New Beer Weekend #158

My night cap beer, a good but not great one.
They have a non BA stout that I think is better balanced, but this is good.
Poured coffee black with a 1 cm brown head that dissipated quickly.
The aroma is lost on my Covid damaged nose.
The taste is bourbon forward stout, they have been doing an excellent imperial stout and a BA version of that stout should be amazing. But it’s “just” quite good.
The feel is quite appropriate for the style.
OA, very nice but I think I prefer the non BA version.

 

I went to WI lager/bock drinking earlier today. I'm back home now.
Stopped at Lucette in Menomonie. had there Cordwood Pete Maibock. It was good:
Had it out of the tap at the taproom and from a 16oz can. The tap was better.
Malty and thick body. Smooth and rather sweet. Plenty of toasted bread. Hint of honey. Some floral and lemon grass hops notes. But this beer is about the malt. Smell is sweet malt/bread.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/24055/665370/
https://untappd.com/b/lucette-brewing-company-cordwood-pete/5384924

I also had a full pour of there new Dopplebock, Folk Hero @ 8.6% ABV I didn't get a accurate read on it since my semi spicy pizza came. I was hungry. So pizza first. There was none to go home today for this one.
https://untappd.com/b/lucette-brewing-company-folk-hero/5456968

 

Beer'd - Dogs and Boats, 9.1% DIPA.

16oz can served in a curvy Fremont glass. Can is dated 06/12/23, I think. Got it from @Roguer in NBS BIF #17 roguery.

Pours a clear brassy amber with about a finger of head, settles into a thick skin that clings all the way up the side of the glass. Smell is grapefruit zest and pith, wet pine needles.

Taste is similar, with a nice grainy background, bitterness, I get a little bit of lemon drop flavor, booze is fairly noticeable as well.

Mouthfeel is medium, a bit toward the heavy side, slightly chewy. Overall, quite nice beer.

 

Dirt Wolf

8.7% IPA by Victory

Poured from a twelve ounce bottle, the body is an orange-brown. Very clear. Fluffy white head that creates a ring at the edge. Good lacing. Nice looking beer.

Aroma is a light citrus, grass and light pine. A wee note of bread dough.

Taste follows nose briefly then a nice hop bitterness. The malt, vaguely honey flavored, nicely balances this bite and the swallow dries up smoothly. No sign of the ABV in the taste, but it is most definitely felt.

Good mouthfeel as the carbonation is solid and the beer is soft on the palate.

An easy drinking 8.7% beer that I imagine would be fabulous on tap. Catch this one fresh as it is an excellent beer.

 

Beer'd - Weight of Sound, another Connecticut DIPA

16oz can served in a stemmed pilsner glass. Dated 06/13/23. Got it from @Roguer, another fruit of NBS BIF #17 rascality.

Pours a clear, dark bronze-gold with a big, two-to-three finger head. Collapses into big fluffy piles of chunks. Smell is definitely boozy, dank pininess, hay.

Taste is an interesting contrast between boozy, grainy sweetness and heavy, pine bitterness, thick grapefruit rind.

Mouthfeel is thick, chewy, a little sticky. Overall, it's a pretty nice beer.

 

Beer'd - One Thing Led to Another

16oz can served in a tulip. Can is dated...nowhere legible. There are streaks of ink that may or may not be a date. I think it's my last hoppy beer from @Roguer's shipment to me in NBS BIF #17.

Pours a murky light orange-amber with a smallish head. Smell is bright juicy citrus with a little bit of tropical stuff going on.

Taste is lightly juicy and heavily bitter, surprisingly so. Tiny bit of grain sweetness...but dominated by pine and citrus zest bitterness.

Mouthfeel is light and super dry. Nice beer.

 

Best beer I tried when I went to Long Beach

 

Beautiful, beautiful day here in the Northeast. Windows are open for the first time in a long time. I'll be stuck behind a computer for a chunk of the day (work + dealing with an identity theft issue), but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy some good beer and fresh air.

Up first is Double Shot Espresso, from Tree House. I'm enjoying this a lot more than I thought I would.

3.97/5 rDev -10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Canned 11/27/19
Motor oil black with a bit of dark tan head that quickly dissipated. Nothing wrong with the appearance, but certainly nothing noteworthy either. The nose, however is great. Interesting that the passage of time has removed any coffee or espresso notes, but what's left behind is sweet chocolate, and while I don't believe any was used, the impression of vanilla.

The coffee roast is much more prominent on the tongue. Maybe a hint of something sweet to balance it out, but it's definitely coffee forward. Luckily, while I don't drink coffee I do like it in beer, and this beer has it in spades. Long, long finish with the coffee lingering seemingly forever. Full bodied.

Overall, this exceeded my expectations. Very good beer, even with almost four years on it.

 

Back again for another round, and I'm doing a blind review that was sent to me by a former member here.


Reveal

Make It Fruity - Evil Twin Brewing NYC - Berliner Weisse - 4.5% ABV

I was for sure it was a raspberry sour from the flavor. I was way off. The cherry and lime tricked me into that direction. I would hang up my hat on blind reviews, but I have several more. I did not edit my review I will be posting, except to say that I messed up the flavors.

Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/24300/665410/

4.28/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
This is a blind review. I have no clue to the beer name, company, or style as I write. This is put into the beer listing after the fact. I will also edit this, and put it on UT.

This beer is poured from a 16oz can.

Before I start, I got the flavors quite wrong in my blind tasting. I just couldn't pin down the flavors right.

I'm going to say that this beer is a sour of some kind just by the look of it. Murky pink in color. Nothing really shines through when I hold it to the light. Lots of carbonation in here produces a thick 3 finger rose colored head, which looks very pillow like. The retention is quite good, and there's a bit of lacing on the glass. 4.25
When I finally got all of the beer in the glass, I know for a fact it's a sour. I get tart fruity notes. I think I'm getting raspberry
Taste - This is raspberry, at least that's what I think it is. It is quite tart overall, though some of the sweetness does come through in the flavor. I also get a champagne like flavor, that I can't quite put my finger on. 4.25
Body - This is a very thick boy here. Very full bodied, almost pulpy feeling. Slightly bubbly. Tart feeling lingers - 4.5
Overall - This is a delicious kettle sour. Thick, and full bodied 4.25


I'll be back for one more later today sometime.

 

Zero Gravity McLighty's Light Lager, 3.2% - clear pale gold with a frothy white head that falls fast. Mild aroma of lemon and grains. Taste is better, with lemons and shortbread. Nice easy thirst quencher! Cheers!

 

Good NBS/nbw Sunday afternoon, and thanks to @beergoot for hosting this week.
Well the weather has broken, windows are open, basement is dry, #1 son is back at his home after his surgery, and its time to celebrate!
Todays offering is from Schilling Beer Co, a snappy, crisp, hoppy German Style Pils, that delivers a full package. On this near perfect summer day this offering is quite fitting.
Cheers all


Jakobus

German Pilsner | 5% ABV
Schilling Beer Co. in Littleton, New Hampshire

Reviewed by SABERG from Massachusetts

4.16/5 rDev -0.5% | Average: 4.18
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from a 16 oz can dated 06/29/23 so 4 weeks, into the test glass.
A - Beautiful looking offering, clear, excellent carbonation works in the lemon straw colored backdrop. A tight knit white cap rides the drink to the last sip.
S - Floral up front with lemongrass being prominent, with some time there is a lovely grain , cracker, baguette crust thread.
As the offering warms a bit there is more noble, grassy spring hops in the nose.
T - More grainy flavors on the palate, but al in that tight window of crusty bread, cracker, the lemon drp aspect transfers well, and balances out the offering.
M - Snappy, those hops keep this on the bitter side of the knives edge, with that grain aspect being adding some needed heft. Dry finish pulls you toward another sip
O - A very snappy, bright German style Pils, one that rewards with every sip

 

4.26/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
16 oz can into a large snifter.
L: Pours jet black with a 1/2" tan head that is both rocky & soapy, ok retention, head fades to edge foam, visible fine carbo, light spotty lacing.
S: Molasses, chocolate cake, vanilla, coconut, a very slight indication of alcohol with warming.
T: Black Forest German chocolate cake, caramel, coconut, bitter chocolate, a hint of vanilla esp in the linger, fudge, a mild sensation of black cherry and dark fruit zest. It is sweet then bitter. The middle has an earthy quality.
F: Bold and expansive heavy body with a long and moderately drying finish. Feels big but not too heavy. Smooths out over time with warming.
O: Certainly tastes like moist dark choco cake complete with caramel/coconut icing. Identifiable pastry on top of and within a dry stout. It is excellent in its style.
BTW this is my 1st android post with an image on BA!! I will get there. Cheers BAs!

 

Welcome one and all to New Beer Sunday #962! Been waiting for close to a year since I heard about the return of Lizard of Koz. Lizard of Koz was my first pastry stout of memory, brings back great memories, and very excited it or a cousin has returned after all these years. Happy to find a four pack at a non Binny's store, so jumped on it yesterday and now is the time to dive in!

Founders KBS Blueberry



Bottle Notes: Purchased a four pack 12 oz bottles yesterday at room temperature for $24.99 plus tax at Bottles & Cans, refrigerated upon returning home until now. Bottled 7/10/23, 11.2% ABV. Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout with coffee, chocolate, chocolate syrup, blueberry and natural flavors. Founders Brewing, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

It's time to celebrate two decades of barrel-aging imperial stouts with KBS Blueberry. In honor of the 20th Anniversary of KBS, we've given this legendary beer a dose of Michigan blueberries. The alluring aroma of desert notes brings you in, while layers of vanilla, coffee, chocolate, oak and bourbon barrel notes become more profound with every sip. A sweet and sophisticated tribute to a world-renowned beer.

Appearance: Primary and secondary top off pour into a medium sized snifter. Creamy reach tan head leaves thin lacing and a creamy cover over the near pitch black base, tiny carbonation bubbles penetrate the creamy base. Looks great. 4.25

Aroma: Fresh blueberries lead upon opening. Upon warming to proper temperature, the oak and bourbon emerge with light chocolate backing. Mild in strength, what I do manage to draw is delectable. 4.5

Taste: OK, this is a whole lot of sweet, starting with chocolate fudge forcing itself to the head of the class, with blueberry trailing. Vanilla, milk chocolate and lactose follow, with only the coffee AWOL in terms of flavors noted in the bottle notes. Very sweet, also not getting the bourbon unless it is similar to Jim Beam candy like bourbon. It's overwhelming for me, though I am sensitive to sweetness. That said, the flavors work well. 3.75

Mouthfeel: Cloying, stronger than the listed ABV, creamy rich full body. This is diabetes in a bottle. Now over 20 minutes in and still no bourbon barrel, though am getting a pinch of wood in there. Now 30 minutes in, getting a little bourbon, but it tastes Jim Beam sweet, perhaps the flavors still overwhelming. Chocolate fudge and blueberries linger on the finish. 3.5

Overall: Perhaps my palate changed, or the excitement of hitting my first pastry stout with Lizard of Koz back in the day has come and gone, but this is not a stout I would regularly seek. Just too sweet, would have benefitted with a much more balanced approach of playing off the base and barrel with a light touch of blueberries. Hoping age will mellow this for the remainder of my four pack. If you like very sweet, this is for you. It is not for me. 3.5

Wanted to try ASAP to see if I should purchase more. I shall not. Will return with my regularly scheduled enjoying my beer trade IPAs and other styles again next week.

 

Next up is Frameshift Mutation, a barrel aged amber sour ale with tamarind and vanilla received from @adrock314

Bottled in 2018

Fairly unattractive beer. The color is a dirty amber. Even an aggressive pour resulted in almost no head. The aroma has some standard wild ale notes (tart, a little bit of earthy funk), plus something I can't identify, which I assume is the tamarind. Overall aroma is a little muted, but nice.

The taste is quite interesting. Vanilla that I didn't get on the nose definitely shows up on the tongue, and there's an interesting sweet / sour thing going on that's very unique. Again, I assume this is the tamarind. Whatever it is, it makes this a very different yet enjoyable beer. Carbonation is lower than it probably should be, likely due to the age.

Overall, I'm a fan of Speciation beers, and this is a good example of why. Unique and enjoyable.

 

Howdy NBS!
Yup this day is just glorious in NE.
After yesterday's hot kitchen I'm super stoked to be outside.
I'm starting earlier than usual and I will start light and work my way up. I have at least 3 new beers but let's see how far I get.
How I never grabbed anything from this brewery before is rather puzzling.
This won't be my last one....
OEC Brewing (Ordinem Ecentrici Coctores) fyi - translated The Order of Eccentric Boilers (Brewers)
This is their Summer Lager, Coolshipped and Open Fermented
Pours a beautiful pale, crystal clear gold. A bright white head, short retention leaves a white ring, lacing is almost non existent.
Day old bread dough aroma- sweet with fermentation -, lemon, floral, grass, hay.
Taste follows with doughy malts, crisp lemon. I didn't notice it on the nose but their are some fruity hops and esters as well which really make this 4.2% sing. Dries nicely on the snappy, crisp finish, light body.
As expected this is not very complex but simplicity can be a thing of beauty when done correctly, and they nailed this.
Perfect starter for the day.
If you have the chance don't hesitate.
Cheers!

 

Another New Englander here reveling in the cool, dry weather. First non-humid day since June 1. I have much more appreciation now for what you Mid-Atlantic and Southeast folks go through every year.

As someone who doesn't like the heat, and doesn't have any AC, I've been drinking much lighter beers than I usually do. Today was a great opportunity to get back to some darker beers.

Despite living in MA, I got this from a friend who was visiting and had stopped by the brewery earlier. It's my first Treehouse. Let's see how it goes.


Pours black with a two-finger brown head that dissipates to a coating.

Aromas of bitter chocolate and roast coffee start us off after the pour, with some vanilla coming through as it warms.

Semi-sweet chocolate and roast bitterness dominate early on, but everything mellows out a bit as it opens up. I continue to get primarily chocolate and coffee with not-quite-burnt sugar and oats joining in. It ranges from roasty up front to slightly sweet as it lingers on the tongue, and then finishes back with a pleasant dry roastiness that coats the mouth until you next sip.

Carb is nicely muted and doesn't take away from the silkiness of the oats. Medium bodied.

Overall, this is a really nice oatmeal stout. I appreciate how much flavor they've packed in below 6% and that they stuck with a lot of roast bitterness instead of going too sweet. The only drawback for me is that I think it should be fuller-bodied.


For me, this is a really nice beer but not up to the hype of people saying Treehouse is the best in the US (or the world). But then I'm not a hype guy and don't get excited by much. I've only had one beer that lived up to the hype for me: Hill Farmstead Everett. Maybe I'll make the trip to one of the TH locations this fall to grab some more variety to test out.

 

I had the misfortune of having a meeting with a client scheduled at 6PM on Friday evening at a location that is an hour’s drive from my home. Despite the unfortunate timing, the meeting went really well and there happened to be a brewery I’ve never tried before right around the corner from the client’s house.

So, my new beer today comes from Market Brewing Company in Newmarket, Ontario. This is Crash Pilsner, a German style Pilsner made with Saaz hops and Isar yeast. It’s a collaboration beer with Sawdust City of Gravenhurst, Ontario and Second Wedge of Uxbridge, Ontario. Itcomes in a very shiny gold can with shiny silver lettering that isn’t easy to read.



Pours a light straw gold with ample head and vigorous carbonation. The beer leaves slight lacing as consumed.

The nose is grassy and herbal with a very slight lemon or verbena note. Light malty character in behind.

The taste follows closely. The grassy hoppy notes are at the forefront. Light cereal in behind. Very crisp.

The body is moderate with strong carbonation. Very drinkable.

This is quite good. I’ve had a couple other beers from Market that have been middling. This one I would gladly drink again and will likely buy more of when I’m up to see the client again in a couple weeks.

Cheers!

 

Good Sunday afternoon, New Beer Sippers and commentators. After a week of hot, muggy, weather, today feels like late August/early September - warm but dry with a lite breeze. Perfect for reviewing a very fine beer: Kane's Double Double Cask. It's listed on BA as an American Barleywine but to me it's much closer to the English style. I can't begin to describe it so I'll let Kane do so:

This year's release came from two separate Barleywines, chosen for their notable flavor and complexity.⁣ ⁣ The first component originated from a two-day boiled Barleywine aged initially for 12 months in large format Cognac and Jura Wine casks before then being aged an additional 24 months in a single 13-Year-Old Forester Bourbon cask.⁣ ⁣ The second component came from one of our favorite English Barleywine recipes that was aged initially in a large format Armagnac cask for 20 months before resting an additional 22 months in a single Early Times 10-Year Bourbon cask.⁣ ⁣ This year’s Double Double Cask blend has an average age of 39 months in various barrels and casks.⁣ ⁣

Here's my take. It pours a deep mahogany with dark cola hues and sports a fizzy, medium mocha-colored head and lacing. The nose is fantastic! Roasted malt, brown sugar, raisin, molasses, caramel, rum, and distinct bourbon. If anything, the flavor is even better. I'm tasting chocolate, caramel, raisin, fig, brown sugar, cigar, sherry, and of course the bourbon notes which are full but surprisingly delicate and add additional sweetness. It lacks the hoppy bitterness of a typical American Barleywine. The mouth feel is luxuriously thick and chewy with low/moderate carbonation, and while there is no escaping the 12.8% ABV it doesn't come across as overtly boozy. Overall, Double Double Cask is a tour de force - a truly superb Barleywine, even by Kane's lofty standards. Drinking it is like slipping on fleece-lined gloves on the first day of winter.

4.64/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

I was contemplating another new beer review this afternoon but after drinking Double Double Cask nearly anything would seem pedestrian. Cheers, New Beer Weekenders and have a great week!

 

Fathead's Brewery Fresh Hop Freddy IPA, 6.0% ABV; 3.88 overall