New Beer Weekend #179

Hey @champ103 it's been a few years since they did those gorgeous paper labels, one of the few souvenir bottles I just can't bring myself to recycle. I can't say exactly how long it's been though. As cool as those bottles were, I support the switch to cans. The beer tastes just as good and the 4 packs are cheaper than a single bottle was. They had regular Gratitude plus rum, bourbon, and rye when I visited last summer.

 

Nice! It appears you ended up liking it

 

Good day BAs! Thanks @DoctorZombies for starting this thread! I totally forgot yesterday was Saturday and therefore didn't contribute. Today is Sunday and the middle of this long weekend, so here's today's New Breakfast Beer:



Dark Heart – from Logyard. 16 fl oz can purchased at Franklin Beer, Franklin, PA on 08/12/23 for $ 3.50 (Including tax), $ 0.219/fl oz. Reviewed 24/12/23 (Review 3202). Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
Bottom of can stamped “12/29/2022”. Stored at 34 degrees at home. Served at 47.6 degrees F in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. The final temperature was 54.6 degrees F.
Appearance – 4.
First pour – Deep Amber (SRM 15), clear.
Body – Brown (SRM 20), Opaque. Under direct light, same. When rear-lite, same with light penetration at the edge, goldenrod.
Head: Large (Maximum 3.5 cm, aggressive center pour), wheat, high density with a rocky top, average retention, dropping to a 0.3 cm crown, and a thin, complete cap.
Lacing – Fair. Narrow band of tiny bubbles with stalactites and connected to the head by thin columns.
Aroma – 4 – Brown sugar. No malt, no yeast, no hops, no alcohol (7 % ABV as marked on the label).
Flavor – 4 – Slightly bitter and malty. Molasses and chocolate(?). No yeast, no hops, no alcohol. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl. No gastric warming.
Palate – 4 – Medium; smooth and creamy; soft but lively carbonation.
Final impression and summation: 4 A basic stout at a good price point.
Rating 4, rDev +3.1%

This is one I'd have no qualms about drinking again - next July when you can drive through the forest again, I might even head up to Kane and check out the brewpub.

 

Welcome one and all to a Christmas Eve edition of New Beer Sunday, #983 for those keeping score at home, or wherever you may be this weekend. Before I jump in, want to post I am glad you enjoyed your final Revolution offering from our trade Adam @Qu3st !

Central Waters Brewer's Reserve Bourbon Barrel Barleywine - 4 Year Aged



Can Notes: Obtained May 12, 2023 via trade with Micah or @GreenBayBA on Beer Advocate. Refrigerated until opening this morning. 12 oz canned 2/20/23 @ 10:35:25. Brewed in Amherst, Wisconsin. No can ABV listing, but found 14.9% listed on Beer Advocate. Malt beverage aged in used oak bourbon barrels for four years.

An American Barleywine Ale aged in used oak Bourbon Barrels, this beer develops rich flavors that deepen over time. Winner of the GOLD Medal in 2008 at the Great American Beer Festival.

Appearance: Single pour into a hand held snifter. White tan head lingers for under a minute before clearing to just sustained persistent white carbonation through the very dark brown ruby near black base. 4.0

Aroma: Sharp notes of bourbon permeate immediately upon opening the can, and continue unabated now close to 15 minutes upon pulling from the refrigerator. Very smooth though strong bourbon, oak providing further depth. Plums raisins are my primary yield of the base. The blend is really enticing. 4.5

Taste: Just a power slam of whiskey is my first reaction. Drinking 3-4 sips at a time is an indication I love what I'm experiencing. Not a broad taste combination, smooth whiskey backed by raisins, toffee and malt. Doesn't change much as I eagerly gulp this down to within a few ounces before finishing my review. Outstanding bourbon, nice barleywine base. Chef's Kiss! 4.75

Mouthfeel: This is strong as f, packing heat. A touch of heat at first, nice and smooth once I grow accustomed. Still feels way stronger than whatever the ABV is, more like a dram of whiskey than a BA barleywine. Bourbon nice and smooth, any malt base restrained like someone in a straightjacket. Gentle persistant carbonation a feature throughout, medium to full body, perhaps just perception due to the heavy bourbon this is carrying, which lingers nice and smooth on the finish. 4.5

Overall: If Micah was in my presence I'd be wagging my finger at him ala Robert De Niro and acknowledge he got me here. I figured the barrel would be strong and delicious, but this exceeded my expectations. If you are looking for a wonderful and powerful bourbon barrel age trip, this is certainly a beer for you. Perhaps the high hops many American BWs feature mellowed over time, but the entire blend at this stage is perfect for my palate. Thank you so much Micah for allowing me to kick off my Christmas Eve before a powerful sleep in store on such a high note. 4.5

Can't wait to return Christmas Morning for my third and final Central Waters selection!

 

Hello New Beer Weekend!!!

I am having a quick drink before what will be an extremely busy day at work.


Outlook Good - Surly Brewing - Low Alcohol Beer

It's not bad, though my one gripe is based on the name - I was expecting a lot more in the way of hops in this beer. It's fresh, but a very malty brew.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/13014/683135/#navigation

3.53/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
From a 12 oz can.

This is a crystal clear pouring golden colored beer. Tons of carbonation rising in the glass that produces a 1 finger white head. The head is quite frothy, but not long lasting at all. There is no lacing on the glass.
There's a bit of hops in the aroma. Somewhat of a sweeter tropical aroma, though it is somewhat light. I also get a grainy aroma from the malts.
There's some hops in this beer, but not as much as I was expecting. I do get a bit of bitterness right away that fades to a slightly burnt, though roasty, malt bill. Somewhat cereal like in flavor.
Light, yet clean body.
Overall not a bad effort, though, I was expecting a bit more in the hop department based on the name.

 

A nice brew here that like many others in the style has a touch of honey. Cheers!
Clown Shoes Tecoh's Cerveza Mexican Lager 5.2% ABV
3.79/5 rDev +6.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
12 oz can best by 1/31/24 into a Becher glass.
L: SRM 3 Pours 97% clear light caramel with a thin eggshell white head that recedes quickly to thin edge foam, VG fine steady carbonation bubbles, no lacing.
S: A light hint of cereal grains, very distant lime, light apple, a suggestion of corn, gently floral.
T: Gently sweet malts, fruits, ripe citrus notes, honey, peach, light grains, corn, a hint of sea salt, background lime. It has very light & tart lime zest in the lingering finish.
F: Lightly crisp & bouncy then quickly smooth with a long dry finish. It has a medium bodied feel overall but becomes a bit more dense and slick with warming.
O: A fruity Lager! It is lightly brisk to the end. Honey notes emerge to create a light thickness to the body. Very easy to drink, pleasant tasting and is good in its style.

 

Enjoying a Jack's Abby Banner City, 3.8% - an exceptional light lager!



-Look: Beautiful, clear bright-gold with a puffy white head.
-Smell: Mild toasty-bread, slight grain, easy hops - nice!
-Taste: Delicious grain and bread over mild hops.
-Feel: Thin to medium, slick and fast, slippery.
-Overall: Really enjoyed this - an exceptional light lager!

 

I just got a craft light lager too, in a mini beer exchange with the in laws. Really cool that JA was able to used that logo, great can, I could see that being a selling point alone up your way.

 

Poured into a 12 oz open mouth glass says Winter of 2024. Pours a very attractive near pitch black with a 2 finger plus mocha head, that leaves a few lines of lace, with nice retention. 4.5

Aroma is maple, vanilla bean, cocoa, caramel, and coffee grounds. 4.25

Taste follows maple, vanilla, caramel, cocoa, and roasty coffee. 4.25

Mouthfeel is above average, soft gentle carbonation, maybe a tad dry, and at 9.2% it has big flavor, but still easy going down. 4.25

Overall a very nice stout, worth a try for sure. Cheers all. 4.25

 

Thanks for the start @DoctorZombies
Wow, 5 pages in already. I am late!
Well hit this one, a style that is typically not in my wheelhouse, gifted from my brother @hophound
Funksloth Dry-hopped with Galaxy by the fine ladies at Bow & Arrow
Thanks to hop hound for this one.
Pours an effervescent straw hue, a loose fluffy white cap struts to the rime and slowly recedes to a thin film.
Nose is a smooth, lightly acidic delivery of a melange of funk, galaxy hops, and barrel wood, light wood.
Flavor really makes me accept the idea of hopping up this type of ale. The interplay between the subtle acidity, wood and dry peach, citrus zest and musty funk makes for a nice complex play.
Mouthfeel is slick, active, and the wood notes combined with the hops give a slight, dry finish.
Overall, there is a lot going on here for the diehard Saison/Farmhouse fan, but also for those who are a little resistant to this style but willing to give it a try.
4.09/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

 

Alrighty, finally joining in with a local classic I've seriously under appreciated before now.

Epic - Big Bad Baptist



Release #157

Purchased from the dabc for $5

12oz can poured into a snifter glass at about 45°F and let warm.

Pours a deep inky black with whiskey brown edges and a dark mocha head. Very reflective deep black body that is nearly mirror like. Fine ring persists after the head dies down. 4.5

Off the can the aroma is big and hot whiskey while off the glass I get raw cocoa, semi-sweet bakers chocolate, and tobacco with a hint of well burnt malt. 4.75

Taste follows, whiskey takes a back seat in favor of the chocolate, cacao nibs, medium roast coffee, and tobacco. It's truly delightful, and holds up exceedingly well at room temp for an extended time. 4.75

Hardly any boozy warmth for this batches 11.4%abv. Lingering chocolate and lightly earthy hop oil finish. Very moderate nearly light for the style which makes this dangerously drinkable. 4.5

Overall I have seriously under appreciated this year round BCBS equivalent and a fraction of the price. Enjoyed significantly more than BBBaptista and will certainly make a return to my fridge regularly. 4.75

 

Our guests have arrived, so it's time for the festivities to begin. I'm starting with Stark, a porter from Reformation Brewery.
The beer is a dark brown color with some red showing through. Small off-white head, no lace.
Roasted malt aroma.
Coffee taste, some bitterness.
Medium-bodied.
Not exceptional, but quite drinkable.



Merry Christmas!

 

I figured today might be a good day to finally drink this bottle of The Mad Elf - Grand Cru from Troegs that's been in my cellar for the past six years.

Bottled in 2017

Appearance is an almost still, dark translucent red / amber. Solid looking, but nothing spectacular. The nose takes things up a notch. Even after six years in the bottle, there are plenty of tart cherries with none of the medicinal notes I sometimes detect with cherry-forward beers.

The taste is also cherry-forward, but in a way that's not easy for me to describe. Perhaps it's hints of cinnamon that are balancing this out and making it more interesting than a straight-up cherry bomb. Whatever it is, it's an interesting beer that almost tastes like a cold mulled wine (which I don't think is technically a thing). Nowhere near as tart as I expected, with very low acidity. As expected from the pour, this is almost flat, which I assume is due to its age.

Overall, interesting beer. We'll see how I do at putting down a full 750ml bottle of this.

 

Wow, there can't be many Bhutanese restaurants in the U.S. How is Bhutanese cuisine? Is it similar to Indian?

 

Merry Christmas to those New Beer Weekenders who celebrate. I almost forgot that this is New Beer Sunday as I've been drinking some favorite holiday beers. I received this can of Great Notion's Blueberry Pancakes from @Limazulu. It's only my second brew from this very well-regarded Oregon brewery.

Being from New Jersey, and spending a lot of time in the southern part of the state, I'm into blueberry-flavored beers when done right. I was a strong critic of Blueberry KBS, which to me was very disappointing. This Stout, however, didn't disappoint in the least.

Poured at 55° Its color is nearly black with dark cola hues. The foamy, medium-mocha head dissipated gradually. The nose is big and bold with lots of sweet maple syrup and blueberry notes over dark chocolate and freshly-brewed coffee. It's tart blueberry-forward; the maple syrup is more restrained in the taste than the smell. The background is a mellow but very tasty blend of dark chocolate and coffee. I have to say the taste grew on me as I sipped it - the tartness of the berry nicely balances the surprisingly subtle sweetness. Great Notion has displayed a deft touch with the maple syrup. The mouth feel is moderately thick and creamy with a low level of carbonation, and the 9.3% ABV is not distracting. Overall, Blueberry Pancakes is well executed. As a blueberry-forward Stout I like it a lot more than KBS Blueberry. It's a fine dessert sipper.

4.24/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

I'm grateful for the chance to enjoy another beer from Great Notion. Cheers, NBW!

 

I posted this one in last NBW and mine was fresh and we still picked up a lot of the same aspects. I’m pretty sure I even said it was reminiscent of mulled wine like. Best description I could come up with, fresh at least, was lambic like cut with spices f Belgian yeast. Fun to read yours while it was still fresh in my mind.

 

A special beer for a special day...I've wanted to try this beer for so long, attempted to trade for it several times with no luck. But see, I have a beer friend from Washington that said he would be happy to help with any wants from out there, I'm always hesitant to ask anyone to do anything for me, but I knew he meant it so I mustered up the courage to ask him to help me track down beer from his corner of the world...a second time, first time being Stoup NW Red, the world's greatest hoppy amber. This wasn't the only Alaskan beer I asked for, oh the suspense...

Anyway I was smiling ear to ear when I cracked this can open and poured it, thanks for making it possible @snaotheus, you make beer dreams come true.

Alaskan Brewing - Amber (Altbier 5.3%)



Pours mostly clear copper hued amber; great head retention, and good lacing, had had that perfect little dirty white tint.

Nose is pleasantly malt forward lightly toasted and lightly sweet; reminiscent of fruity sweet, dark red fruit red apple skin like, or maybe even cherry.

Taste is a great balance of the aforementioned light little bit of dark fruit; great malt presence, toasted quality shines nicely, little nuttiness on the finish; a very light hop presence, spice like.

Medium-light body; full malt presence, really smooth carbonation; unique soft little bit of low bitterness on the finish, mostly dry finish, highly drinkable beer.

Ryan thank you so much for going out of your way to send to me. I would drink this beer any chance I get. One of my first craft loves was long trail ale, also an altbier; I’d give the nod to this one; crispier and less sweet. Great beer, thank you again for fulfilling and long long time want for me. I may sneak one more new beer later, but right now leaning towards something familiar, time will tell…

——————

Me and the boy's yearly trip to my neighbors basement, they're there in the shadows. Pictures do not show the scale of this, and it’s missing what’s behind me, it’s like a Christmas wonderland…sleep well tonight friends. Merry Christmas to those celebrating tomorrow, parents...godspeed.

 

Is this available brewery only?

 

There was a Tibetan place in CO Springs about 20 years ago. A blend of Chinese and a little bit of Indian spice. Similar I am guessing?