma is fresh cut grass, sweet bready yeast and a mild citrus background.
The taste is surprisingly bitter. The front of the swig is sweet and grassy but it almost instantly dries out to some nice bitter and crisp action. Hoppiness stays on the tongue long after the swallow.
The mouthfeel is clean and refreshing, not a hint of oiliness and it has ample carbonation.
A really nice beer.

 

Good afternoon NBW’ers. I hope this review finds you as well as this beer found me on this Sunday. Cheers!

Only my second ever Parish beer. This one is quite obviously highly regarded. Pours a fully opaque, bright yellow with orange hues. A full foamy white head rises and retains for the first few sips, leaving tons of soapy lacing. Nose is over ripe melon and grapefruit with a bitter hop undertone. Taste follows suit with possibly the most cantaloupe like taste I’ve ever experienced. Feel is full but not sludgy. Finishes bitter and tart with a nice bite; enjoyable. Overall, I’m going 4.25/5 here. A very well done beer and I’m grateful for the opportunity to try it.

(Obtained in a trade with someone who is no longer on this site.)

 

Greetings fellow NBSers! A warm and sunny day here in the Fourth Corner. I'm just getting over a bout with the 'Rona, and hope @woemad has as easy a time with it as I did. Came in to work for a couple hours today to do some prep for a full day tomorrow, we'll see how I feel at the end of the day tomorrow.

Doing my first review in months, and my first post-Covid brew is from a small brewery down on Whidbey Island, Penn Cove Brewing. Rocky Point Pilsner is fairly typical, but this can was packaged back in May. Do with that as you will: https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/61100/576145/

 

Hopcelot by Lawson’s Finest

4.43/5 rDev +2.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5



Brewers Notes: Inspired by a dreamy combination of music, hops, and beer. Celebrate with us as we revel in the glory of 8 varieties of hops from around the world, brewed to create intricate layers of flavor and to delight your senses!

Canned 7.28, opened 10.2 , poured into a Nordic pint glass, not crystal clear but you can see through it, definitely not hazy , translucent golden liquid, numerous active streams of microcarbonation creates a creamy white one finger foam cap , nice lacings



Aroma is piney, grapefruit

taste is piney,grapefruit, grapefruit pith

Smooth, gentle hop nibble, 7% abv is well hidden

good beer , i like it

I was in Middlebury, Vt and saw this sculpture, it looks like the “Hopcelot” on the LF can

 

And just like that...

 

Gmen won and I know besides me there is a very happy guy - @TheIPAHunter because he has Barkley on his team... Anyhow this calls for a brew amd a highly regarded one from the very generous @JayORear
Tired Hands Punge Dipa.
Pours a very hazy yellow/gold with a creamy white head that leaves plenty of sticky lacing.
Aroma is grassy green grapes, orange, pineapple, passionfruit, mango. Nelson clearly apparent in the aroma.
Taste follows with tropicals, gooseberry/sauvignon Blanc, some stonefruit.
Creamy feel, easy to drink but has an underlying maltiness and great bitterness- lots of hops and fruit but not sweet. No hint of alcohol but I feel it. Nothing on can but assuming its in the 7.5 to 8.5 range.
All in all I have to agree this is a dynamite brew. Could easily put a 4pk away. A treat to drink. Wish I had access to TH. Great beers and I think every beer of theirs Ive had from them has been from the fabulous Mr @JayORear I have more from him. He also sent me Martin Guitar T shirt. Such a great friend. Cheers Jay
I thank you again sir.

 

Technically, even though I’ve had numerous F2F beers over the years, this one is new to me. In the past Fremont has released several F2F beers each fresh hop season, each using a different hop variety. This year it seems we just get one generic F2F beer—and it’s pretty damn good. Preliminary review below. Cheers!
_____________________
4.21/5 rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

16oz can (canned 9/8/2022) into a tulip. Pours a clear pale golden color with a bright white sudsy head, some patchy lacing.

Aroma is sharp clean fresh hops, if I’m guessing probably Amarillo, also maybe some Centennial and Citra, or Mosaic. A really nice blend of citrus, floral, piney and grassy notes, no single one dominant. Lemon grass, grapefruit zest.

Taste leads off with that same blend of hops layered over pale biscuity malt. Lemon, orange peel, pine.

Mouthfeel is clean and crisp, medium body. Finishes semi-dry, not particularly bitter. Super drinkable.

Overall another great F2F beer. I’m guessing maybe Fremont tried to blend the various different hop-specific F2F beers from years past into a single offering this time. Quite nice.

 

At Great Heights Brewing in Houston...again. Lately, seems to be my Sunday afternoon spot to start a new book and have whatever new they happen to be pouring.

Snecklifter, English Pub Ale, 3.6% ABV.



Pours a dark amber/reddish color. A two finger beige head forms with good retention. Plenty of lace left behind.
A simple, and expected aroma. Toasted grains, bread and toffee. Which is fine, but a bit too much by the books for an American example of the style.
Taste wise, toasted grains, bread and toffee. There might be a bit of a light roasted character here as well, which leaves a light bitterness.
A light, almost watery body. Effervescent carbonation, and super dry. Its easy to drink, specifically because of the ABV. Though far from my favorite in this style.

Advertised as an English Pub Ale. As vague as that can be, Dark Mild is probably the best fit for this. Though its not particularly a great example of that. Its certainly a fine low ABV malty beer that I can come back to. Though the malt characteristic is a little simplistic, and its just in that generic dry toast Americanized English Ale vain, without any real connection to the either Milds or Bitters. Maybe this will grow on me, but for now, just average.

Overall score is 3.56, B
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/50326/622800/?ba=champ103#lists

They have a new Pilsner coming up soon, I will be looking forward to trying that in the next few weeks.

 

NBS #2. To cleanse my palate after the super sweet Stout from Magnify, I'm joining @JackHorzempa in reviewing a beer that many of you have already enjoyed: Big Hoppy from Lawson's Finest Liquids. It took awhile for this beer to reach distro in New Jersey but I'm very glad it did. Black IPA is one of my favorite styles and I measure every one I drink against Carton's Epitome, which is one of my desert island beers. Big Hoppy isn't quite at that level but it's not far off. I like it better than, for example, Stone's Sublimely Self Righteous.

Poured into a tulip glass. It pours ink black with a thick, fluffy, light khaki-colored head and lots of soapy lacing inside the glass. Very appealing look! On the nose I'm getting roasted malt, earthy char, pine needles, floral hops, and whiffs of tobacco smoke, lemon peel and grapefruit rind. As it warms a bit the smell sweetens with notes of brown bread and molasses. The taste offers a very nice balance of roasted malt and bitter, piney hops. The barley is dry and very slightly sour but there are hints of caramel, molasses, and tobacco which add great depth of flavor. The citrus is bitter and works well with the piney resin. It's very well crafted. The mouth feel is pleasantly creamy and the carbonation level is appropriate. The 7.5% ABV gives it good substance without overpowering.

4.32/5 rDev +8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

If you like Black Ales, then I'd recommend seeking this one out. Cheers!

 

Happy Sunday. Closed out the Oktoberfest at red oak last night and had some bomb waffle house on the way home.


For our 2nd anniversary tomorrow, we are at Out West. A colleague of mine recommended it.


Kernersville golden barrel. This German pils is only available at Out West. This was great. Aromas and flavors of lemon, pear, cracker, bread dough, wood, herbal, grass, peppercorn, pine, and yeast earthiness. Light to medium herbal/grassy/peppery bitterness on the finish. Medium-high carbonation and light-med body. Very crisp/clean/refreshing finish. A little too fruity but otherwise clean lager flavors. Balanced pils malts and noble hops. Spot on style all the way. 4


Fried potatoes, crab dip, Texas chili nachos


Cheers

 

Urban Family - Stratosphere Fresh Hop India Pale Ale with Strata Hops. Not actually my first new beer of the weekend, but the first new beer where I could avoid some distractions. My wife is back from a one week trip to Sint Maarten. Also, I realized I have been leaning heavily into my favorite seasonal beer thing: fresh hops. This is my 18th fresh hop in a row (no, not all today, it's the first beer today).

16oz can served in a snulip. Can is dated 9/21/22. Bought it at RidgeWood.

Pours hazy whitish yellow with a fairly small head, moderate active carbonation, settles into a thin skin mostly evenly coating the surface of the beer and the sides of the glass up to a height of about a centimeter. Smell is tropical and citrus pith.

Taste is less juicy than I expected from the nose -- it's still there, but there's more of a citrus rind bitterness and a little bit of a resinous bite.

Mouthfeel is medium with a resinous bite as well. Overall, this is a pretty nice beer.

 

Back with a second brew, from the same brewery as the first, Penn Cove. This time it's their Madrona Way WCIPA. The dense and dark color belies the WCIPA style, but the pine and citrus hops hit it right: https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/61100/576137/

 

Greetings all from the great northwest where we are celebrating the Mariners playoff berth. It may be a short run, but the post drought is over.

Today we have Double Haul IPA from Kettle House Brewing in Montana.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1916/33795/

It's an English style IPA. Malt forward and not as hoppy as the American version.

Until next time.