New Beer Weekend #129

No beer tonight, although we both deserve one. We did a concert at our church and it was nice - kinda closes out the Christmas season. The missus leads the handbell choir and we did a bunch of songs and mostly it went well. A couple of people played woodwind duets and we did a sort of men's choir piece - two of our tenors being ladies. The wife and I did the Bowie/Crosby duet and as she pointed out it is the first time we sang together in 48 years...yeah... But didn't want to drink before and after breaking everything down, I just didn't feel like doing a review.

I can jump on the dinner thing though. You would not think good fish would be hard to find where we are in SEMass but it can be. We found fresh haddock filets yesterday and did them up with Ritz cracker stuffing, onions, sweet peppers, copious amounts of butter, and whatever seasoning made sense - easy, quick and tasty. Cheddar bacon mashed potato, and we cheated on the veg with a frozen mix we like. The grandson loves fish and knows his job - smush the crackers! Also gives me the chance to use some hot sauce a friend of ours brings me from Barbados. It goes with a lot of stuff, but it is especially delightful on fish.

 

IMHO Equilibrium makes very good beers. At one point they reached the $26 & up per 4 pack price, which to me was outrageous. Since then they have lowered their prices to around $22 per 4 pack, which is in line with Other Half's highest prices. They actually had a social media post that they were lowering their prices. I assumed they did this because sales weren't terrific. Still at the high end but at least not ridiculously overpriced.

 

Have a good NBS. Hope all have been well with the frequenters of the group. I haven't reviewed much lately or been around. I have had the best year of my life in 2022 with more career promotional pursuits coming soon. Finished off my first engineering study in my new job after being in office for most of the year. I should get the lead job interview soon. I have a lot of travel plans for the year coming up, so I could be anywhere this year. Saved up for an IRA as well with no problem so things have been smooth sailing with confidence. I read 94 books last year, so shooting for 100 this year! Got Needful Things and 2010 Odyssey two to finish up early this week.

Christmas cookies last year


Lazy sunday we slept in with the floofers.


Here is an amazing Chicken Parm sub from Elizabeth's pizza we got delivered last night. definitely will get italian delivery through slice again! Their pizzas are amazing as well.


BIF beer from @FBarber . White Rooster Time & Place Batch 3 summer 2019. Mild head and light lacing. Great clarity. Aromas of tart/sour lemon, lime, white grape/wine, green apple, oak, vanilla, brett/lacto/musty funk, light leather/peppery spice, cedar, hay, grass, cracker, bread. Taste follows with the lemon, lime, white grape/wine, green apple, oak, brett/lacto/musty funk, leather/peppery spice, cedar, hay, grass, cracker, bread. Medium tartness and light sour/spicy/herbal bitterness on the finish. Light body, medium-high carb, crisp/clean/refreshing finish. Moderate lacto mouthfeel, with light grains, lingering tannins/spice drying. Mildly puckering. No warmth of 4%. The Brett and Lacto definitely well developed now, lots of barnyard, but the sourness kept in check with a rather sharp drying finish on tannins and acidity. 4.12

Cheers

 

Thank you!!

 

Greetings, fellow NBWers,

Well, the Seahawks won a grudge-fest of a divisional match-up and then the Detroit Lions, of all teams, came through to get them into the playoffs. I say this as someone who is both disposed to root for Detroit sports teams, having spent many summers there with grandparents, and as someone familiar with the trials and tribulations that have affected the Lions over the years.

Anyway, as soon as the Seahawks game was over, I paid a visit to Lumberbeard Brewing, which was celebrating their 3rd anniversary this weekend.

Lumberbeard has a reputation for big beers, and Black Daylight, a bourbon barrel aged imperial stout brewed with vanilla beans, very much lives up to that reputation at 14.2% abv.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/58538/614826/?ba=woemad#lists
A big, luscious, chocolatey and bourbon -y dessert beer that manages to be complex and approachable at the same time. The pour was 8oz, so I'd consumed it before it warmed to a degree to where perhaps the abv would be overbearing, but it was quite drinkable despite it's strength. The flavor from the vanilla beans were sufficiently mellow to not dominate things, which is often not the case. I'm definitely going back for cans of it.

Might hit one more before bed.

 

So as many of y'all know, we've got a new baby. She's incredible. etc. The reason I relay this info is that some friends of ours (who also have young children) dropped off a little care package with some cookies, etc... and a trio of cans for me! It was all stuff they picked up locally here, but it's ones I had not had before! It's a sweet gesture, and now I've got something to sample on this, our lovely weekly share!


(bonus pics from our trip to the rainforest this past week)

(and of course the NSFW of some Coho's doing the nasty)

I'm not generally big on wits (wait... now it sounds like I'm dumb. What I meant to say was... ehh whatever. I still go toe to toe with a Sicilian on occasion, though death is rarely TRULY on the line), but tonight I'm cracking into one courtesy of Sam and Stan (and Logan and Iris, I suppose).



Reuben's Brews - Lillywhite Wit

The pour on this one is more clear than I think is common in the style (like I said it's not a style I particularly enjoy so I'm not super well versed on them), but not completely crisp and clean neither. Nice little white fuzz of head.

Nose is pretty on the mark for the style to this novice. Spice with orange, mellow coriander, some acid, and a pervasive white bread dough sweetness.

Flavour takes its cues from the aroma, but is much more subdued. Lightly sweet crackery malts, then some earthy yeastiness and orange blossom, maybe honey to blend them, and then it goes kind of watery and faint before bringing back a dull tangy acidity for the finish.

Body is definitely more lively than not, but not as hyperaccentuated as I feel like I've seen in some of the few other witbiers I've supped.

It's not my favourite style, and I think it's more in the good/decent camp, but I'm glad to expand my experience and join all y'all this lovely evening!

Cheers.


Yeah Lions! What a game.