New Beer Weekend #156

Howdy beer friends, time for another new one is it??? The pilsner tasting has been great but I didn't have any new pilsners so I'm living just here tonight. Just finished celebrating my dad's birthday and he had some stella so I grabbed one for the road. Last week I did Modelo, this week another mass produced beer. I have actually never had this beer before so a perfect place to dissect...

Stella Artois (Euro Pale Lager 5%)



Pours a very pretty crystal clear brass color, nice very white cohesive head that settles into some clumpy white islands, some of which try to cling to the glass in a show of minor lacing. Swirling the glass around gives a nice visual as the carb is visible and replenishes the head.

Nose is a mix of white bread, cracker, wafer like, light macro lager skunkiness, and very light floral leaning hops, I would stop short of saying floral though.

The taste is surprisingly refreshing, while cold especially, has a generic very light maltiness that carries a very minor touch of sweet; reminds me of wonder bread but less doughy; some definite hop presence, lightly peppery but they are definitely outshined by the malt. The malty sweet slowly becomes more powerful as this beer warms.

Light body, slightly effervescent, some light sweetness coats the tongue but it finishes surprisingly dry with a low-moderate bitterness; has a nice snappy finish to me. As this beer warms it becomes sweeter and has more of a macro lager taste/feel to it.

I'm enjoying this beer a lot more than I thought I would have, compared to other mass produced euro lager it actually isn't half bad. Worth giving a shot, in my opinion.

Have a great night everyone, hopefully there's some more cross posting between here and the pils thread. Cheers everyone!

 

Hey, gang. Weather roller coaster here, thankfully nothing as severe as the folks in VT and NH are dealing with. Still super-humid, so started sorting thru clothing - I do not like this job! But I did round up all my old motorcycle clothes - no idea what to do with them. Free to a good home, but I don't really know any riders these days...all good stuff that would be a shame to waste. I guess my original leather jacket is "vintage" by now... Heated liner and gloves may be handy if it snows - I think my tractor has a 12 v outlet somewhere.

Anyway... In the glass:



Mighty Squirrel Volare Italian Pils, listed here as a Bohemian/Czech whereas other Italian Pils are under German...so...

Pours very clear, darker golden colors than other similar beers. Huge head that lasts and sticks.

The smell...hmmm...slightly sweet, bread-like malty with a little touch of toast. Quite hoppy with a little lemon, mostly floral notes, slight green grassy smell, a little honey, very faint peppery spice.

The taste isn't what I've come to expect from an "Italian" pilsner. Malty, bready, minimally sweet again with the little bit of toast. The hops kick in pretty hard and bitter sets in pretty early in the taste. Green, herbal/floral hops with a bit of lemon grass. There is a white pepper spiciness at the end.

The feel is thin and a tad watery. It's not very crisp, either. So it feels watery versus refreshing. Bitterness carries for a long time with the pepper and nothing in between.

Overall, it's drinkable. It seems a bit out of balance to me - not quite coming together. Whatever kind of pilsner it is supposed to be, it doesn't quite get there. Thinking 3.6 or so and that might be kind. DaVinci's helicopter isn't lifting this one much.

 

Sounds like a tiring, but in the end, special and all worth it kind of day. Love the pictures of the Barber Clan, a beer well deserved.

 

Good evening NBW
Another of my Jackie O's big bottles muled back from my May trip to Cincinnati.

Cellar Cuvee 1

Here's what they had to say about it:


12.7 oz bottle vintage 2022 poured into a Duvel glass at just above fridge temp 11.4% ABV. The beer pours opaque dark brown with light brown head. The head recedes to an uneven ring and a few bubbles. Micro dots of lacing are left behind trailing the liquid level. The aroma is moderate in strength with dark chocolate, bourbon, oak, and sweet notes of caramel. The taste is semisweet caramel, fudge brownie, bourbon, oak and honey. Finish is mildly bitter with the barrel doing the most to offset the sweetness. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with just less that average carbonation and a semi dry finish. Alcohol is fairly well disguised, as I would never guess 11.4% Overall, excellent. Slightly sweet, but wonderfully balanced.

Cheers all!

 

Evening all!
Save a “Barvarian” this is my last German Pilsner for the weekend.
It’s also the oldest one, 5 months past the best by date (I seriously need to look at those dates when buying from Total Wine)

That said, the color is that golden straw that seems so ideal for the genre. The head was lacking though, likely because of its age.
The taste, however, if this is missing something because of its age it must be amazing when fresh.
Has the necessary elements for the style - the noble hops, the malt sweetness, the slight bitterness; crackers and white pepper and grassy notes with herbal essence running through it all.
The feel is quite good, light and almost crisp- I could quaff this one by the liter and want more.

 

Flounders Fred ipa
...cloudy amber with a lasting tall white head
...around a medium body with around the same for carbonation
....aroma is pine, grapefruit, citrus, and earthy
...taste doesn't stray too far from the aroma. Hop bite is there but not extreme which to me is very enjoyable.
...overall this brewery has been impressive

 

Poured transparent golden straw color with a proud two inch white head.
The taste is a milder version of a good German Pilsner. Mild hops, mild malt mild floral notes, mild spices. But to their credit they got all the genre requirements. Just mellower.
The feel is also good, albeit mild.
Or maybe I just have Pilsner fatigue. This is my fourth today.

 

Used to come in a really cool glass in Belgium

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1418164841/pauwel-kwak-belgian-beer-glass-with?
gpla=1&gao=1&

mine died a few moves ago

 

More sugar!

 

Okay forgot to post my list 2 beers here. This getting old thing is awesome ( possibly buzzed )

Pours a very bright & clear gold with 2 fingers of beige head. Nice head retention, not much lacing

S: Tropical fruits & some orange & grapefruit, green melon once warm

T: Tangerine, lime, passion fruit & lime, plus dryness up front. A little dryness, plenty of lime, some pineapple as this beer warms up, a touch of grassyness too. Finishes a little dry with lime & green melon

MF: Medium body, restrained carbonation

Drinks okay, I am fan of good Hazy IPAs, this isn't one of them. Almost tastes like a Basic IPA with a squirt of lime juice. Would've rated this higher as an American IPA






Bike Rack Brewing Dinosaurs & Unicorns Hazy IPA; 3.21 overall

 

Okay second review because I am senile.....

3 Floyds Pillars of Beasts Oak aged Barley Wine w salted caramel, 13.7% ABV; 4.17 overall

Pours an effervescent & ruddy hazel with 1 finger of fast falling tan head. Zero head retention & lacing

S: Boozy barrel, brown sugar, caramel & a touch of maple syrup

T: Follows the nose, plenty of oaky, dryness, some leafy hops & warming booze, plus a little brown sugar up front. Dryness, a touch of Bourbon & Creme Brule' as this beer warms up. Finishes oaky, warming with plenty of caramel

MF: Medium body, pretty restrained carbonation, warming

A solid BA take on the style, will try to lay the rest down. to see how they age. I am feeling the ABV; a little

 

I think I have the handle part, somewhere...

 

Odd Side Ale Ales Thiolized West Coast IPA, 7.0%; 4.37 overall

Pours an effervescent & bright gold with one finger of tight cream colored head. Nice lacing & head retention

S: Some citrus & dankness, stays strong through the tasting

T: Plenty of cattiness, some pine, a little tangerine & lime up front. Oranges, cattiness, limes & woody dryness as this beer warms up, Finishes dank, with some grapefruit pine & lime, plus some dryness

MF: Medium body, lively carbonation; great balance

Great take on a West Coast IPA, one of my best gets from this trip up North; super drinkability

 

I was at Zymurgy today, Had a full pour of Marzanna out of the tap, I have had it many times.Plus other Variations of it too. It's good, smooth and the ABV is very well hidden. Drink too much and it will knock you on your ass. I also went on a mini tour of the brewery today in Menomonie. Zymurgy and Brewery Nonic are very unique Individualistic breweries. They are also about diversity.
They maybe more Individualistic and diverse than any brewery in the Twin Cities metro.