New Beer Weekend #141

Discussion in 'The Bar' started by AzfromOz, Apr 1, 2023.

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  1. AzfromOz

    AzfromOz Grand Pooh-Bah (3,225) Aug 22, 2020 Australia
    Mod Team BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Fred from the Wood, 2014.

    Oh my God, it's the weekend! Drunken debauchery, pious contemplation, or good old domestic mundanity; whatever tickles your fancy, tickle away!

    Beer tickles my fancy. I once knew a bloke called Fred, and beer tickled his fancy too. He was a regular at the Returned Servicemen's League bar in Alice Springs, where I spent a couple of months working in 1996. He loved a beer, but couldn't keep up with the other old diggers at the bar. He'd get halfway through his can of Victoria Bitter and ask for a new one, can conspicuously half crushed on the bar - everyone else totally crushed theirs to indicate they wanted another one - but none of us bar staff ever let his secret out. As far as his mates knew, he could drink with the best of them. I wonder what old Fred's up to these days? I suspect he might have gone the way of today's Fred, in the wood rather than from the wood, but hopefully he'd led a full life by that stage and not half of one like his cans!

    That Fred was a circa 1940 version of Fred, while today's beer is the 2014 version. I'm probably one of the few idiots in Australia that knows about the Hair of the Dog Brewing Company, and when I'd heard via the august pages of BA that it was closing down, I rushed to my beer provedore, @TurkeysDrinkBeer and begged him to move heaven and earth to send me some. Being the champion beer mole he is, he set his circles in motion and within a month I had Adam and Fred staring at me in my fridge. Steve, the way you make beer sail effortlessly over the Pacific shows you a beer logistician as well as an incomparable human (for a Yank, anyway :wink:).

    So let's get to the beer...

    I poured two glasses (Steve had sent a HoTD tasting glass and it deserved the first pour), and the second one copped quite a load of sediment due to a moment's inattention. The uncloudy pour was a lovely brandy colour, deep copper, almost bright brown. The head quickly dissipated to a thin rim. Moderate carbonation glided lazily up the glass.

    The sediment pour was a creamy orange-brown. It looked thick and unctuous. The head was retained better in this glass but clumps of trub were clearly visible. I'd been playing too many space games on the PC of late and the lumps of trub looked like tiny asteroids swirling serenely in a hazy, cosmic cloud. I was undecided as to whether I'd drink them or leave them stranded in the glass. (L: 4)

    The smell was very brandy-like, with rich umami and a creamy, woody note. The beer smelled old and musty as though it had not only picked up the character of the wood but had drunk deep from the cellar. The smell brought visions of ceiling-beam spiderwebs, thick and heavy with age, and the dry, ozone-heavy scents of earth and soil.

    The sedimented pour brought stronger notes of alcohol and warmth and an even mustier character to the table. (S: 4.5)

    Taste was where the beer shone. The brandy notes from the nose combined with a candied and dried orange note to produce a sweeter-than-expected hit of liqueur-like flavour, which was joined and largely overwhelmed by the vanilla, woody notes from the barrel. Alcohol followed, and chased the beer down the throat, leaving pleasant warmth on the tongue, gums, teeth and throat. It settled comfortably in my stomach like a well-worn overcoat, snuggling tight and embracing me in its lazy warmth. That warmth gave warning to the alcohol hidden in this beer's body, and it behoves one to sip and contemplate when that's the case. This is not a beer for rash consumption.

    Paradoxically, the sedimented pour had more muted flavour notes, considering it came much harder at my nose. The alcohol felt dialled back and the creaminess dialled up. The brandy notes were diminished and the beer became slightly easier to drink - not that drinking the other glass was any type of chore! (T: 4.5)

    I was maybe a fifth of the way through the beer as began to take notes for the mouthfeel section, and my mouth already had a comfortable numbness to it. The beer's mouthfeel was smooth and a little oily. Maybe silky is the right word as I don't want the negative connotations that might come with describing the beer as oily. It's "oily" in the way that liqueur leaves a thin film on the glass once poured and how the meniscus seems to climb higher up the glass than it should. That's what I mean, and that's how it felt in the mouth. Regardless, my fumbling description should not take away the fact that this beer is delicious. (M: 4.25)

    So, overall: the beer is nine years old and it has spent its last six months in my refrigerator, so it wouldn't have deteriorated from the time I had it in my possession. I can't speak to its previous eight years, but regardless, it had held up remarkably well. It developed that umami richness that comes with oxidation, but the bottle was sealed and waxed so I suspect that's a product of the time in the barrel and the make-up of the grist rather than any oxidation that occurred post-bottling. I can only conclude that the combination of wood, time, and brewer's skill has melded an unforgettable, winter sipper (drunk ironically at the end of the worst summer I can remember) that deserves slow meditation on the qualities the beer has brought to the fore. Losing Hair of the Dog is a tragedy, but I suspect Fred from the Wood will still be enjoyed, albeit in an ever-diminishing capacity, for the next twenty years. Hoarders of verticals would do well to treat this beer with the love it deserves in the intervening years. O: 4.5

    Fred is not a name many kids are bestowed upon birth in 2023. It's a moniker from a time past, when life was slower, brontosaurus steaks were served medium-rare, and time seemed less tied to ever-growing grapples with the modern necessity for speed and experience. Fred from Wood honours those days, and drinking it should be done with that past pace in mind. Slow down, and enjoy this beer while it lasts.

    Cheers!

    [​IMG]
     
    #1 AzfromOz, Apr 1, 2023
    champ103, bluejacket74, MacMalt and 38 others like this.
  2. NorsemanOne

    NorsemanOne Pooh-Bah (2,331) Sep 17, 2021 Utah
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Thanks for the start and cheers @AzfromOz!

    I'll cross post this from the near ending wbaydn

    Strap Tank - Stout

    [​IMG]

    Purchased today(yesterday was only a few hours ago) at the brewery's Springville location. Live country band twanging away as I waited for this and a crowler of an Irish red to go. Review on that later.

    Poured at fridge temp into my new imperial nonic
    (Yes I'm very happy I have one of these now, much cooler than my Ikea POS shaker)

    Pours textbook black, with attributes that remind me of an oily looking cola. Thin tan head that settled into a thin ring with no cap or lacing. 3.75

    Now that it's warmed up since I poured 30ish minutes ago I get a nice balanced roasty and delicate chocolate aroma. Still get some vanilla sweetness as well, but it pales to the chocolate which compliments the roast nicely. 4

    Smooth, roasty with zero bitterness. Dark and oatmeal softness. 3.75

    Thoughts on the body remain the same. Sharp effervescent carbo, light drinking for a 7% stout, and a fairly dry finish. 4

    Overall a different beast entirely from the brewery's core nitro Irish stout, but I find it hard to compare the two. This has what I'd call a refined touch and care for it's production and that is fairly clear, but the core nitro Irish offering is a crusher. So I'd say this was a pleasant treat from a brewery I love and I look forward to the day when they hopefully bring back the BA version of this, because I bet it's a beaut. 3.75
     
    #2 NorsemanOne, Apr 1, 2023
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  3. The_Kriek_Freak

    The_Kriek_Freak Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,217) Aug 18, 2014 Greenland
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    [​IMG]
    Asahi - Clear (Happoshu)

    Look: Golden hue, clear (duh!), and with a quite huge frothy head, which doesn't last very long however.

    Nose: Very neutral. No signs of corn, rice or whatever adjunct was used in lieu of barley.

    Taste: Quite balanced, with an upfront sweetness, followed by a hint of bitterness, and then again a sweet finish.

    Mouthfeel: Thicker than one would expect. Moderate carbonation.

    Overall: I know happoshus are not meant to be amazing but they do their job just fine, especially on a hot day after many hours of walking.
     
    #3 The_Kriek_Freak, Apr 1, 2023
    Last edited: Apr 1, 2023
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  4. jonphisher

    jonphisher Grand Pooh-Bah (3,850) Aug 9, 2015 New Jersey
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Where are you at @The_Kriek_Freak ? Looks like we’re in for some neat beers from you on this weekend.
     
    #4 jonphisher, Apr 1, 2023
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  5. The_Kriek_Freak

    The_Kriek_Freak Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,217) Aug 18, 2014 Greenland
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I'm in Nagasaki for the day. Great place and great food. Kyushu has a very interesting vibe and people are proud of their island. I haven't had as much beer as I was expecting but everything local that I have tried has been tasty.
     
    #5 The_Kriek_Freak, Apr 1, 2023
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  6. WunderLlama

    WunderLlama Grand Pooh-Bah (4,820) Dec 27, 2010 Massachusetts
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Thanks @AzfromOz for the tap opening

    The Streets by Trillium
    [​IMG]


    4.63/5 rDev +3.6%
    look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
    Damn this is good!

    Brewers Notes: Our very first IPA brewed back in 2013 was eponymously named after the street we called home: Congress Street. Its success inspired an entire series of beers, each of which used the same base recipe featuring a different dry hop presenting a unique flavor with common ties. Naming each one of these beers after separate streets in the Fort Point created a unique bond to the neighborhood we are proud to call home. Even as we grow and explore, the Street Series will always have a special connection to our roots.

    The culmination of all our Street beers over the past years, The Streets is a Triple IPA brewed to celebrate our anniversary. Using the same base recipe and bumping the ABV up to 10.6%, we dry hopped with Amarillo, Mosaic, Galaxy, El Dorado, Simcoe, Nelson, Vic Secret, & Enigma. Additionally, as a nod to the neighborhood, we also added Citra to the dry hop this year, the signature hop used for our Fort Point Pale Ale

    Heavily hazy and orange in appearance, The Street offers a nose rich with aromas of candied peach, tropical fruit, lime zest, pineapple and melon rind. These notes extend right through to the palate with complimentary flavors ripe apricot, orange peel, and white wine. Subtly sweet with a balancing floral bitterness, The Street has a creamy and smooth mouthfeel that rounds out this drinkable Triple IPA.

    Canned 3.14.23, open ended 3.31.23, poured into a new pretentious beer glass

    Hazy orange marmalade liquid, dense two finger off white foam cap , spotty lacings, settles to a ring

    Aroma is juicy tropical fruits, peach ,

    Taste is incredible. Citrus, tropical fruits, peach, apricot, wine

    This is a 10% abv? Smooth , soft , creamy

    Exceptional beer, highly recommended, repeatable

    [​IMG]
     
    #6 WunderLlama, Apr 1, 2023
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  7. SawDog505

    SawDog505 Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,922) Apr 9, 2010 New Hampshire
    Pooh-Bah

    [​IMG] I am loving all the participation already, thanks for getting us started @AzfromOz .

    Poured into a 20 oz tulip glass canned on 3/16/23. Pours a very hazy orange with a 2 plus sticky white head that leaves thin streaks of lace, with excellent retention. 4.5

    Aroma is vanilla bean, toasted coconut, orange creamsicle, peach, mango, and apricot. 4.5

    Taste follows vanilla, coconut, orange sherbet, peach, mango, and apricot. 4.5

    Mouthfeel is above average, soft carbonation, not sticky or dry, and at 8.2% massive flavor, but easy sipping. 4.5

    Overall this is very unique and impressively tasty. My favorite so far in the series 4.5 Cheers all.
     
    #7 SawDog505, Apr 1, 2023
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  8. beergoot

    beergoot Grand High Pooh-Bah (9,310) Oct 11, 2010 Colorado
    Mod Team BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    ...I have two happoshu beers under my BA belt...Orion (which was okay and similar to an AAL) and Beniaka (which I thoroughly enjoyed and considered it to be more like a brown ale)...
     
    #8 beergoot, Apr 1, 2023
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  9. Ozzylizard

    Ozzylizard Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,419) Oct 5, 2013 Pennsylvania
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Good day BAs! Thanks @AzfromOz for kicking us off - And with Fred no less!

    Well, so far it's been quiet and wet here on the tundra of NW PA - we're expecting high winds later so maybe no power. But while we gots it...

    Today's New Breakfast Beer:

    [​IMG]


    Barrel Aged Chestnut Plum Pudding from Hoppin’ Frog, 16 oz can. Picked up at brewery 22/03/23. Reviewed 01/04/23 (Review 3061). Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
    Stamped on can bottom “BEST BY DEC 15 2025”. Stored at 42 degrees at home. Served at 55 degrees in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. The final temperature was 58.8 degrees.
    Appearance – 4.
    First pour – Amber (SRM 14), clear.
    Body – Brown (SRM 20), opaque. Under direct light, same coloration but heavy precipitate clinging to the glass. When rear lite, a beautiful translucent ruby.
    Head – Average (Maximum 3 cm, aggressive center pour), earth yellow, medium density and fizzy, quickly receding to neither crown nor cap, only a scant ring of near-microscopic bubbles.
    Lacing – None.
    Aroma – 4 – Smells like generic dark fruit (probably plum) and sweet. No malt, no yeast, no hops. No ethanol (12.3 % ABV as marked on can) aroma.
    Flavor – 4.5 – Begins moderately sweet with some plum flavor. No hops, no yeast, no malt. Marked gastric warming which subsides to a pleasing glow. No mocha, no cinnamon (My favorite spice), darned little BBA flavor. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl.
    Palate – 4 – Full; approaching syrupy; soft carbonation.
    Final impression and summation: 4.25 It’s been some time since I consumed chestnuts and I do not remember their taste. The dark fruitiness of the plums distinctly comes through and matches the moderate sweetness well. The bourbon barrel aging appears in the aftertaste and is less than overt. Overall, Southern Tier’s Plum Noir was slightly better, but this is still quite good.
    Rating 4.25, rDev -2.1%

    When I was a kid, after we fought off the Utah raptors, we'd sit in the plum trees that ran between three properties, build tree houses (actually just platforms), and pull the plum thorns out of our hands. Nobody EVER ate plums. Ever. It took me 60 years to enjoy the flavor.
     
    #9 Ozzylizard, Apr 1, 2023
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  10. SawDog505

    SawDog505 Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,922) Apr 9, 2010 New Hampshire
    Pooh-Bah

    [​IMG] Poured into a 20 oz tulip glass canned on 3/15/23. Pours a very attractive hazy yellow with a solid finger plus sticky white head that leaves thin bubbly lace with excellent retention. 4.75

    Aroma this is rare for this style blueberry hits me first, tangerine, pineapple, and apricot. 4.5

    Taste is fresh blueberry, tangerine, pineapple, passionfruit, and apricot well balanced. 4.5

    Mouthfeel is big, soft gentle carbonation, not sticky or dry, and at 8.4% massive intense flavor, but easy going down for sure. 4.75

    Overall this is a very intense beer and I really am digging it. Reminds me why I was once in love with Mosaic. 4.5
     
    #10 SawDog505, Apr 1, 2023
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  11. FBarber

    FBarber Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,325) Mar 5, 2016 Illinois
    Mod Team BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Good Morning all!

    Mrs Gritty and I are on a short overnight getaway sans kids to celebrate our upcoming 10th Anniversary. This morning we are both taking some time to do things we like - she's sleeping in and I'm reviewing a beer.

    This is Other Half - #1 9th Anniversary Collaborative Tmavé Pivo brewed in collaboration with KCBC and Fifth Hammer.

    [​IMG]

    Pours a dark nut brown color. Excellent clarity, especially noticeable when held to the light. Thin, two finger off-white head forms on the beer, lingers a bit, then dissipates, but never completely. A thin layer of velvety foam remains on the beer at all times. Aroma has notes of bread and nutty malts and subtle spicy hops.

    Taste follows the nose with notes of nutty malts, a hint of rye bread and notes of spicy hops. The malts in this leave a bit to be desired - it lacks the richness and depth of the best Czech dark lagers, but this is still very good and enjoyable. Feel is medium to fuller bodied for the style. Smooth, easy drinking. Dry finish.

    Overall it's a nice CDL and one I am enjoying drinking.

    look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75 = 3.85 (rDev +0.5%)

    Really enjoying the view from the hotel:
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
    #11 FBarber, Apr 1, 2023
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  12. SABERG

    SABERG Grand Pooh-Bah (5,001) Sep 16, 2007 Massachusetts
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    Happy 10th to you both
    Cheers
     
    #12 SABERG, Apr 1, 2023
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  13. jonphisher

    jonphisher Grand Pooh-Bah (3,850) Aug 9, 2015 New Jersey
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Congratulations on ten years @FBarber that view is awesome, thanks for sharing with us…it looks like it’s straight of of Gotham City.
     
    #13 jonphisher, Apr 1, 2023
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  14. ovaltine

    ovaltine Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,787) Apr 6, 2010 Indiana
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I had that yesterday and I frigging LOVED it - but I love all things Mosaic.
     
    #14 ovaltine, Apr 1, 2023
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  15. ovaltine

    ovaltine Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,787) Apr 6, 2010 Indiana
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Happy Anniversary, Frank. Downtown Chicago is the the shizzle dizzle, IMHO. Will you be venturing to Dovetail?
     
    #15 ovaltine, Apr 1, 2023
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  16. Roy_Hobbs

    Roy_Hobbs Pooh-Bah (2,623) Jan 21, 2017 Connecticut
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    @AzfromOz I absolutely love your openings. Well done!

    My first beer of the weekend comes from @jerryfreak, who sent me a bunch of excellent beers last year. This is Funk Fuzz, from Fonta Flora. The bottle describes it as "Appalachian wild ales aged on local peaches"
    [​IMG]
    This was an absolute gusher when I opened it. Once the volcano abated to a slow flow, the pour into the glass revealed a rich, rusty orange beer with surprisingly little head. Aroma is excellent, with loads of funky, earthy peach notes bursting from the glass. I tend to really enjoy wild ales, particularly when they have that funky aroma. Let's hope it carries over to the tongue.

    The verdict? This is not subtle. Loads of funky peach with lots and lots of musty, earthy barnyard funk. This beer is not for the wild ale newbie. Even for somebody as accustomed to this style as I am, it's taking my palate time to adjust. That said, this is very tasty. I don't like peaches, but I love them in beer, so this is right up my alley. Feel is light and lively.

    Overall I'm really enjoying this.
     
    #16 Roy_Hobbs, Apr 1, 2023
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  17. FBarber

    FBarber Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,325) Mar 5, 2016 Illinois
    Mod Team BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Thanks!
    Thanks!
    Thanks!

    not this trip :sob::sob:
     
    #17 FBarber, Apr 1, 2023
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  18. tasterschoice62

    tasterschoice62 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,949) May 14, 2014 Rhode Island
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Superb. Cheers!
     
    #18 tasterschoice62, Apr 1, 2023
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  19. tasterschoice62

    tasterschoice62 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,949) May 14, 2014 Rhode Island
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Congrats!
     
    #19 tasterschoice62, Apr 1, 2023
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  20. tasterschoice62

    tasterschoice62 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,949) May 14, 2014 Rhode Island
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Wow it's back! Thanks for the review. Been a few years since I had it. Loved it so much I saved the can...
     
    #20 tasterschoice62, Apr 1, 2023
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