New Beer Weekend #134

Another beer courtesy of @FBarber (at least if my storage notes are correct). This one is Magic Trait, from Speciation Artisan Ales, a Foeder aged solera sour ale with blackberries, black currants & blueberries. This one was bottled in 2019, thus warranting a cross-post in the Cellaruary thread.

Bottled in 2019. Really nice looking beer. Bright, translucent red with plenty of fizzy reddish tinged head that receded to a spotty cap. Aroma is very fruit forward. Notes of jam, but with enough oak funk to steer it well short of cloying.

The taste is similar. There are clear fruit flavors, but the come across as real fruit, not syrupy or artificial at all. Nice wood notes and lightly sour funk rounds out the flavor profile nicely. Light and lively. Very tasty.

 

Howdy NBWs
First time having a beer from Great Notion Brewing and Barrel House Portland, Or.
DDH Empress hazy IPA 7.0 abv




Poured from a can dated 1/5/23 Purchased at Julio's Liquors, Westboro, Ma.

Thick grapefruit juice color, thin quickly dissipating head. No lacing or cap

Aroma of over ripe pineapple, lemon, apricot and a bit floral

Taste is mostly pineapple and citrus, some stone fruit notes

Mouthfeel is creamy and chewy up front and finishes kind of prickly

For a double dry hop pale ale it's fairly smooth drinking and has a slight finishing sting. Nice beer.

4.25/ 4/ 4/ 4/ 4/ 4.02 rDev -2.2

 

Hello New Beer Weekend!!!

Today I am at a new brewery in Litchfield, MN called Half Bushel Brewing. The place isn't in the system yet, nor on Untapped. I don't know if someone has submitted it yet, or not. If not I can do it when I get back home. Here is their starting tap list


I chose the Coffee Stout


New breweries seem to usually have problems making good beers right out the gate. This beer impressed me. It might be slightly light for the style, but the flavor is good. I posted a quick review over in the Minnesota brewery thread.

I am having the Coffee Stout. It pours pitch black, with a minimal head 4. Aroma is roasted coffee, smooth smelling 4.25. Taste - slightly malty right away, then the coffee builds. It is roasty, slightly smoked. The coffee lingers in my palate. Slight bitterness on the back lingers 4. Body seems slightly light for the ABV, but not watery 3.75. Overall I would give it a 4. Seems like a good start.

This is all I am having here, but I might make a stop at another place on my way back home. Cheers all.

 

Happy Saturday, New Beer Weekenders. One of my favorite local breweries, Bull n Bear in Summit, NJ, is known primarily for its very well-crafted euro style beers. While BnB has always brewed IPAs (I particularly like the West Coast style, Initial Public Offering), the euro beers differentiate it from the other locals. But the world loves IPAs, so with vox populi in mind Bull n Bear has embarked upon the "Q Series" of quarterly, small batch, hazy IPAs. The first is Q1 2023, hopped with Citra, Vista, and Pacific Sunrise. It was canned four days ago. I will confess that I drank a pint at the brewery on Thursday but this is my first pour from a can.

It pours a dense, opaque, pastel straw yellow with a full finger of creamy, milk-white head and lots of soapy lacing. A big, fruity nose featuring lemon, grapefruit, orange, peach, honeydew melon, and woodsy pine. The initial taste is dryer, and more tart, than the smell would indicate. As it settles and warms a bit, however, the sweeter fruit becomes more evident. The Citra and Vista hops work well together and add subtle tastes of ripe honeydew, peach, and maybe a hint of pear. The brewer stated that the Pacific Sunrise hops are used for bittering and contribute dry, herbal, grassy, piney notes. In the end, the modest tropical sweetness never overcomes the dry, clean bitterness, which makes this ale particularly refreshing. The mouth feel is creamy with appropriate carbonation and the 7.3% ABV gives it good substance without overpowering. It drinks easily. Overall, it's a very solid NEIPA.

4.24/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Have a great weekend, everyone!

 

I also received a bottle from Frank. It's a lovely Flemish Blonde Ale. Delicious!

 

Second beer.
Concentric Rings from Sapwood Cellars





4.37/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
16 ounce can poured into a Tulip.
Canned 12/20/22

The hazy pale yellow pour is capped with two fingers of white very persistent foam which leaves lace.

Big juicy Citra nose, grapefruit and pineapple. Flavor is the same, hoppy pineapple, stone fruit and grapefruit, medium sweet with moderate bitterness, malt flavor is flour-like. Some alcohol flavor. Body is medium-full. Soft and creamy feel, no tongue prickle, finishes with some warmth.

Really nice hazy double. Very fresh cans of this must be fantastic.

 

Equilibrium Aqueous Protractor DIPA. Since I learned that I'm about an hour from the EQ taproom and can get cans pretty fresh, either direct or from my locals, I've been buying them a lot, and have been extremely impressed. To the point where I think they're moving into Finback territory, which I've thought are among the best NEIPAs being made right now. Appearance on this one is impressively golden, hazy but not turbid. Like other EQ beers I've had lately, it's solid head gives way to complex lacing. Aroma is mango and orange juice, with a piney background that makes me anticipate bitter dankness which hits on the first sip. Like Finback beers (and this is one reason I love both breweries) it's not easy to separate taste from mouthfeel. There's a sprightly effervescence interacting with a base creaminess, each component carrying different tastes. It's sweet but not cloying, resolving into a dry bitterness on the tongue that demands another sip. As it warms, lime and vanilla emerge, but the mouthfeel remains sharp and zippy. Like the best Finbacks, it rides a line between being a "thinking" beer and gulpable one. An outstanding example of the style, which I'm generally drinking less of these days. But I would buy this one every time I saw it, without a doubt.

 

Off-dah!



This is a big can of beer



back shed alternator altbier


3.84/5 rDev -4.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Giant monster of a crowler can , 25.4ounces, of Paul Bunyan-esque Altbier poured into a footed glass. Courtesy of @Victory_Sabre1973 in shenanigans associated with Bif 16. New brewery for me

Brewers notes : Don't let the darker color fool you! This beer is lighter in body, clean and deceptively crisp. The German malts and hops used create a beer that is perfect as we transition to our beautiful Fall Minnesota weather. This older traditional style doesn't get a lot of love in modern beer lineups. But we think you'll agree it's time for a comeback!

Coffee black liquid crowned my a creamy one finger taupe foam cap . Settles to a sea of frothiness with cloaking lacings , spotted layered lacings with each sip

Aroma is roasty malts , whiff of fresh roasted coffee

Taste is roasted malts , hint of coffee, bit of earthiness

The body is light , ever so slight bitterness on the finish

Good beer

 

This is “Merry Pranks “ Imperial Viennese Lager! A coworker friend who lives in North Wilmington gave me this. He lives within walking distance of the brewery/taproom and often gives me selections from WBW. This is the first Viennese Imperial Lager I’ve ever had and it’s fantastic! Rich caramel malt flavor with a very fine carbonation bite. Had I tasted this blindly, I’d say it was a Marzen. There’s no abv I can see on the can, but I suspect it’s a wee bit higher than your typical lager or Marzen. Very well done!

 

Since @WunderLlama is having a beer from Back Shed Brewing, so will/am I. Though. For me, it's 3 blocks from home.

Gibberish - American IPA - Back Shed Brewing - Waite Park, MN - 8.8% ABV

This beer, while murky, isn't a NEIPA. This beer is full of hops, and the hops hit pretty damn hard. I would have preferred a pine bomb, but this tropical bomb is quite tasty.

Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/61553/640387/

4.19/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured from the tap at the taproom. This beer pours very murky with an almost orange color. There was a bit of a white head that produces nice lacing as I consume it.
The aroma is quite full of hops. The hops are quite tropical smelling. Lots of mango and guava with a hint of grapefruit.
Flavor takes a moment to kick in, but, when it does, it hits hard. Quite tropical flavored. Lots of mango backed up with guava and grapefruit.
The body is full, with a faint burn from the ABV. There's a bitterness on the back that lingers in my throat.
Delicious overall. Quite happy drinking this.


I will be home in a bit for one more tonight.

 

After a couple of weeks with a LOT of travel, it’s good to be home. Seems like a perfect occasion to try a beer I’ve been wanting to try from a brewery I really enjoy.

Check and check. This is Raven, a black IPA from Tree House.





4.35/5 rDev +7.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours a dark cola brown color and settles as black in the glass with a creamy oatmeal colored head that grips the glass. The nose has resiny pine, citrus, and roasty malt.

The taste reflects the nose, withe the resiny pine imparting nice bitterness, the citrus providing some fruity freshness, and the roasty malt combining with a delicious baker’s chocolate flavor that lends a touch of bitterness and depth to this flavorful black IPA.

The mouthfeel is full and drying, providing a crushingly drinkable beer. I am a Tree House fanboy, and this beer outside of their hazy wheelhouse is a perfect example of why that’s the case.

 

It was all I could do since receiving this beer on Tuesday to wait until the weekend to enjoy and share here. I’ve been looking forward to it since it was announced. This is Godspeed Sklepník Plzen-Style Pale Lager conditioned in Urquel made pitch lined barrels. I had hoped to have this as a side by side with their regular Sklepník, but wasn’t able to get any of it this time around. Next time.



Pours a deep, slightly hazy straw gold. Moderate head that dissipates fairly quickly to an 1/8 inch covering. Lovely lacing as the beer is enjoyed.

Soda crackers, grassy/herbal aromas hit the nose with a slight spicy note in the background.

Flavour follows closely. Tea biscuit, cracker with herbal hoppy notes on the tongue. A light spicy note to the finish. Really enjoyable.

This has a nice body with a good crisp effervescence that drinks very well. Highly drinkable. I enjoyed this can too quickly.

This was what I wanted it to be. A refined Czech-style Pilsner that hits all the right notes. I have no idea how the pitch lined barrels affected this beer, but I like it and will definitely be making it a regular in my fridge and in boxes to my NBS BIF brethren. @jonphisher , it’s my turn to send to you I believe?

Cheers!

 

I’m adding a second offering to this thread today. Hopefully that is allowed! This is something I stumbled across at my local distributor and couldn’t pass up! At $11.99/4 pack and being a von Trapp/ Counter Weight collaboration I pounced. Almost a dry finish to this one. Good flavor. Light caramel and roasted malt on the nose and palate. A nice, light easy drinker.

 

Still on page 1....OK I guess I'll try and help that; another Michigan beer from @Whyteboar this one, a Czech dark lager. There seems to be a decent amount of attempts at this beer going around this year so I'm curious to see how this one stacks up...I tried to channel my inner @beergoot with this pour…

City Built Brewing Company - Krewe de Rex (Czech dark lager 4.9%)



Pours the darkest of browns, huge big light brown head; very good staying power and a nice creamy film that lingers, with no lacing.

Nose has a chalky dryness to it, with some roasts and cocoa; light coffee with a background of aromatic woodiness.

The taste takes a different direction than the nose implies; it has a woodsy peppery note too, then finishes with some roast and slightly burnt toast, light yet bitter coffee.

Smooth and creamy light body; silky smooth carbonation, low but noticeable roast bitterness on the finish, clean finish and moderately dry.

I thoroughly enjoyed this beer…this beer was very flavor forward and bold but it maintained a very nice drivability; quality dark lager. Thanks for sharing Craig!

——————

Sights from South Jersey part 2…just under 24 hours…

 

Good evening, crew. The show chorus the wife and I sing with performed the National Anthem for the Globetrotters game today in Providence - that was pretty cool. Took the grandson and a friend. Great early dinner at a small kinda hidden Italian restaurant we stumbled on pre-pandemic and just got around to again.

In the glass:



Finback Drip Coconut from the BA stout box. Imperial Stout with coconut, peanut butter, vanilla, and coffee. The remaining foam ring coats the glass, but doesn't cling. Kinda cool.

Pours like rich black coffee and appears to be quite thick. Scant quarter inch tan head that ends as a ring.

The nose opens with vanilla and peanut butter, but there is a very faint toasty coconut, then a decent coffee aroma. Once that settles down, nicely roasted malts carry the stout theme.

The taste...it's a little weird but I like it. It's pretty sweet, but the flavors are suitably strong to keep it from becoming syrupy. Clearly peanut butter and high quality coffee. Vanilla for sure. The coconut seems quite mild and that's fine with me. It's more like a lightly toasted coconut, but certainly in the background. There is just a touch of char and acridity, decently bitter. The stout part is pretty assertive despite the heavy flavors. What's weird is the flavors present separately at first, but meld into one cohesive taste and I'm oddly enough thinking it's like a toasted Fluffernutter sandwich going along with my coffee. Or maybe a donut based on a Fluffernutter - yeah - I like that analogy better.

The feel is thick and I guess the adjective is chewy. Some stickiness on the lips. The flavor lingers, but it is a pleasant lingering taste with the flavors coming down from a fairly aggressive level. Like eating a chocolate truffle - that kind of lingering taste.

This is a good beer, gonna take a while to get through and I will definitely enjoy the time it takes. If you don't like the additives, don't bother though. I'm going around 4.3 on this one.

@JackHorzempa - I like the sounds of that Jack's Abby rice lager. I'm feeling it might be necessary to make the pilgrimage to the brewery if it's on the tap list. I suppose I could look at their web site, but there's always something good to eat and drink in that taproom.

 

That sir is a beautiful pour
Great notes as well
Cheers

 

Thank you…Hopefully you’re still soaking up time with the fam halfway around the world @SABERG

I’m looking forward to reading your words and pours from NE again soon. Safe travels when the time comes.

 

Keep ‘em coming; we’ll be here all weekend

This one never made it to NJ but I picked up a different new to me one today. Either for tomorrow or next weekend…