New Beer Weekend #163

Well done @NorsemanOne I planned on doing this if it wasn't done already. I will join you in a little bit

I always love when we start these holiday ones on Friday, let's make it a good one!

 

Also, this poor glass of yours @NorsemanOne it just gets shit on every weekend

"sad excuse for a glass", "shitty can glass", "unfortunate glass"

I'm looking forward to how many more insults you can hurl at that thing

 

Holiday weekend NBW, good to be back friends, hope everyone had a good week and hopefully everyone can settle in and have a nice long weekend to close out "summer season" For me it means going back to work...yes, being a teacher is the world's greatest job come summer time I feel grateful every time it comes and it is always a bizarre feeling come fall, time to get to know and manage ~100 new teenage personalities and remember their names but boy do I crave routine, so this final weekend of summer is always bittersweet to me.



I was excited to start early cause my new beer this weekend is a Oktoberfest Marzen and there is actually some cool air tonight with a heat wave incoming next week. The smell of smoke and the noise of kids while roasting marshmallows greets me through the fence. Best drink a fall beer tonight on the patio...photo and appearance done in my cave away from home at the in laws.

Back to the cave, mosquiters were out, Phillies on, playing against the, wouldn't you know...BREWERS, I guess I'm in the right place.

Iron Hill Brewery - Oktoberfest (Marzen 6%)



Pours crystal clear, perfectly amber, mostly white head builds nicely and settles quick but not super fast, leaves a substantial film that attempts to cling to the glass with not much luck.

The nose on this beer is very nice; its rich bread crust like all the way there is a pleasant little amount of hops that shine through too, a touch of rye like spice and some woodsy aromatics.

The taste is rich in bread and bread crust as well; like very well done...the hops present themselves on the finish and lend the foreshadowed little bit of spice and more of an earthy subdued grass like finish.

Somehow at 6% this beer still resides in the light body range for me, I'm not sure how but this thing goes down like water; carbonation presents itself smoothly, there is a low but noticeable little bitter hop bite on the finish; to me it is not overdone and actually enhances the clean finish on this beer, it is not the most dry beer but it is also far from lingering malt or sweet.

This is a beer that just works well for me, it's a pretty beer, it is very pleasant to smell, the taste is well balanced and has a slight something unique and balanced about it, and it is highly drinkable; good beer that I enjoyed.

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Tomorrow is gonna be a long busy day for us so if I don't see you all tomorrow, be back Sunday

 

Prosit @NorsemanOne for the tap opening

sour pipe project lemon cream pop by vitaminsea brewing


4.18/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Brewers notes : Our fruited sour that’s reminiscent of lemon pound cake. This one is crazy. Conditioned on Lemon, marshmallow and lemon soft serve ice cream. DOES NOT CONTAIN LACTOSE. CONTAINS A MILK DERIVATIVE

Chilled 500 ml bottle poured into a pretentious beer glass, thin white layer quickly fades over a thick mango juice purée looking liquid

Aroma is lemon citrus, vanilla

Taste is lemon, vanilla marshmallow , tastes like a lemon creamsicle

Sweet tart lemon tang , thick mouthfeel, low sudsing

Good beer

 

I'm glad that this is starting this evening, as I have a new beer to try: Jack's Abby Munich Fest. I saw the Fest with the Best variety pack and had to pick it up, as the other three beers are favorites (Copper Legend, Post Shift, House Lager). JA is slowly creeping back into my area and the prices are competitive and now even beating some of the locals!

Pours from a can (07/25) a slightly hazy darker yellow color, strong carbonation and head. Smell is a typical Lager, taste is the same and it has a very nice crisp, cracker-y thing going on and it ends a little dryly and well balanced. Fantastic beer and another worthy Oktoberfest addition this year.

And a big cheers to another variety pack that doesn't contain an IPA and has four beers that I want.

 

Equilibrium Brewing's Epsilon Porter, 4.2% ABV; 3.85 overall

Pours an effervescent chestnut color with one finger of mocha colored head. Minimal head retention or lacing

S: Roasty, a little smokey

T: Follows the nose, dry, Baker's Chocolate, a little hint of gooseberry & dark cherry as well up front. A touch of coffee goes along with the roastyness/dryness as this beer warms up. Finishes with a touch of dark chocolate, drynessroastyness & a hint of smokeyness

MF: Medium body, restrained carbonation

Very easy to drink. Nice take on the style, deliver lots of flavor

 

Glad to join in NBW early since I'll be on the road tomorrow to Ames, IA for the Iowa State-Northern Iowa showdown in the heat.

Here's a Cold IPA from one of my local favorites, Dangerous Man:

Appearance: Slightly hazy pale yellow, ok head.

Smell: Vague fruitiness, lemony.

Taste: Lemony sweetness, with some breadiness backing it up. Very mild bitterness, with medium-light body. Quite refreshing.

Overall: Dangerous Man is now distributing cans after being a taproom-only destination for quite a few years. This cold IPA seems to be a new beer and is a nice thirst quencher, not a flavor explosion type beer, but a nice easy drinker.

 

Woot! If I had known that the new beer weekend was starting today I’d have had a different nightcap. Ah well, cheers all- I’ll have something tomorrow.

 

I miss Dangerous Man - went there a LOT with our son in the 2014 - 2016 timeframe, then on to 1029 for Lobster Mac. Good times.

 

Social Project Brewing Closer To The Sun Double Hazy IPA, 7.8% ABV; 4.11 overall

Pours a hazy honey color with one finger of cream-colored head. Very good head retention & lacing

S: Tropical fruit & a little citrus, a little cattyness once warm

T: Passion fruit, guava, tangerine & nectarine up front. A hint of lime, green melon & guava as this beer warms up, tangerine & dryness as well. Finishes with green melon, passion fruit, guava & nectarine, plus a little dryness

MF: Medium body, moderate carbonation

Drink pretty easy, nice flavor, but the nose didn't quite please me