New Beer Weekend #158

Happy Sunday beer friends; what a beautiful day, it’s like a late summer/early fall sort of day. Good morning then we went out for mini golf with the boys and somehow our four year old was the only one who got a hole in one. Good times.

Today’s victim is another from the amazing Sierra fan favorite pack. After Ruthless this is my second most anticipated beer from the pack.

Sierra Nevada - Flipside (Red IPA 6.2%)



Light chestnut brown with hints of red when backlit, head is light light brown, great retention and well above average lacing; mostly clear.

Something dark fruit like, pungent caramelize citrus character, toasty and bark like, light sweet sappiness.

Taste is a really neat mix of all sorts of hop and malt; the hops are gently fruity like but quickly become biting with bitter citrus rind and light pine, the malt lends a nice touch of toast and some caramelization.

Clean and easy drinking; noticeable lingering bitterness, smoothly carbed with a dry finish that really pairs nice with the bitter; hops give so nice stickiness to this beer.

This is a really awesome well balanced yet nicely malty IPA; thanks again for doing this Sierra Nevada.

That’s it new beerwise for me today I hope you all enjoy your Sunday and have a nice week. See you all soon, cheers everyone.

 

Good afternoon BAs! Today’s new beer is courtesy of @GrumpyGas - “Rock of Ages” by Church Street Brewing, Itsaca, IL:



Pours deep amber/copper color; thin of white mixed bubbles head; poor cap retention; small island of micro dots; thin plus ring; a few spots of lace; excellent clarity. Caramel malt and mild cherry nose. Semi sweet caramel, light spicy hops, stone fruit in finish. Light body, clean feel; moderate minus carbonation. Overall an enjoyable malt forward lager.

3.75 | 4.0 | 4.25 | 4.25 | 4.25
Score: 4.16 rDev 0

I’ve opened up a second can; refreshing on a sweltering hot day. Cheers y’all and have a great day!

 

Social Project Brewing's Big Dill Sour Ale with pickle juice, 6.0% ABV; 3.88 overall

Pours a slightly effervescent gold with rapidly vanishing beige head. No head retention or lacing

S: Pickle juice, not much else

T: Follows the nose, some dryness, salt certainly up front. A touch of lime & salt mixes in with the featured ingredient as this beer warms up. Finishes a little dry, salty & with plenty of pickle & just a little lime sweet tart

MF: Medium body, light carbonation, not over sticky by any means

Is as advertised, nothing complex here, but would go great with a pulled pork sandwich or burger

 

A second new one as I start getting dinner ready for the kids. This is from Chronicle Brewing Company of Bowmanville, Ontario. It’s called Ice to Meet You and is a Vienna Lager. There is a poorly drawn Batman and Mr. Freeze on the cartoon-ish label.



Pours a reddish bronze with a thick creamy head that sticks around a long while and leaves moderate lacing as the beer is enjoyed.

The aroma is biscuity malt in the forefront. A very light floral character is also present as well as a slight metallic note.

The taste is very malt forward and might be confused for an English mild at first taste. The body is soft and the carbonation very mild, lending more credence to this error. As the sip is swallowed, subtle floral notes are revealed. The finish is caramel/toasted cereal. The tinny quality in the nose is absent on the tongue.

This isn’t a very crisp beer and the body is oddly soft. I like it, but feel that it strays a bit from the style on the label.

Cheers!

 

I agree with you
Everett
Period
Cheers

 

Greetings all from the great northwest. Cooler this weekend, with temps in the mid 80s.

Today we have Delicious Citrus IPA from Stone Brewing.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/147/109789/

A very good IPA. Not as fruity as the name would suggest.

Until next time

 

I could not find any Anchor beers in South Bend. None - and I put some effort into it.

That is pretty telling, because I am a fairly experienced predatory beer nerd. But Anchor beers are unicorns in my neck of Northern Indiana.

 

Day 2, this beer is from my from my friend @WunderLlama and NBS BIF #17. We perpetrated mutually assured destruction on each other’s porches this round, which is the best type of BIF. I am a HUUUUUGE Bearded Iris fan, so I am pumped to try this.





4.35/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours a hazy straw color with a fluffy, sudsy white head that provides a nice amount of lacing. This looks every bit the part of a Citra/Mosaic/Simcoe hopped beer.

The nose also fits that profile as well, with berry notes accompanied by some bright citrus, primarily ripe orange, grapefruit, some mango, and apricot for good measure.

The taste indeed highlights zested citrus flavors of ripe orange and grapefruit, with “zested” equaling “effervescent,” similar to Fresca for those of a certain age, but the apricot is what I most appreciate in this flavorful hazy. It just works really well.

The mouthfeel is on the softer side, fitting the style. This is a beer I’d revisit again and again. Bearded Iris is world class, IMHO.

 

Waves of Silence: Gangplank

4.08/5 rDev 0%

look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 16 ounce can dated 12-27-22 into a snifter.

Look- Black, opaque, medium brown creamy head, average head retention and lacing.

Smell- Cacao, toasted malt, ancho chilies, vanilla, cardamom, nutmeg, medium strength of scent.

Taste- Cacao, toasted malt, ancho chilies, vanilla, highly spicy, cardamom, nutmeg, medium strength of flavor.

Feel- Medium body, average carbonation, highly spicy, moderately mouth warming, moderately creamy, mildly mouth coating.

Overall- Look was great with a creamy medium brown head and black color. Flavor and bouquet were both medium in strength with an emphasis on winter flavors. Feel was nice with plenty of spice, creaminess and mouth warming properties. Overall this beer provided an enjoyable experience and I loved the heat the spice provided, I just wish the flavor and bouquet were more intense.

 

Tonight’s closer - Central Waters’ XXV, Twenty-fifth anniversary, silver label (2023) BBA imperial stout:




Beer and glassware courtesy of @Number1Framer from our meetup/IP trade in May.

Poured at 54°. Black with thin ruby edges; very good clarity; brief tan cap; thin ring; some spots on agitation; no legs. Bourbon and chocolate nose; some booze on exhale. Entry is bourbon and bittersweet dark chocolate in equal measure; some oaky vanilla as beer warms. Thick viscous minus feel; heavy minus body; light alcohol bite on tip of tongue; a little warmth in mouth from 13.1% abv; some barrel dryness in the finish. Overall, a wonderfully balanced beer between base and barrel; a testament to 25 years - a Wow beer from CW.

4.25 | 4.5 | 4.75 | 4.75 | 4.75
Score: 4.66 rDev +3.1%

Brewer Nate Miller (@Scream’s son) has been racking up an amazing portfolio of BBA beers…if only I lived in Wisconsin. Cheers gang, and Cheers!

 

Well, my errands are done, and I'm now relaxing at home. Time for another blind beer review:

Reveal

The Coconut Thief - Hidden River Brewing - Douglassville, PA - NEIPA - 8% ABV

The coconut in the beer explains the earthy flavor I couldn't pin down. The lime I missed, but get it now that I know it's there. Overall an interesting and delicious beer.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/41542/665489/

4.08/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
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.

Fairly murky pouring beer. There's a thick white head, 3 finger, that's quite frothy looking, and long lasting. Decent lacing on the glass. 4.25
The aroma is well, full of hops. I get a ton ot tropical in here. Lots of pineapple, and grapefruit. I also get an earthy and grassy aroma from this beer. Quite interesting - 4.25
Taste - Very tropical here. Lots of pineapple and grapefruit. I'm also getting that earthy undertone, that I just can't quite finger. There's some bitterness, but not over the top. 4
Body - There's a good deal of softness and good juicy feeling here. No idea how strong this is, but the body does seem decent. 4
Overall - This is a NEIPA of some kind, whatever it is, I think it's good. 4


I'll see if I've got one more in me this weekend. Cheers!

 

Icarus invincible summer pale ale with coconut
...cloudy murky dirty amber appearance.
...close to average body with medium carbonation
....aroma is malt,dark honey,plenty of floral earthy hops. Theres coconut there but not too strong
...taste doesn't stray too far from the aroma with the coconut being a silent partner in this event.
Citrus shows up in the finish and lingers in a way that makes me feel like I'm having an adult citrus punch.
...overall its a miss for me. If blind folded I would have thought I was drinking a weak tropical ipa.
Maybe its been too long a day so will try this again

 

Way outside the lines barrel aged by trillium


4.41/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Notes: An immensely robust, roasty stout base is dosed with colossal levels of Madagascar vanilla beans & Barrington Trillium Blend Coffee followed by the uniquely delicious addition of Cardamom. Seductive aromatics of chocolate cake, vanilla cream, cinnamon, and freshly brewed coffee beckons from the glass. For an additional layer of oaky complexity, we conditioned this beauty of a beer in bourbon barrels for 10 months. Full bodied with light sweetness and balancing bitterness.

Dark brown syrup , no foam

Taste is spices , cardamom, chocolate cake , licorice , umami

Syrupy, thick, mouth coating

Good beer

 

This is my final for this NBW, and, well, it's one hell of a confusing beer.

Reveal

Schmoojee Triple Berry Banana - Imprint Beer Co - Hatfield, PA - Fruited Kettle Sour - 6.5% ABV

WTF is all I can say here.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/50965/665498/

4.05/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
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.

Ok, this is weird as hell. I really don't know how best to describe the appearance of this beer. It's a thick looking, red colored beer, but has white patches mixed in. There's no light coming through this beer. This beer doesn't have any head, that being said, it reminds me of dough, and keeps expanding. Maybe the head is mixed into the beer, and not at the top? Very strange looking to say the least, and I know I'm not doing justice to it. 4

Aroma - can I even get my nose close enough, with the magical expanding beer? Fruity smelling. Strawberry is what I'm getting. I tried to swirl it around to see if I can get more, but then it spilled over the top of the glass. 4

Taste - Holy cow! There's a metric ton of lactose in this beer. This is provides a creamy flavor that doesn't let go. I think I'm getting strawberry? More sweet, but there's also a slight tartness to it. I don't eat sweets anymore, but this reminds me of a strawberry shortcake. 4

Body - this is a thick MOFO. Smooth, creamy, full. 4.5

Overall - This is probably the most unusual beer I've ever had. I just don't know what to think of it. This is not something I'd even consider drinking every day, but I'm also happy I got the chance to try it. 4


With this I'm done, and I think I'm going to stick to Yuengling this week. Maybe I'll be able to be back next weekend for the next NBW. Cheers all!

 

I've never heard of the brewery, but if there's one word on a beer container that serves as my kryptonite, it's Kolsch style...so let's find out what I'm in for...



Xota Brewing Co. out of Waterville, ME - this is 1908 at 721, Kolsch Style. Here's the beer blurb from the brewery:

"Brewed in honor of one our favorite Kolsch’s Gaffel Kolsch founded in 1908. This tribute brings you a light malt backbone with a nice dry hop finish that make it an easy drinker for all occasions. Prost from the 721!"

Ok, so they dig this beer created in 1908 and the Xota nanobrewery is at 721 Main Street.

First impression is it's a tad on the dark side for the style, more brassy than golden or straw colored, and not really pale. Half inch of foamy head, falls quickly, but leaves a ring and a couple islands.

The aroma is pretty much on target. Crackery and some bready malt. Slight sweetness that is honey-like. Fruity, but lightly so with a bit of apple and white wine grapes. Fairly assertive hops - floral, grassy, mildly spicy. Honey grows stronger as it warms, and eventually is out of place.

The taste follows along. It's pretty quick - the flavor hits and it's mostly gone. Decent hit of white wine grape, not so much apple. A bit of a mineral tang. Honey sweetness, fortunately not as dominating as in the aroma. Pretty decently hopped - grassy and floral, a mild peppery spice is left over at the end. Mild but lingering bitterness.

The feel isn't hitting the mark. It's pretty heavy feeling for a Kolsch and a bit lightly carbonated. It does finish dry, but nowhere near "crisp".

So...not too sure. By what I read here, it's pretty much spot on as a Gaffel clone. Have to give it some thought, then, and consider the inspiration. My personal opinion is that the honey is too strong, the color is too dark, and that it's too heavy on the mouthfeel. Thinking 3.75 would be the highest I'd go here.

 

The job offer I made on Friday was accepted today...celebrate with with a new-to-me beer provided by @FBarber, Goose Island's 35th Anniversary Cuvee.

12oz bottle served in a snulip. Drink By 30APR28.

Pours black, thick, almost no head. Smell is chocolate, booze, vanilla, char.

Taste follows the aroma pretty closely, coffee bitterness gets added into the mix. Something like maple syrup but with barky bitterness.

Mouthfeel is fairly heavy, though not as heavy as I would expect. Very smooth, a little sticky. Overall, very nice. Frank did not let me down.

Incidentally, I noticed @FBarber was also responsible for uploading a photo for the beer listing, which is a picture of a four pack. I wonder if I got one of those four beers.

 

Ther were some Anchor beersin Tulsa 6 months ago

 

Saugatuck Brewing Blueberry Lemonade Shandy, 5.0% ABV; 3.38 overall

Pours an effervescent gold with a pinky of cream colored head. A trace of head retention & lacing

S: Blueberry, very faint, some hints of lemon once warm

T: Blueberry & a kiss of lemons, a little dryness, a little grassyness. Blueberry & powdered lemonade mix as this beer warms. Finishes a little less dry with the advertised ingredients

MF: Light/medium body, slight carbonation

Drinkable enough Summer brew, not my jam by any means