New Beer Weekend #182

Thank you @scott451 for getting us going. Poured into a 16 oz Snulip glass canned on 12/19/23. Pours an attractive hazy yellow with a 2 plus finger sticky white head that leaves thick streaks of lace, with excellent retention.

Aroma is mandarin, peach, mango, passionfruit, and apricot. 4.25

Taste follows mandarin, peach, mango, passionfruit, and apricot well balanced. 4.25

Mouthfeel is above average, soft gentle carbonation, not sticky or dry, and at 7.6% bigger flavor, but extremely approachable. 4.25

Overall just another very tasty beer, from this very consistent brewery. 4.25 Cheers all and have a great weekend.

 

Are you a half-full or half-empty sort of person?

Well today’s beer is a full pour but in the Czech Republic this beer would be referred to as Polotmavý which literally translates to half-dark (I wonder why it is not called half-pale?). The BJCP style name for this sort of beer is Czech Amber Lager which is what Von C Brewing chose to brand this beer:

“Czech Amber Lager

5.2% ABV

This malt forward lager is the Vienna lager’s Czech cousin. Built on a blend of Bohemian pilsner as well as light and dark Munich malts to create a complex and malt forward profile. Saaz hops add a touch of spiciness to this copper colored lager.”

When I visited the Czech Republic in 2019, I had a few Polotmavý beer brands with one example being one of the four samples served after the tour of the Staropramen Brewery; the second beer from the left in the below photo:



Staropramen markets their Polotmavý beer as “Granat” which translate to garnet in English:

“Granat: they term this beer as being a semi-dark beer and brewed with three malts including caramel malt.”

https://www.morebeer.com/articles/Czech_Beers

Will this Von C beer taste like Staropramen Granat?

Served in a Tübinger beer mug via a Lukr side-pull faucet pour:

Appearance:

A medium amber (copper) with a light tan head.

Aroma:

There is a subtle combination of caramel & toffee.

Taste:

The flavor follows the nose with subtle flavors of toffee & caramel. Just a hint of spicy hop flavor. There is a low-moderate bitterness.

Mouthfeel:

Medium bodied and a dry finish.

Overall:

This beer is very good. It is better than the Staropramen Granat I had in the Czech Republic. And better than the other Polotmavý beers I had there as well.

Cheers!

@rotsaruch @KOP_Beer_OUtlet @RobH

 

It's frigid outside so might as well drink some barrel-aged beers.

Boulevard Spiced Imperial Stout

Appearance: Dark brown, ok head.

Smell: Very bright apple brandy nose, but not boozy.

Taste: Sweet, then a ton of sweetened cinnamon. Maybe a little chocolate underneath, but the cinnamon hits front and center. Maybe a bit of boozy apple later. Not super heavy or coating.

Overall: From the mixed 6 pack of barrel-aged stouts. This Spiced Imperial Stout in apple brandy barrels is definitely spiced with cinnamon. Quite sweet and a little one-note, but it's ok.

 

I was planning to be at von C last night but ended up going elsewhere instead. Is this from today? I love polotmavy beers so I now regret my decision.

 

I had this beer last evening. It should still be on tap today if you have some free time today.

Na Zdravi

 

Finally found fresh (10/23) Jever. Too bad I drank the last Trummer bottle not so long ago — it would be a great candidate to compare. Excellent easy-drinking pilsner.

 

Man, it’s been too long; I had a Jever golden age not long ago the store has since stop ordering it. They stock Wolters instead, they 500 ml four packs of Jever would sell for $8! It was a steal…if you haven’t had it five Cape May Longliner a whirl, very grassy clean bitter hop forward pils a good local comparison. An old side by side both with the same age on them…

 

Central Waters Brewing Milwaukee Two. Blue label. The red label Milwaukee Two was not very good. The color is everblack, with a thick brown foamy top, which quickly evaporates. The smell is milk chocolate, malted milk balls, caramel, nougat, almond, rye whiskey, and cream. The taste is Milk Duds, malted milk balls, milk chocolate, rye whiskey, and caramel. The mouthfeel is a bit thin, but silky, smooth, and full, with light-medium carbonation. Overall, this is a nice candy bar stout. It is a bit sweeter than I prefer, but it has a nice blend of flavors.

 

Out in my courtyard, enjoying the afternoon. I found a new to me Texas made Saison at my local bottle shop.

Vista Brewing out of Driftwood Texas...Le Saison. Described as a French Saison, 6.5% ABV.



Pours with a bit of haze, a pale yellow color. There is a dense white head the forms, with ever lasting retention. That makes this just a tad difficult to pour.
Aroma is big fruity esters up front. Peach and apples. Some citrus notes. Peppery spice is nice, with some malty characteristics as well.
Taste wise, like the nose, big esters up front. Peach, apples, plenty of citrus flavors. That leads to sweet oranges. A spicy character, with toasted malts. That all leads to an almost toasted English Biscuit flavor that is interesting. Finishes a bit too sweet for me though.
A lighter body than expected. Moderate carbonation, but for the ABV, was thinking this would have more heft. I would also like a drier finish. Though, overall a nice Saison that is enjoyable, if not top tier.

I do enjoy this, but if it finished just a bit drier with more body, I would put this in the top tier for Saisons made in Texas. As is, this is just really enjoyable anyway. Nothing wrong with that, and I'll be looking to get more of this when I can.

Overall score is 3.8, a solid B+
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/52538/340802/?ba=champ103#lists

My gratuitous pupper pic, as Moe is enjoying the courtyard as well, until it does actually get cold around here in a few days.

 

Sierra Nevada Hop Bullet Magnum Edition Imperial IPA 9.5 ABV
This is a brew that I did not even know existed until I saw a 12 pack of it in the cooler at a local. store. Since it's from Sierra Navada I knew it would be good and $19,99 a 12 pack a bargain in NJ. Excellent brew. Grain bill is malted barley and wheat. The Hops are Magnum and Lupulin dust. This brew is balanced both malty and hoppy. it has a full mouthfeel and an off dry finish. Top shelf stuff.

 

Today I have a Tree House American Pale Ale clocking in at 5.4%. Turns out this beer is an excellent pairing with chips and guacamole.
4.35/5 rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
Poured from a 16-oz can dated 12/13/23 to a Tulip at fridge temp.
The body is opaque, but not hazy and deep gold. A 1” inch head of pure white, multi-sized bubbles sits on top. Lacing is good for the entire session.
The aroma changes dramatically in a short time. First there is a real bready, yeasty aroma during the pour. This changes to almost pure, freshly split-open orange.
The flavor is heavy orange with a splash of lemon. The 5.4% alcohol is undetectable with all the citrus goings on.
Carbonation is medium to light. The viscosity and tongue coating is thin but that makes it rather refreshing.
I will definitely buy this again.

 

3.77/5 rDev -10.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Previously reviewed Hop Bullet, but since this new formulation is available, I'll review anew. Packaged on December 14th, 2023 - enjoyed on January 13th, 2024. Poured from a 12oz can into a snifter.

Clear orange peel body with a low stand of off-white foam, receding slowly to a popped collar and a lasting surface slick. Good retention; fine sticky lacing; faint legs.

Gentle (arguably weak) aroma with hints of tangerine, winter fruit, melon, biscuit, and evergreen.

Earthy, herbaceous/grassy, aggressive palate entry suffused with hops and offset by a low malty sweetness. Hints of lemon/lime/grapefruit and a floral pine-kissed element. Bitter throughout (more so than the 48 IBUs would suggest) with a slightly tangy, medium finish.

Tingly, almost prickly mouth-feel, firm carbonation, medium-full bodied with a hint of oiliness. Fairly warming.

A decent Imperial IPA, pleasantly bitter, reasonably balanced, though missing complexity and character.

[This does improve a bit as it warms (or perhaps as my palate adjusts) - a good value - not unhappy I picked up a can]

 

Back so soon? Why yes, I have an overloaded beer fridge. This is Tree House Seedling Whole Cone dry hopped lager.

3.44/5 rDev -13.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a 16-oz undated can to a Nonic at fridge temp.
The body is translucent gold. A 1.5” inch head of pure white clings to the glass. The head is impressive, the body not so much.
The aroma is quite strong with onion on the first whiff. This kind of fades to dankness.
The flavor is dank and piney. Definitely hoppy but just not quite clean. There is some kind of off flavor underlying this that I cannot place.
Carbonation is a little past medium and the mouthfeel is oily and light.
Not a fan but would not refuse a free one from a friend.

 

Been a while since we headed out for a few “local” beers a bit outside of town. We are ending our westward journey at Bear Chase, a brewery we visited on a cloudy, rainy day a few years back. Windy and chilly, today, but we do have a better view.


Last time here, I thought the beer was pretty solid, and I think they had an award winning Oktoberfest beer (but I may be mistaken). This time we show up after they received a World Beer Cup silver and GABF gold for their Kodiak Kölsch, so I ordered one.

Nice and nearly clear with a small white head and a slow stream of bubble refueling a medium thin collar. The tide of white expands on a sip, receding halfway to the edge quickly, but reticent to completely thin out to where it started.


Light bodied with a moderate effervescence, there is a honey bread sweetness up front that has dry grass poking in from the edges. A little bit of a floral note sneaks between the two, with the grass note turning a bit more earthy with a dash of pepper.

Checking the nose, there’s a bit of a Sprite vibe coming through the grain bread and floral (stem and all) notes. After noting this, it also shows up a little in the taste.

This beer is pretty balanced, but I’d argue leans a little to the malty sweet side for at least half the taste experience. If I read my own notes, I’d think I was leaning to the lower end of the scoring range, but I think this is a very refreshing beer that works its individual notes into a solidly put together whole.

 

That is a beautiful view @cjgiant hope you get to enjoy a few there.

 

One of these days we’ll think to come out here when we can enjoy sitting in the Adirondack chairs seen at the bottom of the pic

 

Just a couple new brews for me today, both big stouts from The Bruery:

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/16866/682627/?ba=bluejacket74#lists



https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/16866/681293/?ba=bluejacket74#lists



Plan on having another new brew or 2 tomorrow, cheers and happy NBW!

 

Well with cooler weather I found this gem from @Rug to be perfect.
Deth by Currants
Thanks to Rug for sending this surprise.
The nose has a strong tartness upfront. The currant starts off firmly before allowing the traditional notes to come in: caramel, cocoa, char, and dates.
Again, the tartness starts off, firm but not overpowering. Currant, cherry, almost a hint pomegranate. Charred caramel, cocoa, dates, raisin, earthy charred wood, and eventually it comes back on the finish to a tart finish.
Fairly full with decent carbonation and a gentle warmth.
4.14/5 rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
We don't get enough variety of Revolution in these parts. Thanks, Kyle!