New Beer Weekend #189

Well, I guess rise and shine. I can't sleep so I thought I should have something. I know I'm going to have to drive in a bit so I thought I'd go this route.


Riverwest Stein NA - Lakefront Brewing - Low Alcohol beer.

I reviewed 2 other ones from them recently, I think last week, and wasn't impressed with them. This one I am impressed. I really like the malty flavors this beer gives off, and the slight hop finish just adds a nice touch to it.

Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/741/583433/

3.6/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
From a 12oz can dated 11/18/23

This is a clear pouring beer, and has a beautiful amber color to it. The head really is frothy looking and off white. 3 finger head that dissipates slowly, and leaves some damn beautiful lacing behind.
Somewhat grainy smelling nose. Reminds me somewhat of cheerios.
The flavor is a grainy flavor up front with a baked biscuit backside. Very faint hop bitterness that hits way on the back.
Light body. Slightly bubbly feeling.
Of the 3 Lakefront N/A beers I've had, this is the best, and would get this one again if it came by itself.

If I'm back for another beer, it will be much later today. Cheers all!

 

@Victory_Sabre1973 so sorry to hear about the horrible loss, our thoughts are with you and friends.

 

I paid a bit more than $0.80 for mine

 

Seeing @cjgiant opening this brings me back. Craig always a top tier BA. Cheers sir.

Poured into a 16 oz Snulip glass canned on 2/26/24. Pours a little like carbonated carrot juice with a half finger white head that leaves some thin lace behind with solid retention. 4

Aroma is exactly what you would expect orange and vanilla are carrying this, but maybe some carrot and mango. 4.25

Taste follows creamsicle with some traces of carrot and mango tasty. 4.25

Mouthfeel is a tad thin, more carbonation would have been better, not sticky or dry, and at 8% very easy going down. 4

Overall flavor is spot on, but I am not loving the body or look even. Worth a shot and I trust some would love this. 4

 

Settled down for my normal weekend routine of soccer, catching up on work and a morning beer. A couple weeks ago I reviewed Ted Fidy for the first time. Today I'll go with the BA version that like its non-BA cousin was lurking in the back of a fridge for years and never consumed (for unknown reasons).

4.27/5 rDev -4.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Canned November 20, 2017

This is a really nice looking and smelling beer. While the body of just about every stout I drink looks the same, the head, lacing etc. still leave room for differentiation, and it's in these ways that this one stands out. While the head isn't robust (maybe a third of an inch), it has a wonderful dark tan hue, and it really sticks to the side of the glass. The well above average lacing continues as I consume this. The aroma is rich & chocolatey but with just enough roast.

Whereas I couldn't detect any bourbon barrel on the nose, it's definitely there on the tongue. Given the age of this, I wasn't sure it would still come through, but it definitely does, albeit in a balanced way. It's the lightly bitter roast with just a little bit of sweetness on the finish that brings this all together. Full bodied with pleasant, if well disguised alcohol warming.

Overall, very good beer.

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@Victory_Sabre1973 I'm very sorry to hear about your friend's wife. A good reminder for us all to take nothing for granted.

 

Good morning NBS/nbw and thanks @cjgiant for hosting this week.
Another week of transition weather here in the 413, 55 one day, 15 the next morning.
All the maple sugaring is in full swing.
Todays offering is a really lovely saison, and one I will be purchasing more of
Cheers all

Cazeau Saison

Saison | 4.8% ABV
Brasserie De Cazeau in Templeuve, Belgium

Reviewed by SABERG from Massachusetts

4.1/5 rDev +5.7% | Average: 3.88
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from the 11.2 oz bottle into the test glass. Best by date is 6/2024 so still in the range sugested by the brewery.
A - Clear golden yellow, gentle, but persistant carbonation. A quick to exit white cap, transforms into a steady white ring.
S - Floral, and earthy, with notes of honey, elderflower, white grape, grassy hops.
T - Taste lean more toward the grainy, side, with a solid Belgian yeast thread, white pepper, again with some lite honey notes. There is a lovely ashy mineral element that runs through the experience.
M - Medium in body, crisp and dry, with a very pleasant texture. Finish is chalky dry in the best way
O - A very good offering, saison by label. A blind test might yield a few "Golden ale" guesses. The body and superb dry finish are standout aspects.

 

Our hearts go out to the family, and friends
Best

 

Hello All!
Wow, what a gem from my brother.
Midnight With A Chance Of Coyotes by the ladies at Bow & Arrow in New Mexico


Thanks @hophound
Looks great. Khaki colored foam atop a deep, dark brown body.
Nose pumps lightly toasted peanuts, smooth chocolate, and a most subtle creamy sweetness. But the scent of peanuts is prominent in a glorious way. Damn near elegant, as far as one can get, with peanuts.
Flavor starts off like the nose, with the peanut taking the lead. Then the nuances kick in. Peanut backs off a hair and allows for the cocoa and lactose to shine. An understated vanilla comes in after and just adds another delicate dimension. All good.
Mouthfeel is medium, light carb, and has a hint smooth finish. Lightly toasty and sweet on the finish.
Overall, a true gem. And very approachable ABV as well.
4.26/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

 

Im still trying to get used to seeing pictures with your posts

 

Up next is another beer that's been in cellared for several years. This is Common Descent - Lime & Orange Zest. After 20 oz. of 13.5% this is a needed change of pace at <4%.

Canned in ~2019.

Utterly unremarkable in appearance. Cloudy, almost dirty yellow with a small amount of very short-lived head. Aroma is pleasantly sour with lime taking the lead and other general citrus notes in the background. Taste mostly follows. Lime, faint orange and some salt. Light and very easy drinking. Would be a good summer beer.

 

Wow, that is just dreadful. Wishing peace upon Tim and his family.

 

Cheers NBWers
I have a new to me IPA from Ink Factory Brewing courtesy of @DoctorZombies called Westy Hues

Sorry for the slant, one of my legs is shorter than the other it seems
I was the first on BA to review this beer, in fact I had to add it. Thanks Dave I enjoyed it, cheers!
Poured from a can yields a slightly cloudy apricot color thin white quickly dissipating head, little to no lacing or cap
Big juicy aroma of grapefruit, lemon, mango, peach and a little piney earthy smell. There is a candied fruit jolly rancher note
Mouthfeel is slightly sticky, medium carbonation fizz on the tongue, kind of chewy and there is an astringency to the finish. The stickiness stays with the finish. Not real sweet but the layer of fruits are noticeable. It coats the mouth
Over all it’s pretty easy drinking not real heavy but a nice balance between thick and thin, slight alcohol note and a decent balance between sweet and bitter.
4/ 4.25/ 4/ 3.75 / 4 4.04 rDev0% 1 review

 

Before I bounce into New Beer Sunday #993, want to shout out for @jonphisher love of New Jersey beers and Tonewood in particular. I'm planning for a short weekend trip to Philadelphia next month and plan on stopping at Tonewood likely on a Sunday for a few beers including my first NJ beer. Been to the state many times, but never as a craft beer drinker so it's about time.

Taking advantage of the beautiful weather here and hoping for a better beer day than yesterday at one of my favorite breweries.

Spiteful E. S. B.



Taproom Notes: $8 16 oz draft, 5.8% ABV English Special Bitter.

Our take on the English classic "ESB". We use an English malt bill with Tettanger hops to create this beer. Notes of biscut and finishes with a subtle earthy bitterness.

Appearance: Draft pour into a nonic-ish glass, with fine white lacing generous and clinging for dear life on the glass. Base brown bronze crystal clear, light carbonation. 4.5

Aroma: Warm baked biscuits, caramel malt. Mild plus in strength, a bit higher in enjoyment. 4.0

Taste: Getting a nice tobacco lead like I do with their best bitter, caramel and strong malt presence. Hoppy getting some lemon backing, perhaps Lipton Ice Tea back from my grandmother’s house. 4.25

Mouthfeel: Nice and easy drinking, lower than ABV. Drinks pretty balance, malt sweetness and flavors held together with the typical Spiteful hoppy bitter profile. Caramel malt tingles sweetness nicely on the finish. 4.5

Overall: Very nice offering as expected, hits the expected taste profile with the Spiteful touch, glad they keep these styles fresh and fun. 4.25

Will return with at least one more.

 

Thanks for the shout out @ChicagoJ, go check the lager love thread I can’t help myself with them.

I would be honored to buy you a beer and a four pack, or give you a mixed one of whatever my current Tonewood fridge selection is. I’ll shoot you a PM this week sometime I can usually escape for an hour or so, plenty for a beer and quick chat.

 

Cool, hopefully we can meet in New Jersey @jonphisher ! Back with another English style beer, this one an IPA.

Spiteful English IPA



Spiteful Taproom Notes: $8 plus tax 16 oz draft, 7.0% ABV.

This English style IPA boasts a solid malt backbone that offers a small amount of sweetness with a floaral hop finish from the additions of Cascade and Willamete hops.

Appearance: Draft pour into a nonic glass. Negligible carbonation, crystal clear golden pour, bright white head, leaves generous thin lacing and cover over the entire base. 4.25

Aroma: Nice fruit medley, citrus, tangerine, pine backed by caramel malt. Strong, very nice. 4.5

Taste: Consistent with the aroma, the caramel malt on equal footing to a bit higher over the sweet fruit, citrus, pine and light tangerine. It’s all there and delicious. 4.75

Mouthfeel: Faint carbonation felt throughout, dry and a bit bitter overall controlling the sweet malt and hop profile. This is what Spiteful does. They are professionals. Drinks lighter than the ABV, slight citrus pine lingers nicely on the finish. 4.5

Overall: This is an outstanding IPA, hits the traditional malty English style IPA, has a nice bitterness with the flavors blending well. Going to look for this on draft and cans for certain. 4.5

Will stop here in terms of new beers, as I try to stay 1-2 ratings in a visit to keep the palate fresh and the review as accurate as possible.

Cheers!

 

Founders '20 Barrel Aged Imperial Stout. Tried to fit this in for Celluary, but life got in the way as it usually does. Quite possibly my favorite Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels.
Pours pitch black with a two finger dense dark mocha head that sticks around for a long time. Has that FIS menacing appearance. 4.5
Aroma is big cocoa powder, dark chocolate, significant roasted malt, some peat, ground coffee, prune, caramel, tobacco, slight bourbon, some oak, slight vanillin. 4.25
Taste brings dark chocolate, molasses, caramel, big roasted malt, some peat, espresso, umami, cocoa powder, prune, some plum, tobacco, slight bourbon, charred oak, vanillin. The age has tempered the barrel a bit, but the beer is still intense from the base. 4.5
Low full body. Creamy, sticky, oily. Still get a touch of booze, but age has seemingly smoothed this one out from what it probably once was. 4.5
FIS is such a treat and one that I haven't had in some time now. It's great on it's own, but it's also a beer destined for barrels. I did regretfully get to this one late, but I feel like this could sit in a barrel for some time. With breweries aging beer for extended periods nowadays, I think this would be a perfect candidate. Don't expect Founders to do that though. All that being said, this was a joy to have. 4.5
Aggregate Score: 4.44

 

"Backyard Explorer" by Pizza Port - cheers!

3.93/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Packaged on 2/19/24 - enjoyed on 3/3/2024 - poured from a pint can into my Dogfish Head shaped pint glass.

Slightly cloudy saffron to gold gradient with a hefty ivory cap. Rich soapy lacing, excellent retention.

Resinous hop-forward aroma, tropical (guava, passion fruit) and slightly catty with a hint of chives and oranges.

Crackery malt bill supports a wave of herbaceous hop flavors. Moderately bitter throughout with grapefruit pith, crushed oranges, hints of pineapple and passion fruit leading into a green/savory melange. Finishes fairly dry with a residual biscuit note. Somewhat muddled.

Medium-light bodied, slightly oily, and not quite refreshing.

More variety of flavor than Swami's, but not as well integrated - enjoyed the single, but will likely skip this one next time.