New Beer Weekend #131

That’s awesome…do you travel out there often? I loved the nature and mountains we saw while in Washington it’s like another planet in that fourth corner ( @BBThunderbolt )

He didn’t send me any hops but I did try wanderjack via a blind trade with an Oregonian, enjoyed it. I’m not an ipa guy of today but I love old school bitter piney crystal clear clean ipas; which are not that rare here but few times do they hit the mark like that ruination did for me.

 

We do, having family out there. Out of curiosity, did you mean Wanderlust by Breakside (a very solid offering)? It's been interesting watching what I found of Portland slowly embrace the hazy after watching how it overtook my part of the mid-Atlantic. They had enough history in the malt and piney hop mentality that it took a little time to do it well enough, and (thankfully) it never seemed to really take over the scene. Granted, this is the opinion of an outsider.

 

No it was actually called Wanderjack it was a collab between Fort George and Barely Browns; Wanderlust and Pallet Jack…

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/22843/490699/?ba=jonphisher#review

 

Nice!

 

Oh wow got those breweries completely mixed up haha. I don’t know why but the lettering on the can made me think of that beer but it’s a whole different brewery. So to reanswer your question it appears I have had a fort george courtesy of that trade but it was vortex ipa, oops

 

Ha! Vortex is very familiar, and actually was briefly reviewed by me at the brewery on the night I mentioned earlier, I am certain before we ate and subsequently found the back bar.

 

Good Saturday evening, New Beer Weekenders. I brought a lot of beer back from our trip to North Carolina last week, including many bottles of Barleywine from Olde Hickory Brewing. This one is Parallassein, aged for 299 weeks in port wine barrels. It's very complex and enjoyable although I think I prefer Appalachian Walker, an Olde Hickory Barleywine aged in brandy casks.

It pours a color between dark cola and mahogany with a half finger of creamy, light mocha head and modest lacing. The smell is terrific: roasted malt, brown sugar, toffee, raisin, prune, earthy leather, cigar, and just a whiff of red wine. The port barrel is much more evident in the flavor. Beneath the red wine is a strong base of malt, toffee, raisin, and dark fruit but the port influence dominates. For an American Barleywine there is very little bitterness. The mouth feel is a bit thin with a low level of carbonation. What's really surprising is the subtlety of the 15% ABV; it's warming but you don't overtly feel it - at least at first. It's good that this Barleywine is packaged in a 12 oz. bottle.

I'm glad this is a sipper because the flavor opens up as it breathes and warms in the glass. Any one who enjoys port barrel aged beers should give Parallassein a try. I'm glad I bought several bottles.

4.27/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Cheers, NBW!

 

Especially since my dad disowned me for rooting for the Giants tonight.

 

American Solera/Grimm Collab, Brooklyn Friends FarmhouseAle, 5.0% ABV; 4.0 overall

A quasi gusher that pours a hazed gold with one finger of beige colored head. Average head retention & lacing

S: Some wheaty, cereal notes & citrus once warmed up

T: Plenty of Coriander, white pepper, dryness & a touch of lemongrass upfront. Coriander and bad-aid flavors as this warms, a little pine & dryness too. Finishes dry with lemongrass & coriander & a touch of white pepper

MF: Medium body & lively carbonation

Solid Saison, complexity makes it a sipper

 

Our son is visiting from Arizona, so time to break out a special beer. This qualifies. I received it as part of a MASSIVE ninja box in a long ago BIFer from sammyjaxx.

The Kane barrel game is tippity top shelf, so to say I’m excited to try this would be an understatement of mythical proportions.





4.5/5 rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Pours a pure onyx black with a creamy tan head that lingers around the edge of the glass as you enjoy the beer. Gorgeous BA imperial stout. The first note on the nose when you crack this open is oak - LOADS of oak, followed by bourbon, caramel, vanilla, and milk chocolate.

The oak is forward on the taste, with a significant amount of rich caramel and milk chocolate which provide a touch of decadence, and a bit of stone fruit and some boozy heat at the back of the palate that settles warmly in your chest. Exceptionally balanced, flavorful, and comforting.

The mouthfeel is rich and velvety, adding to that comforting characteristic. This beer is a delightful indulgence for any beer nerd that loves big BA stouts.

 

Wanderjack is a great beer, but it's a collaboration between Breakside and Barley Brown

 

Well, no one currently, it would seem

 

SPBC Seven Lakes Stout



Opaque blackness with a medium tan head. Nose brings coffee, hops and roasted malts. The taste is everything expected for a great oatmeal stout. Milk chocolate. Earthy flavors. Bitter hops. Caramel. Coffee. Medium mouthfeel. Silky almost, but not quite thick. Overall I must say this is the best one yet from SPBC. The black IPA was great. But this stout proves they have what it takes to brew any great dark beer.

4.28/5

Although not yet widely available, Highly recommended for locals.

 

Narrator: "they did not."

I mean it's right there in your name!!

 

Good day BAs! Today's New Breakfast Beer is from the BA Extreme Stout box:




Black Daruma from Japas Cervejaria. 16 oz can. Stored at 34 degrees at home. Received in Beer Advocate Extreme Stout Box 2022 - $158.99 (Including tax and shipping) for the box containing 168 total oz of beer ($ 0.946/oz). Reviewed 22/01/23 (Review 3018). Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
Stamped on bottom of can “340JAPAS1327 14:19:14”. Served at 54.6 degrees in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. The final temperature was 60.2 degrees.
Appearance – 4.25.
First pour – Deep Amber (SRM 15), transparent.
Body – Brown (SRM 20), opaque. Under direct light, same. When rear lite, burnt sienna at the edge but otherwise opaque.
Head – Average (Maximum 1.3 cm, aggressive center pour), wheat, high density, average retention, dropping to a 0.5 cm crown fed by lots of carbonation, and a thin, rocky cap. Interestingly, as the glass sits, the rocks get smaller and the cap thicker.
Lacing – Fair. Narrow, irregular band of near-microscopic bubbles with tiny stalactites and thin, graceful connecting columns.
Aroma – 3.5 – Roasted malt. No hops, no yeast.
Flavor – 4 – Roasted malt, no hops, no yeast. Coffee? I have no idea what persimmon is supposed to taste or smell like. No ethanol (11% ABV as marked on label) aroma or taste. Harsh gastric warming occurs at lower temperatures; this smooths out at the warmer end. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl. Ends somewhat bitter, bordering on astringent (Persimmons?).
Palate – 4 – Medium, creamy, soft but lively carbonation.
Final impression and summation: 3.75 Decent RIS, mostly roasted malt and maybe a touch of coffee. If present, persimmon is too subtle for my taste.

Rating 3.85, rDev -6.8%

So. It's a decent RIS even if I can't evaluate the the persimmon contribution. Persimmons are now on my food targets.

 

It's not the first time this has happened, to date I've always found a way back into his graces (like rooting for the Phillies in the World Series last year). My streak may be tested if my actual team wins today (note: this choice of rooting for a particular NFC East rival justifies a good number of the disownings).

 

I made a little IP trade with someone yesterday. He was looking for a Utopias to share with his groomsmen before his wedding later this year. It’s released here about a year after it comes out in the US, but sells out quickly due to the very low price we are charged for it. He made the five hour return drive to Toronto from Huntsville to collect the bottle and brought some extra cans for me from some brewers up that way. This first one was pretty good.

Canvas Thunderhead West Coast IPA



Pours a very clean deep straw gold with ample head that sticks around a good while. Light lacing as the beer is enjoyed.

Aromas of pine and grapefruit jump out of the glass. The tiniest hint of some dankness makes itself known.

Taste follows closely. Pine, grapefruit pith, some herbal grassy notes as well and just a touch of dank on the finish.

Medium bodied with some rather vigorous carbonation.

This was surprisingly good. A good deal of these ‘very’ rural Ontario breweries a few hours from civilization tend to make beers that all end up tasting like under hopped pale ales for the crossover crowd ready to leave their Heinekens and Stellas aside. This was not that at all. A solid WIPA that I’d gladly drink again.