New Beer Weekend #165

That is so wild that the timing of your trips coincided and you could meet up like that halfway around the world.

 

I forgot to post yesterday's New To Me Beer from Maplewood Brewing and Distillery, Black Seed.
"16oz can stamped:"Aged for 1(?) Months 04/04/2023" I can't tell if that is 13 or 18 months. 13 is more likely, from the look of it, not because I can tell by the taste of feel.
Poured into a snifter the mahogany body refuses light to pass, like a black hole, and briefly supports a 1/4" head of brown mixed bubbles that recedes to barely a wispy collection. A filmy residue coats the glass and, with agitation, an army of tiny bubbles run the glass.

Bountiful and enticing aroma of candy apples soaked in liquor wafts from the glass at 3 feet. The boozy aroma warns, but coaxes, to enjoy slowly, and enjoy indeed. Molasses, black strap, bold sugar aroma with apple.

The taste is not nearly as sweet, with plenty of roasted cocoa and booze to temper the sugar. Enjoyable bitter dark chocolate coated tartness.

Mouthfeel leans a little lighter than expected for a stout, but not more than expected after barrel aging. Just an even, full flavored, smooth drink that leaves the palate clean and wanting more.

Overall a nice surprise, random selection. I trusted the genius of Maplewood and was rewarded with this slow and low experience."


...and today starts with Husk, from the Goose Island Barrel House.

"12oz bottle "Drink By 16AUG28" poured into a snifter pours a dirty, ruddy, brown but awaits as a dark mahogany body that barely allows light at the edge and almost floats a wispy cap of cocoa brown bubbles and leaves a clean glass behind.

Strong vanilla, oak, and char aroma fronts the toasted malt in an enticing combination and leads to the taste seamlessly.

Bourbon coats the malts sweetly and longs sips are encouraged to fully savor the flavors, especially as it comes to temperature. Heavy molasses taste is cut by the bourbon bitterness.

The name is clearly a nod to the corn used and I wonder if it causes, or merely adds to a slick mouthfeel. Solid medium feel that leans still, but does sparkle the tongue.

How enjoyable to get lost here in 12 ounces. A pleasant experience that only needs a cigar."

 

Samuel adams gold rush
...cloudy pale light orange/gold appearance
...thin body with at least average, slightly biting carbonation.
...aroma is bread,toast,sweet dark honey,malt and some floral hops
...taste has some mild sweetness but the cereal/bread rounds things out nicely.
...I have been hard on sam adams the last few years but this is really good for the style.
There is a bit of it that comes off like beer-soda- but its still very good

 

Welcome one and all to New Beer Sunday #969! I have a special treat today, the first of twelve from a great Massachusetts Beer Advocate Adam, known here as @Qu3st . I've seen many enjoy this beer over the years in the WBAYDN thread I joined about four years ago, so really grateful to have the opportunity to try this for the first time ever today.

Fiddlehead Second Fiddle



Can Notes: Obtained via in person trade with Adam or @Qu3st on Beer Advocate on August 19th, refrigerated until opening today. 16 oz canned 6/14/23 at 8:57 AM. 8.2% ABV, Double India Pale Ale. Brewed by Fiddlehead Brewing Company, 31 Sage Court Shelburne, Vermont.

Appearance: About 2/3 of the can poured into a nucleated Teku glass. Yields a slightly cloudy golden tan base, steady medium plus carbonation. Creamy bright white head leaves a substantial rich cover over the base, and significant clumpy lacing at the top, and then full glorious lacing rings with each sip or gulp in it's wake. Looks really good. 4.5

Aroma: Old school flavors of pine, grapefruit and citrus, medium plus strength, drawing me in. 4.0

Taste: Consistent with the aroma, a nice slightly dank pine front and center with grapefruit and citrus dancing around the circle. Straight on old school vibes, tight in terms of limited flavors noted, on point in terms of satisfaction. 4.5

Mouthfeel: Mild bitterness, mild plus dry, hop bittering contains sweetness which still shines through taste wise. Drinks at the stated level. Digging that I'm not getting any malt I typically find in imperial IPA. Just the good stuff, with a pine bitter finish that suits me well. 4.75

Overall: This is an excellent imperial IPA. I typically sit on this style a bit longer to soften any excess malt, so not sure how this would go say a few weeks in. the beer in my glass is excellent, hits the classic IPA notes of a decade ago. This certainly would be in my rotation if regularly available. Not sure if this is brewed and canned solely at the Shelburne brewery, but surely a place I'd like to visit if I get the pleasure to hit this region again. Thank you very much Adam for this glorious DIPA! 4.5

Another great weekend due to the generosity of BAs. I'll continue in that vain next week with two Goldfinger & Jack's Abby collaborations, courtesy of two great BAs!

Cheers!

 

Good afternoon NBS/nbw and thanks @Roy_Hobbs for hosting this week.
It is a stunner here in WMass, bluebird day, I hope you all have one as well
Todays offering is from Great Marsh Brewing, a first for me from this Eastern MA brewer.
A beatiful beer visually, and on the palate.
Cheers all

Bavarian Märzen

Märzen | 5.3% ABV
Great Marsh Brewing Company in Essex, Massachusetts

Reviewed by SABERG from Massachusetts

3.94/5 rDev -2.5% | Average: 4.04
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from a 16 oz can (undated) into the test glass.
A - Beautiful dark copper color, capped with an off white loose knit cap.
Lacing is cirrus and whispy.
S - A bit af caramel, toasted malt cracker, and a bit of light brown sugar.
T - All the aromatics, add in the slightest toffee note, and some pumpernikle
M - Medium in body, sweet but not over the top. Clean dry finish, with a whisper instead of a linger.
O - A very good Marzen style, excellent texture and finish.

 

This is fake news. @snaotheus does NOT type reviews, he writes them by hand. On paper.

There is only one logical explanation - @WunderLlama has gone all “Invasion Of The Body Snatchers” on @snaotheus . We need to start a GoFundMe page to save him.

Who’s with me??? #SaveSnotHouse

 

Wow, thanks to some generous BA out there for this one. I'm usually pretty good about marking bottles I receive with the esteemed BA's name if it's a bottle I might sit on for a spell. Sadly, I did not do that on this one. So thanks to somebody out there in our little niche of beer fandom.

Cassian Sunset by the wonderful brewers at Central Waters

2016 Bottle.

Deep brown in color with a ruby to amber hue closer to the glass surface. Light khaki head rises and falls off pretty quickly.
Nose carries forth a pleasant mix of cinnamon, bark, mild caramel sweetness, charred barrel, and som coffee roast. A mild hint of date and stewed apples comes in also.
Flavor is more forward in the malt profile: baker's chocolate, toasty caramel, whiskey barrel, and some maple syrup. The cinnamon is light, and the barrel, coffee, and char only comes in after a bit. The hint of fruit that comes in is warm, almost like an apple brandy, but ever so light.
Mouthfeel is is full, lightly carbonated, with a warm finish. Pretty smooth.
4.11/5 rDev -5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

 

I'm sure the stain on the shelf contributed to the beer presenting more in the amber direction.

 

Oktoberfest Festbier from Sierra Nevada in collaboration with Kehrwieder Brewery in Germany. I try new or different Oktoberfests every year. They are almost always good but rarely outstanding. This one is outstanding. Poured from a 12 OZ can it is a golden copper with a thick white head. There is a nice aroma of grain. The taste is sweet malts and grasses. There is also a small but noticeable hop presence which is unusual in an Oktoberfest. The mouthfeel is full. The finish is a bit sweet. Overall a very enjoyable brew. The best new Oktoberfest in a long time.

 

Happy new beer Sunday. Had a good sleep after the twisted track brewery last night. Me and Julia went to Dixie cave in Salem so we will have to see more places along the fault line of the mountains! We are at three notchd in Roanoke now. Pic is under the bell feature at the bottom of the cave. Been kicking ass at work being busy as usual. I have a bunch of engineering tests to complete through the end of the year. I'll keep traveling


Three notchd guava gose. This was amazing. Wonderful nose and taste of sour guava, fruit jam, lemon, lime, green apple, white wine, sea salt, hay, straw, grass, pepper, wheat, cracker, lacto funk. Medium tart/sour/tangy fruit finish. Medium plus carb and light body. Grainy salinity lactic mouthfeel. Crisp clean refreshing finish. Mild lingering pucker. Lovely jammy level of fruit on a spot on base gose. 4.32


Cheers

 

@jonphisher - ask and ye shall receive ;-). I quite enjoyed this contemporary re-imagining of a classic NW-style IPA. A little dose of nostalgia on this overcast day - cheers!

4.17/5 rDev +5.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Packaged either August 7th or September 7th, 2023 (ink is smudged) - enjoyed on September 17th, 2023. Poured from a pint can into my Dogfish Head shaped pint glass.

Very slightly cloudy gold liquid with a soft stand of eggshell cream. Delicate lacing; decent retention.

Lovely aroma is lightly floral with hints of melon, grapefruit, and tropical elements backed by a more herbaceous resin-kissed core.

Spicy, earthy, woodsy palate entry, suffused with evergreen hops (Chinook/Centennial!) with some citrus (grapefruit) and complex but subtle passion fruit/guava flavors as well. The malt is clean and a touch crackery with a very light caramel/honey note for balance. Moderate, juicy bitterness with a long dry finish with some bready/nutty returning sweetness.

Medium-light-bodied, not-quite-oily, and soft. Adequate carbonation. Crisp yet filling.

Well balanced with nods to NW-style tradition, but with a slightly leaner malt bill and more contemporary hop profile (Mosaic where tradition might call for Cascade in my opinion). Would pair well with a blue cheese burger/fries, shepherd's pie, or other pub grub.

 

That was me that asked , and thank you for sharing I've had quite a few of these Oregon IPAs sent my way and reading your description seems like they have a lot in common.

Mostly old school, clean and bitter, but with just little kisses of fruit and/or tropical mixed in.

Von Ebert - Volatile Substance is a good example that was shared with me twice, same sort of deal. I actually have a new to me Fort George one sent by @snaotheus to try this weekend or next, I'm curious if it to will have that subtle new school touch to a mostly old school IPA.

 

Skydance Brewing Super Delic Hazy 2XIPA, 8.0% ABV; 4.07 overall

With Superdelic, Necraton & Citra Hops

Pours a hazed gold with one pinky of eggshell colored head. Nice head retention & lacing

S: Tropical notes, some grassyness, oranges as this warms up

T: Tangerine, kiwi fruit, passionfruit & lime with a little dryness up front. Green melon, dryness, sweet oranges, & peaches as this beer warms up. Finishes a little dry with oranges, green melon & grassyness

Great drinkability with nice flavor

MF: Medium body, moderate carbonation

 

Sorry! realized my error but didn't edit in time. Glad to hear there are more examples of this type of thing around - will have to grab some next time I visit up there.

 

Great Oktoberfest apps. Pretzel and bratwurst Irish nachos. The spicy mustard was one of the best I've tried.



Three notchd Hansel and kettle. Really nice imperial Oktoberfest. Muted clean nose of caramel, stone fruit, brown bread, herbal hops. Taste of big caramel, brown sugar, brown bread/crust, wood, peppercorn, pine, raisin, stone fruit, herbal, floral, grass. Medium pine rind bitter finish. Medium carb and medium plus body. Balanced creamy grainy malt and sticky resinous hop mouthfeel. Lingering resin dryness, no cloying astringent flavors. Very clean lager flavors. Great rich clean Munich malt showcase with balanced noble hop character. Was a little too bitter for 30ibu and style. Mild warmth of 8%. Overall well made. 3.9/5


Cheers

 

Pic of the magic mirror pool in the cavern.



Three notchd lake life. Great wheat. Aromas and flavors of big mango juice/flesh, lemon, pear, apple, wheat, bread dough, wood, peppercorn, pine, herbal, floral, grass, yeast earthiness. Lt med herbal bitter finish. Medium plus carb and light med body. Crisp clean refreshing finish. Balanced grainy malt and sticky hop mouthfeel. No astringency. Min warming 4.8%. Very flavorful with plenty of authentic jammy fruit flavor. 4/5


Cheers

 

Poured into a 16 oz Snulip glass, not sure when it was canned. Pours a hazy orange with a half finger sticky white head that leaves thin streaks of lace with nice retention. 4.5

Aroma is white grapes, cantaloupe, mandarin, peach, mango, and apricot. 4.5

Taste white grapes, mandarin, cantaloupe, peach, mango, and apricot a ton going on with this one. 4.5

Mouthfeel is is above average, soft gentle carbonation, not sticky or dry, and at 8% loaded with flavor, but easy drinking. 4.5

Overall I love when a brewery can make Nelson shine and they did that with this one. Nelson, Citra, Simcoe, and Chinook wonderful stuff. 4.5 Cheers all.

 

Hatch Chile burger with bacon.


Three notchd king of clouds. Really nice hazy. Aromas and flavors of big grapefruit, tangerine, peach, pineapple, passionfruit, papaya, mango, honeydew melon, berries, citrus peel/rind, pepper, pine, cracker, bread dough, herbal, floral, grass, yeast earth. Lt med pine/rind bitter finish. Medium carb and medium plus body. Balanced creamy bready malts and sticky resinous hop mouthfeel. No astringency. Nicely soft oat feel. A little too earthy on the Idaho 7 and Citra hop profile and a bit rough after the finish on hop resins. Otherwise enjoyable. Nicely juicy. 3.9


Cheers

 

Ottakringer Vienna lager


4.02/5 rDev +8.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On tap at the Lindner hotel
Clear copper switch streams of micro carbonation , one finger of white. Foam cap
Aroma is sweet malt
Taste is sweet malt
Smooth, sudsy
Good beer