New Beer Weekend #198

Was wondering if we’d see any of your beer haul beers show up here today

@Snowcrash000

 

Adroit Theory - Abyssal Depthdread RIS, part of the Adventures In Thirst Official Compendium of Flavor Fantasy (2nd Edition).
Long week...not a bad week, but long, and not easy. Let's have a 12% RIS to cap the week off before the kids' play's opening night: Adroit Theory - Abyssal Depthdread. First beer that I've had with D&D stats:
AC: -2
Hit dice: 30
Attacks: 2 claws/1 bite
Damage: 1-8 claw/10-60 bite
Alignment: Chaotic
...

16oz can served in a big snifter. Can is dated 12/05/23. Got it from @Ozzylizard, either as a continuation of NBS BIF #17 or a sneaky participant in NBS BIF #18.

Pours dark, basically black, with a reasonably large-for-the-style half-centimeter head on the pour, settling into a thin ring around the edge with a ghostly dusting across the surface. Smell is black licorice, burnt dates, extremely dark coffee, maybe a whiff of dates in the background.

Taste is an intensification of the black licorice, decrease of roasty-burnt flavors, a bit more sweetness that moves a little away from dates and maybe toward maple. There's a little bit of a cola flavor in there, too, which I haven't noticed in an RIS before.

Mouthfeel is maybe a bit thinner than I want and expect, especially looking at that 12% number, but not quite disappointing. Overall, very nice beer. If you're looking for a pastry stout...look elsewhere. That's a positive comment.

 

Is the beer style ‘defined’ by the label?

A couple/few weeks ago I took a road trip to Texas to visit family/friends and to watch the total eclipse. I purchased a few new to me beers during that visit and I brought some of them home with me for my continued beer drinking pleasure. Last week I discussed Lone Pint Yellow Rose IPA.

Today’s beer is Saint Arnold Summer Pils. I enjoyed drinking several cans of this beer while in Texas and I brought a couple of cans back with me. I was not familiar with this brand and because of the labeling of “Pils” and my taste buds I figured it was a Pilsner. But wait, there’s more? Below is how this beer is discussed on the brewery’s website (with emphasis in bold by me):

“Summer Pils

Available April - August.

A golden Munich-style Helles. Crisp and refreshing, this beer is perfect for a hot summer day. Saint Arnold Summer Pils has a delicate, sweet malt taste complemented by an abundant hop aroma and flavor. This beer is brewed with fine German malt, and a copious quantity of "noble" hops imported from the Czech Republic.

Saint Arnold Summer Pils is best consumed at 36° Fahrenheit.

Recommended pairings: Spicy Mexican, pizza, & lamb kebabs.

Original Gravity: 1.050 (12.7° Plato)

Bitterness: 22 IBU

Alcohol Content (ABV): 4.9%”

https://www.saintarnold.com/seasonal-beers/

So, the brewery on their website states the beer style as “Munich-style Helles” but on the beer can’s label lists ‘Pils”. So, which is it?

The listed IBUs may be a clue but….

The BJCP style guidelines list:

· Munich Helles: IBUs: 16 - 22

· German Pilsner: IBUs: 22 – 40

At 22 IBUs this beer could be either a Munich Helles or a German Pilsner (per the BJCP). The aspect of “copious quantity of “noble” hops imported from the Czech Republic”, which are Saaz hops, sure reads like a Pilsner to me.

Let’s see what my palate, in a more ‘controlled’ tasting environment, says about this beer.

Served in my Polish Pilsner glass:

Appearance:

A straw golden color with a BIG white head.

Aroma:

A combination of a sweet-ish Pilsner malt aroma plus some herbal aromas from the hops.

Taste:

The malt flavor is more bready on the palate accompanied with some herbal hop flavors. There is a low - moderate bitterness.

Mouthfeel:

Medium bodied with a dry finish.

Overall:

I think this beer is very good.

But is this beer a Munich Helles or a Pilsner? Summer Pils has a noticeable hop aroma/flavor which I personally associate with the Pilsner beer style and since Saaz hops are utilized here there is a Czech component to this beer. Maybe just view this beer as a ‘tweener’?

@KOP_Beer_OUtlet @rotsaruch @RobH @Premo88

 

Tree House Shipshape Czech-style pilsner. A bright, slightly opaque golden yellow. Foamy white head that quickly dissipates and leaves noticeable lacing.

Strong, zesty hop bite and some slight peppery cracker dominate. Light bldy, refreshing. Great spring/early summer beer, especially when moderately stoned.

 

I drank a LOT of this beer the summer we lived in Texas, Jack. Your review is spot on, IMHO.

 

A little Tree House to kick off my new beer weekend.





4.35/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours a very hazy, nearly turbid pineapple color with a creamy off white head that lingers and leaves splotchy lacing. The nose is mostly tropical citrus, with grapefruit, passion fruit, and lemon lime notes most prominent.

The lemon lime is really delicious on the taste, with the grapefruit and passion fruit complementing that flavor, and there’s a nice bit of sweet oats as well at the back of the palate for balance.

The mouthfeel full and on the soft, creamy side. This is excellent, IMHO.

 

Thank you @Snowcrash000 for kicking off the weekend on German time! Seems like the board on the American side likes the extra time and starting off the weekend, digging the change (perhaps European afternoon or early evening start / afternoon American would bring in more overseas participation). @Todd

Wanted to hit the Goose Island Salt Shed opening than meet up at the Beer Temple but slept much of the day and will see if I can finish this light and easy pale ale for my planned Maine Themed New Beer Weekend.

Starting to go backwards to enter all my beer ratings here with the beer, so will now add a link to my posted rating. If people prefer a summary and link, can do that as well. Merits to both methods.

3.67/5 rDev -3.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Allagash Surf House



Can Notes: 12 oz canned 2/26/24 @ 14:20. Purchased 3/20 store temperature, refrigerated until opening this evening. Summer Lager, 5.5% ABV, brewed and canned by Allagash Brewing Company in Portland, Maine.

Summer Lager - Like a little home by the water, this lager is built for easygoing relaxation. Brewed to be super-crisp and drinkable, dry hopped for subtle tropical notes. Take a break with Surf House.

Appearance: Crystal clear yellow straw pour, steady sustained champagne like carbonation, full bright white head leaves slight clumpy lacing and a creamy cover over the base after a few minutes. 4.25

Aroma: Cracker, grassy floral, strong and drawing me in. 4.0

Taste: Note as bold as the aroma strength. Still getting cracker light salt and lemon grass. 3.5

Mouthfeel: Light and easy, hops bringing in bitterness. Is a bit dull at this stage. Drinks lightly dry and bitter overall, at or even perhaps above the ABV, fizzy carbonation adds to the light to medium watery body. Light cracker finish. 3.5

Overall: Guessing this is a middle of the road attempt, and perhaps a fresher version or draft would be more to my liking. Seems like a down the middle attempt at bringing in a non craft drinker. OK, would try once more but likely this take will be the same. 3.5

If all goes as planned, two from Maine Beer Company to wrap up my little trip to Maine.

 

Hopsecutioner from Terrapin down in Georgia, purchased locally at Beer Bazaar, 19.2oz stovepipe, BBD 7/24.

3.92/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Clear bright gold pour, nice frothy head that lingers and some nice lacing. Nose is piney resin, taste buds get that, some citrus, and some sweet malts help balance it. Creamy texture, lingering carbonation. Fairly basic IPA, well made, terrific artwork.

 

If you haven't seen this thread before, stick around for a bit; and maybe join us this weekend for a new to you beer. I'm gonna take advantage of our extra night this week since I just had several BAs send or give beers to me, most of which are new to me.

This one comes courtesy of @cjgiant whom I swapped beers with last weekend; I was excited when I was given quite a few Port City beers, one I had last weekend, now one for tonight and I still have a few left. This is one of their flagships I believe, and from what I have read and from what I was told this one leans towards classic IPA. Well it is Friday so let's find out together.

Port City - Monumental IPA (AIPA 6.7%)



This one pours somewhere around copper but a touch lighter; white bubbly but sustaining head with decent retention, some chill haze; swirling rouses up a nice thick cap that sustains again and again and leaves some lace each time.

Nose is interesting to me, it gives off some English beer character; specifically in its malt, its lightly toasted soft and almost lightly biscuit like, hops do show though; nectar laden citrus that comes off as orange or tangerine, also has some nice zest zing to it.

The taste is very resin forward; especially on first sip when cold, it gives off some really nice pine quality, there is some sticky citrus, that leans towards grapefruit; a pretty nice dose of malt balances it out and gives this beer some nice depth; gives the citrus a caramelized feel, still has zesty pop noted in the nose, very light toast quality beings to show in the aftertaste as it warms.

Body is medium; it has some heft to it, light malt sweetness; but otherwise goes down remarkably clean and fast, the bitterness is quite clean and biting, a very nice aspect of this beer.

This is a quality classic IPA, it is clean and biting with plenty of resin laden bitterness. Thanks for sharing this one with me, I really enjoyed drinking it. The zest character really reminds me of Cape May's IPA. Someday I’ll share that one with you @cjgiant I'll be tagging you quite a few more times this weekend and next

I hope you enjoyed that game last night with your Palo Santo, that was some top notch hockey, what an ending. The roof blew off that place after Willy sealed the deal, and on the ensuing face off. Now we wait till tomorrow…

Tonight let's see if Vancouver can seal the deal tonight.

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See you all tomorrow night with a new beer or two, happy Friday everyone!!!

 

This is so wild, I was literally looking at this beer on their site tonight and then wondered if they made the big cans. I may be traveling to Charleston for a night or two soon and I wondered what classic southern beers are available in stovepipes since buying a six pack of something wouldn't make sense in my scenario. This is the first one that popped in my mind, then 2 hours later popped up in NBW, must be a sign.

They pulled distro from NJ many many years ago now.

 

Yes, it is one of their flagships, though I'd say their witbier is at the top of the flagship pile. I'd agree it is a classic IPA. Though perhaps for gamesmanship in the entry process, Port City has entered it in the English IPA category of GABF in the past at least twice (based on its two medals in that category).

You and I might be pretty much on the same page with beers, but we seem to be a bit at odds a bit in the NHL

 

This beer, though I vaguely recognized the name, was a very pleasant surprise when I tried it on tap a month or so ago. I very mush agree with your sentiment on packing a strong, but not overwhelming, pack of coffee and stout in a low ABV package. I probably should've grabbed more than a single 4-pack, though I thought I saw a new drop last week in my beer store's email.

 

Ok now I’m even more excited than I was for that wit!

I forgot about your Boston past that you mentioned last week…oops

 

Thanks for hosting this weekend @Snowcrash000 - you’ve been killing it today!

Pulled from my cellar, was saving it for a SAN but we can’t do high octane beers much anymore.
Poured black like used oil and was very temporally capped with a cinnamon-brown head that reduced to a thin ring and left zero lacing.
The taste is, well, sweet and hot. Has the dark chocolate, the marshmallow, coconut and almonds. Rather amazing that I could taste all of that. On top of that is an alcohol burn that made me wonder if it had cinnamon in it. But no.
The feel is very thick. Almost chewy. Quite appropriate for the flavor.
OA, not much into pastry stouts but this is quite good.

 

Cheers to @FBarber for this NBS BIF#18 brew

Tripping Animals Dark No Mame's Munich Style Dunkel, 6.0% ABV; 4.13 overall

Pours an effervescent chestnut hued mahogany with 2 fingers of tan head. Average-ish head retention & lacing

S; Molasses, brown bread

T: Follows the nose, a little dryness, leafy hops & a kiss if roastyness up front. More leafy hops, dryness, a touch of tea & molasses as this beer warms up, just a little brown sugar their too. Finishes dry, a little roasty with a kiss of brown bread

MF: Medium body, fairly firm carbonation, a little chewy for the style

Nice flavor, easy to drink