New Beer Weekend #195

Social Project Brewing N.Y. State of Mind, Triple Hazy IPA, 9.5% ABV; Mentions of Phantasm, Citra, & Mosaic Cryo on the can art; 4.24 overall

Pours a hazed gold with 2 fingers of Ivory colored head. Sheets of lacing & good head retention

S: Mangoes, guava, oranges

T: Follows the nose, more pomelo than orange, pretty dry, although sweet orange breaks through up front. Hints of pineapple, coconut, limes & dryness as this beer warms, green melons as well. Finishes dry with lime, oranges & pineapple

MF: Medium body, fairly firm carbonation, nice balance

Insane drinkability, was hoping it would push across more flavor, still worthy

 

Nice glass

 

Come on slackers...


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Prost to @FBarber for this NBS BIF 18 Gem! Goldfinger Zlotonator Dopplebock, 7.66% ABV; 4.29 overall

Pours an effervescent hazel with 2 fingers of tan head. Zero head retention & lacing

S: Brown bread & a touch of gingerbread, plus woody hops

T: Follows the nose, fairly dry, some leafy hops & a touch of brown sugar & toastyness up front. A hint of nuttiness sneaks in as this beer warms up, pretty toasty, hints of cinnamon & vanilla, some woody hops. Finishes toasty with woody hops, Brown Bread & a touch of Gingerbread

MF: Medium body, restrained carbonation, low end ABV wise for the style, but body says otherwise

Punches above its ABV weight, loads of flavor & drinkability

 

Good morning NBW, loved the early start!

Central Waters Perkunas


Appearance: Dark brown, good head.

Smell: Roasted malt with a bit of sweetness.

Taste: Light roasted flavor, toasted bread, creamy feel. Tastes like a standard brown ale. Maybe a hint of fruitiness as it warms, but mostly stays in the toasted bread lane, pretty light body for a baltic porter.

Overall: Obtained in a trade, this is a decent porter, but reminds me more of a plain ol' brown ale. It is an easy drinker for a baltic porter.

thanks @cheeseheadinMinneapolis !

 

Crosstown Brewing Co.
Sixth Sense Munich Dunkel



Rich, dark cola like color with good tan cap and lacing.

Aroma of sweet malt and that's about it. Thought I'd at least pick up some hints of roasted barley but didn't. No real hop presence that I could detect.

Taste is simple but satisfying. Mostly sweet malt with some deeper roasty elements around the edges and a bit of hops to even things out.

Medium full texture with balancing carbonation.

It's a richer, more flavorful profile than the usual AALs and worth stocking up for a cookout or social gathering. Good fishing beer if you aren't driving.

 

Brouwerij Huyghe
Belgian Pale Strong Ale



Light golden color and decent white cap. Aroma of lightly spicy malt and gentle hops.

There is a touch of quality fino sherry, just a touch, in the subtle weave of flavors. Malt, spices, hops are there in a subtle sophisticated way and the overall flavor profile is simply high quality Belgian Blonde Ale.

A gentle profile belies the 8.5% strength and I suppose the pink elephant says more than the brewers are women.

 

Urban South Brewery
Throwback Vibes IPA



Golden color with good white cap and lacing.

Aroma of sweet malt and noticably green, pleasantly citrus hops.

Taste is clean, refreshing and hop forward in a tasty way. Their is a solid malt base but hops are the primary flavoring agent here. The hop blend is skillful enough I don't get high points like lemon or grapefruit, rather a tasty mix of citrus elements that even out in a rounded whole.

Medium full texture with balancing carbonation.

Overall this one doesn't really stand out as more than a competent NEIPA but it certainly runs with the pack.

 

It's Masters Weekend, one of my favorite times of the year. I've had the privilege of attending the tournament a half dozen times. It's a beautiful course, but you only get a hint of its beauty watching on TV. It's a very hilly course. If you're following a particular golfer you better be ready to hike a bit. Also, the greens are very undulating (and fast), so you better have your putter working. Tiger Woods made the cut for the 24th consecutive year, breaking the record for playing on the weekend.
My new beer for this weekend is Dapple, a dark mild ale from OEC Brewing, with an ABV of 4.4%.
The beer is a dark red/brown color with a small tan head. Some nice lacing.
Grainy, roasted malt aroma.
Roasted malt taste, sweet. Late kiss of hops.
A well-constructed beer.

 

Back to my planned pairing for the weekend, here is the first of two from Forest & Main which I plan to visit the last weekend in April.

Forest and Main Bitter



Can Notes: Purchased store temperature March 15, 2024 via one time Chicago Area drop at Beer on the Wall for $4.50 including tax. 16 oz, no can date, assuming these were canned sometime during the first ten weeks of 2024. 4.6% ABV, keep cold, drink fresh. Suggest serving glass a mug or pint glass. Brewed and packaged by Forest & Main Brewing Company, 241 N. Main Street, Ambler, Pennsylvania.

Appearance: About a minute continuous slow pour to get the entire can into a large dimple mug on a single pour. Dark ice tea like clear brown bronze base, creamy rich long lingering tan white head, not unlike a root beer float cover settles into a creamy layer over the base several minutes in, clumpy lacing left while drinking. Mild sustained carbonation throughout. 4.75

Aroma: Tea and crumpets, lemon, caramel, bold and wonderful. 4.5

Taste: Caramel toffee malt the lead, lemon tea and chestnuts. Really enjoying. 4.25

Mouthfeel: Lightly dry and bitter, very easy drinking. Light body, negligible carbonation,, toffee caramel finish. 4.25

Overall: This is a solid offering, and it held up well in the can. Will hopefully get a chance to try a cask version in two weeks. Glad I picked up this one, hits my style and taste preferences. Nice easy beer for a gorgeous Chicago Spring weekend. 4.25

See you tomorrow with another traditional style from this brewery.

 

Tonewood will hopefully have their dark mild on cask for your trip. Their can conditioned English beers are my favorite work of theirs.

 

Another week, another new Jack's Abby lager. Festbier at the beginning of Spring? Yes, please. Callista hops make it very aromatic and floral, while the taste is bready, a little hoppy with a good amount of malty backbone. It doesn't hurt that it was canned only a few weeks ago. I wonder why JA released it now and not closer to the Oktoberfest season, but I'm not complaining about it.

 

Hey what's going on?!

Anybody still standing up with all this howling wind going on???

Well fun fact, even with all the tasty beer, I am heading out later to a whisk(e)y tasting later!

Haa Ha! I will get my fill.

In the meantime drinking this:



Poured from the can into a nonic(k) pint glass.

Interesting dark bodied deep brown with a very unique dark red color body appearance. Minimal head creation, a faint tan finger manages with a hint of snappy bubbles. Settles to a decent collar, which is also thin looking and populated heavily by carbonation.

Fun aroma. Nutty hints of soft tannic pecan, and a faint touch of caramel in the background. Sweetness isn't too overbearing either on the nose. Hints a little gooey, but also a sense of wetness and possibly light body.

Palate seems to go more for basics. Light bodied, but hinted and expected for the style. Manages just a hair of roast, but a good caramel and gooey note again that is sticky. Light touches of pecan nut particularly in the finish which makes for a nice contrast. Flirts with dessert beer character but stays in a good window without getting too sweet.

Pretty interesting take on added flavors. They are really balanced and presented well, but do hide some classic characters of the base style. Overall though memorable, and quite tasty.

look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4 | 4.05/5

Cheers!

 

Tree House - Very Hazy

16oz can served in a curvy Monhegan pint glass. Can is dated 03/25/2024. Sent to me by @Roguer in NBS BIF #18.

Pours murky whitish-amber with a big, dense head, lots of active carbonation. Smell is bright lemon rind with a background of dense pine bitterness, almost earthy.

Taste is not as bright. Overripe tropical fruit, the earthiness of the bitter in the smell comes across more as fruit skin bitterness. Weak juicy undertone, dominated by resinous bitterness.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied, dry, definite chalkiness. Overall, very nice.

 

Poured into a 16 oz Nordic pint glass canned on 3/27/24. Pours a very attractive hazy yellow with a finger sticky white head that leaves thick webs of lace with excellent retention. 4.5

Aroma passionfruit, mandarin, papaya, peach, and apricot. 4.25

Taste follow but for bolder and better. Passionfruit, mandarin, papaya, peach, and apricot really balanced and tasty. 4.5

Mouthfeel is above average, soft gentle almost creamy carbonation, not sticky or dry, and at 7% hefty flavor, but easy going down. 4.75

Overall this is very impressive. I would highly recommend. 4.5 Cheers all.

 

Another one from a big haul from visiting @TCgenny (at a brewery of course).
This is an 8.5% DIPA. The label implies that this is a collaboration between Foam and Fidens, but the BA database only lists Foam. Neither brewery lists this beer on their website. The fine print says “brewed at Fidens”. The label art is quite interesting and wraps around, so the picture doesnt' do it justice. A long conga line of swimmers with the lead guy trying to get to air. A shark is in the middle of the line drawing blood and for some reason the next human is hanging on to its tail and many humans in line after him.
The only description of this beer I could find was on the Half Time website-
Created in partnership with our esteemed friends at Fidens, this brew is a delightful fusion of flavors. Infused with a blend of Citra and Wai-iti hops, it offers a tantalizing olfactory experience with hints of fresh lime and ripe melon. As you sip, expect a seamless transition from stone fruit undertones to vibrant tropical notes, culminating in a palate-pleasing journey of taste sensations.

4.16/5 rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from a 16-oz can stamped “Canned on 03/14/24, An Invitation To Tragedy”. Well that is my birthday, a good sign; but the words after are kind of a bad sign. Poured to a Nonic at fridge temp.
The body is medium gold and just one step beyond clear going into hazy. (I can count my fingers through the glass). The generous head has fairly large bubbles suspended by smaller ones underneath. It laces well.
The aroma is also sweet but not annoyingly so as there is a bitterness in the finish. There are floral notes and lemonade but the main takeaway is peach. There is a brief note of the ABV on the finish.
The body is medium in mouthfeel.
A nice NEIPA that is almost clear.

 

I've gotta say I like NBW starting on Friday night. Maybe our Australian and European friends could make this a regular thing when the weekend start in their time zones? Seems like a good way to grab some more attention and participation for the thread.

Looking forward to catching up on what everyone's been trying out after posting this.

It's good to be back on BA after missing last weekend's NBW for a bunch of chores prior to eclipse chasing and then finding all things mundane afterwards. I'm quite glad I got up early to go see it; by far the best thing I've ever experienced. Nothing else is even in the same conversation. The only part I found distressing was how many people seemed to be taking photos and videos with their phones. If you can't stop living through your phone screen during a total eclipse, when the fuck will you?! (And yes, I realize the hypocrisy of ranting about this on a beer forum as I post about my beer instead of just enjoying it...)

Anyway, on to the beer. Another from Foulmouthed for me today. Fraktur is their Kolsch-style ale and I'm quite impressed. It could use some smoothing out around the edges, but otherwise is really very good.



Pours a nearly transparent bright straw yellow with an equally vibrant quite head. This is one clean looking beer.

The nose is fantastic with floral notes prominent, joined by honey, apple and pear, and maybe just a hint of pepper, all over a doughy base.

The taste starts put just as good. Typical German pale lager flavors of white bread, bread dough, honey, and cracker get us going. Then those yeast esters come in with apple, pear, and some floral characteristics. Heading toward the finish, though, I get a bit more hop bitterness than I want in a Kolsch and the bitterness just lasts and lasts through the finish and aftertaste. Fortunately, as the beer begins to warm, the bitterness recedes somewhat and lends balance instead of overpowering, but it's still a bit more than I'd prefer.

Moderate carb and light bodied make this an easy drinker, as it should be. The carb is a little harsh, but not too bad.

Overall, this is well done and exceeded my expectations. I suspect that this is really good I the summer.

 

Fox Farm - Copestone, an English barleywine

500ml bottle served in a curvy Fremont glass. 2019 vintage, batch #2. Provided by @Roy_Hobbs in NBS BIF #18.

Pours very dark, toffee-sauce in color, with a surprisingly large, coffee + creamer colored head. Very fine, very slow carbonation. Looks thick. Smell is rich, sweet, toffee and dates and vanilla, oakiness also quite clear. Moderate nutty/barky bitterness.

Taste is more on the bitter side than I would have expected. The wood and the nutty/barky bitterness dominate, but there's a strong sweetness trying to keep up.

Mouthfeel is on the thick side, silky, with just a hint of rough texture to it. Overall, this is really nice.

 

I'm surprised by how much support I'm seeing for NBW starting on Friday. I remember when expanding NBS to NBW got a lot of flak.

In both cases, I support it. NBS didn't always work for me because I often have family or other activities that completely take up the day. NBW gave me more flexibility. Since most of my participation has been after that transition, I tend to think of it as a weekend activity -- and in my mind, my weekend starts as soon as I sign off of work on Friday.

Cheers, friends!