New Beer Weekend #156

How many of them did Dad have to carry? Just curious...

 

Good morning. I figured I might as well enjoy a beer while I build my ark. Holy rain Batman.

This is Primordial Noir, a Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Red Ale with Cherries and Spices from Cascade Brewing. Brewed in 2017.

3.32/5 rDev -19.2%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
2017 Vintage

Appearance is.....lacking. No carbonation, likely due to the age, but aside from that it's a dirty reddish brown color that doesn't do much for me. Aroma is very, very tart. Cherries linger beneath, but the tartness definitely dominates.

Taste is interesting. I didn't get any barrel on the nose, but I taste plenty of it, especially up front. I also get plenty of sour cherries through mid-palate, with the tartness really kicking in on the finish well past the actual swallow. Tasty, albeit a bit more sour than I would prefer, which is consistent with my prior experience with Cascade beers, especially within this timeframe. Total lack of carbonation, but there's a nice alcohol warming.
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Here's the current radar. The rest of the day is supposed to be more of the same. I don't have a rain gauge out, but I'd estimate we've gotten 1-2 inches this morning already.

 

Samuel Smith Pure Brewed Organic Lager
5%


Poured from a 14.9 ounce can, the body pours a lightly cloudy yellow-orange with good initial white head. Light lacing in the glass.

Nose is mix of malt and light clove with a light waft of citrus.

The flavors from the aroma greatly diminish in the taste. Taste is very light, and easy to drink. The lightest of hop taste in the finish.

Good carbonation and light mouthfeel.

Easy drinker and a subtle lager. FWIW has much more flavor when cool. Seems to fade rapidly when warmed. The opposite of warming most stouts.

 

Pity I don't think I have any pilsener on hand, was up in NH all week and that meant IPAs almost exclusively.

In an effort to drink down some of the dark beers I've bought the last couple years, here is a BA stout from Aldi.



Better than I expected. This probably has 9 or so months on it., I'm not sure. To keep it simple, there's a hint of sharp barrel character, it's a smidge punchy, perhaps even dank/sour - in a good way. Licorice, fig, roast malt, coffee and date compose the middle, finish is slow and ambles away from the bitter, rich center. Molasses dominates throughout, more in the vinous vein than the chocolatey sort.

Maybe hard to believe the score, but they contract some good stuff along the way, Definitely a hit.

4.22/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

 

Up next is another cellar pull. This one is Kent Falls' Field Beer Batch 13

3.5/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Bottled 2019.

Appearance is a deep straw colored yellow with a finger of white head that receded to a thin cap. While there's nothing noteworthy per se about the beer, it manages to check one of the main boxes I look for in a saison, namely it just looks like it will be really refreshing.

Aroma is extraordinarily muted. Faint notes of lemongrass and hay, but time has definitely taken away some of the aroma.

Taste has much more going on than the nose. Plenty of horse blanket funk, and it's very, very earthy. The experimental pilsner malt used in its creation must be contributing to that, as it's a slightly different experience than I expected, including a more full bodied feel.

Overall, tasty, easy to drink and refreshing.

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Weather update.....I believe we're now over 4 inches of rain this morning with still more to come. Flash flood warning in effect. Guess I'll continue to bunker down and enjoy some beer. Could be worse!

 

Does it state on the can where this beer is brewed?

I am a little surprised there has yet (maybe there is?) to be legal action concerning the branding "Ultra". I would think that AB trademarked "Ultra" as regards Michelob Ultra.

Cheers!

P.S. Thanks for 'taking one for the team' and drinking this beer. It will be interesting to see if this beer has any 'staying power' given your taste descriptions of this beer.

 

Sliding by with another new one:

Woodstock Inn - Double Pig's Ear



Pours a cola brown, deep and glossy, feint lacing all throughout. Nose is sweet malt, bitter hop, pithy rind, some English character, like that of a pub ale.

Tastes lovely. Sharp and robust, There's a good amount of nuttiness, also some hoppy character riding along. A good bit really, probably sharp amounts of cascade. It really begs for a pint glass albeit above 8%. Reminds me a lot of an old ale, in fact, reminds me a lot of Mayflowers - Thanksgiving Ale. There's the same earl grey/black tea, hoppiness, sweet malt character, just a robust, full and bitter ale. Very tasty.

Mind you, I think I paid 10 bucks for a 4 pack at the grocery store. Helluva beer at that price point.


4.16/5 rDev +6.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

 

Welcome one and all to New Beer Sunday #960! Not very familiar with this style, hoping it held up well over the four months since canning.

RTB Zwickel



Can Notes: Purchased four 16 oz cans refrigerated at the brewery for $12.89 with tax. Canned 3/7/23 (can stamp Zing? Thing), refrigerated through this afternoon. Unfiltered Lager Beer, 5.25% ABV, Hops Saaz. Brewed and canned by Roaring Table, Lake Zurich, Illinois.

Appearance: Two half pours into a large mug, the second after a few minutes to allow the initial creamy off white head to settle down into a creamy sustained layer over the base. Base golden bronze, cloudy as unfiltered, sustained mild carbonation throughout. 4.0

Aroma: Mostly Saaz hops and grain, mild in strength, enticing. 3.75

Taste: Really digging the bitter Saaz hops here, contains the warm white Hawaiian King Bread rolls. sweetness. Nice malty grain taste, usually like a more subdued strength but this is delicious. Very nice balance, hops held up well over four plus months. 4.5

Mouthfeel: Nice light and easy drinking, sustained fizzy carbonation adds depth to a watery light body. Balanced, hops and malt both assertive with a nice complement to each other, drinks easier than the light ABV, Saaz hops and warm bread lingers on the finish. 4.5

Overall: Don't have much experience with this style, but this is absolutely delecious. Great blend of hops and malt flavors, really held up well refrigerated as do most beers. Roaring Table has moved to the top of the suburban Chicago breweries list for me with a bullet. So glad I have a four pack, really held up well, will buy a few four packs at their next release. 4.5

@steveh

 

Today's new beer is Beanhead, a coffee porter from Rushing Duck Brewing.
Very dark brown color with a creamy tan head.
Subtle aroma of coffee and roasted malt.
Taste of dark chocolate and coffee. Coffee is the star of this show.
A little thin for mouthfeel.
Overall, a nice porter.

 

Well, Zwickel is not a style per se but more of an 'indicator' of certain features. A Zwickel beer is a lager that is generally served 'young' from the serving vessel (e.g., a cask) and is unfiltered.

It seems that for some (most?) craft breweries they will choose to brew an Amber Kellerbier when they label the beer as a Zwickel.

Prost!

P.S. And "Kellerbier" is not technically a style per se either.

Edit: an article for further reading: https://www.bostonmagazine.com/restaurants/2016/08/04/drink-this-now-zwickel-bier/

 

Apricot Ale. Cheers!

 

Until your post I never heard of this brewing Company.

In a post on BA, there was mention this beer is a Blonde Ale. Take that FWIW.

Cheers!

 

Carlsberg Pilsner.
5% German Pilsner


Poured from a 11.2 ounce bottle, the body is a clear yellow. Small initial head quickly retreats to edges. Minor lacing.

Nose is a light mix of grain, bread, honey and a wee bit of hops. Taste follows nose with a bit more hop presence. Well balanced.

Well carbonated and very soft mouthfeel. Luxurious.

A delightful beer for a summer afternoon.

 

The can states it is brewed and canned by Big Kettle Brewing, in Lawrenceville, GA.

 

Taking a break from Pilsner weekend. Picked up this stout at the Farm last Saturday.


4.4/5 rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Poured from a 16oz can stamped CANNED ON 06/24/23 to a diagonally cut snifter at 50F.
The body is black, nuff said. A minimal dark tan head forms and fades to a ring. Lacint is generous.
The aroma is musty with some whiskey notes.
The taste is dry as ash with chocolate and MIllard notes. Alcohol makes itself known but is not overpowering. Further sipping yields some fig or date notes on the finish.
The mouthfeel is oily and tongue coating but not super creamy. With all the dryness the beer would almost come off as chalky if it wasn’t for the oil and good carbonation.
I’m a sucker for a dry stout and this was excellent for me.

 

I just saw @beergoot covered it. We had a similar experience acquiring the beer. We had a similar experience drinking it.