New Beer Weekend #136

Well, my liver is still working my way through the boxes I received from @BigIronH. This can managed to slip behind a couple of large bottles in my beer fridge for which I'm now kicking myself. I'm a big fan of New Zealand hops. I also really like hoppy Pilsners. So Space Chase from Arvon Brewing in Michigan checks multiple boxes: a New Zealand-hopped German Pilsner. I tried to research this beer but wasn't able to confirm that it also has Noble hops but I think it does.

It pours a slightly hazy, golden-orange color with more than a finger of bright white, fluffy head and lots of soapy lacing. Initially, it has a typical grassy, herbal Pilsner scent but then I notice the fresh lime aroma that signals Motueka hops. You can taste it, as well. There's a definite tropical vibe that sets it apart. The Riwaka hops provide a strong, tart lemon/grapefruit taste that compliments the hoppy bitterness. It's lite and crisp with lively carbonation, and a very easy drinker at 5.5% ABV. Overall, I really like the idea of using Motueka and Riwaka hops in a German Pilsner. I'm assuming there are some Noble hops here to but it's a very different - and enjoyable - Pilsner.

3.99/5 rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

For the nth time, thank you, Harley! I liked this a lot. Have a great week, everyone!

 

Hope everyone is having a good weekend
Northcoast red seal ale

....body was around medium with the carbonation starting out a little strong but dissipates a bit
...nice cloudy amber appearance
....aroma is malt,roasted malt, some earthy hops along with just a bit of grain
...taste for the most part didn't stray too far from the aroma. With malt showing up first in the aroma I expected some sweetness but it was subdued. Grain and earthy hops.
....overall a very good beer but for some reason I couldn't fully appreciate it

 

Now I'm on to my first new beer of this Sunday. Like many a beer I've had over the last few months, it comes from @Roguer, who, I believe, delivered to me more porch destroying mayhem both in total and at one point in time then any other person in the history of history.

Once again, Fox Farm brewed an excellent beer:

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/45832/279723/?ba=woemad#lists
Thanks, Andrew, this is a great robust porter, exceedingly well balanced and a treat to drink.

Not sure if I'll have another new beer today or not. If I don't, y'all have a great week.

 

Evening NBS.
Didn't plan on a new beer today but when I see a collab between North Park and Modestman well....
Quality Control 3xDH DIPA.
Pours a hazy pale yellow with quite a large sea foamy off white head that recedes to a thin cap.
Passionfruit, peach, juicy orange, floral, pine on the nose.
Taste is tropical and stone fruits, grapefruit juice and rind. Surprisingly bitter.
Medium body, resinous, hop oils coat the tongue. Drying bitter finish. Very slight hint of 8.5% but dangerously drinkable. Tiny snappy carb lightens the load of this hop monster.
Wowee this is really tasty. Hard to stand out in this sea of hop hazies but this one is money.
Keep rockin and enjoy the rest of your Sunday. Cheers!

 

Looks to be a port-like sipper with each pull (possibly) revealing something new in the layers of the pour. Sounds nice.....

 

Heineken 0.0 NA. Pour clear golden with a four-finger off-white head that left great lacing, and also showcased nucleation. Nose is grainy. Taste is grain and hops, a bit sweet, a bit more bitter. Excellent mouthfeel, overall very good. I'v never been a fan of regular Heineken, bit this is better.

3.57/5 rDev +23.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

This is my last of 15 NA beers in dry-February, ran out. A few were excellent, and my favorite was Guinness 0.0. All that seemed to be missing was the alcohol, while most of the others were missing more, such as taste.

 

Cross posted from the Celluary thread. Thanks to @FBarber for his one. Canned Nov, 2020. Great balance of malt, cherries and bourbon. The can says aged on sour cherries but I'm thinking more toward sweet cherries. However, the beer is not sweet. The Notes on the BA page say the beer was "blended" with cherry puree which may explain why the flavor is noticeable compared to other cherry stouts that I've had where the flavor is gone. Very well done, and as close to perfect as you can get! I'm giving it a 4.75.

 

Pipeworks Intrinsic Duality #2! Canned 04/13/21
4.25/5 rDev -0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poursa reddish brown, small khaki head that's gone in a flash. Nose gets some burnt sugar, toffee, taste bud's get toffee, dark fruit and a bit of alcohol burn. Thicker than a normal Barleywine, minimal carbonation. This is excellent!

 

Very nice. I also used it in a cuvée with coffee the next day. Delicious.

 

4.08/5 rDev -3.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle dated 6/23/22 into a snifter.

Look- Black, opaque, light brown frothy head, no visible particulate, above average head retention and lacing.

Smell- Coffee, chocolate, bourbon, vanilla, medium strength of scent.

Taste- Coffee, toasted barley, chocolate, vanilla, bourbon, medium strength of flavor.

Feel- Between thin and medium body, average carbonation, high bitterness, silky, mildly creamy, mildly mouth warming, mildly astringent.

Overall- Appearance was black and opaque with above average head retention and lacing. Bouquet was a pleasant mix of coffee, chocolate, bourbon and vanilla at medium strength. Flavors followed fairly close to nose with medium strength, but some toasted barley notes were prevalent. I expected the body would be a more robust. This beer had a high bitter character and some mild astringency. Overall the experience was pleasant, but did not live up to my expectations.

 

We’ve had this beer on draft, and recently 4 X 16 oz packs. I love the taste of rye, and beers like this one and especially Ryeway to Heaven. It’s nice the six pack Repo Man is now available beyond our borders, but bittersweet for me as it comes at the expense of the elimination of distribution/cans for A Little Crazy after this year. A Little Crazy is my favorite seasonal, so much so it is also featured in my avatar.

Welcome Everyone to New Beer Sunday #940! This thread has survived 18 trips around the Sun (18 X 52 = 936 + 4 Leap Year Weeks), and I hope we are all around to celebrate the 36th Anniversary. I’ll roll out future anniversary threads on the third week of February, to better align with the first New Beer Sunday held February 20, 2005.

Pulling out my last new beer in my possession pregaming for Casimir Pulaski Day. Brewed by suburban Polish Brewers, with Polish Hops, this is Goldfinger’s second release in their Polish Pils Series. I liked their standard version (3.75) slightly more than their first of this series (3.5) hope #2 surpasses both.

Goldfinger Polish Pils Series: Izabella & Sybilla Hops



Can Notes: Purchased single 16 oz can at room temperature at Beer on the Wall on 1/20/23 for $3.75 after tax. Canned 1/9/23, 5.0% ABV. Refrigerated since until today. Brewed and packaged by Goldfinger Brewing Company, 513 Rogers Street, Downers Grove, IL.

Polish Pils Series - Izabella & Sybilla Hops. Lilac, Citrus, Spice

This beer is a part of our rotating Polish hopped pilsner series to pay homage to our brewery's Polish Origins and to showcase the beauty of hops that come from there.

Appearance: Multiple pours into a large Pilsner/Lager tall cylinder glass to allow foam to settle and pour the entire can. Light golden straw base, bursts of carbonation slow to a mild continuous flow, generous initial head leaves a light cover over the base and clumpy soapy lacing after receding. 4.25

Aroma: Nice Pilsner aroma, peppery cracker base, grassy floral notes follow. Crisp, fresh, enticing. 4.25

Taste: Consistent with aroma, add salt to the cracker pepper base, pretty salty but on me, not the beer (I'm sensitive to salt in select beer styles). Getting a mineral flavor next, granite, and the lemongrass and floral notes bring this all together. No citrus for me as listed on the can, but loving the blend and having to slow my roll to ensure I finish my review notes first. 4.25

Mouthfeel: Light, crisp, a little creamy. Carbonation holds on and pricks the tongue throughout, adding depth to the light watery body. Drinks at to slightly above ABV, cracker, pepper and salt linger on the finish. 4.0

Overall: Perhaps my mood or other factors are resulting in more generosity today, but this offering scored substantially higher than the first two Polish Pils I've enjoyed by Goldfinger. Perhaps they are dialing it in as they continue brewing Pilsner batches. Outside of my personal salt sensitivity to Pilsner and a few beers, I wouldn't change a thing with this offering. Well done, Goldfinger, and I'm glad I picked this up! 4.25

I'm feeling much more chill returning to my typical one beer a day, after a few weeks hitting various breweries and beer bars. Still like to go out once a week, appreciate the beers more, especially new ones, when there is time to relax and reflect as I conduct these weekend reviews mostly from home, and the new beers are isolated versus one of several for a day. Looking forward to catching up with the afternoon posts, and threads I didn't get through while I was away.

Cheers, and I'll see you on the Flipity-Flip in March!

 

Old Rasputin has been my "god beer" for years, this was just a huge disappointment to me.

 

Greetings all from the great northwest where we are trying to shake off the last of winter. Bitter cold and a little snow, but March is just around the corner.

Today we have Cape Crasher Northwest IPA from Pelican Brewing.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1304/523945/

A little on the sweet sie with a bit of a medicine flavor..

Until next time

 

I had this last weekend and was also pleasantly surprised. I don't like regular Heineken at all, but I thought this was very solid. Will need to try the Guinness NA at some point as well.

 

Single Origin Coffee Stout: Espresso
6.9% stout by Masthead

Poured from a pint can, the body is jet black with a solid LCD white initial head. Good lacing throughout the tasting.

Aroma is a strong espresso nose with minor cocoa notes.

Taste follows nose with an enhanced espresso flavor. Strong malty char and bitter notes arrive and pair well with the espresso flavor.

Good carbonation. Mouthfeel is light and clean.

Another enjoyable coffee stout by Masthead.

 

Hello again friends today I drink what I think is a completely new beer from Left Hand, at least to national distro in cans. Their nitro milk stout was a very impactful beer on me and I really should revisit it. When I saw they were doing a dry Irish stout, nitro and at 4.3%, well I was very excited to buy this one. Bought it the second I saw it...

Left Hand Brewing - Dry Irish Stout Nitro (4.3%)



Pour black, very nice nitro head on this beer, light brown, tall and thick with great staying power.

Nose is a pleasant combination of dry chocolate, dark roast coffee but only lightly in the foreground; a breakfast like vibe to the nose, like oats are somewhere in there.

The taste is similar to the nose, a nice chocolate and coffee combination; again it’s black coffee but toned down, has some graham cracker like quality to it as well.

Body is light, the nitro is done very well; it is low yet also present in that very smooth microbubble feel on the tongue…there is a pleasant bitterness on the finish that is noticeably dry.

As a fan of nitro beers and the likes of Guinness and Murphy’s I really enjoy this beer. The nose is very nice and it has a nice roast and chocolate presence. If you like nitro beers, and specifically those beers above I would highly recommend.

That may be it for me tonight, we’ll see. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday everyone, see you next week.

——————

Funny going back and reading their, Left Hands, notes they mention graham cracker. I always find it semi rewarding to go back and see similar notes mentioned by the brewery in discussion.

PS…. @kemoarps I don’t know if you remember our red tailed hawk convo but there is a new couple nesting in a fall tree across the street. Nest is getting mighty big, I’ll try and share stuff if I can get shots throughout the next months as we get into spring. Oh and let the better team win tonight, looking forward to seeing a game in Seattle at a normal east coast game time.

 

I’ve been saving this one for NBW



Oddly enough I seem to be having a bit of an opposite experience than @russpowell did with his bottle last night. I find it sweet with a lot of bourbon barrel character and only a hint of coffee mostly in the aftertaste.
The cherry isn’t coming through but I do get a dark dried fruit tanginess. I taste more of a molasses note than chocolate. It is good and pretty easy drinking but I think I like the original better.

 

I thought this was my first Side Project beer, but I reviewed Abricot du Fermier in December of 2021. Gave that a 4.75. Coeur de Cuvée Blend 11 may rate higher. It’s tart, funky, and salty with a pleasant hop profile. The white wine barrels give a depth of character. Medium bodied, dry, crisp, plenty of alcohol presence. Super easy to drink. Just about everything I want from a saison.