New Beer Weekend #160

Completely agree with this. Also Live Oak Pilz might be my favorite offering from them.

 

Had a few afternoon beers at Equal Parts Brewing today.

Krysallmist, a Kristallweizen at 5% ABV. A style I usually like a lot, but hardly ever see it anywhere.



Pours with a touch of haze. A one finger white head forms that recedes to leave some lace down the glass.
The aroma is simple but enjoyable. Esters, and fruity apricot. Just a touch of a grainy character as well.
Taste wise like the nose, fruity esters and apricot. Actually fairly fruity and hoppy as well. There is a light bitterness lingering, Just as that fades, some crackers and grainy malt flavors come out.
A light to medium body. Crisp carbonation that is clean and dry. Which all leads to a very easy to drink offering.

Definitely a good beer, though I wouldn't say it is a true to style Kristallweizen. It looks unfiltered for one, and more hoppy than expected. Though small gripes on an otherwise enjoyable offering. Even if it doesn't hit the style points perfectly, something I'll happily have again.

Overall score is 3.81, B+
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/44383/666889/?ba=champ103#lists

Next up:

Pilsner Resov, a Czech Pilsner at 4.6% ABV.

With a "Hladinka" pour



Pours a crystal clear golden/yellow color. A dense white head forms that lasts forever. As the foam gently recedes, rings of lace are left behind.
Herbal and grassy hops in the nose. Baked bread, and just all around simple but enjoyable.
Taste wise, the herbal and grassy hops are up front. With a bit more peppery spicy character as well. Baked bread, sweet English biscuit flavors. Lingering bitterness dries everything out perfectly.
A light body with beautifully fine carbonation. Supremely smooth and finishes with a great clean and dry bite. This is something I can down in big gulps, and come back to again and again.

An excellent local pilsner, and I love the "Hladinka" pour as well. Equal Parts continues to make some of the best local lagers around.

Overall score is 4.13, A-
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/44383/666935/?ba=champ103#lists

Side note, Equal Parts has a really nice tap room. Though, for crying out loud...turn down the really bad 90's "hipster" white boy "ska" music. I would have stayed for probably one more Pilsner, but man, I couldn't take it anymore. I know I'm sounding like an old man ha, but really there were three people at the tap room including me. Nobody cared about that stupid music, they aren't the only ones that do that, most breweries tap rooms now play music way too loud. On top of which. I think it is particularly bad music ha. Anyway, loved the Pils.

 

Happy Saturday all, and a big thanks to @SawDog505 for kicking us off this weekend.
So some of the people in my SAN (Stout Appreciation Night) group went to Wisconsin to deliver some artwork. They brought back Spotted Cow and this:
Poured into a pint glass very dark, nearly black with strong coffee brown highlights when back lit. The beige head grew quickly and dissipated almost as quickly.
The aroma is sadly lost on my Covid damaged nose,
The taste starts out full throttle deep roasted malts without the harsh found in some. At the swallow the hops kick in to bring an edge of sorts to the taste - but the hop presence is mild, only enough to be noticed. Really encourages another sip.
The feel is really well done, a slight viscosity that just seems perfect for the style but doesn't enter into the realm of chewy.
OA, this is a very well done porter; I was quite surprised to be the one entering it into the database!

 

Lagunitas Maximus a 9% ABV Colossal IPA. Drank this for the 1st time a few days ago at a friends home. Wrote about it on the What beer are you drinking now thread then. That beer was undated but tasted fresh. I enjoyed it so when I saw it at the same store he got it from at a good price $10.99 a 6 pack I pick one up. This. Is a really nice beer. It pours golden tan with a thick lasting white head. The aroma is hoppy. This beer is a hop bomb that Is almost balanced by a strong malt character. The mouthfeel if full and the finish is slightly sweet. Overall an excellent brew but would be better in cooler weather. A bargain also at $10.99 a 6 pack

 

Saint Arnold Irish Hello Dry Stout. 4.3% ABV



Pours a dark black color with some ruby highlights around the edges. A Beige head rises to over two fingers. That recedes fairly quickly with some lace left behind.
Roasted coffee and chocolate aromas. Very simple, but spot on.
Taste wise, big roast and coffee. Becomes more espresso like and rounded though. Not burnt coffee at all. Bitter bakers chocolate. Again, simple and very nice.
A light to medium body. At first crisp carbonation, but that rounds of and becomes super smooth. Finishes wonderfully dry. I can come back to this very easily.

This is a new offering from Saint Arnold, and it is a hit for me. Irish Dry Stouts can be among my favorite styles, if it is on CO2, and this is a reason why. On Nitro, can be one of my least favorite styles though ha. This would probably shine on Cask as well. The malt character is spot on here, and a very good example of the style. Simple, and well done all around.

Overall score is 4.08, A-
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/337/663604/?ba=champ103#lists

 

A one and done for me tonight with baby back ribs on the Weber kettle whilst Mrs O, Ranger, and I enjoy a gorgeous day at the lake. This is a beer worthy of a one and done, IMHO.





4.5/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Pours a murky, rich orange color and sports a slightly off white head that is creamy and lingers with significant lacing. Gorgeous hazy.

The nose is all about the ripe peach and mango that both have legs - you can smell those aromas immediately after popping the top and from a foot away as it sits in the glass. Imma like this for sure.

The taste is truly crammed full of ripe peaches and candied mango flavors, with a delicious complement from sweet oats at the back of the palate. I was concerned this could be cloying and my concern was unwarranted - this is an absolutely delicious beer, IMHO.

A full, creamy mouthfeel adds to the drinkability, with no sign of alcohol from the 8.3% heft of this beer. This is a more than worthy addition to the Tree House lineup, again IMHO.

 

LlamaNama Beer Labs ESB

…something about the name of this newly located brewery , close to my home, seems to have drawn me to it…

3.75/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Opening day at the new location of the Dirty Water Distillery +LlamaNama Beer Labs. Brewery and distillery are in the Cordage Park facility. At one time , this facility was one of the worlds largest rope and cordage manufacturers

This ESB , “extra special bitter” style is known for its balance and the interplay between malt and hop bitterness. English pale ales display earthy, herbal English-variety hop character. Medium to high hop bitterness, flavor and aroma should be evident. The yeast strains used in these beers lend a fruitiness to their aromatics and flavor, referred to as esters. The residual malt and defining sweetness of this richly flavored and medium bodied.

On tap , several draft beer and hard seltzer selections. The ESB is served up in a pint glass , hazy chestnut copper liquid. Thin taupe foam layer quickly fades

Aroma is sweet toffee, nutty , malty

Taste is malts, sweet toffee , nutty

Mouthfeel is smooth , hop bitterness is subtle

Good beer

 

Sierra Nevada - Oktoberfest

As a preface, I MUCH prefer festbiers to märzens (when there’s a truly discernible difference)



Gorgeous amber, copper. Crystal clear.

Malt. Bitter hops. Pine, resin, gummy bears. Taste is clean and sharp. Some malt, bready character early. Bitterness through the middle. Finish is perfectly balanced dryness against malt sugar. Lovely beer. Ever drinkable. It’s almost an American Festbier. If the US were to host one in fall, this would be the top seller.

Hell of a beer, not an Oktoberfest. It’s just not in style yet somehow it’s the #2 wiesn on this platform. Why does this always happen? (I know this is because it’s a US-centric platform, rhetorical question really!) Same reason Ultimate Oktoberfest is top 5 or something märzen. Maybe I’ll Change my score when I’m less grumpy haha!

3.18/5 rDev -21.5%
look: 5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 5 | overall: 3.5

 

Finally got around to mowing and making it look like humans live here. Did everything I could with the tractor, finished the rest with the mower we bought before vacation - beats using the weedwhacker... Watching a buck, two big does and a yearling in a little clearing off the field about 75 feet from the patio. Second visit today. Couldnt figure out the draw so looked after the first visit - wild cherries covering the ground and they are literally being vacuumed up!

So in the glass, a 2021 vintage that says drink within 3 years.



Oxbow Sun Sun, a 6% mixed fermentation saison blended with clementine juice, aged on sweet potatoes, orange peel, grapefruit peel and lemon peel.

Poursinitially clear pale yellow then picks up some sediment from the bottom of the bottle. Had about an inch of head while I fumbled the phone. Falls to a nice cap with some decent cling.

For all the citrus used, it's a pretty laid back smell. What I get is very subtle funk, a little malt, and very light citrus.

The light switch goes on with the taste. A heaping helping of citrus up front, underlaid with a little sweetness and crackery malt. The funk is not strong, but it's pleasantly present. There's some phenolic bite on the back end and a bit of a peppery finish. Very mildly tart. I can't particularly separate the citrus flavors and I like that vagueness. It works here versus one flavor dominating.

Medium mouthfeel, lively carbonation, effect with the citrus is refreshing.

Well...it's very well made and it has great overall flavor. The funk is present but doesn't dominate - it kinda rounds out the overall taste. It is a pleasing combination of flavors in a nice drinking beer - right in the Oxbow wheelhouse. Going 4.0 - 4.2 range on this one.

 

I personally enjoyed this one too, in fact I’m drinking one right now…saving my new beer for tomorrow.

—————

@champ103 too funny cause I love them on nitro. Oh I’m sure I’d love that St Arnold though, do they do it on tap nitro?

 

Greetings, New Beer enthusiasts! I hope everyone is staying cool, keeping hydrated, and enjoying their New Beers on this fine summer afternoon.

My first New Beer this afternoon is billed as a "summertime IPA."



Hetty Alice Summertime IPA
16-ounce can purchased at John's Marketplace in Beaverton, OR. Date stamp reads "OH, YES! 07/25/23". Poured in a nonic half-pint glass.

Look:
Brilliant yellow gold with spectacular clarity, topped with a finger of dense cream-colored foam. Good retention, excellent lacing.

Smell:
Ruby red grapefruit juice, lemon Girl Scout cookies, a touch of watermelon, and a breeze of pine, all supported by a solid foundation of bready, semi-sweet malt.

Taste:
Starts off with tangy orange juice with a twist of grapefruit. Bready malt (which is notably sweeter than the nose led me to expect) combines with the citrus for a tasty marmalade-on-toast effect. Pine and floral notes follow, ushering in a gathering bitterness. The long aftertaste shows sweet malt, pine resin, and orange peel in harmony, along with moderate bitterness that just won't quit.

Feel:
Medium-bodied and a little oily, with lively carbonation. Slight alcohol warmth leaves the mouth tingling.

Overall:
Hetty Alice Summertime IPA is full of bright citrusy flavors intertwined with pine notes and a sturdy malt body. It actually feels a bit heavy and warm for refreshing summer drinkability. That said, it's a tasty and well-made IPA, and that's a pleasure in any season.

 

Destihl Brewery Mazen Oktoberfest, 5.8% ABV; 3.87 overall

Pours an effervescent amber with 2 fingers of cream colored head. Prety good head retention & lacing

S: Toasty, grassy hops, great nose

T: Follows the nose, pretty dry, up front. Some brown bread notes, along with dryness & grassyness as this beer warms up, plus some woody hops. Finishes with caramel, toastyness & a little bit of woody hops

Medium body, restrained carbonation, pretty good balance

This an okay take on the style, not one I would by again

 

They do have it on nitro at the brewery. The last time I was there they had it on then, but only on nitro. I wanted to wait till the official canned release came out cause I knew I wouldn't enjoy it that way ha.

 

Hello New Beer Weekend!!!

All right, I'm back home after a wonderful day in New Ulm, MN. Yes, I went to Schell's Brewing, took the tour (again), and enjoyed this amazing view while enjoying a post tour beer.

A trip to New Ulm to visit Schell's is highly recommended by me if you happen to visit the land of 10,000 taxes, I mean lakes.

Now I'm home, and, since all the cool kids are doing it, I'll do a new beer in a seasonal style

Oktoberfest - Toppling Goliath Brewing, Decorah, IA - 5.2% ABV

I must admit I was surprised to see them do one, and, since the price point was decent, I thought this was a good one to buy.

It looks pretty good, though the head was minimal and not long lasting. I do like the aroma - lots of biscuit/bread, and caramel. The flavor, in my book is the downfall. There's not a lot of malt flavors here, but there seems to be a lot of hops for the style, way too much in my book. It doesn't taste bad, but it really seems off from the style in my book .

Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/23222/612082/

3.39/5 rDev -11.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
From a 16 oz can packed on 7/11/23 consumed on 8/12/23

Clear pouring beer from the can, and copper colored. When I hold it to the light, I see a few carbonation bubbles rising in the glass. The head that formed was minimal, less than one finger, and off white. The head isn't long lasting, and there's no lacing on the glass as it dissipates to a ring around the glass.
The aroma is just screaming biscuit and uncooked bread to me. So malty. Notes of caramel also hit my nose, but faint.
Taste - The flavor isn't as malty as I was expecting from the aroma. It seems somewhat crisp up front with more of the malts on the back. They just don't jump out as much as I expected. There's actually more hops than I expect from this style, and they produce a bitterness on the back that just doesn't seem to work for the style.
The body is decent for the style.
Not too sure about this one. It's not bad tasting, though, the hop bitterness that I'm getting just doesn't seem right for the style.


I'll see if I have another in me tonight, if not, I'll be back tomorrow.

 

New Belgium La Terroir Green Walnut Dry Hopped ( Sabro ) Sour Ale,5.5% ABV; 3.88 overall


Pours an effervescent & hazed amber with one finger of ivory colored head. Some head retention & lacing

S: Vinegar, a little pear & horse blanket, Golden Delicious Apples

T: Tons of green appleskin, oaky dryness & tartness, a little lemon zest, a little leafy hop going on as well, some Green Walnut does come through as this beer warms up, can't say that is a real selling point. Finishes with tartness, dryness, leathery notes & acidity

MF: Medium body, lively carbonation, enamel sucking stickyness

Not a great variant off the OG, not one I would buy again in large format bottles

 

Thanks for the background, not sure how much I would like a corn version, but I like pretty much any style which incorporates rye, which is not as common/easy to find as I would like.

I wish I bought a few more stand alone bottles at 3 Sheeps, though I still have 28 new to me beers to try from trades this trip plus boxes from Vann. Still waiting for them to resume distributing here, which is what their rep said at their anniversary party, but has yet to happen.

Had the pleasure of trying this last week. I enjoyed it, though my palate was somewhat fatigued and I would like to revisit. Had multiple collaborations so far from Live Oak, with their Grodziskie collaboration with Goldfinger my favorite IIRC.

Grateful most of the breweries here and in Vegas keep their music at acceptable levels, with the selection quality hit or miss. I've left a couple breweries because of annoying loud music, with Homage in Los Angeles the last one I recall from memory. I would have stayed for more if they had better style variety and the music was at an acceptable level. I recommend Highland Park brewery literally a block a way which was packed at the same time Homage literally had no other customers.

Will return later this morning or perhaps early afternoon with my New Beer Sunday #964 selection!