New Beer Weekend #117

Been meaning to try this one for a while-
Poured dark brown with little in the way of head, but nearly white lacing ran down the glass.
The aroma was faint for me, but I do get dark fruit and bready malts. Pleasant smelling actually.
The taste was very good, just a bit sweet and all those 7 malts made for a tasty and complex beer. Bready malts, assorted fruit and a touch of hops.
The feel was good, a bit thin but at the moment it was what I was wanting.
OA, it’s a very good beer, but far from my favorite porter. Still, it’s tasty enough to drink just for that reason (it’s tasty)
Came to the conclusion that it’s a really good brown beer, but against Founder’s and Bell’s Porters it not even close. But as a brown it’s excellent!
Cheers all

 

Welp, this is the best festbier I've ever had. Unfiltered and Keller style, it just pops with that vibrant raw sourdough flavor, with a hint of tantalizing candied lemon and grass/floral. Awesome fluffy body but it doesn't linger on the palate, and quite dry for the style. It's flawless.

 

Good evening all. Beautiful fall day here in SEMass. Not able to take full advantage of it thanks to my sinuses getting set off by something, but got some outdoor time in, now watching my Badgers trying to stave off defeat, but looks like to no avail.

Went to Canned Heat Craft Beer Company last night, about 15 minutes away, in Fall River. Nice, lively little brewery, industrial vibe, and some very drinkable beers. We enjoyed a couple of flights. Their festbier was very good, their chocolate stout nice and smooth. I tried a single hop IPA with Galaxy hops and remember why I like that hop so much. Imperial pumpkin was good without being overpoweringly pumpkin pie. The emphasis seems to be approachable and drinkable and they nailed that. Great vibe, great staff, we will be back. Food...a few snack items, maybe a work in progress.

Last night was a fundraiser for the Southeastern Mass Festival Chorus, a group my wife and I joined this year. That ties in with tonight's beer...SMFC Blue. I suspect this will eventually be Waves of Wheat - Blueberry. But for now it has our logo and a picture of the group on the label, with 20% of proceeds going to the chorus.

So. SMFC Blue, an American Wheat Beer, so let's get to it.



Pours a very faintly blue-tinted cloudy gold color with a huge head that falls to a nice, even cap.

Definitely a wheat based beer based on the nose. Bready, slightly yeasty, tangy grain. Decent blueberry comes through, but not overly strong or overly jam-like. Not finding anything particular in the hops department. A bit of alcohol which seems weird given the modest ABV.

The wheat comes through in the taste, with a nice tang to it. This is supported by a mild tartness from the blueberry. The fruit flavor is restrained, just a bit of tartness and some sweetness. A little grainy bitterness, but not excessive.

The feel is light, a bit light on the carbonation for the style but lively enough. The blueberry does accumulate just a bit.

Overall, this fits in with the apparent philosophy of the brewery - a drinkable, approachable, "friendly" beer. It's made well and it's enjoyable. If I add it to the database under the likely real name, it's going to land in the 3.6 - 3.8 range.

 

Here's the latest Harvest Ale from just up the road in Hyde Park, VT.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/46703/623641/



Canned on the 271st day of 2022.

Moderate to vigorous pour yields a nearly one and a half inch off white head over a hazy murky golden body with some lacing. Head recedes rather quickly to a thick ring.

Nose of pine and citrus with a bit of floral notes as well.

Taste is a bit sweeter than expected, but still quite nice, with citrus flavors of mostly orange and finishing with bitterness from citrus pith and a bit of pine.

Feel is good with a medium fullness.

Overall, a nice, easy drinking fresh hop ale worth seeking out!
Cheers!!

 

That’s so neat about the label @LeRose can’t say I’ve ever been on a beer label.

PS how are this peppers coming along?

 

Hard to see individuals...there's 90 folks in the group! But yeah - its still cool.

The pH is getting down to where it needs to go. The recipe says ferment a month or so and I'm 3-ish weeks in. The straight pickled ones are easy...teaspoon of salt, boiling white vinegar, sanitized quart jar, done. No sandwich yet though...let them marinade a while.

 

Bigger tangerine by Tree House

4.43/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5



Brewers Notes: Bigger Tangerine is Very Hazy conditioned atop heaps of fresh tangerine purée. This treatment concentrates the flavor profile and brings the most potent representation of our favorite citrus fruit to the forefront of this offering. Pouring a brilliant hazy yellow in the glass, Big Tangerine carries notes of ripe tangerine, fresh fruit salad, orange juice concentrate, and apricot nectar. It carries a beautiful balance of hop, fruit, and yeast character that is carefully captured and locked into this can. Please keep it cold at all times and enjoy it as fresh as possible for the best experience—Enjoy!

Bought a 2 pack at Tree House sandwich. Cost was around $13.

Can poured into a teku, hazy tangerine colored liquid capped by a one finger foamy white cap , settles to a thick layer

Aroma is citrus tangerine

Taste is tangerine flavored beer. Fresh squeezed tangerine juice , orange juice and then the beer.

Smooth, hop taste, no bite

Pretty darn good beer

 

I’ve pickled quite a bit but never tried fermented veggies really, did kimchi once but that’s it. For whatever reason your post describing said fermented peppers seared into my mind.

 

After a LOOOOONG day setting up our booth, this Mexican lager named Mira from Whitestone Brewery out of Cedar Park TX intrigues me. Let’s see how it hits this thirsty beer nerd.



3.79/5 rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Beautiful straw color with a bit of suspended haze under a sudsy white head. Lots of grain, including corn, and some bread on the nose.

The taste has a nice grainy sweetness, pointing to the corn, and some bread at the back of the palate. Very easy drinking, especially with the crisp mouthfeel, this is a Mexican lager I’d revisit in the summer months over and over.

 

Back for what will likely be my closer for today. I picked this up at the source in Wisconsin.


Sealed VHS Copy Of The Kindness Trap (Coffee Edition) - Oliphant Brewing - Somerset, WI - American Imperial Stout - 10.9% ABV

What a mouthful of a name, and I'd expect no less from them.

Picked up at the brewery today, because, why not?

I'm a sucker for barrel aged stouts, and this is a delicious one. The coffee is a nice finish, after the stout flavors and the barrel flavors kick in. It is boozy from the barrel and the 10.9%, but doesn't burn like a Carolina Reaper. This is good, and I am glad to have bought it today.

Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/36484/625168/


4.29/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
This beer pours pitch black with a 1 finger brown head. The head retention is quite decent. The head clings to the glass like superglue as it dissipates.
Pleasing coffee nose that is backed up by chocolate notes.
Taste - Lots going on here. Chocolate comes in right away. Some oak flavors here from the barrel also hit in right away. Caramel, and toffee come into play. The coffee hits in the middle and doesn't let go all the rest of the way.
The body is quite solid. There's a burn here that hits as a combination of the ABV and the bourbon barrel.
Overall a delicious beer and a great one to try.


I'll be back tomorrow, hopefully if I'm not kicked in the rear too hard from the last 2 beers today. Cheers all.

 

Marshall Brewing Co ( Tulsa ) Slow Train IPA, 7.0% ABV; 3.8 overall

Pours a hazed gold/honey with way too much cream colored head from not so aggressive pour. Great head retention & lacing

S: Lemons. breadyness, pine, skews more cakey as it warms

T: Biscuitty malt, lemons, limes, dryness up front. Dry, pineyness, a little lime as this warms, cakeyness as well. Finishes dry, cakey with pine & a little grapefruit

MF: Medium body, fairly restrained carbonation, pretty good balance

This is like jumping in a time machine & going back to the Mid 90s. Not surprising, this brewery usually presents their beers as straight forward takes on the style. Fairly drinkable, but not one I'd pick up gain

 

Boulevard More S'More Imp Stout, 11.8% ABV; 4.06 overall

Pours an effervescent chestnut/mahogany with a thumb+ of mocha colored head. Zero head retention & lacing

S: Like a S'More a little smoke, vanilla, cocoa, all fade as this warms

T: Follows the nose, a little toastyness, a kiss of cinnamon & just a little booze kiss up front, some dryness up front. Marshmallow, cocoa & charred grain as this beer warms, pretty dry. Finishes dry with Marshmallow, Cocoa & a little smokeyness

MF: Medium body, low carbonation, some booze warmth

Great drinkability, flavors seem natural & under control, nothing forced about it

 

Poured into a 20 oz tulip glass not sure when it was bottled. Pours near pitch black with a 2 finger sticky brown head, that leaves thin streaks of lace, with excellent retention. 4.75

Aroma deep dark chocolate, coffee, vanilla bean, molasses, and warming alcohol. 4.5

Taste follows dark chocolate, strong coffee, vanilla, molasses, and some alcohol in the finish. 4.5

Mouthfeel is above average, gentle carbonation as you would expect at 17%, maybe a tad dry, and very approachable at the high ABV. 4.5

Overall I would like to dance with this one again. 4.5

 

Next up is a WIPA I enjoyed with some Lebanese take-out. I eat far too much Lebanese take-out. Far too much. I can’t help it…

Left Field West Coast Swing IPA



Pours a bright middling gold with ample head that dissipates slowly. This beer has a lot of stuff floating around in it.

Aroma is primarily pine with some weedy, grassy notes.

Taste follows with a little citrus rind perceptible in there as well. Nice bitter finish.

Medium body. Drinkable and enjoyable.

Left Field tends to make beers that are never bad, if also never on my favourites list. Reliable like the glove or Rey Ordonez.

Cheers.

 

Have a good Saturday. Was relaxing and getting high all day. Busy work week in the office. Got some Marios NY pizza with some buffalo boneless wings and fried mushrooms tonight. They put too much toppings on though IMO, these were the 17" pies, the 24" pies are basically just foldable sandwich's as anything longer. Expensive but delicious.



Casita Take Up Space imperial milk stout. This is amazing stuff. Minimal lacing or head retention. Dense oily pour. Aromas of big peanut, marshmallow, fudge, milk/dark chocolate, vanilla ice cream. A touch of booze. Flavors of huge peanut, marshmallow, milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, molasses, vanilla ice cream, toast; light smoke, char, dark fruit, yeast earthiness. Light herbal/charred bitterness, and slight yeast tang? on the finish. Medium carbonation and very full body; very creamy/silky/bready malts/lactose; lightly slick/syrupy, sticky hops, and chalky roast in the mouthfeel. Light lingering sticky/chalky drying, with no cloying/acrid/astringent flavors. Mild warmth and slight booze of 12% after the finish. Absolutely massive on the vanilla/lactose flavors, and top tier quality for a pastry stout. Not overwhelming on any aspect. 4.42


Cheers

 

And finally a beer I sent - un-tried - a few days ago in a box associated with the NBW BIF. I should have had a bottle first.

William Street Oktoberfest Lager



Pours a dark copper with limited head.

The aroma is caramel apple with an emphasis on the caramel. Slight herbal notes as well.

The taste is strange here. There is a caramel sweetness, and a little apple there as well, but I get a weird wintergreen note in behind everything. I don’t hate it, but it’s odd.

The body is light. Sweetness denies this full drinkability.

I wish I’d had this before including in a box. It isn’t terrible, but not really worth sharing either.

 

American Solera Terpy We Hop DIPA, 8.0% ABV; 4.09 overall

Pours a hazed gold with 2+ fingers of eggshell colored head. Above average head retention

S: Passion fruit, grassyness

T: Follows the nose, green melon, guava & grapefruit up front. Pink grapefruit, dryness & a little green melon as this warms, some pineapple. Finishes with sweet orange, pineapple & a little pink grapefruit

MF: Medium body, subtle carbonation, great balance

So easy, to drink, doesn't touch greatness, but worth a go