New Beer Weekend #154

Nice review. Is that pine aroma like Canadian smoke?

 

A Bruiser of a beer!

Firstly, I want to wish the American BAs a Happy 4th of July!



Due to a generous friend I have a new beer to discuss today: Stark Bruiser IPA.

There is an interesting story on the back of the can:

“Hale to the Ale

Our tribute to the sweetest puppy dog we know, Bruiser. She is loved by all and easy to get along with, just like this IPA. Early hop addition of Citra gives it a strong tropical fruit backbone and late additions of Mosaic hops and a proprietary hop called Zamba give it a mellow citrusy tangerine flavor and aroma.”

Plus as you will see in the photo below, Bruiser looks cool wearing sunglasses.

I have never heard of Zamba hops before (it is so challenging keeping up with all of the new hop varieties coming out) so I conducted a quick web search to learn that this is not a variety but a blend of hops:

“Zamba is the first proprietary release in the BSG Hop Solutions Program, available exclusively from Brewers Supply Group.

Flavor & Aroma Profile

Zamba Blend is an aroma hop that is typically used in only late boil additions, including dry hopping.

Complex aroma characterized by juicy tropical fruits (pineapple, mango), stone fruits, candy, and orange tangerine. This hop blendis named for the overwhelming tropical dance explosion its aroma evokes.”

https://beermaverick.com/hop/zamba/

Well, that all reads very interesting. Should I wear my sunglasses like Bruiser while I drink this beer?

Served in my Spiegelau IPA glass:

Appearance:

Pours a golden color with a white head.

Aroma:

Very intriguing, There is indeed some fruity flavors and citrus aspects but there is more here. There is an aroma that is reminds me of cedar a but, not exactly cedar but quite similar.

Taste:

The flavors follows the nose with a combination of fruity and citrusy. I am not picking up the cedar-like aspect on the palate. There is a low-moderate bitterness.

Mouthfeel:

Medium bodied with an dry finish.

Overall:

This beer is very good! The highlight for me was the aroma but the overall drinking experience was very pleasing.

I wonder if Bruiser likes this beer?

Cheers!

@KOP_Beer_OUtlet @rotsaruch @RobH @Bierman9

 

Thanks to @ChicagoJ for the start.

Triple play of Oberon variants today, starting with Cherry Oberon:

Appearance: Slightly hazy gold-amber, good head.

Smell: Tartness, cherries. Kind of smells like a kettle sour, acidic with fruit.

Taste: Wheaty softness, then the cherries show up about halfway through. Not sour or tart as the smell would imply. Cherries stay through the finish.

Overall: Grabbed a mixed 4 pack of the Oberon fruit variants. I really like Oberon as a summer beer but am not really a fan of fruit additions to beer. This works fine, the cherries add another dimension of flavor while not overwhelming the base beer. Pretty good.

Number 2 is Mango Habanero Oberon:

Appearance: Gold, haze from particles, good head.

Smell: Light wheaty aroma.

Taste: Wheaty with a tingle of heat to start, mild mango fruitiness in the middle, then a lingering heat from the peppers in the finish.

Overall: Number 2 from the Oberon mix pack, the habaneros definitely show up and give a lasting burn after the swallow. Not super hot, but it's there for sure. Pretty solid.

Number 3 is Citrus Oberon:

Appearance: Yellow-gold, particles in suspension, good head.

Smell: Lemony.

Taste: Sweet, very soft feel, normal Oberon yeasty flavors plus a “diluted lemonheads” type flavor from the citrus.

Overall: Number 3 from the Oberon mix, it's a nice refreshing summer drink. The citrus flavor comes through a little artificial feeling, but it's tasty artificial-ness.

 

Sawyer Brewing Circuit Overload. An American IPA with Citra and Strata hops. Courtesy of @LesDewitt4beer. The look is peachy, slightly hazy, light brown. There was minimal foam. The smell is pine cone, grapefruit, lemon, banana, apple, and light white toast. The taste leads with apple juice, which was a bit of a surprise. It is bready, slightly bitter, and has a bit of grapefruit flavor on the back end. The mouthfeel is smooth, light, crisp, and mellow, with low-medium carbonation. Overall, this is a refreshing and easy-drinking American IPA. Just was I was hoping for, on a day that is going to be hot. Thank you, @LesDewitt4beer!

 

Mob Craft Beer Go Big or Go Home. A doppelbock aged in rum barrels and bourbon barrels. Courtesy of @cheeseheadinMinneapolis. Thank you, sir! The look is dark brown swamp water. Murky and menacing. There is no foam at all. The smell is powerful. It smells almost completely like rum, with a sour twist. There is a fruity funk odor that outlasts the first wave of rum. The smell is not very inviting, but it is intriguing. The taste is alarming. Rotten apples, ham, mud, and extinguished matches lead, with some plum and tequila finishing it off. The mouthfeel is cup of beer with cigarette ashes in it, the morning after a fraternity party. This was a creative endeavor that did not succeed. The dudes from Mob Craft Beer went to my alma mater, so I am in their corner, but they come up with some weird stuff.

 

Andrew, you're very welcome! I'm glad I traded it to you, your palate and sense of taste is waaaaay above mine, glad you enjoyed it!!

 

My palate and sense of taste was completely annihilated when I drank that beer the day it was released. I can't wait until we do it again next year!

 

Hey what's going on?!

Hope everyone has been well. I've been real busy, and you probably haven't been seeing me post lately because of it. A couple of things...

First I have been involved in a somewhat return to a new hobby, I have been cycling a lot lately and that has taken a lot of my time (but in a good way). However, when the day is done and I have had a big ride, I have discovered my consumption of alcohol has really plummeted..

It hasn't gone down to zero, but my body just doesn't have a need for it, and often a big brew after a ride or a workout just really doesn't feel good.

It's sort of changed my body a bit, I also dont eat as much now, and I've lost a little bit of weight too.

The second thing is I recently got back a few weeks ago from a beer desert (litteraly) having recently visited Morocco which was just incredible. However, when it comes to beer (or any booze for that matter) just forget it... not that I wasn't complaining cause there was great tea to be had!

So with all said in done, I had a chance to finally treat myself. I had a cycling weekend last week in Vermont, and it was a perfect excuse to go treat myself.

Lots of new and standard Vermont favorites were purchased, and I have been enjoying them quite nicely.

So here's another new beer for me to get rolling and started for NBS. I hope you all are well and let's enjoy the nice long weekend!

OH and before I forget... Happy Canada day today! and looking forward to a great 4th!

What's new for our hero today?

Grumpy Wench - Foley Brother's Brewing



Poured from the can into a Spiegelau IPA glass.

Beaming bright orange and honey dark yellow colored, with a touch of haze and large amounts of fine carbonation crawling ever so slowly. Creamy topped three finger and more sized head, with an island ice cream like dollop on top, and thick soapy tiny bubbles for retention. Lots of staying power here, with thick lace and a chunky top. Great looking stuff in a bright and bold package.

Mild earthy tones of hop on the front, with a soft sense of woody bitterness hanging in the back on the nose. Slightly floral with a fairly neutral malt presence. Solid fronted hop quality.

Palate seems to play it safe but nicely. Light bodied but just enough malt backbone to stay away from watery texture, but does flirt with it a bit. Slight juiced fruit front, but more of a mid palate filled with light earth and soft green herbs. Bitter lingering slight pine finish, with more touches of green herbs. No dialed in sweetness, but nothing overly astringent either.

Kind of lacks some character, but keeps things good in a simple package.

look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4 | BA Generated Score: 4.03

Cheers!

 

Here is the replay. You guys have a small pour. I have a big pour.

 

Time for another new beer.



Poured from the can into a Spiegelau IPA glass. Canned June 21st 2023.

Hazed and opaque body with a muted orange but fairly dark and still. A mix of custard but has a much darker than expected color. The beer nearly appears frozen. Head is quite soapy, fine white bubbles of three fingers with light retention. Shampoo like top but lots of ring lacing to match.

Aroma is a hop surprise. Hints of soft dank, but a real gumdrop like candy sweetness that matches nicely. Thick and rich, with a light sense of sweet malt to counter as well. The contrast between dank and sweet hop aroma on this is exceptional. Huge juicy dank sweet punch is the only way I can describe it, like hop thick Kool-Aid.

Palate brings things a little more into focus, but does not hold back. Mid palate hits with a hot but delicious earthy mid palate punch. Large and bold, but controlled hop blasts of pine, earth, juiced candy orange pineapple and mango rolling into a minty finish that just does not quit. It doesn't stop there, with a creamed earthy mouthfeel that feels like a sundae, and smells like sweet tilled garden earth.

A bit of a punishing sensation, but in a real good way, Crushing indeed.

look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5 | BA Generated : 4.55

Cheers!

 

Hi there, NBW!

Community - Barrel-Aged Legion

16oz can served in a pint glass. Can is dated 01/16/23. Got it from @MrSandman101 in a trade.

Pours very dark brown, opaque, with a medium-sized (for the style) head. Settles with better-than-average retention into a thick ring and a nearly complete skin over the surface. Bubbles are fine. There might be a little bit of active carbonation. Smell is a little on the boozy side, molasses and vanilla, some barrel-y char.

Taste is surprisingly bitter. Very dark roast coffee. Before that hammer slams into the palate, if I pay attention, I get some of that molasses and vanilla. Aftertaste gives me dark chocolate. Booze is still pretty noticeable throughout.

Mouthfeel is definitely on the thick side but far from oppressive. Overall, this is a really nice and really interesting barrel aged stout that accentuates different aspects than most of them do. A barrel-aged RIS that leans more toward RIS than barrel-aged stout.

 

Thanks for kicking us off @ChicagoJ, and happy Canada Day to @Coronaeus and any other BAs north of the border. I'm on vacation in NH this week and sadly didn't bring any Canadian beers with me, so I'll go with something from Hill Farmstead, which is close enough for government work.

I picked this up a couple years ago and am finally getting around to giving it a go. Short summary of my review...I wish I'd bought more.


4.31/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours a bright golden color with good clarity. Head didn't last long, but the effervescence of the beer is clear based on the omnipresent self-replenishing cap and thick ring. Aroma is fantastic. Plenty of floral notes, along with honey and funk combine to make this very appealing on the nose if you are a fan of the style (as I most definitely am)

The honey is a little more prominent on the tongue, and the floral notes a little less so. Rhubarb mixes in to add some life to the party. Tart, but not overly so. Very light and well carbonated.

Overall, very good beer.

------------------------------
@Roguer I can't help you fill in the missing piece in your vertical, but if / when it comes time to take it out, I may know a guy who can help

@Smakawhat cycling is great. I need to do more of it, especially since I keep jacking up my hamstrings running. You must have had a blast in VT. Great state for cycling and beer!

 

Good afternoon NBW
This beer came to me via an import "beer of the month" thing my wife purchased for me for Christmas.

Holy Grail British style pale ale

16oz can stamped JO1 2 16:02 poured into a nonic pint glass at just above fridge temp 5% ABV per label. The beer pours bright copper tinted amber with very light khaki colored head. The head recedes to a thin ring and cap. Minimal lacing. The aroma is mild with Maris Otter malt and not much else. The taste is semisweet pale and toasted malt with a hint of sour and cardboard. Negligible bitterness. Maybe a bit of black tea from hops. The mouthfeel is thin to medium bodied with average carbonation and a mostly dry finish. Overall, looks and smells great, but the taste is a significant downer.

 

New beer #2

Barrel Aged 12 Dogs of Christmas

12oz undated bottle poured into a tulip glass at fridge temp, no ABV listed on label. The beer pours opaque medium dark amber with khaki colored head. The head recedes to a thin ring and island. The aroma is mild with sweet malt, spice and barrel. The taste is semisweet caramel malt with spice and bourbon crashing in initially, before honey sweetness and spiced, drying oak finish things out. Mild bitterness. The mouthfeel is thin to medium bodied with less than medium carbonation and a semi dry finish. Overall, good for the winter warmer style which is not a personal favorite of mine. Well done celebratory beer.

Cheers all!