New Beer Weekend #131

Greetings, fellow NBWers,

Currently 27°F per the NWS. After almost a week of nearly no snow on the ground, this morning saw a deposit of about an inch or so of white stuff. So, I guess Spokane's first false spring of the year is now over with.

On Friday, after finding myself in the Spokane Valley running errands, I
decided that since I was already roughly halfway there, I'd drive on over to Idaho. Paid visits to Selkirk Abbey, Daft Badger and Trickster's, where beers were consumed, and to Pilgrim's, where beers and sausage were purchased for home consumption. Consequently, no new beers were consumed yesterday, as the hangover was fairly impressive despite drinking on a full stomach.

Today, after doing some chores, I'm having a smoked lager from Fox Farm, and it is very tasty, indeed:

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/45832/450760/?ba=woemad#lists
Big shout out to @Roguer for this. I could drink this all day.

 

@FBarber sent me two examples of a style I don't know very well, and I have a very clear schedule this Sunday afternoon, so here's a side-by-side of Baltic Porters, both new to me, as well as their "on their own" reviews.


First up, Goldfinger's Baltic Porter. 11/30/22.

Pours a dark brown, actually clear, small head, looks fairly still. Smell is rich, roasty, chocolatey, dark yeasty bread, maybe a hint of molasses sweetness.

Taste is a nice combo of that bready/molassesy sweetness and roasty bitterness, maybe a little bit of a date flavor mixed in.

Mouthfeel is medium, leaning toward thick, satisfying, a little chewy. Overall, very nice beer.


Second, it's Riverlands + Art History's Piano Bridge. No date on this can.

Pours a dark brown, clearish, while pouring the color made me think of cola. Moderate head, settles into a dusting and a smallish but distinct ring. Smell is mild, roasted nuts, a little bit of dates.

Taste is again roasted nuts, toasted dark bread, a little burnt sugar, some roasty bitterness.

Mouthfeel is medium leaning a little bit toward thick. Overall, nice beer.


Comparison...

Goldfinger is definitely lighter, which gives it a more rubyish hue. Art History has a little bit more head. Goldfinger has a much more assertive nose, to the point where it's hard to actually compare them.

Taste-wise, Art History is more one-note roasty. Goldfinger's sweetness is more noticeable, and I notice a black licorice flavor that wasn't really there for me when it was on its own.

Art History feels clearly lighter and dryer. Overall, I like the Goldfinger a little bit more.

 

Day 2, we’re visiting my Mom in Dayton, which means three things:

1. I muled beer from home.

2. I’m using the “Clipper” mug for glassware.

3. I’m standing outside to take the pic (and freezing my coconuts off) because Mom’s house is ….. very dark.

This is Skadoosh 79 from The Alchemist, a series of IPA’s utilizing different hop varietals (this one focuses on Hopsteiner experimental variety #17704). I’ve really enjoyed the few beers of this series that I’ve tried (shocker I know!), so I’m pumped to give this one a spin.

Let’s GOOOOOO!!!!!







4.46/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Pours a very hazy pineapple color with a creamy white head that provides ample lacing. The nose is WEED - loads of weed - and then some more weed for good measure. There’s also some pineapple and a big dollop of resiny pine. Wow, this is COOL.

The taste is led by the weedy flavor and it is delicious if you like that flavor profile (which I do), and it’s accentuated by the pineapple and especially the resiny pine. This is a flavor bomb and a deliciously wild ride.

The mouthfeel is medium and fairly prickly. I could drink this adventurous IPA for days. Man, am I digging this.

 

Next up is a beer from @BigIronH's seemingly bottomless boxes of brews from the NBS BIF #16: Winter Pils, an Imperial Pilsner from Short's Brewing in the Wolverine State. Short's is a gem of a brewer - I've enjoyed all the Short's beers I've received over the years in BIFs and trades. Plus I get to use my favorite Pilsner glass. It has a really good hand feel.

I like the Imperial Pilsner style. I think it's a great alternative to an American IPA and has a lot more depth of flavor than the traditional European Pilsners.

It pours a cloudy, grassy yellow with over two fingers of foamy, bright white cap and thick, soapy lacing. A rather modest smell; mostly grains and a whiff of lemon peel. The taste offers a really good balance of sweet grist and tart lemon along with notes of pine needles. It has a greater depth of flavor, and is more bitter, than a typical Pils. The mouth feel is terrific! It's surprisingly creamy with pleasant carbonation and the 7.3% ABV gives it excellent substance. Overall, a really enjoyable beer!

3.86/5 rDev +1.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thank you, Harley. I really enjoyed this! Hope everyone has a great week. Cheers, NBW!

 

Enjoying the Bills/Bengals and the light snow that we are getting. We average around 100 inches of snow a year, had about 10 so far. Not complaining.

Beachwood Simcoast to Coast. 7.1% India Pale Ale

One inch head that slowly fades.
Fairly golden translucent appearance.
Aroma is mellow grapefruit and citrus.
Lighter than medium mouthfeel with good carbonation.
Taste starts with unsweetened grapefruit,orange zest and light pine hops. More I drink the more
I got some nice berry hops coming thru. And the more I like it.
Finish is pretty dry with pine and berry hops. No sweetness.
Really enjoyable well made IPA.

 

New Belgium Voodoo Ranger Fruit Force Fruit Punch DIPA, 9.5% ABV; 3.39 overall

Pours a hazy gold with a pinky pf cream colored head. Looks like a proper DIPA, fantastic lacing & good head retention

S: Fruit punch, not much else

T: Dryness, Hi-C, a little bit of orange & pineapple, plus some tangerine & just a little lime bitterness up front. Dryness, Hawiian Punch & not many hints of once this beer warms up. Finishes fruitty, pretty sweet with a little lime & dryness

MF: Medium body, low carbonation, fairly okay balance

Very drinkable if you're not a purist, but more as a fun Summer-Time drink than a great DIPA or IPA. Was hoping for the fruit punch to be on the edges, not stomping all over the beer





Let's go Pokes!

 

#2, I’m sharing this with Little O. I love the 12 oz format - I’d love to see more of that with these bruiser (13.4% ABV) BA stouts/ porters.





4.43/5 rDev +6.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Pours a dark cola brown and settles as nearly black in the glass with a sudsy light tan head. Nutmeg and citrus aromas led on the nose, with a significant roasty note as well.

The nutmeg and citrus are forward on the taste as well, but it’s the rich roasty coffee flavor and a nice dollop of vanilla that provide balance and really make this BA imperial porter shine, with the barrel providing some needed warmth at the back of the palate. Truly a pleasure to drink.

The mouthfeel is fairly rich and and creamy and satisfying, a perfect sipper on a chilly evening. This is really well done, and a beer I’d visit again.

 

Good evening NBW
More 0 stuff for me this weekend

Budweiser Zero

12oz bottle Best Before 18MAR23 poured into a vintage bow tie glass at fridge temp 0.0% ABV, 50 calories, 0g sugar per label. The beer pours brilliantly bright golden yellow with nearly white head. The head is fizzy and fleeting with no head or lacing visible 3 minutes after the pour. 5/5 looks like Bud. The aroma is very faint, not unpleasant just a hint of cereal grain and lager yeast. The taste is more of the same very little to zero malt presence and just a hint of bitterness. There might be a hint of beechwood that I'm getting, but it could 100% be in my head. Mouthfeel is thin bodied with above average carbonation and a dry finish. Overall, good compared to domestic NA offerings, but below Heineken & Stella to my taste.

Cheers all!

 

Do you have a favorite of the NA beers you’ve tried as of late?

 

Another @FBarber-sourced new beer this lovely, relaxing Sunday. This one represents bad decisions, since no one's helping me. But, @FBarber assured me that my constitution was sufficient, and I trust him implicitly.

Bourbon County Brand Two-Year Barleywine Reserve (2022), by Goose Island.

500ml bottle served in a curvy Fremont glass. Drink by 26 July 2027.

Pours very dark, almost stout black. Very dark in my barleywine experience. Thick, syrupy. Head is small and fades to nothing, single-bubble-thick ring clings precariously along the glass at the surface of the beer, which is sustained by a tiny amount of fine, surprisingly quick-moving carbonation. Smell is dates, raisins, oak, alcohol and vanilla, wet grain.

Taste is booze and chocolate. Sweet, almost maple, oak with simple syrup. A little bit of a char bitterness, almost a smokey character. Dates or raisins, sticky toffee pudding.

Mouthfeel is thick, smooth, sticky, chewy, heavy. Overall, very nice BA barleywine. Tastes boozy, but not 17% boozy, so still deceptive.

 

Heineken 0.0 and Stella Artois Liberté for plain old beer and Guinness 0.0 for darker stuff.

 

Thats the goal
Cheers

 

We welcomed a new niece this weekend, and I had three great new beers, one per day.

Friday: Parish Holy Ghost. Excellent “alternative version” of one of my favorite IPAs. 4.49.

Saturday: J. Wakefield Desperado. A tasty blend of barrel, sweetness, and spice. 4.45.

Today: Bottle Logic Arcane Rituals. This is what a barrel aged English Barleywine should be. 4.83.

 

Hope this game is better than first game.

Bells Robust Porter. 5.6% ABV.

Dark brownish /blackish appearance.
Light brownish head, dissolved quickly to a light lacing.
Aroma is roasted malts,chocolate.
Medium body with a nice chewy,creamy mouthfeel.
Taste is roasted malts,chocolate and black coffee.
Finish lingers and is nice and dry. Get some smokiness at the very end.
Love the dryness and bite of bitterness. Wish it was a tad thicker, but like this very much!

Thanks @PapaGoose03 for the recommendation. (Not sure how to tag a member).

 

So I went to this today with the intention of getting some BA Black Note (It was the only one that they were selling in bottles) and while I got to sample it late in the game, they were sold out by the time I made it to the general store, despite our waitress stating they had plenty. Sigh.
But what a lineup. The 35th Anniversary Expedition Stout was the best of the lot, and they wouldn’t sell me any to go.
Also tried the coconut bear hug but by then my taste buds were shot so not even a note about that one.
Cheers all, I think I need a nap.

 

Congratulations on the new niece!