New Beer Weekend #132

AzfromOz · Jan 28, 2023

I've not started one of these threads before and I'm not sure of the protocol, but its the weekend, I have a new beer, and I want to write about it. Sound ok? If not, please don't @ me.

Before I review, first some context. I'm turning 50 this year, and as years pile in the rearview mirror and the road ahead remains shrouded and devoid of prescience, I find myself more often embraced in the seductive grip of reminiscence. Today, unbidden, came thoughts of the girl ultimately destined to be the one who got away, and in particular, how at our first encounter I had no interest in her, and no way of knowing the avalanche of first love was about to hit me. Similarly, this beer took a while to get my attention, but once it did, boy oh boy...

Now stop rambling and focus, Az. The beer is Helo by Finback Brewery out of Queens in New York. I came across it as part of a subscription pack that focusses on hard-to-get beers for the Aussie beer nerd who has it all. I don't claim to have it all, but I do claim to be an Aussie beer nerd.

At first blush the beer wears an opaque, light custard-yellow covering with a rocky white head. There's nothing appealing about it. It looks more smoothie than beer but is not brightly in-your-face enough to excite the Insta Kids while offering nothing to the jaded old hopheads looking for a clear, bright, west coast saviour. But I also remember she wore a pair of blue denim overalls to our first date, with her hair held back in a ponytail, evincing nothing more than awkward shyness. There was nothing there to pique my interest either. Still, I was asked out and I was happy to be there, just as I'm glad to have a beer in front of me now after a long and trying week.

On the nose, there's the expected tropical bouquet, with guava, papaya and lychee standing out to my nose. That's so 2023, and there's nothing here to particularly excite my senses. But on closer inspection there's a little bit of dankness in there, and that holds my interest. Is it a deep, piney lime? I'm not sure. The beer has flicked its shyest smile at me - hinting that there's more promise here than I'd thought. I remember looking at her hands as they nervously clutched her glass of cider. They were so delicate, so feminine. I was enthralled. I wanted to touch them. Interest had been grabbed and I needed to know more.

...and know more I shall. The taste jumps straight out of the glass as a dieselly hop burn that sticks to the roof of my mouth and pokes me all the way down my gullet. It's not unpleasant, but it's dominant. As the burn settles and the warmth seeps deep inside me, that piney lime note I mentioned earlier stands out above the tropical milieu. The bitterness kicks in and settles initially, comfortably, on the side of my tongue, taking on notes of grapefruit and peel. This is not quite an IBU monster of the 00s but it feels comfortable, like a well-worn favourite old pair of blue denim overalls... As the first drink became the second and third we both settled into comfortable nothing chat. Interest had been locked. We became easy with each other.

The beer's mouthfeel is prickly and smooth all at once. It's the classic Reverand's daughter, meek while daddy's looking but look out when he's not. There's a slight numbness creeping over the inside of my mouth, battered, I think, by what is now unashamedly unrelenting bitterness and hop burn. My stomach is warm enough to happily curl up against, and the general warmth from this bitey, aggressive beer, permeates all my senses. I'm quite happily mellow, just as we were as we said goodbye and she jumped in a taxi. But am I good enough to score a second date with such a beer, and such a girl? I reckon I might jump in the taxi too and see how it goes...

This is a challenging beer; it's a date that looks like an early-ender but ends up in a backseat taxi pash at 3am. This beer is what I crave these days: a bitter, retro IPA, but with enough of a nod to 2023 juice expectations that it ends up with the best of both worlds. I was bummed when this beer and that date came to an end but there was ripe possibility in that farewell. The cheeky final toss of the can to make sure I grabbed the last bit of juicy, bitter goodness was my hail Mary for a second date. Who knows what the answer will be?

The answer was yes, 30-odd years and another lifetime ago. Today, after finishing this beer and revelling in nostalgia, the answer remains the same. This is a bloody good beer!

Cheers!

The_Kriek_Freak · Jan 28, 2023

AzfromOz said: ↑

I've not started one of these threads before and I'm don't sure of the protocol, but its the weekend, I have a new beer, and I want to write about it. Sound ok? If not, please don't @ me.

Before I review, first some context. I'm turning 50 this year, and as years pile in the rearview mirror and the road ahead remains shrouded and devoid of prescience, I find myself more often embraced in the seductive grip of reminiscence. Today, unbidden, came thoughts of the girl ultimately destined to be the one who got away, and in particular, how at our first encounter I had no interest in her, and no way of knowing the avalanche of first love was about to hit me. Similarly, this beer took a while to get my attention, but once it did, boy oh boy...

Now stop rambling and focus, Az. The beer is Helo by Finback Brewery out of Queens in New York. I came across it as part of a subscription pack that focusses on hard-to-get beers for the Aussie beer nerd who has it all. I don't claim to have it all, but I do claim to be an Aussie beer nerd.

At first blush the beer wears an opaque, light custard-yellow covering with a rocky white head. There's nothing appealing about it. It looks more smoothie than beer but is not brightly in-your-face enough to excite the Insta Kids while offering nothing to the jaded old hopheads looking for a clear, bright, west coast saviour. But I also remember she wore a pair of blue denim overalls to our first date, with her hair held back in a ponytail, evincing nothing more than awkward shyness. There was nothing there to pique my interest either. Still, I was asked out and I was happy to be there, just as I'm glad to have a beer in front of me now after a long and trying week.

On the nose, there's the expected tropical bouquet, with guava, papaya and lychee standing out to my nose. That's so 2023, and there's nothing here to particularly excite my senses. But on closer inspection there's a little bit of dankness in there, and that holds my interest. Is it a deep, piney lime? I'm not sure. The beer has flicked its shyest smile at me - hinting that there's more promise here than I'd thought. I remember looking at her hands as they nervously clutched her glass of cider. They were so delicate, so feminine. I was enthralled. I wanted to touch them. Interest had been grabbed and I needed to know more.

...and know more I shall. The taste jumps straight out of the glass as a dieselly hop burn that sticks to the roof of my mouth and pokes me all the way down my gullet. It's not unpleasant, but it's dominant. As the burn settles and the warmth seeps deep inside me, that piney lime note I mentioned earlier stands out above the tropical milieu. The bitterness kicks in and settles initially, comfortably, on the side of my tongue, taking on notes of grapefruit and peel. This is not quite an IBU monster of the 00s but it feels comfortable, like a well-worn favourite old pair of blue denim overalls... As the first drink became the second and third we both settled into comfortable nothing chat. Interest had been locked. We became easy with each other.

The beer's mouthfeel is prickly and smooth all at once. It's the classic Reverand's daughter, meek while daddy's looking but look out when he's not. There's a slight numbness creeping over the inside of my mouth, battered, I think, by what is now unashamedly unrelenting bitterness and hop burn. My stomach is warm enough to happily curl up against, and the general warmth from this bitey, aggressive beer, permeates all my senses. I'm quite happily mellow, just as we were as we said goodbye and she jumped in a taxi. But am I good enough to score a second date with such a beer, and such a girl? I reckon I might jump in the taxi too and see how it goes...

This is a challenging beer; it's a date that looks like an early-ender but ends up in a backseat taxi pash at 3am. This beer is what I crave these days: a bitter, retro IPA, but with enough of a nod to 2023 juice expectations that it ends up with the best of both worlds. I was bummed when this beer and that date came to an end but there was ripe possibility in that farewell. The cheeky final toss of the can to make sure I grabbed the last bit of juicy, bitter goodness was my hail Mary for a second date. Who knows what the answer will be?

The answer was yes, 25-odd years and another lifetime ago. Today, after finishing this beer and revelling in nostalgia, the answer remains the same. This is a bloody good beer!

Cheers!

Click to expand...

This is quite the opening act for this week's NBW. Thank you Az! I'm impressed that Finback makes it all the way down under (albeit through a subscription). It barely makes down to Philly, just a couple of hours away.

I wonder how fresh that can was. Also, how was it kept cold (if at all) in its transcontinental and then transoceanic trip to you. Those hazies are essentially no better than cartons of milk.

Thanks again for the lovely read!

cjgiant · Jan 28, 2023

AzfromOz said: ↑

I have a new beer, and I want to write about it.
Click to expand...

I think you pretty much nailed the protocol of this thread, as I’ve understood it, in the most succinct way I ever recall reading

SawDog505 · Jan 28, 2023

@AzfromOz have you been practicing? That was excellent and you got us off and running nice and early.

Poured into a 13 oz teku glass, canned on 1/23/23. Pours a hazy yellow with a 2 finger sticky white head that leaves thick streaks of lace with excellent retention. 4.5

Aroma is tangerine, peach, boysenberry, mango, passionfruit, and apricot. 4.5

Taste follows tangerine, mango, peach, passionfruit, boysenberry, and apricot well balanced. 4.5

Mouthfeel is rather big, soft gentle carbonation, not sticky or dry, and at 8.5% it is loaded with flavor but easy going down. 4.75

Overall this a very nice NEDIPA, a little different but that isn’t a complaint at all. I would recommend for sure. 4.5 Cheers all and plenty more where this came from.

jonphisher · Jan 28, 2023

Beautiful opening @AzfromOz I look forward to joining you all later today.

SawDog505 · Jan 28, 2023

Poured into a 16 oz Snulip glass not sure when it was canned. Pours a very attractive hazy orange yellow with a solid finger sticky white head that leaves nice thin streaks of lace, with solid retention. 4.25

Aroma is cantaloupe, mandarin, passionfruit, mango, and apricot. 4

Taste follows ripe melon, mandarin, passionfruit, mango, and apricot well balanced. 4

Mouthfeel is above average, gentle carbonation, not sticky or dry, and at 8% plenty of flavor and easy going down. 4.25

Overall this is good, nothing dazzling, but very little to complain about. I recommend for sure. 4

ovaltine · Jan 28, 2023

AzfromOz said: ↑

I've not started one of these threads before and I'm don't sure of the protocol, but its the weekend, I have a new beer, and I want to write about it. Sound ok? If not, please don't @ me.

Before I review, first some context. I'm turning 50 this year, and as years pile in the rearview mirror and the road ahead remains shrouded and devoid of prescience, I find myself more often embraced in the seductive grip of reminiscence. Today, unbidden, came thoughts of the girl ultimately destined to be the one who got away, and in particular, how at our first encounter I had no interest in her, and no way of knowing the avalanche of first love was about to hit me. Similarly, this beer took a while to get my attention, but once it did, boy oh boy...

Now stop rambling and focus, Az. The beer is Helo by Finback Brewery out of Queens in New York. I came across it as part of a subscription pack that focusses on hard-to-get beers for the Aussie beer nerd who has it all. I don't claim to have it all, but I do claim to be an Aussie beer nerd.

At first blush the beer wears an opaque, light custard-yellow covering with a rocky white head. There's nothing appealing about it. It looks more smoothie than beer but is not brightly in-your-face enough to excite the Insta Kids while offering nothing to the jaded old hopheads looking for a clear, bright, west coast saviour. But I also remember she wore a pair of blue denim overalls to our first date, with her hair held back in a ponytail, evincing nothing more than awkward shyness. There was nothing there to pique my interest either. Still, I was asked out and I was happy to be there, just as I'm glad to have a beer in front of me now after a long and trying week.

On the nose, there's the expected tropical bouquet, with guava, papaya and lychee standing out to my nose. That's so 2023, and there's nothing here to particularly excite my senses. But on closer inspection there's a little bit of dankness in there, and that holds my interest. Is it a deep, piney lime? I'm not sure. The beer has flicked its shyest smile at me - hinting that there's more promise here than I'd thought. I remember looking at her hands as they nervously clutched her glass of cider. They were so delicate, so feminine. I was enthralled. I wanted to touch them. Interest had been grabbed and I needed to know more.

...and know more I shall. The taste jumps straight out of the glass as a dieselly hop burn that sticks to the roof of my mouth and pokes me all the way down my gullet. It's not unpleasant, but it's dominant. As the burn settles and the warmth seeps deep inside me, that piney lime note I mentioned earlier stands out above the tropical milieu. The bitterness kicks in and settles initially, comfortably, on the side of my tongue, taking on notes of grapefruit and peel. This is not quite an IBU monster of the 00s but it feels comfortable, like a well-worn favourite old pair of blue denim overalls... As the first drink became the second and third we both settled into comfortable nothing chat. Interest had been locked. We became easy with each other.

The beer's mouthfeel is prickly and smooth all at once. It's the classic Reverand's daughter, meek while daddy's looking but look out when he's not. There's a slight numbness creeping over the inside of my mouth, battered, I think, by what is now unashamedly unrelenting bitterness and hop burn. My stomach is warm enough to happily curl up against, and the general warmth from this bitey, aggressive beer, permeates all my senses. I'm quite happily mellow, just as we were as we said goodbye and she jumped in a taxi. But am I good enough to score a second date with such a beer, and such a girl? I reckon I might jump in the taxi too and see how it goes...

This is a challenging beer; it's a date that looks like an early-ender but ends up in a backseat taxi pash at 3am. This beer is what I crave these days: a bitter, retro IPA, but with enough of a nod to 2023 juice expectations that it ends up with the best of both worlds. I was bummed when this beer and that date came to an end but there was ripe possibility in that farewell. The cheeky final toss of the can to make sure I grabbed the last bit of juicy, bitter goodness was my hail Mary for a second date. Who knows what the answer will be?

The answer was yes, 25-odd years and another lifetime ago. Today, after finishing this beer and revelling in nostalgia, the answer remains the same. This is a bloody good beer!

Cheers!

Click to expand...

I’m turning 60 this year (next week actually). The years piled in my rearview mirror resemble Mount Everest.

Excellent review. Felt like I was drinking the beer with you. Very well done.

JackHorzempa · Jan 28, 2023

A Cold Front is coming through

In this particular case: Victory Cold Front Cold IPA.

The aspect of “Cold IPA” does not refer to the beer’s temperature (although I will be drinking this beer at refrigerator temperature) but due to being fermented with a lager yeast strain or an ale yeast strain which is lager-like (e.g., a Kolsch yeast strain).

From the Victory website:

“Cold IPA

Cold Front IPA

Abv: 7.0%

Hops: Mosaic, Chinook, Amarillo

Notes: Light bursts of pineapple, orange and grapefruit notes rounded out by a hint of pine

Victory's Cold Front IPA, the newest Small Batch release, is a Cold IPA at 7.0% ABV brewed with Mosaic, Chinook and Amarillo hops. The temps drop and cold air gusts, but the sun shines through this Cold IPA with light bursts of pineapple, orange and grapefruit notes rounded out by a hint of pine.”

https://victorybeer.com/beers/cold-front-ipa/

The first brewery to produce a beer they labeled via “Cold IPA” is Wayfinder. For the interested student I would recommend you read the beer style descriptor that Wayfinder constructed for the Cold IPA beer style:

https://www.wayfinder.beer/cold-ipa

Well, let’s see what “cold” tastes like.

Served in my Spiegelau IPA glass:

Appearance:

A brilliantly clear straw yellow color with a two finger white head.

Aroma:

There are vibrant aromas of resin-like, fruity and some citrus.

Taste:

The flavor follows the nose a combination of resin-like, fruity and citrus flavors. There is a moderate bitterness.

Mouthfeel:

Light - medium bodied with an off-dry finish.

Overall:

This beer is very good!

It has the combination of being a tasty beer along with a great drinkability aspect.

Cheers!

@rotsaruch @RobH @ESHBG

JackHorzempa · Jan 28, 2023

@AzfromOz, that was a great start to NBW today.

It would have made Donk smile!

Mdog · Jan 28, 2023

I've got three IPA's from Bell's recent mixed pack today. The Big Hearted was my favorite.

First is Big Hearted IPA

Appearance: Slightly hazed gold, big head.

Smell: Pretty big sweetened grapefruit.

Taste: Follows the smell, nicely sweetened grapefruit throughout. Moderate bitterness, kind of a light body, finishes nice and dry.

Overall: First one out of the Bell's mixed “Hearted” pack, this is a pretty old-school style DIPA. Lots of tasty grapefruit, decently bitter but not too much. Alcohol is somewhat hidden. I think I might like this better than regular Two Hearted or Double Two Hearted.

Second is Hazy Hearted IPA

Appearance: Hazy gold, good head.

Smell: Starts danky, transitions into mild citrus.

Taste: Mild sweetness, vague citrus with maybe a little pithy bitterness. Pretty soft mouthfeel, mild bitterness in the finish.

Overall: Second out of the Bell's mixed IPA pack, this is a pretty generic hazy IPA. Dank smell-check, mild sweetness and vague citrus taste-check. Checks the boxes for the hazy style but nothing exciting.

Final one is Change of Heart IPA

Appearance: Clear yellow, good head.

Smell: Dank, then lemony.

Taste: Mild bitterness, then lemony and a kind of savory note. Light to medium body.

Overall: A decent beer, has a savory flavor note to it that doesn't feel quite right. Moderately refreshing, easy to drink.

Roguer · Jan 28, 2023

Great start to the thread @AzfromOz ... and hey @cjgiant I resemble that remark!

My first new beer of the weekend is a new-to-me coffee stout from Equilibrium: Mostra Ghost Bear Espresso Rho, clocking in at a humble 11% ABV.

Not just new-to-me, it seems, given the limited reviews and ratings. Equilibrium is a bit of a challenge. They don't can date their IPAs, so I never have one unless it's on tap. Their flavored stouts are pricey, but generally really damn good (as are their IPAs if you know it's fresh). So it's a bit of a gamble to drop $10-20 on an unknown beer.

I don't regret it this time around, for sure.

Right from the nose, this is a beer that clearly and plainly announces its intentions: it's here to bring the coffee. And yes it does, but mixed in with a rich and delectable (but never cloying) malt base that's much more Tree House than FBS.

In fact, Tree House is what I kept thinking of while drinking this beer. The mouthfeel is thick, smooth, creamy, and nearly chewy. The alcohol isn't exactly hidden, but I don't mind it, either; it's big and bold, but not aggressive. The flavor is semi-sweet, somewhere in between coffee stout and dessert beer.

This is a wonderful beer where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts - and I rated it accordingly.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/47536/595568/?ba=Roguer#lists
4.46 / +4.9%

JayORear · Jan 28, 2023

Roguer said: ↑

Great start to the thread @AzfromOz ... and hey @cjgiant I resemble that remark!

My first new beer of the weekend is a new-to-me coffee stout from Equilibrium: Mostra Ghost Bear Espresso Rho, clocking in at a humble 11% ABV.

Not just new-to-me, it seems, given the limited reviews and ratings. Equilibrium is a bit of a challenge. They don't can date their IPAs, so I never have one unless it's on tap. Their flavored stouts are pricey, but generally really damn good (as are their IPAs if you know it's fresh). So it's a bit of a gamble to drop $10-20 on an unknown beer.

I don't regret it this time around, for sure.

Right from the nose, this is a beer that clearly and plainly announces its intentions: it's here to bring the coffee. And yes it does, but mixed in with a rich and delectable (but never cloying) malt base that's much more Tree House than FBS.

In fact, Tree House is what I kept thinking of while drinking this beer. The mouthfeel is thick, smooth, creamy, and nearly chewy. The alcohol isn't exactly hidden, but I don't mind it, either; it's big and bold, but not aggressive. The flavor is semi-sweet, somewhere in between coffee stout and dessert beer.

This is a wonderful beer where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts - and I rated it accordingly.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/47536/595568/?ba=Roguer#lists
4.46 / +4.9%
Click to expand...

Where’d you find that, Andrew? I recently discovered their taproom is about an hour from me, with decent (not great) BBQ. I do feel good about getting cans from the source; sometime soon I’ll shoot you some.

Roguer · Jan 28, 2023

JayORear said: ↑

Where’d you find that, Andrew? I recently discovered their taproom is about an hour from me, with decent (not great) BBQ. I do feel good about getting cans from the source; sometime soon I’ll shoot you some.
Click to expand...

7-11. No, really. The 7-11 near me (up here, not home - I can't think of a 7-11 near home, actually) has a great selection of beer. It's one of two places locally I can pick up Prairie stouts, too.

The_Kriek_Freak · Jan 28, 2023

Roguer said: ↑

Great start to the thread @AzfromOz ... and hey @cjgiant I resemble that remark!

My first new beer of the weekend is a new-to-me coffee stout from Equilibrium: Mostra Ghost Bear Espresso Rho, clocking in at a humble 11% ABV.

Not just new-to-me, it seems, given the limited reviews and ratings. Equilibrium is a bit of a challenge. They don't can date their IPAs, so I never have one unless it's on tap. Their flavored stouts are pricey, but generally really damn good (as are their IPAs if you know it's fresh). So it's a bit of a gamble to drop $10-20 on an unknown beer.

I don't regret it this time around, for sure.

Right from the nose, this is a beer that clearly and plainly announces its intentions: it's here to bring the coffee. And yes it does, but mixed in with a rich and delectable (but never cloying) malt base that's much more Tree House than FBS.

In fact, Tree House is what I kept thinking of while drinking this beer. The mouthfeel is thick, smooth, creamy, and nearly chewy. The alcohol isn't exactly hidden, but I don't mind it, either; it's big and bold, but not aggressive. The flavor is semi-sweet, somewhere in between coffee stout and dessert beer.

This is a wonderful beer where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts - and I rated it accordingly.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/47536/595568/?ba=Roguer#lists
4.46 / +4.9%
Click to expand...

Thank you for reviewing this one! I have deliberating on whether I should buy it from my local bottle shop, as it looks intriguing. Now that I know that it gets your seal of approval, I will pick it up.

rgordon · Jan 28, 2023

cjgiant said: ↑

I think you pretty much nailed the protocol of this thread, as I’ve understood it, in the most succinct way I ever recall reading
Click to expand...

To my thinking if it isn't fitting some type of supposed protocol it ought to. I love it!

champ103 · Jan 28, 2023

Proper Pils from Spindletap Brewery. 5% ABV

Most people know about Spindletap from their NEIPA's. I have never been a big fan of those, and after trying a handful, I finally gave up. Though always willing to try a new Pils, and I'm sometimes interested in seeing how a brewery that does mostly one type of beer, branches out to do other styles.

Pours a golden/yellow color with just a touch of chilled haze that clears up after a minute. A two finger white head forms with good retention and lace left behind.
Aroma is lemon and grassy hops. Thats about all I get, which seems to be Noble/Saaz. Not bad at all, I enjoy it, but missing a bit of nuance.
Taste wise...Yeah, I like the Saaz hoppy character...at least I'm assuming that is the hops. Lemon rind, grassy, herbal. Plenty of bitterness lingering. Though almost no malt presents, or any other hoppy nuance (maybe some peppery spicy character would be nice as well). Its mostly just bitter after a while.
A light to medium body. Crisp, effervescent, clean and dry. Just a bit astringent. A good simple hoppy Pils that I can come back to.

Not my favorite Pils around town, let alone in Texas. Though a nice enough, mostly hoppy Saaz like version. Some biscuit like malts, or just a touch of sweetness for balance would put this into the really good category. Though doesn't quite make it to that next level for me.

Overall score is 3.67, solid B territory for me.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/43368/564218/?ba=champ103#lists

lordofthewiens · Jan 28, 2023

AzfromOz said: ↑

I've not started one of these threads before and I'm don't sure of the protocol, but its the weekend, I have a new beer, and I want to write about it. Sound ok? If not, please don't @ me.

Before I review, first some context. I'm turning 50 this year, and as years pile in the rearview mirror and the road ahead remains shrouded and devoid of prescience, I find myself more often embraced in the seductive grip of reminiscence. Today, unbidden, came thoughts of the girl ultimately destined to be the one who got away, and in particular, how at our first encounter I had no interest in her, and no way of knowing the avalanche of first love was about to hit me. Similarly, this beer took a while to get my attention, but once it did, boy oh boy...

Now stop rambling and focus, Az. The beer is Helo by Finback Brewery out of Queens in New York. I came across it as part of a subscription pack that focusses on hard-to-get beers for the Aussie beer nerd who has it all. I don't claim to have it all, but I do claim to be an Aussie beer nerd.

At first blush the beer wears an opaque, light custard-yellow covering with a rocky white head. There's nothing appealing about it. It looks more smoothie than beer but is not brightly in-your-face enough to excite the Insta Kids while offering nothing to the jaded old hopheads looking for a clear, bright, west coast saviour. But I also remember she wore a pair of blue denim overalls to our first date, with her hair held back in a ponytail, evincing nothing more than awkward shyness. There was nothing there to pique my interest either. Still, I was asked out and I was happy to be there, just as I'm glad to have a beer in front of me now after a long and trying week.

On the nose, there's the expected tropical bouquet, with guava, papaya and lychee standing out to my nose. That's so 2023, and there's nothing here to particularly excite my senses. But on closer inspection there's a little bit of dankness in there, and that holds my interest. Is it a deep, piney lime? I'm not sure. The beer has flicked its shyest smile at me - hinting that there's more promise here than I'd thought. I remember looking at her hands as they nervously clutched her glass of cider. They were so delicate, so feminine. I was enthralled. I wanted to touch them. Interest had been grabbed and I needed to know more.

...and know more I shall. The taste jumps straight out of the glass as a dieselly hop burn that sticks to the roof of my mouth and pokes me all the way down my gullet. It's not unpleasant, but it's dominant. As the burn settles and the warmth seeps deep inside me, that piney lime note I mentioned earlier stands out above the tropical milieu. The bitterness kicks in and settles initially, comfortably, on the side of my tongue, taking on notes of grapefruit and peel. This is not quite an IBU monster of the 00s but it feels comfortable, like a well-worn favourite old pair of blue denim overalls... As the first drink became the second and third we both settled into comfortable nothing chat. Interest had been locked. We became easy with each other.

The beer's mouthfeel is prickly and smooth all at once. It's the classic Reverand's daughter, meek while daddy's looking but look out when he's not. There's a slight numbness creeping over the inside of my mouth, battered, I think, by what is now unashamedly unrelenting bitterness and hop burn. My stomach is warm enough to happily curl up against, and the general warmth from this bitey, aggressive beer, permeates all my senses. I'm quite happily mellow, just as we were as we said goodbye and she jumped in a taxi. But am I good enough to score a second date with such a beer, and such a girl? I reckon I might jump in the taxi too and see how it goes...

This is a challenging beer; it's a date that looks like an early-ender but ends up in a backseat taxi pash at 3am. This beer is what I crave these days: a bitter, retro IPA, but with enough of a nod to 2023 juice expectations that it ends up with the best of both worlds. I was bummed when this beer and that date came to an end but there was ripe possibility in that farewell. The cheeky final toss of the can to make sure I grabbed the last bit of juicy, bitter goodness was my hail Mary for a second date. Who knows what the answer will be?

The answer was yes, 25-odd years and another lifetime ago. Today, after finishing this beer and revelling in nostalgia, the answer remains the same. This is a bloody good beer!

Cheers!

Click to expand...

I like what you've done here!

lordofthewiens · Jan 28, 2023

Lazing around, getting ready to walk the dogs.
My new beer for today is Perfect Drift, a German style pilsner from 4 Noses Brewing Company.

Pale yellow color, slight haze. Medium-sized white head with plenty of lace.
Floral, grassy aroma. Some bread.
Taste of white bread, floral hops.
Light in the mouth, crisp.
More, please.

Coronaeus · Jan 28, 2023

My first of the weekend is Canvas Brewing Co. Dubh Linn Irish Stout. Canvas is in Huntsville which is a 2.5 hour drive north of Toronto in cottage country. I’ve never been to the brewery. I received this as an extra in a recent local trade. So far, from what I’ve had, I’ve found Canvas’ beers to be better than the usual rural Ontario brewery makes. Let’s see if this continues.

Pours a cola black with less head than expected that dissipates to a thin film after a few minutes in the glass. It has a thin appearance on the pour.

The aroma is mild. Toasted grain, chocolate malt, a hint of milky coffee and a difficult to place mild nuttiness.

Flavour follows, but more boldly. The toasted chocolaty, roasty malt dominates. Milky cafe mocha stands out to a lesser degree. Mild bitterness on the finish. The nuttiness on the nose is absent on the tongue. I’d like a little more bitterness.

The body is rather thin, bordering on watery. There is not a hint of creaminess that I expect when I see ‘Irish stout’ on a label. The flavour is there, but the mouth says black lager.

The flavour of this beer is nice and largely on point. A little more bitterness would be welcome. Much more body would be very welcome. I’d have it again, but wouldn’t seek it out.

Cheers!

beergoot · Jan 28, 2023

Against the Grain Brewery -- Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest
ABV: 5.2%; pouring temperature: 46 °F; canning info: 08/02/23 (assumed BBD)
Source: @jkblr

3.9/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dark copper body, very clear; dense, slow-rising carbonation; thick, bone-white head, dense and fluffy; sticky rings of foam encircle the glass. Big malt nose; caramel and roasted nuts; very light earthy spiciness. Heavy, flat sweetness; caramel; little to no hop bitterness noted. Heavy body; dense residual sugar; moderately warm on the palate.

A well-rounded malt-forward beer which is great now but would be fantastic during Oktoberfest.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

...a nice opening beer for me this Saturday after spending about 2 1/2 hours at the PSFB fitness center earlier this morning...

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