New Beer Weekend #166

Emancipation Brewing's True American. American Pale Wheat Ale at 5.3% ABV.



Pours a straw/yellow color with a touch of haze. A white head rises and recedes to a ring quickly. Light lace is left behind.
Citrus fruit aromas. Kind of hoppy, kind of wheat like. That is it. Pretty standard and by the books, and just light overall.
Taste wise, again, citrus fruit flavors. Just a touch of snappy wheat, and cereal grains. Plenty of sweetness lingering, and becomes a bit cloying in that regard.
A light body with moderate carbonation. I would like this to finish drier and with a more crisp bite. Though not hard to drink. Something you don't have to think about too much.

This is certainly on the lighter side of things. There is not much overall character here. Though easy enough to drink if you just need something in your hand. I wouldn't seek it out otherwise.

Overall score for me is 3.36, in the B- range.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/56332/671999/?ba=champ103#lists

This was a gift from my Aunt, always love when family members go out of their way to think of you. I'll certainly enjoy the rest of the 4 pack, but as usual for American Pale Wheat Ales, something is a bit light and I keep wanting it to be more Hefe like, or more hoppy or something.

 

This is one of the greatest beers every ha, oh well

 

Good day BAs! Thanks @WunderLlama for starting this week's thread! Today's New Breakfast Beer (the rain is keeping me inside and drinking, thanks clouds!):



Crushing Mass – from Three Floyds. Single 12 oz bottle. On room temperature shelf at Riverside Liquors, Grand Rapids, MI. Acquired 13/09/23, $ 7.09 (Including tax), $ 0.591/fl oz. Reviewed 24/09/23 (Review 3155). Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
Etched on shoulder “BOTTLED 2023”. Stored at 34 degrees at home. Served at 55 degrees F in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. The final temperature was 61.7 degrees F.
Appearance – 3.
First pour – Brown (SRM 20), nearly opaque.
Body – Deep Brown (SRM 30), opaque. Under direct light same. When rear-lite, same.
Head: Tiny (Maximum 0.3 cm, aggressive center pour), copper, fizzy. Quickly gone, leaving no crown, cap, or bubble.
Lacing – None.
Aroma – 3 – Very faint burnt mash, eventually yielding to ghostly coffee. No yeast, no hops. No ethanol (15.1 % ABV according to the label). Fades to nothing as it further warms.
Flavor – 3.5 – Begins slightly bitter with coffee but rapidly becomes slightly sweet. Possibly some ephemeral chocolate at the end. No yeast, no hops. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl. Moderate gastric warming.
Palate – 3.75 – Full; almost syrupy; soft carbonation.
Final impression and summation: 3.5 Weak, sweet expresso. No barrels in either the aroma or flavor. Alcohol is well hidden, making this deceptively easy to drink. For 3F, unimpressive. For most other brewers, stellar.
Rating 3.38, rDev -23.2%

And yesterday's New Breakfast Beer, which I never got around to posting here:



Warka Premium Beer – from Grupa Zywlec. Single 16.9 oz bottle. On room temperature shelf at Riverside Liquors, Grand Rapids, MI. Acquired 13/09/23, $ 4.23 (Including tax), $ 0.250/fl oz. Reviewed 23/09/23 (Review 3154). Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
On back label “Batch Number L227761681110”. Stored at 34 degrees at home. Served at 47.8 degrees F in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. The final temperature was 54.5 degrees F.
Appearance – 3.
First pour – Medium Amber (SRM 12), clear.
Body – Medium Amber (SRM 12), opaque. Under direct light same. When rear-lite, gold, and clear.
Head: Average (Maximum 3.0 cm, aggressive center pour), white, high density. Quickly reduced to a ring of single bubbles.
Lacing – None.
Aroma – 3 – Weak smoky oak. No yeast, no hops. No ethanol (6.3 % ABV according to the label).
Flavor – 3.25 – Begins slightly sweet with barley malt. No yeast, no hops. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl. No gastric warming. Ends slightly bitter.
Palate – 3.25 – Medium; watery; soft carbonation.
Final impression and summation: 3.25 OK alcohol delivery system – drinkable but barely desirable.
Rating 3.18, rDev -5.1%

Thus endeth my new beers from the MI trip, soon to start the new local beers.

 

Good morninig NBS/nbw and thanks @WunderLlama for hosting his week.
Well its cool and grey here in WMass, and the leaves are falling of the maples early this year.
2 years of stress on them and it shows.
Todays offering is from Couter Weight brewing in Cheshire Ct.
A beautiful beer with great flavor
Cheers all

Workhorse Pilsner

German Pilsner | 5% ABV
Counter Weight Brewing Company in Cheshire, Connecticut

Reviewed by SABERG from Massachusetts

4.21/5 rDev +5.8% | Average: 3.98
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Poured from a 16 oz can dated 04/16/23 into the test glass
A - Lovely light straw color, active, determined carbonation. Snow white cap steady and lasting.
S - Grassy hops, lemongrass, a bit of biscuit. a pith or rimethread as well
T - Lovely grainy base, with a grassy hops center, there is with a second sip a solid citrusy element, think light cracker, with the slightest citrus marmalade all delicate.
M - Crisp bright , dances across the palate. start is that lovely grainy aspect, then a quick shift to the dry herbal side.
Finish is quick and deliberate
O - A very good pilsner, and worth every effort to experience

 

Dorchester Pie Fight! pumpkin ale, 5.3% - tasty pumpkin pie! Cheers!



-Look: Cider-looking deep amber with a large-bubbled head that falls immediately.
-Aroma: Very nice light pumpkin pie spices, soft malts, cinnamon-dominant.
-Taste: Delicious pumpkin pie on a soft malt crust, cinnamon-finish.
-Feel: Goes down like cider, but very tasty cider, almost no carbonation.
-Overall: Hits the pumpkin pie flavor I like, but misses on all beer-cylinders.

-Contrary to popular belief, Pumpkin Spice was not the redheaded Spice Girl!

 

Berkshire Life on Märzen, 6.8% - this is phenomenal! Prost!



-Look: Deep copper-amber with a thick foam that lasts.
-Aroma: Sucker-punched me in the nose with brown-bread and molasses!
-Taste: Phenomenal rich brown-breads, rye crisps, slight white wine - Wow!
-Feel: Thin to medium with low carbonation, tight but slippery.
Overall: Oh man, you have to try this - I'm glad I did!

 

If you can find it, try Cake from Exhibit A. It's got the spice, pumpkin flavor and coffee. And it manages to stay "beery". We found it at Just Better Beer in Norwood, so I'd think it's out in distribution elsewhere.

 

Enjoying the travelogue!

 

In all my years in Maine, drinking a fair amount of Southern Tier beers, I never had their IPA. That's about to be remedied.
The beer looks nice. Pretty amber color, 2 inch off-white head, some lace.
Aroma of citrus and pine.
Weak grapefruit taste; the pine has disappeared.
Not very hoppy or bitter.
A bit of a disappointment.

 

Good afternoon NBW
I'm always happy to find new beer from Aecht Schlenkerla.

500mL undated bottle poured into a perfect pint glass at fridge temp 4.6% ABV. The beer pours bright light reddish amber with chestnut highlights and khaki colored head. The head recedes to a thin ring and single layer of bubbles. Slight lacing. The aroma is mild with sweet malt and campfire smoke. The taste is semisweet toasted malt with campfire smoke throughout. Minimal bitterness. The mouthfeel is thin bodied with average carbonation and a mostly dry finish. Overall, very good.

Cheers all!

 

Dreary weather day, I vacuumed my truck in the garage, but was able to sneak in some yard work between the drizzle.
I visited 4 breweries new to me yesterday, good times. After this post I will write some place reviews.
I've had this new beer in my fridge for a week. Ready to dig in. My Love Language is IPA from a local place- Little House Brewing.

3.96/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Purchased cold at the brewery and refrigerated at home. However this was canned at 12 Percent.
Poured from a 16oz stamped 09/05/23 to a Nonic at fridge temp.
The body is opaque and a hazy apricot in color. A medium head is white and of multi-sized bubbles. Lacing is medium to minimum, but not absent.
The aroma is dank and musty with citrus taking a back seat.
The taste is also dank, but with a little bit of a hop bite and some peppery spice notes.
The mouthfeel is medium creamy.
This beer is fine, and I would drink again but there are better versions on the market.

 

Saw your post on the discord BA and thought this looked tasty, sounds delicious too!

 

Started off my New Beer Weekend Sunday with a couple of my new Urban Artifact Small Batch Society releases for this month:

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/40297/671652/?ba=bluejacket74#lists



https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/40297/671650/?ba=bluejacket74#lists



Both of these were good but the Orange Pale Ale stood out to me here.

 

And finished up my New Beer Weekend Sunday with the last of the 3 Urban Artifact Small Batch Society September releases:

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/40297/671651/?ba=bluejacket74#lists



And had another new Urban Artifact release which was the best of the new beers I've had today:

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/40297/671653/?ba=bluejacket74#lists



Cheers and have a great week everyone!

 

Welcome one and all to New Beer Sunday #970! Here is the second of two Jack's Abby & Goldfinger collaboration. This one was brewed and canned ay Jack's Abby, and was a generous gift by local BA @FBarber

Jack's Abby & Goldfinger Polish Lager



Can Notes: Gift from Frank, BA @FBarber on August 2nd, refrigerated until opening today. 16 oz canned 7/21/23 @ 8:05 AM. Brewed by Jack's Abby Brewing, Framingham, Massachusetts. Polish Lager Schankbier brewed with Czech Floor Malts and Polish Tomyski Hops. Kuhkschiff. 3.0% ABV, naturally carbonated.

We partnered with our friends at Goldfinger, a lager brewery in Illinois, to create this Schankbier. With a shared interest in traditional European brewing, we wanted to brew this uncommon, low ABV, style of beer. Inspired by the Polish roots of Goldfinger owner/brewer, Tom, we added hops from his family's home country.

Appearance: Clear golden straw color pour, consistent light carbonation flowing through the tall flute pilsner glass filled 3/4 from initial pours. Bright white head leaves a fair amount of lacing and a thin cover over much of the base. 4.0

Aroma: Mineral water, copper, floral lemongrass, pepper, cracker. Smoked malts, wheat. Mild in strength, stronger enjoyment of this flavor medley. 3.75

Taste: Everything light and easy. Starts with mineral water, pepper, smokey malt, lemongrass. Tastes like chilling on a farm on a warm Summer day. Need to focus to pick out particulars, but enjoying the journey. 3.75

Mouthfeel: So light both in strength and body, gentle sustained carbonation the primary depth. Faintly dry and bitter, everything is just chill with this one. Light smokey wheat on the finish. Feels almost NA like, the lightest non AAL beer I can recall, drinks lighter than the 3.0 ABV. 4.0

Overall: This is a very delicate enjoyable beer, easy to enjoy. Like the depth of flavors with this one, subtle, enjoyable. This session strength beer is solid, and would be in my refrigerator if I had regular access. Glad I was gifted this one. Thank you so much Frank! Dobry! 3.75

I enjoyed both collaborations, but feel this one was geared more toward my personal taste preferences. Will be looking out for more Jack's Abby down the road, with Goldfinger already on my radar.

Next week I have two local IPAs lined up and then an October and November packed with wonderful New England beers lined up from my last and largest BA trade to date.

Cheers!

 

Stonecloud Brewing Glutton for Funishment 2 American IPA, 6.7% ABV; 4.15 overall

With Chinook, Citra Cryo & Mosaic Hops

Pours an effervescent amber with one finger of sand colored head. Great head retention & lacing

S: A little pine, some cakeyness

T: Follows the nose, biscuitty dryness, a kiss of grapefruit & caramel up front. Pineyness in spades, plenty of dryness & grapefruit as well, with a hint of cakeyness as this beer warms up. Finishes with some dry/sweet cakeyness, plenty of pine & some grapefruit

MF: Medium body, restrained carbonation, skews hoppy

Old school IPA that brings the hop bitterness, pretty drinkable

 

Decided to have one more little one this weekend - prost!

3.81/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Packaged July 13, 2023 - enjoyed on September 24th, 2023 - poured from a 12oz can into my Moonlight willybecher.

Clear xanthous body with a lasting half finger of baby powder cream. Fine soapy lacing; very good retention.

Subtle, chewy, floral, malty aromatics. Hints of honey and dough.

Sweet, bready palate entry, suffused with malt balanced by a crisp, earthy, faintly grassy bitterness with hints of orange and vanilla. Medium finish, with lingering albeit linear flavors.

Medium-light bodied, creamy, soft, yet with a certain bite.

While the bitterness is approaching that of a pilsner (with a subtle SN signature), the malt bill rides the line between lighter fest biers and richer marzens. Picking apart the individual elements finds the end result lacking perhaps, but I'm enjoying this more than any one metric can capture.

 

It was divine on cask 30 years ago...

 

Been a while since I contributed.
NBW/NBS y'all!

Fort George's Electric Surfboard DIPA. 9%
Canned 8.31.23

Is it here because of GABF? We don't normally get this here.... in any case. No deets on hops, grist, etc. So this is my best guess below (without looking at the brewery site/data). First to review this? Wut? Don't people drink beer in Astoria?

4.09/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

L - a clear as hell's bells DIPA from Astoria, VERY west coast in style. Not overcarbonated, not much head, spotted layered lacing as it descends the glass. Classic.

S - Definitely some old school (Columbus? Chinook?) and some new school (Citra? Mosaic?) in this bad boy - pine on the nose, with some floral blueberries, but more earthy than "fruity."

T - Solid, smooth malt backbone, and that balances that pine with blueberry - almost too smooth here. Dangerous.

F - Really nice smooth mouthfeel ( know that's too smoothes in one review - but hey, that's your key word here ), not too much CO2, wish it had just a TAD more bitterness on the back end.

O - A dangerously drinkable DIPA that will have local fishermen in Astoria under the table in 2 beers. Nicely done - good to see this here in CO (probably a mini-GABF drop?). Hope we see more of it!

 

Good ol Red Rock, here we're are again with a "new" brew, but only because I haven't rated it yet. Though looking at this with a better understanding set of eyes.

Red Rock - Zwickelbier



Purchased at local grocer for $2

Canned 4.12.23

Poured at fridge temp into a trumpet Pils glass.

Pours very pale straw yellow with a 2F head, fairly generous lacing left behind, settled into a thin ring. 4

Bready, but not fresh bread, more dark and crust, and very clear and present noble hop spice. 4

White bread, medium crust, noble hops and earthy near honey like sweetness. 4

Pleasantly carbo'd lingering hops and very drinkable. 4

Overall sticking to my initial rating of a solid 4/5 from ages ago, but the noble hops are excellent in this one. Also love the label redesign and subtle bee/honeycomb in there too. 4

Cheers!