New Beer Weekend #185

Hello again friends, hope you are all having a great day. The sun has been out all day and I was out in it as much as possible, except for now. Needs must ya know.
Another new one that I picked up years ago for my SAN group and it just never got selected. So here we are. Perhaps one of the earliest pastry stouts-

the pour is very dark, not quite used motor oil dark, but dark. Definitely looks black in the glass. Very little head and zero lacing, but I am coming to think that is the norm for 5 year old BA Stouts.
The taste is so sweet it is almost cloying- chocolate and vanilla and super smooth coffee. The pistachio flavor is very faint but present.
The feel is viscous and slick, it rather coats the mouth. Seems appropriate for the flavor.
OA, sorry my SAN group missed out on this, it’s sweet but I am appreciating the flavors.
Cheers!
This will be cross posted in both the regular cellar thread as well as the imperial stout thread. Gotta poke @Resistance88 there!

 

Hey friends, a quick jaunt down to Annapolis area Maryland to spend the day and night with sister in law's family. Our family all slept together in the first floor suite of their townhouse, it was great bonding times with family. AALs seem to be coming up a lot lately @zid, and my sister in laws husband made a display case of his dad's old beer cans, look at them all....thought some of you would enjoy this:



My beer is in the above picture, I'm sure it's not the same exact beer but it carries the name and it is an AAL I have never had. Coor's Banquet is one I enjoyed a few times last summer and I've been trying to slowly try more as I usually tend to enjoy them for what they are, light drinking and refreshing. I grabbed this single in Maryland since I have never seen in NJ, it cost me 99 cents

Stroh's (AAL 4.5%)



Brilliant crystal clear gold, white head, nice clumpy deflating cap lingers for a while leaves surprisingly generous lacing.

Not much in terms of aroma; pale malt that comes off as lightly sweet with just hint of toasted quality; hops lightly present and stale.

Taste doesn’t really show much, very light malt presence, a gentle sweetness tickles the tongue, a definite, albeit light little hop kick on the finish; it has the pleasant almost cracker like aftertaste to me that lingers with those light hops.

Light body beer, that is very snappy and clean, residual sweetness but very low compared to a lot of other macro AALs; it’s effervescent but surprising smooth and creamy feeling carbonation, a light bitterness kicks in from time to time.

This is a surprisingly smooth and clean mass produced AAL. I’ve been trying to give more a try lately and this is certainly a pretty good one IMO.

-------------

I grabbed some other singles to fill my NBWs the next couple of weeks, gonna take off tonight and enjoy something familiar cause it is great to be back home. Being away, even for a night makes home so much sweeter. Have a great week everyone and see you in 5 days with some of those said singles

@zid you had AAL on my mind because of the "wave the wand" thread and I very much related with your post explaining your stance, then I saw the beer can decoration while we were away and well I knew I had to get an AAL for today on my travelling stop on the way home.

 

Cross post from the Belgian beer appreciation thread.



Tackling this one from my leftover holiday haul this afternoon/evening.

A lively pour, hazy mahogany with two fingers of off-white head. The creamy foam is lasting but slick and only leaves bits of lace. The strong nose opens with bready and caramel malt, dark fruit and alcohol aromas. I’m getting baking spice and ginger snap-like notes from the second pour. Alcohol flavor is prevalent but not unpleasant; rich caramel malt, dark fruit and Belgian yeast flavor, both spicy and fruity, help round it out. The medium-full body is effervescent and creamy with moderate carbonation at the beginning of the bottle. It finishes rather warm. Nice beer to spend a cold afternoon sipping.

Cheers!

 

Deviate Coconut Clickbait (Imperial Coconut Brown Ale aged in Coconut Rum barrels). Pours a dark brown color with a finger of light tan head that dissipates quickly. Huge toasted coconut as expected on the nose. Caramel, burnt sugar, some rum, oak, some vanilla, and slight raisin. Taste follows the nose. A coconut bomb. Rum spirit, charred oak, vanilla, boxed raisin, caramel, burnt brown sugar, some toffee. Thin body. Oily, slick, sticky. These guys are down in Indianapolis and are quietly known for these kind of adjuncted beers, not for much else. It lives up to what I expected with these kind of breweries - great aroma and flavor, poor body and feel. I have to say, the coconut character is outstanding and the coconut rum barrel complements it nicely. Enjoyable.

 

Weihenstephaner vitus
...cloudy orange/amber appearance
...medium carbonation with about the same for the body but this type of beer always gives me a slight thick feel.
...aroma is a little spice,banana peel, candy like sweetness but not overly done.theres a bit of grain and floral honey in the background.
...taste has a mild sweetness, dryness, as well as some bitterness but nothing takes over. Leaves a an almost earthy tea leaf dryness in the finish that lingers.
...really well done and it seems a bit different than what I expected

 

Greetings and Salutations. Welcome one and all to New Beer Sunday 989!

A few important milestones coming up before I share my selection for today.

• 2/18/24 - We will celebrate the 19th anniversary of New Beer Sunday, which first took place on 2/20/2005.
• 4/21/24 - Eleven more weeks from today, we add another number to the odometer when we reach our 1,000th New Beer Sunday.

I acquired this beer during our great Beer Advocate gathering organized by @GreenBayBA last May. I and many others are looking forward to the next one in Sheboygan, and enjoying many great beers onsite and a few more to take home from this awesome Wisconsin State Treasure.

3 Sheeps Bourbon Barrel Aged Tenebrous



Bottle Notes: Purchased 5/13/23 for $20 refrigerated at 3 Sheeps brewery, refrigerated upon returning home until opening today. Limited Release Russian Imperial Stout, 22 oz, 11.3% ABV, released 7/12/22 per the brewery's website.

Appearance: Poured approximately 11 oz into a long snifter glass. Faint quickly evaporating tan white head leaves a light ring around the top of the very dark brown near black base, and faint splotch of cover over the base. Refrigerating over a bit over 18 months may have impacted. 4.0

Aroma: Waited 15 minutes after pulling from the refrigerator to allow this to warm to proper temperature. Roast milk chocolate and fudge leads, the bourbon follows, nice and mellow. Mild in strength, a bit higher in enjoyment. 3.75

Taste: A tad stronger taste wise, getting a slightly muddled at first, but give it 10 minutes more and it settles into a nice smooth bourbon first selection blending well with the chocolate fudge base. Getting slight vanilla notes, which is where they should settle. A solid offering. 4.0

Mouthfeel: Medium to full creamy body, faint barely there carbonation. Drinks stronger after a few sips than the listed ABV. Sweet flavors balanced with a nice assertive but not hot or burning bourbon. Mellow bourbon and chocolate fudge finish. 4.25

Overall: This is a 250 yard drive down the fairway. Solid and enjoyable, not a lot of complexity or depth beyond the primary two flavors, but I am enjoying. The strength has made me decide to break this into two separate servings so I can function the rest of the day. Would revisit of I am able to snag a non cellar version and the fresh bottle or draft yielded different results. Bottom line, this is a solid offering, and I'm happily enjoying and will pick up more if available during future 3 Sheeps visits. 4.0

Looking forward to catching up with the rest of the thread after a light dinner and nap. Cheers!

 

By All Means Brew Lab Dark Matter BA Imperial Stout, 11.0% ABV; 4.21 overall

Pours a slightly effervescent mahogany/ebony with one finger of fast falling tan head. Minimal head retention & zero lacing

S: Dark chocolate, vanilla, some dark fruit notes once near room temperature

T: Follows the nose, some coconut, caramel, a little barrel dryness up front, some cola notes as well. Dark chocolate, vanilla, caramel & some coconuts notes, plus a kiss of booze as this beer warms up. Finishes' with pleasing candy bar sweetness, dryness, a little figgyness & a kiss of barrel

MF: Somewhat chewy, low carbonation, pretty warming. Carbonation picks up once warmed up

Drinks like an Almond Joy Bar with some kick, so drinkable. If everything was in line with the flavor, we are talking world-class

 

Happy NBS!

Having a pretty tasty Milk Stout from Weldwerks (CO).

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/38773/688702/?ba=Wasatch#lists

Cheers!

 

Perhaps I’ll make a request of them on their next visit for us…

 

Vanilla Bean Truth by Tree House


4.47/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Brewers notes: Vanilla Bean Truth is an Imperial Stout aged for 22 months in select wheated bourbon barrels and then conditioned upon heaps of grade A, purposefully selected vanilla beans.

It pours a viscous black color in the glass with a mocha-colored head. When poured cold, the flavor profile leads with chocolate wafer cookies, bourbon-vanilla heat, and rich dark chocolate. As it warms, the true complexity emerges. We taste and smell bourbon chocolate chip cookie dough, bourbon vanilla ice cream, tootsie rolls, and smooth chocolate syrup.

The vanilla character does not overwhelm - the intent here is harmony and integration. The vanilla addition serves to soften the bourbon and chocolate character of the base beer making the whole presentation more confectionary and decadent like chocolate vanilla syrup.

This is an immensely enjoyable beer that rewards the senses as it warms in the glass, revealing layer upon layer of complexity that is only possible to achieve with patience, time, and focused brewing attention.

This beer will develop in the bottle for two years or more but is ready to enjoy now. We believe bottle development is best achieved while cold, and away from light.

Removing this from my wants list …..500ml bottle purchased at Tree House Tewksbury, ranked #212 on the BA top 250, #25 on the BA American Imperial Syout list, # 42 in the top beer list of Massachusetts brews, …a list dominated by Tree House, paid $25 for this bottle. White wax coating on a capped bottle is a struggle to open…the wax is as thick as the beer

Chilled bottle poured into a Tree House snifter. Thick, viscous black motor oil, produces a thin brown ring and occasional brown ring lacings

Aroma is bourbon barrel . Vanilla comes out when it warms

Taste is sweet bourbon barrel, vanilla, chocolate brownie, roasted ground coffee, the vanilla notes emerge as the glass warms, licorice

Mouthfeel is thick, chewy, viscous, hefty, slight carbonation, boozy but without the heat , fleeting bitter snap on the finish

Good beer, 13.2% abv makes this a sipper

 

I’m at a work event in Texas, so a quick one. This is Adios Pantalones, an American Lager from Rahr & Sons Brewing Company.



3.56/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Pours a slightly unfiltered hazy golden color with a sudsy white that leaves a surprising amount of lacing. The nose is skewed to the lemon and lime, and so is the taste. That’s not a bad thing, but this is a very one dimensional beer that could’ve been much more with a better balanced flavor profile.

 

I could have played another round of antique beer roulette, but I ran into this yesterday:



You know it, you love it...nooo...not the Skippy low fat... Lagunitas Willetized. Don't need to say more and hardly need to go really in depth yapping about it, I reckon, since it's well-documented. Let's see if I agree.

It's good stuff and it's evolving in taste as I sip. There's coffee, barrel that seems both bourbon and peppery rye, chocolate, just a little char, malty, a touch of dried fruit, vanilla. The taste dances in a different way on each sip. Only clue on the ABV is a nice warmth.a bit sticky, a little chocolatey chalk feel.

It's pretty dang good. Best ever - hardly, but when you figure the reasonable price, it's a definite winner in terms of value. Thinking 4.3 ballpark.

 

Really enjoyed this abbey beer. Cheers!
Val-Dieu Winter Ale 7% ABV
4.18/5 rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
11.2 oz bottle enjoy by date 29/09/25 into a chalice.
L: SRM 6 Pours lightly yeast-hazed orange caramel color with lightly fizzy carbonation that settles quickly, no head, no lacing.
S: Apple, wine tannins, a hint of alcohol, ginger, pear, more caramel malts with warming.
T: Bright earthy fruits, caramelized malts, grains, very floral hop notes, a hint of yeast, moderate candy sugar, pear, gooseberry, background plum, apricot, ginger, a hint of brown sugar. It has a spiced fruit linger.
F: Very brisk or even crisp with a zing, medium-bodied mouthfeel that has a medium-length fairly drying finish.
O: Lovely fruit tastes, brilliant feel, and beautiful looking. My bottle sat upright for weeks. I poured it very slowly & gently leaving all sediment in the bottom of the bottle. This beer is outstanding in its style.

 

X post from WBAYDN.

A long time want that I found Friday. Disappointed.

Enjoy