New Beer Weekend #173

Yeah! Although, great is an understatement, Tim! Phenomenal! I just wish I could find some here in SEPA, though! You shan’t be disappointed @Danmullens1 !

 

Thread is roaring after a day and a half, so can't wait to catch up since I posted yesterday. These are my final two drink fresh beers from my August trade, with many cellar appropriate traded beers to follow among some local Chicago beers I like to feature. Today and tomorrow come from yet another new to me brewery prvodided from my trades this Summer.

Roundhead Chimu



Can Notes: Can provided via trade with Adam, @Qu3st on Beer Advocate on August 19, refrigerated during his journeys and then from here through this afternoon. 16 oz, 5.5% ABV, no can date but estimating within a month or two before receiving. Peruvian Red Ale brewed by Roundhead Brewing Company Powerhouse at Westinghouse Plaza, i 107 Hyde Park, Massachusetts. Cerveza Que Reune. Label design by Alex Budnitz.

Malty with notes of caramel and toffee, brewed with Peruvian purple corn. Maltoso con notas de caramelo y toffe, elabordado con maiz morado Peruanano.

Appearance: Poured about 2/3 of the can into a shaker pint glass. Bronze, red clear pour, mild carbonation, generous white tan creamy head lingers for a while before leaving substantial creaminess above the base. 4.5

Aroma: Spicy caramel, toffee, corn, somewhat unpleasant grainy alcohol and overwhelming malt presence. 2.0

Taste: Tastes a bit better than the aroma, which I believe is the Peruvian corn I'm not familiar with. Getting heavy malt, light caramel. Hard to get through the aroma. 2.5

Mouthfeel: Thin watery body, faint carbonation, that corn is front and center, malty backing, both linger on the finish. Drinks stronger than the ABV, though that could be the perception of the grainy alcohol flavor. 3.0

Overall: Chalking this one up to the Peruvian corn, or perhaps something off here. Will likely finish the pour, but a one and done due to the flavor profile which doesn't hit my preferences. It's better to taste marvelous versus looking marvelous. 2.5

Expecting better results with the brown ale tomorrow.

 

That’s a really good beer! Enjoy!

 

yes

 

The timing was horrible for me. Perhaps not next year...

 

Boulevard Rye on Rye on Rye BA, 15.0%; 4.68 overall. To me the star of this mixed 6 which had no losers or even close

Pours an effervescent & chill hazed Chesnut with a pinky of tan head. Above average head retention & lacing, some sediment

S: Dark fruits, brown sugar & plums, super nose! Traces of leather & Creme Brule' once opened all the way up

T: Barrel heat, oakyness, figs, plums, dryness & dark cherries and brown sugar, a kiss of whisky & cola up front as well. Oaky dryness, figs, raisins, a little spicy whisky profile & a touch of smoked brown sugar/caramel. Oakey & spicy barrel notes, figs, plums & brown sugar in the finish

MF: Chewy, low carbonation, warming. Carbonation picked up once warm

Superb drinkability for this bruiser, so much going on here. If they put this out as a 4 pack, I am going bananas. Decadent!

 

Begyles' BA Imperial Pajamas 2022
4.27/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Damned near black, thick and oily looking, small head vanished in seconds. Boogar factory says chocolate and bit of booze. Taste buds agree, but find some caramel, chocolate and vanilla. Notes on the cans tasting notes say oak, not being a beaver or woodpecker, I wouldn't know what oak tastes like. That being said this terrific. Another well done BA Stout from a Chicago brewer. Label says GABF Gold Medal 2019 Wood and Barrel-Aged Stong Stout, works for me!

 

New Glarus Brewing Scotch Ale. I am very excited to experience this beer. The color is murky copper, with a thick off-white foamy covering. The smell is malty buttered brown toast. There are scents of cherry, almond, pine, and chestnut. It smells wonderful. The taste is toasted cherry, sweet malt, buttered pumpernickel bread, and roasted almond. It is sweeter than other Scotch ales I have experienced, but in the best way. The mouthfeel is creamy, thick, full, and smooth. Simply lucious. My very high expectations for this beer were exceeded. This beer is sweeter than I expected, but perfectly so.

 

I've had it. it's good but not great. Super smooth. Beautiful beer. Malty. Drinks like it's only 6.0% Abv. But low on flavor.

 

Cross post with the Barleywine/Stout BIF #1 & Imperial Stout Appreciation threads

Bell's Larry's Last - Imperial Oatmeal Stout

After a full day of watching marching band competitions I was very ready for a beer!




4.21/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Sierra Nevada Imperial Pint Glass

the beer pours jet black with about 2 fingers worth of tan/khaki rocky head that recedes quickly leaving behind very little lacing.

The aroma is sweet and creamy, comprised mainly of chocolate and coffee, with hints of dark fruit and vanilla. Bold and inviting

The flavor mirrors the aroma quite closely; sweet and creamy coffee and chocolate. The dark fruit is less noticeable in the flavor than in the aroma, but still compliment the overall flavor profile quite nicely. Medium/Full bodied and lightly carbonated, the beer is slick on the tongue and finishes slightly dry.

Overall, this is quite a nice Stout

 

An unexpected 3-day NBW! A quick one and done for me because I’m in West Palm Beach FL with Mrs O for a week’s vacation. This is Tag & Release from Sailfish Brewing Company, a local brewery.





3.92/5 rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Pours a mostly clear amber color with a light tan head that provides a nice amount of lacing. Caramel is prominent on the nose with a nice bit of hops as well.

The hops are fruity and more prominent on the taste, with the caramel flavor at the back of the palate for balance. Really good flavor profile for an amber.

The mouthfeel is fairly crisp, making for a very drinkable amber that I’d gladly revisit.

 

Oh man. What a big boy this one is. A hearty brew to say the least and a lovely warming sipper. Cheers BAs!
St Bernardus Abt 12 10% ABV
4.6/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
11.2 oz bottle enjoy by 08/05/26 into a Watu chalice.
L: SRM 24 Pours an earthy yeasty dark brown color with lighter edging, a thin soapy off-white head, steady fine carbonation, head recedes quickly to edge foam, no lacing. Carbo is long-lived.
S: Light tannins, dark fruits, lightly woody, a hint of banana.
T: Gently sweet, plum, toasted caramel malts & grains, background cocoa, dates, raisins, a touch of brown bread, distant apple, lightly spicy clove notes, gentle hidden booze, dark honey, brown sugar, yeast.
F: Lightly brisk and bright medium to med-heavy bodied feel with a hearty center and a medium-length drying finish. Very good carbonation. It is warming in the chest.
O: Absolutely divine tastes and feel. It is quite warming, masterfully brewed and has distinct fruit, cocoa, and lightly boozy malt notes. A sipping beer that tastes as strong as it feels. It is world-class in its style.

 

And we might as well finish off the mystery beers from @BigIronH



Well, given this was the Stout/Barleywine BIF I wasn't expecting this, but it pours a cloudy orange gold with 2 fingers of frothy off white head that slowly fades to a thin cap and leaves decent lacing. Maybe it's a white Stout? 4

Nope, certainly not a white Stout, but I can't place my finger on it. It seems like a lemon meringue pie. I'm picking up on aromas of lemon zest, vanilla custard, orange juice, doughy malt, graham cracker, grassy hops, sweet honey, and lime zest 4

Things take an odd sweet turn in taste, but also hop driven? On the front end of the sip I'm tasting lime zest, bready malt, orange juice, caramel, grassy hops, light lemon zest, and graham cracker. The swallow brings notes of lemon zest, vanilla ice cream, earthy hops, lime zest, graham cracker, bready malt, mint, and orange juice 3.75

A medium body pairs with gentle carbonation, resulting in a slick beer. Finishes neutral and sweet with an odd bitterness 3.75

Time for the big reveal...



It's Short's Spruce Pilsner! This one is incredibly odd, and I was very far off with my initial guess. I was picking up on some of the grassy bitterness from the spruce tips, but I did find it a bit strange. It's not the worst thing in the world but it's definitely out there 3.75

 

And Zombie Dust is your last known wanted beer from 2012?