New Beer Weekend #157

After-New-n beer courtesy of @Ocalafox - Modestman’s “The Most Beautifulest Thing In This World” DIPA, single hop Citra:




Pours a milky hazy pale gold; one finger of fluffy white foam; excellent cap retention, heavy ring, medium heavy soapy lace. Nose is grapefruit, pineapple and a yeasty/estery/fruity vibe I find off putting. Semi sweet malt base, citrus fruit, no bitterness; kinda bland. Dusty dry tongue coating (Cryo?) ; full minus body, fluffy feel; dry powdery finish; mild hop burn/astringency. Overall, I can see where the hazebois like this brewery/beer - it tics the boxes for a NE IPA style; I’ve had worse but this beer like most in this style that I’ve drank are nowhere in the class of Tree House, Trillium, Other Half, etc.; it’s ok but especially the mouthfeel is not for me…I can barely finish the pint.

4.25 | 3.5 | 3.75 | 3.5 | 3.75
Score: 3.71 rDev -15.1%


Scored as best I could to style, not as to my personal preferences…Thanks Vann for giving me the chance to continue to dip my toes into this…popular style…

Cheers!

 

I had a sour Sunday and here's part 1 of the Urban Artifact brews I had today:

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/40297/664324/?ba=bluejacket74#lists



https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/40297/664325/?ba=bluejacket74#lists



Cheers!

 

And here's part 2:

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/40297/664326/?ba=bluejacket74#lists



https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/40297/664327/?ba=bluejacket74#lists



All were good, but my favorite of them was the Key Lime Pie. Thinking about having another can of it. Happy NBW everyone!

 

Went to have lunch at Saint Arnold this afternoon. It is their Restaurant and Beer Garden's 5th Anniversary (Saint Arnold as a whole has just celebrated their 29th Anniversary)

I picked up Saint Arnold's Barelywine, aged in Bourbon Barrels for 19 months. Bottled on 5/21/2020, to go. So this is over three years old. 12.4% ABV, it is a big one. Listed here as Retired, I guess I'll keep it that way, its not anything new they have made, just made a few more bottles available at the brewery.



Pours a dark ruby brown color. At first, a fizzy white head rises to about a finger, but recedes quickly to a ring. Not much lace left behind. Though that is pretty on par for a big high ABV and barrel aged offering.
The nose is warm, inviting, and all around well done. Wood, toasted malts with a bit of camp fire. Toffee, dark fruits and vanilla. Lots going on but nothing is overpowering.
Taste wise, oh man, again lots going on here, but still everything is very much balanced. From the wood, light camp fire smoke, toasted malts and dark fruits. The sweetness is never overpowering, and an interesting savory salted toffee character going on.
A medium to full body. High carbonation, especially for the style. Though that is fairly common for anything from this brewery. It could have a little more silky fullness, but the trade off is something that is not overly heavy in anyway. The perfect amount of alcohol is noticeable to make this more warming than hot, which makes this a very enjoyable sipper.

This bottle is over three years old. Outside of some dark fruits, which is to be expected from the style anyway, there is no noticeable oxidation. There is a ton of character, and none of that is overpowering or makes this unbalanced. Really well done overall, which for me is to be expected from Saint Arnold.

Overall score is 4.14, A-
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/337/499138/?ba=champ103#lists

I nice one to sip on while I'm finishing up my book, and start the last in the series.


Lunch at Saint Arnold was chicken curry and Naan bread, this was incredibly good. With their classic Elissa IPA.

 

Good Sunday afternoon, New Beer Savorers and commentators. The last few Sundays have been yucky - weather-wise - and I've been waiting for the perfect day to enjoy this Saison, which I received from @FBarber a couple of BIFs ago. It was hiding in the back of my beer fridge. Levain with Bergamot juice and zest from Is/Was Brewing in Chicago. I was concerned I sat on this gem for too long but no worries. It's the perfect brew for a lovely, mid-summer afternoon.

Bottle 133 of 216. It pours a hazy, sunny-golden color with a half finger, creamy, snow white cap and thin sheen of lacing. Its nose is big and floral with lemon, lime, and sweet petals like being in a green house. The taste opens with a burst of tart citrus, including lots of lemon and lime zest. The Bergamot juice provides the slightest hint of sweetness to compliment the tartness. There is a touch of musty oak in the background but the flavor is very clean and refreshing. It finishes with just a kiss of Belgian spicing. The mouth feel is lite and crisp with moderate carbonation, and it's very easy to drink at 5.5% ABV. Overall, Levain (Bergamot) is a pleasure to drink - particularly on a hot, sunny, mid-summer afternoon. I feel fortunate to have had the chance to savor this ale.

4.31/5 rDev -0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

As I've said innumerable times, thank you, Frank! This is a real treat!

 

Cheers!

Le Petit Prince from Jester King - a 2.9% ABV "farmhouse style" table beer (classified as a grisette here). Underrated example of a poorly understood style.

4.12/5 rDev +11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Packaged on April 26th, 2023 - enjoyed on July 23rd, 2023. Poured from a pint can into my Unibroue tulip.

Lightly cloudy pale straw liquid with a lasting fat fist of crenellated ivory. Thick ropy lacing; superior retention.

Lovely yeast driven aromatics suffused with peppery phenolics and hints of funk, lemon-zest, and alfalfa. Slightly floral.

Dry, almost metallic, grainy palate entry with malted wheat and pale malt character shining through. Clean/woodsy hop bitterness throughout (at times grassy/spicy as well), more perceptible and lasting than the modest IBU would suggest. Finishes dry, rustic, yet refreshing. Yeast flavor is unique but gets out of the way quickly - no real "wild" notes (not that I'd expect them per the style). Hints of quinine, corn silk and pencil shavings as the ale warms.

Pillow-like, soft, medium-light body with plenty of carbonation. Crisp, and lightly astringent.

A very tasty, thirst-quenching table beer that allows the quality ingredients to shine through.

 

Thanks for posting your review. I almost bought a pack of this on Friday and now I will! I generally like Forgotten Boardwalk but a lot of what we get in Morris County isn't fresh. Shouldn't be a problem with this BA Stout. Cheers!

 

New beer, New brewery for me.
Timber Ales - Loops Under Lamposts
Nelson Hopped DIPA
Pouring a turbid orange with a large creamy head receding to a thin cap with an island. Lots of sticky lacing.
Big dank aroma of mango and passionfruit, white grape, tangerine, kiwi.
Taste is sauvignon blanc dry white, passionfruit, mango, apricot, lightly toasted malt, pine and grapefruit bitter. I don't find this sweet at all. It's quite dry and nicely bitter, tongue numbing green hops.
Medium/hvy body, soft feel - a bit creamy. Full lasting flavor.
Best Nelson brew I've had in quite some time. Good beer.

 

Its definitely worth a try. Generally I find forgotten boardwalk to produce decent to very good beer but this was above their norm.
If you can't find it let me know as I travel a lot through nj so could always find a way to get it to you

 

Unsessionable

10% IPA by Revolution Brewing

Poured from a pint can, the body is an opaque brown-orange. Good initial head and solid lacing throughout the tasting

A pineapple forward nose and a melange of hoppy goodness. This beer has a kitchen sink of hops.

Taste up front is bitter hop bite later balanced somewhat by a sturdy malt backbone. Despite the initial bite, the bitterness quickly retreats. No sign of the high ABV.

Carbonation is good. The mouthfeel is smooth and unexpectedly dries up nicely.

At 10% ABV and 100 IBUs, one might view this beer as extreme. A fair comp might be to Resin by Sixpoint (8.1% and 103 IBUs) given similar stats, but this beer is quite balanced (though still listing to bitter) and is very drinkable. Likely for fans of bitter beer only.

 

That was one of those stouts I bought one of for the SAN and it so impressed me I bought a 4 pack. And then another. Really glad you enjoyed it as much as I do!

 

NBS #2: The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, a DIPA collaboration between Hudson Valley Brewery and Root + Branch, two high quality brewers. This one's hopped with Citra, Mosaic, and Belma. Neither of these breweries distributes widely and neither seems to collaborate with New Jersey brewers. Fortunately, I was in Hudson Valley's neighborhood yesterday and was happy to pick up a pack.

It pours a cloudy, grassy golden-yellow color with a half finger of creamy, bright white head and a thick coating of lacing. The nose is heavy of citrus - lemon, grapefruit, and a whiff of lime, along with soft floral hops. The taste pops with the sweetness of tangerine/orange, ripe cantaloupe, and red berry to balance the lemon and grapefruit. The Belma and Mosaic hops are used to excellent effect. It also boasts notes of crisp, clean pine sprig. There is mild, clean bitterness throughout. The mouth feel is crisp and lite for a DIPA and it drinks very easily at 8% ABV. A second pour is no problem. Overall, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell is an ideal summertime DIPA - lite and easy drinking but packed with fruity goodness.

4.22/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Have a great week, everyone. Cheers, NBW!

 

Happy New Beer Sunday!
I think I am having the last beer from the onslaught that @Roguer slammed my porch with- The Weight of Sound.

It poured much like an NEIPA; opaque and yellow orange with a dense ivory color head that left rings of lacing.
The flavor was where I realized that this wasn’t a typical NEIPA. The stone fruits were dominant and the swallow had a dryness that I seldom experience with beer. It all but demanded that you take another sip. Or gulp.
The feel was ironic in that it was heavier than expected, much like I’d imagine sound would be.
OA, this isn’t a subtle beer and it’s not one that I would drink often, but it would be ideal for very specific niche impulses.
Thanks Andrew! One day I’ll even re-locate the Beer’d glass you sent me.
Cheers all!

 

I appreciate your offer! I've seen it locally so hopefully won't have an issue. Best to you and Teddy!

 

Instant greens by other half


4.29/5 rDev +3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Brewers notes : All you gotta do is pop the can and you've got greens at the ready. Mosaic, Simcoe and Nelson are one of the best combos around. Add a hint of Sabro for its crazy tropical fruit and coconut character. All the hops are hand selected for their incredible aromatics.

Chilled can poured into a glass

Hazy orange liquid, fluffy two finger white foam cap , sticky lacings

Aroma is orange citrus ,

Taste is orange citrus , tropical fruit , hint of white grape, hint of coconut on the finish

Smooth, juicy , no hop bite, semi dry finish

Good beer

 

Greetings, fellow NBWers,

I had an exceptionally busy last weekend, so, although I did manage to drink two beers that were new to me, I ran out of time to actually post them! So, I shall indulge y'all with those two beers before I get to what's been new this weekend:

On last Saturday, I got around to an unjustly neglected BBA stout from Connecticut, courtesy of @Roguer:

I already reviewed the 2021 release of this beer. 2022's release involved aging in different bourbon barrels (in this case, barrels from Basil Hayden). Since the beer is listed under one singular entry in the ba database, I edited my original review to review the 2022 version.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/38293/575035/?ba=woemad#review
Basically, I found the bourbon a little more subdued, despite it being a year newer. There's also a kind of sweet and sour aspect that was unusual. It's sort of reminded me of nougat.

Last Sunday, I dispatched this hazy IPA, courtesy of @russpowell:

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/38015/654524/?ba=woemad#lists
It wasn't much to look at, sitting in the glass, but it was a nice, tropical take on the hazy IPA, and was a pleasure to drink on a day when it was nearly 100°.

I'll be back with a new beer later on today.

 

Greetings all from the great northwest where the summer heat continues. Lower temps, mid 80s, forecast for next week.

Today we have Two Hearted IPA from Bell's Brewing.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/287/1093/

Just an all around great IPA. No haze, no fruit, no gimmicks. Just a clear gold colored beer, with some caramel malt, and a dry bitterness. Very good.

Until next time

 

Glad to see it held up

 

Good evening NBW
Another (fairly) obscure single from a recent swing through Kentucky. It's 40 minutes out of my way home from work. In on one bridge and out on another, but it's like visiting another region of the country in terms of brewery selection and available styles.

Hi-Wire Dunkel

16oz undated can poured into a pokal glass at fridge temp 5.5% ABV per can. The beer pours mostly bright, dark amber in color with light brown head. The head recedes to a thin ring and single layer of bubbles. Minimal lacing. The aroma is mild with sweet toasted malt. The taste is semisweet toasted malt with a hint of bakers chocolate and earthy hop flavor. Moderate bitterness. The mouthfeel is thin to medium bodied with average carbonation and a semi dry finish. Overall, good example of the style. Cleanly lagered and avoids the American caramel malt sweetness common in most domestic dunkels.

I need to hit up one of the Hi-Wire locations in October when Mrs Jkblr and I are in Ashville. I've not had a bad beer from them. Cheers all!