New Beer Weekend #135

Athletic Brewing Run Wild IPA NA. Pours slightly hazy orange/gold, with a three-finger off-white head that left great lacing. Nose is malt and hops. Taste follows, faintly sweet, slightly bitter. Excellent mouthfeel, overall excellent.

3.96/5 rDev +4.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Yet another malty low-IBU NA "IPA" that tastes more like a lager. It's decent, though those expecting more IPA bite will be disappointed.

 

Hope everyone is having a good weekend!

Orloj Dark Czech lager brewed by Xul Brewery. 4.6% ABV.

New to me brewery and style.

Nice frothy tan head that fades pretty quickly with decent lacing.
Beautiful looking beer, black coffee looking with of a dull reddish border.
Very light aroma; faint chocolate and some roasted malts.
Mouthfeel is light with some chalkiness at the end.
Taste follows the nose, subtle hints of dark chocolate/toffee with nice roasted malts at the finish.
Finish is fairly light with the roasted malts sticking around.
No sweetness at all. Really easy drinking beer.
Like I said never had this style before so no idea how this would stand up to other beers of this style.
Fairly simple straight forward easy drinker. Not surprising as its only 4.6% ABV.

 

Howdy!
First new beer of the day.
Pils from Hardywood in Richmond, VA




I’m usually a fan of Pilsners, and Hardywood, but this one isn’t for me. Love the shorty bottle though.

3.65/5 rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
12 ounce bottle poured into a Pilsner glass.

Cloudy gold with plenty of rising bubbles. The large rocky, white foam head is persistent and leaves a fine network of lace.

Big spicy Noble hop nose with a bit of cracker malt peeking out at times. Taste is hoppy, somewhat spicy but mostly green and grassy, a little sour with very low malt flavor. Light-weight, with a chalky feel, finishes with a small crisp bite.

Malt character is subdued and flavor is dominated by grassy bitterness that is a little harsh.

Cheers NBW!

 

Happy Sunday fellow beer lovers, the final day of the weekend to fit in and share beers together…this one was shared with me from our friend @Whyteboar and is another Michigan beer. The weather keeps fluctuating between cold when cloudy to nice warm with a chill when sunny, it’s sunny now so I went pale lager.

Transient Artisan Ales - Rye Lager (Helles with Rye 4%)



This one pours pale and bright with a some cloudiness to it; white head that recedes to clumpy masses before leaving a thin white film.

The nose; hops hit first, noble hops, followed by a light and bright honey note…a doughy white bread comes out as it warms.

Taste carries the same white bread along with grassy herbal hops, light honey bite on the finish; hops also bite on the finish.

Light body, nice pale malt presence without being heavy or sweet; very clean for how much the hops showed, goes down pretty quickly.

I like this beer in terms of its drinkability, but it almost drinks more like a Pilsner than helles to me. I’m not picking up anything I’d associate with rye but it may be contributing to what I call bite on the finish. Would gladly drink again. Thanks for sharing Craig!

 

Howdy NBW
Back with another new to me one

Great Notion Brewing and Barrel House Portland, OR. Super Ripe hazy DIPA 9.1 abv

Poured from a can dated 1/17/23 “ I guarantee it “

Appearance of grapefruit juice mixed with orange juice, thick appearing thin soapy head, faint lacing and thin cap

Aroma is pungent, overripe pineapple and mango dominate. Wet grassy and a slight sour smell

Taste is overripe tropical fruits, hints of grapefruit and green grapes. Pineapple, Mango and guava dominate

Mouthfeel is a tic heavy and juicy, kind of smooth but a prickly slightly astringent finish. I didn’t notice any alcohol

Overall it’s a complex hazy DIPA, nice aroma and has a WC bite. I liked it but in my opinion the taste didn’t live up to the nose, not to say it didn’t taste good. The nice aroma felt that I should have experienced more sweetness and layers.
4.25/ 4.50/ 4/ 4/ 4/ 4.14/ rDev - 2.8%

 

My second new cherry beer of the day.

Founders KBS Chocolate Cherry
12oz bottled 12.05.22 poured into a snifter glass at fridge temp 11.6% ABV. The beer pours opaque black with medium brown colored head. The head recedes to a thin ring and uneven cap. Solid lacing. The aroma is moderate in strength featuring coffee and dark chocolate. The taste is more of the same with dark chocolate, coffee, mild bourbon barrel, background cherry and chocolate syrup. Mild to moderate bitterness. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with average carbonation and a semi dry finish. ABV is fairly well disguised. The barrel keeps the sweetness well balanced. Overall, very good.

Cheers all!

 

At a hotel room and lacking many resources I'm accustomed to having at home...but at least I have a beer to try and the time to do it, in between running errands as the "gofer parent" during a kids' theater festival in Sacramento. You'll have to use your imagination to picture this beer, though: Alaro's Long Nights cold IPA

500ml bottle served in what looks like a stemless wineglass -- just whatever was available at this hotel. Doesn't appear to have a date on it anywhere, but I bought it at the brewery yesterday.

Pours mostly clear, amber-orange, smallish head, what's there manifests as a clumpy, uneven, fluffy ring. Moderate amount of active carbonation. Smell is resinous grapefruit rind, greens.

Taste is fairly assertive, fairly straightforward -- mostly the same stuff that I got in the aroma, but a little bit of honeysuckle sweetness to go along with it, and a pretty strong bitter finish.

Mouthfeel is medium, maybe a bit more still than I would like. Overall, it's nothing to write home about, but it's a reasonably good beer.

 

Good Sunday afternoon, New Beer Samplers and commentators. I'm glad it's a three day weekend. My first new beer review this week is Pixels, a New England IPA from Seminar Brewing in Florence, SC. It's one of the brewery's flagship IPAs; unfortunately, though, the hop bill isn't evident on the can or the website.

Canned on 1/9/2023. Poured into a Spiegelau IPA glass. It pours a hazy, bright golden tangerine color with a 2-finger, fluffy, bright white cap and generous soapy lacing. A big, fruity nose with lots of pineapple, tangerine, lemon, and floral hops. It's juicy, sticky, and quite sweet with tropical notes of pineapple, tangerine, and a hint of ripe mango. However, the initial sweetness is quickly balanced by tart lemon and grapefruit and resinous pine needles. There is significant hop bitterness at the finish. As it warms a bit there is also a crackery malt presence. It's moderate in body with fairly lively carbonation, and the 7.2% ABV gives it substance without being too heavy. Overall, Pixels has everything you'd want in the style and it's very drinkable.

4.09/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

 

Not a new beer for me, but I'm going to try to be better about putting down my thoughts in an organized review, so I approached it as if it were a new beer to update a previous rating (longtime NBWers, let me know if this is out of bounds!). I don't have a sofisticated palate (I expect I'll never describe anything as tasting of sandalwood or leather), but I like to think that I can get the gist of it and identify a quality beer.

And maybe one of these days I'll sign up for society membership so that I can easily post pictures. You'll have to take my word for it that this looks fantastic poured into a spiegelau stout glass.

Jack's Abby Framinghammer. 10% baltic porter.

Format and age: 16oz can purchased from the brewery in early Dec 2022 (11/22 canning).

Cold chain: excellent. Stored cold at the brewery, transported home in the trunk in winter, bottom of the fridge at home.

Impressions: completely black, opaque pour, no hint of brown around the edges. Tan head that dissipates somewhat quickly. Aromas of bitter chocolate, roast malt, bit of alcohol, and some sweetness that I can't place. Taste is well balanced between bitter roast, chocolate, and hops, and sweet malt with maybe a hint of vanilla. A bit sticky and boozy on the finish, but not in a syrupy or cloying way. Medium bodied with a delicate carbonation that lends some froth to the chew. As expected, everything opens up as it warms.

Overall: this is my favorite beer from JA. Wonderful flavors with a nice booze punch, but without coming anywhere near medicinal. Everything that there is to love about an imperial stout but lighter bodied. A quintessential winter drink for me.

 

Off Color - Little Friend (Table Beer 3.8%)



Deep amber. Sudsy white head. Tinge of opaque color.

Nose is clean and lively. Hints at wood, tannins, yeast, pale malt.

Malt forward, interestingly but thereafter it is clean and easy on the palate. Not much strong carb which may be because of age, I can’t find a date. The stillness is quite refreshing and a very good palate primer.

Finish is short but sharp. Jammy, woody and clean. Suppose it leans dry but not in an acidic way.

 

Started off with The Bruery
Sucré - Rye Whiskey Barrel-Aged which also qualified for #Cellaruary since it was bottled in 2014: https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/16866/120144/?ba=bluejacket74#lists




And finished up with Falls City Birthday Bash 2022 Imperial Stout: https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/22779/639193/?ba=bluejacket74#lists



Both tasty new to me brews, cheers!

 

NBS #2: I Bomb Atomically, an American Imperial Stout from 902 Brewing Company in Jersey City, New Jersey. I had a pour on draught at the brewery yesterday and was impressed enough to buy a pack of cans. According to the brewery it's brewed with chocolate malt but no adjuncts. It's nice to see a brewery coax a lot of flavor from basic ingredients without being gimmicky.

Canned on 11/15/2022. Poured into a snifter at 52° but I let it warm for about 15 minutes. It pours a dark walnut color with deep cola hues at the bottom of the glass, and over a finger of fluffy, light khaki head and a thin film of creamy lacing. It has an aromatic nose featuring fresh coffee, nutty char, tobacco smoke, and just a whiff of dark fruit. I'm very impressed with the taste, which includes roasted malt, acidic coffee, baker's chocolate, burnt nuts, char, anise, and very nice black cherry notes. The flavors are mellow but distinctive and they blend and compliment each other very well. It finishes with a strong bitterness. This Stout has a medium, creamy body with lite/moderate carbonation, and the 9% ABV gives it a lot of substance but isn't distracting from the taste.

This is by far the best beer I've had from 902 Brewing although the sample size isn't that large. Interestingly, my next favorite 902 beer is a Milk Stout. While the brewery is more known for its IPAs, I like its Stout game.

4.19/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Cheers and have a great week, everyone!

 

3.24/5 rDev -15.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Packaged on 1/31/23 - enjoyed on 2/19/23 - poured from a 16oz can into my Dogfish Head shaped pint glass.

Nearly clear golden yellow liquid supports a finger of ivory soft peaks. Fine sandy lacing; decent retention.

Spicy/fruity hop-forward aromatics - pine, orangesicle, chives, and gooseberry. Complex and subtle.

Orange, mango, and pine-sol at first. Persistent, moderate bitterness with a vaguely metallic edge. Neutral yeast, weak/pale malt presence. Tart-sweet finish suggests red vine-infused lemon-lime/club soda . Aftertaste is faintly crackery but it never manages to balance the hops, the varieties of which seem to conflict rather than complement one another. Muddled and poorly structured.

Sharp carbonation, sticky yet thin, ABV present but not hot.

Swing and a miss, this ale seems unfinished (much like Perceval's initial quest).

 

Stands to Reason smoked lager by Suarez Brewing




4.25/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25


Ranked #4 on Beer advocate for smoked beers

Can purchased at half time beverage poured into a pretentious beer glass , dark brown cola liquid, fizzy taupe foam cap , good retention, occasional lacings

Notes: A classic German rauchbier inspired by our trip to Bamberg. Medium brown in color. A super clean beer with beautifully malty notes of smooth chocolate and caramel. Solidly smoky without being too much. In typical Suarez Family Brewery style, this beer is very quaffable and crisp, and begs for another glass. A staff favorite for sure.

Gentle smoky campfire woodsy aroma , not too over powering

Taste is smoked grains, subtle, slight sweetness

Smooth , medium fizzy mouthfeel , flavorful

Really good rauchbier. Great flavor, smooth, not too strong, would pair well with bbq

 

Welcome one and all to New Beer Sunday #939! Usually start with my new to me beer, but hit a few places to start the day here, had a break in between, so should be fresh for this review. This is another comped beer from the current variety pack. I’ve thought I had this beer before, and I likely have, but never formally rated until now.

Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA



Bottle Notes: Gift from brother, 12 oz bottled 1/3/23, 11:49 AM, 01 Chico, CA. 12 oz bottle, 7.2% ABV.

At Sierra Nevada, we take hops seriously. Torpedo Extra IPA starts with the world’s finest whole-cone hops and intensifies their flavors with a little magic from our “Hop Torpedo.” The torpedo is a revolution method of dry hopping that brings this beer alive with a rush of complex hop aromas and flavors not found in any other beer.

Appearance: Bronze crystal clear base, light carbonation. Egg off white creamy head, leaves creamy layer over the base and light soapy clingy lacing along the side of the glass. Looks great. 4.5

Aroma: Nice blend of citrus and caramel, mild to strong. 4.0

Taste: Dry pine citrus taste, light to mild caramel malt stays in its lane. 4.0

Mouthfeel: Nice dryness, medium pine resume hits the spot, drinks slightly stronger than the ABV. More malt caramel than I typically like, but this all comes together very well. Dry bitterness lingers on the finish, in a good way. 4.5

Overall: I’m really digging this beer. It may be riding the tails of the glorious Triple IPA I’ve been digging all trip, but like many SN offerings, this d add tan da well on its own and is a treat to savor. 4.25

 

Absinthe : made with Artemisia absinthium
Wormwood : Artemisia vulgaris
Might taste similar too (in part) .

 

Social Project Brewing's The Void Dark Czech Style Lager, 4.7% ABV; 3.85 overall

Pours an effervescent chestnut/mahogany with 2+ fingers of pillowy tan head. Average-ish heard retention & lacing

S: Cocoa, roastyness

T: Some dark fruittyness, a touch of smokeyness & roasty dryness up front. More roastyness as this beer warms up, a touch Baker's Chocolate & Iron too, plus a little plum. Finishes dry, roasty & with a little toastyness too

MF: Medium body, fairly firm carbonation

A little too roasty for the style, but easy enough to drink

 

I need to go back and read all the posts. It’s been a busy weekend. It’s a holiday weekend here. Tomorrow is ‘Family Day.’ A cleverly contrived way to give people a long weekend in February. Sadly my wife is busy attending to family matters of a more serious sort, so I’m entertaining the offspring solo. I’m enjoying this one while getting their dinner together.



This is Third Moon Barrel Aged Nutella Bestowed Imperial Stout. Third Moon has kind of cornered the BA pastry stout market in my neck of the woods. So, despite it not being my favourite style, I expect this will be a good one.

Pours a deep dark black/brown with ample deep brown head that dissipates fairly slowly to leave a moderate ring around the glass’ edge.

Aromas are as expected. Nice bourbon barrel notes, some milky chocolate. The hazelnut is present, but hard to pick out if you didn’t know to be looking for it.

Taste follows. The hazelnut is a little more prominent, with milk chocolate, vanilla, and bourbon barrel finish. The beer is sweet, but not overly so, and the 11% ABV isn’t at once noticeable.

Body is thick, bordering on syrupy. The beer finishes rather quickly on the sip with only a little heat from the barrel/alcohol lingering.

This is good for the style. The flavours are all there and the beer is sweet without overpowering one’s enjoyment of the bottle. Third Moon pastry stouts are usually worth seeking out.

Cheers!

 

Hopefully the contrived day tomorrow makes up for whatever difficulties your wife has to deal with today.
Tasty looking beer too