New Beer Weekend #191

Jacks qbby red tape
...dark amber appearance
...around a medium body with just below average carbonation.
...aroma is dark and rye bread way upfront followed by malt and mild grain. Overall a very pleasant aroma
..taste doesn't stray too far from the aroma but it is definitely sweeter than expected.bread shows up in the aftertaste but an almost fruity element shows up loud in the beginning.
..overall its a little unusual to me but still very good

 

Hey friends, a pleasure to be back as always, some great reading thus far. It’s neat to see our thread right at the top of the homepage where it will now live for 48 hours each week. We’ve had a beautiful week of weather here and today was no different sunny in the sixties…lots of fun outside in the sun today, now some quiet time, hockey and beer.

@TongoRad your recent praise of this beer was my motivation to finally grab a four pack of this. @Orca that article you posted sealed the deal. I love draught and extra stout so I know this beer will be a win and I’m very excited for to dive in. I guess there is no better weekend for it either…

Guinness- Foreign Extra Stout (Export Stout 7.5%)



Pours the darkest of browns, quiet as it comes out of the bottle; a thick slow forming but very dense light brown head rises and sticks around for an eternity, big amounts of lacing to top it off. Pour dedicated to sir @beergoot

The little sour note that graces Guinness jumps out of this glass first; there is a nice amount of roasted malt and dark fruit, I almost perceive it as cranberry like from the acidic note.

Taste; the roasted malt is much more dominant than the nose suggests, a light twangy sweetness coats the tongue, chalky little chocolate notes on the finish as well as a little lingering roast.

Medium body; but on the bigger end, remarkably smooth and creamy feeling, nice dash of bitterness on the finish, slightest nasal warming from the abv.

This beer is very enjoyable, it’s like sipping on an imperial stout that’s not high in alcohol, is how I would describe this beer. Its feel, richness and smoothness give it that impression. Wouldn’t hesitate to buy another four pack when a “dark sipping beer” mood strikes me again.

Cheers everyone and hope to be back tomorrow with a beer but if not I’ll just be lingering. Enjoy whatever is or isn’t in your glass tonight.

 

I had heard great things of this beer and when I saw it was available I had to try it. Pleasantly surprised for how this has held up over 12 years. Tasted close to a fresh Surly Darkness! Scores below take the age of the beer into account.

4.29/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

2012 Vintage consumed on March 16, 2024

12 year old bottle. Obviously there was some oxidation. However there was still some roasty coffee bitterness, slight soy sauce umami character, and moderate to light fruit finish.

 

Foreign Export Guinness is the only one I keep in my cellar. It’s a very good stout when you just want a good stout.

 

I’ve been studying the directions you posted but this beer too, made it easy…favorite Guinness, draught, but heck I guess for us all, it would probably depend on the moment.

 

Stout of the Art - an experimental stout from Industrial Arts. Received from @Mikexw in a trade. Lower ABV at 5%.
Very coffee forward, almost more coffee than stout. The carbonation was missing, so the bitterness was pure coffee, like getting Italian roast instead of mild breakfast blend.
Good thing I really like coffee! Works for me.
Cheers

 

Samuel Adams Red Zone Lager



Deep Amber color with small diminishing white cap.

Aroma of sharp spicy hops and caramel malt.

Flavors on entry are roasted caramel malt with a lift from the hops. Roasted to the point of a slight bitterness yet offset by the grain sweetness. Hops are there from start to finish but really serve to balance against the caramel sweetness of the grain.

Medium full texture with balancing carbonation.

Overall it's a good example if you like your Reds on the sweet side. It is tasty, clean and uncomplicated.

 

Not this trip, I only had one evening and I chose to go with a "new to me" brewery. Next trip to Columbus, I'll be all over CBC and their magnificent (IMHO) IPA.

 

Jacks abby coffee helles
..clear light amber
..light body with close to medium carbonation
...musty,grain,sour dough bread, light black coffee
...taste is dry coffee, followed by grain,cereal, and bread.
..similar to last offering from jacks abby its not what expected but very flavorful and interesting

 

So I wanted something not so coffee forward and a bit higher ABV for my nightcap.

No additives, no adjuncts, nothing but stout squared. Has much better carbonation which leaves good lacing.
The taste has the hallmark flavors of your basic stout; coffee and chocolate. Also tints of dark fruits and I could have sworn it presented cinnamon at one point.
The feel was lightly viscous, hard to imagine anything thinner with as much flavor as this has.
Cheers!

 

Prost to @William_Navidson for this Goldfinger Original Lager, 5.2%ABV; 4.07 overall

Pours an effervescent gold, with some chill-hazing, & 2 fingers of eggshell colored head. Above average head retention & lacing

S: Grainy, bready, some floral hops

T: Follows the nose, some grassy notes, plus dryness & a little lime up front. Pretty dry, some limes, breadyness & a touch of grainyness once this beer is warmed up. Finishes dry with some grassyness, limes & breadyness

MF: Medium body, somewhat subdued carbonation, good balance

True to the style, easy to drink

 

Pickings aren't much better here.

 

Back to Back Barreled Souls. This one courtesy of @brutalfarce

PeanutButter & Blueberry Jam Stay Puft, 11.4% ABV, 4.17 overall

Pours an effervescent ebony with a liver of mocha colored head. Some head retention & lacing

S: Some blueberry notes, traces of peanut butter. Once this beer warms up, the nose really speaks, coffee notes too

T: Follows the nose, except the peanut butter is more assertive up front. Coffee, a little barrel dryness go along with the blueberry & peanut butter, plus some dark chocolate & vanilla as well. Finishes with some mocha sweetness, blueberries, peanuts lurking in the background, along with dark chocolate

MF: Medium body, restrained carbonation that gets livelier as the beer warms up

Just more greatness from this brewery, a sipper, but deceptively drinkable, If you aren't into Blueberries, this may not be for you

Way to go Pack!

 

Hello New Beer Weekend!!!

After a crazy work week, I'm here to enjoy a new beer, and, yes, I am enjoying it.


Cold Smoked Cherry Darkness - Surly Brewing - RIS - 12% ABV

I was very unimpressed with the base beer this season. This beer doesn't show any of the flaws the base had. It has a wonderful smoke flavor. The smoke works very well with the cherries, and there's hints of chocolate, caramel, toffee and vanilla.

Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/13014/674559/

4.43/5 rDev +6.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
From a 16 oz can canned on 10/27/23

This is a beer that pours pitch black, as expected. The head that formed was 2 finger and brown in color. Somewhat frothy looking, and actually long lasting considering the ABV. Some lacing on the glass as the head dissipates.
The aroma has a nicer cherry aroma as well as hints of chocolate, caramel, toffee and vanilla. I also am getting a bit of a smoke aroma, somewhat of a bonfire.
Taste - Woah! Damn! There's a lot of smoke in this beer! The smoke comes in waves. The cherry flavor hits in between the waves, but also adds to the smoke. The smoke and cherries really work well together. Those flavors compliment each other well. There's an undertone of chocolate, vanilla caramel and toffee.
This is a thick boy. Creamy and smooth. Very full bodied. Very slight burn on the backside from the ABV.
Damn, this is just a home run, and without the problems that regular darkness had this season. Very impressive.

I may be back tomorrow with some more new beers. Cheers!

 

Wren House - Spellbinder with Nelson

32oz crowler served in a tumblerish glass in an AirBnB. Crowler filled at the brewery a few hours ago, 2024-03-16.

Pours murky pale amber with a big fluffy head that settles slowly. Smell is primarily citrus rind, some floral and grass, a little melon and bubblegum.

Taste is dominated by bubblegum, actually, which is not what I expected at all. Moderate sweetness, some melon rind.

Mouthfeel is soft and pillowy. Overall, it's pretty good.

 

This from @bwhit They can't all be tens...

Twin Elephant Brewing's True Believer DIPA, 7.1% ABV; 3.18 overall

Pours a very hazed gold with a pinky of beige colored head. Decent head retention & lacing

S: Some citrus & grassyness, some pineapple once warm

T: Follows the nose, a little peppery hop & lemongrass, white grapes & almost like millet grainy flavor. Tangerines, limes, a little pineapple mix in with a little cream of wheat flavor as this beer warms up. Finishes with some tangerine & pineapple

MF: Medium body dialed back carbonation, pretty good balance. Carbonation perks up a little once warm, plus some acidity. This really didn't help this beer, carbonation seems stunted & the body is thin

Some times beers just land with a thud, sadly this is the case for me with this one. Still happy to have tried it

 

Kids and theater are a great idea! My 8 and 10 year olds have loved under 18 productions of Phantom and Les Mis locally plus other regional shows.