New Beer Weekend #151

I had the IPA for the first time recently and was pleasantly surprised. I'm not a huge fan of Belgians but what I am realizing is that it's more the American versions that I'm not too fond of and the authentic ones I can get down with.

 

All right, back for round #2, and I think the last round for the weekend.

Leather and Mahogany - Bad Habit Brewing - St. Joseph, MN - Scotch Ale - 6% ABV

I described it well in my review, so I will let it do the talking. I am very happy with this beer, and glad I bought it. I am surprised that I entered it in the database over 3 years ago, but, it took me until now to try and review it.

Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/42984/465579/


4.03/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
From a can.
Dark brown pouring. The glass I'm using makes it hard to see through, but I see a faint hint of light passing through the glass. The head that forms is 1 finger and very light tan colored. The head has such small bubbles overall, and looks quite fluffy and cloud like. The lacing just clings to the side of the glass as the head dissipates.
The aroma has a faint cola aroma. Malty, for sure. Some caramel notes, and some bread notes to it.
The flavor starts off deep and rich. Very malty tasting, with lots of caramel to start it off. There's vanilla in the mix, as well as some bread flavors. The name of this beer really fits. The locally owned store where I get my shoes from also is a boot store, with lots of leather boots for sale. Those boots put off an aroma that is pleasing, but also gets into my throat. It's hard to explain, but, I get that flavor in my beer. It is somewhat earthy, and very pleasing.
The beer maybe is a bit light for the style, but not too off the mark.
Overall, quite happy with this beer. It brings a lot to the table, and fills me up well.


Well, this is all for this weekend. See you all next weekend, and I will be doing some reviews from Minnesota's Northwest Angle. Yep, I'll be in walleye paradise. Cheers all.

 

Can you send me a BA DDH Kvass?

TIA.

 

That big a gap for me, means it is a new beer to me

 

Mother's Brewing Co. Hazy for You Hazy IPA, 8.0% ABV; 3.89 overall

With Papaya, Lime & Guava, uses Azacca & Simcoe Hops

Pours an effervescent amber with plenty of floaties & one finger of rapidly falling beige head. Some head retention & lacing, with a crap ton of fruit residue stuck to the glass. Pretty ugly beer

An explosion tropical scents, Guava & Papaya stand out

T: Follows the nose, you get more of the limes, plus dryness up front. More papaya & guava as this beer warms up, some passion fruit as well & lime. Finishes juicy with plenty of the advertised fruits

MF: Super restrained carbonation with a medium body, decent balance, sticky

A little too much fruit punch, not enough IPA for me, easy enough to drink, but at almost $ 4 can, one four pack will be all I plan on purchasing. It is way better than New Belgium's Fruit Force, so credit where credit is due. A little more hops & less fruit & this could've been a homerun





I now see where a gnat has crash landed in this beer, detractors or flavor enhancer?

 

Hello Late Night NBW.
Haven't been imbibing as much lately. I know, shame on me. But I am very thankful to @FBarber for hitting me such a keen variety of fermented fun in NBS BIF #17. Today is a fine example of this.

Balkan Lager by Urban Chestnut Brewing

Fluffy white head is damned near as generous as FBarber.
Seriously stacked head. Great retention with layers of lacing. Golden in hue.
Nose kicks off with fresh bread dough malt kiss that quickly steps aside to make room for an assertive spicy herbal hop note. Pretty firm nose for style, but hitting the right notes.
Taste is simultaneously carrying the bready malt notes and the hops. Here the hops are more balanced between the aforementioned herbal spice and the newly shining floral citrus. But this definitely takes it in a drying direction towards the finish.
Mouthfeel is crisp, active, and like I said, bitter on the back end.
Overall, this may be a slightly more assertive, for style, Helles. But it's solid.
3.96/5 rDev -3.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

New beer and brewery to me. Thanks, Frank!

 

A final note on this beer - I just put the empty glass in the dishwasher, and as I picked it up, I noticed how the rim was sticky in a similar fashion to when I’ve had a glass of liqueur. I was initially wondering if I was too over the top when I called the beer cooked sugar water, but at the moment it seems even more appropriate.

 

Perhaps a cuvee meeting all those requirements...

 

We have like 600 breweries in WA. Last I heard (long ago), there was 175ish in the Seattle metro area.

There are like eight really active WA BAs. There is NO WAY we can keep up. I'm helping you beef up your stats AND I'm getting more WA beers in the DB.

 

Took me longer to get back here than I thought,
This one is a Ninja hit from @Ozzylizard during NBW BIF #17 (which is still going strong. Bunch of crazy, wonderful people)

So it poured lighter than expected, like coffee actually, which made me look at the can again and make sure it was a stout and not a winter warmer or something.
The aroma is lost on my Covid affected nose.
The taste is not all chestnut and plum, but it is a really smooth and rich. Definitely layers of chocolate and dark fruit (okay, maybe plums) with no harsh roasted malts or hops bitterness, definitely a sipper.
The feel is smooth and viscous, as a BA Imperial Stout should be.
Definitely a one and done for me today, and this was a fine one for the occasion.

 

You got Revolution VSOR on tap in WA? How is that fair?

 

I got it on tap in Chicago! I'll head back to Seattle Thursday night.

 

Hmmm....
Sounds like you might need a refresh

 

Zombie Ice...finally get to try this near-legendary collaboration between Three Floyds (makers of Zombie Dust) and Anheiser Busch (Natty Ice).

19.2oz can served in a wine glass. Bought it at the Beer Temple in Chicago a few hours ago. Dated 05/16/2023, although I misread it at first and thought it was canned a few days in the future. Actually, I read it correctly, I'm just really bad at calendars.

This is a beer I've been seeing for weeks or months on NBW and WBAYDN, and it's been the cause of a great deal of envy, since I love Zombie Dust and (generally) Three Floyds, and I cannot buy any of it in Washington. So, this was really my one and only specific target beer for this visit to Chicago.

Pours a clear bronze-amber, a little less than a finger of head that settles quickly into a thick skin supported by a pretty substantial amount of carbonation. Smell is pine resin and pine cones, caramel malt.

Taste is bitter, a little biscuity / bready, a little cotton candy sweetness, back to the pine and grapefruit resinous bitterness.

Mouthfeel is super dry, cotton-mouthy. Overall, very nice, but not earth-shattering.