New Beer Weekend #200

Deschutes Black Butte XXXI. I didn’t even realize I hadn’t had this one yet until I’d already poured it into my glass and looked up the listing on BA. Preliminary review below. Cheers!

4.21/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
22oz bottle (packaged 6/11/2019) into a tulip. Pours a somewhat transparent chocolate brown with reddish hues around the edges, a thin mocha head dissipates to a wispy film.

Aroma is bitter roasted dark malt, espresso, cocoa. Maybe some vaguely fruity or vinous qualities.

Taste is likewise bold and roasty up front with bitter coffee and chocolate leading the charge, followed by vanilla and toasted coconut. Boozy warmth.

Mouthfeel is balanced, medium to heavy body, lingering bitter aftertaste. Creamy smooth.

Overall, as expected, a worthy addition to the Black Butte anniversary lineup.

 

As a general matter BA is better for an early NBW start. Why not have em start at like, 5PM GMT or wherever we have decent representation that is more east than that. Cheers!

 

I was in your neck of the nape this week and found pFriem Pilsner on tap at the Portland OR airport. That was after enjoying multiple excellent beers at their Beaverton OR taproom the night before.

If I lived in Seattle or Portland, I’d weigh 700 lbs. IJS.

 

Yeah, it’s not easy

 

I wasn't going to have a new beer tonight, but with @Snowcrash000 gracious enough to open for us this weekend, I pivoted to this bottle of Cuvee d'Industrial from Allagash.

3.77/5 rDev -13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Bottled May 3, 2017.

Appearance is a rusty orange with excellent clarity and a very small amount of fizzy white head. Aroma has plenty of tart apple & red wine notes.

Taste is hard to describe. Mixture of all sorts of different things. Barrels, earthy funk, apple, grapes and an acidity that was more restrained than I anticipated. Minimal carbonation.

Overall, this wouldn't be for everybody, but I'm digging it. Not a beer you'd sit down and drink three of, but a really interesting mix of flavors and aromas.

 

Thank you @Snowcrash000 for your start and solid beer presentation to kick off the weekend.

I also agree with @GlenFarclas ' post to consider perhaps starting Friday at five o'clock PM European time (London, Berlin/Warsaw), or perhaps everyone on the honor system at 5:00 PM Friday wherever they may live, to give Europeans better access at the end of the work week, and everyone something to look forward to once their weekend begins.

Hope I feel good enough to hit a brewery or two this weekend, but will stick with my suburban Chicago stash in the interim, starting with the first of two on hand from Roaring Table. This one a Silver World Beer Cup in the German-Style Altbier category in 2023. I haven't had too many in this style, but between the brewery, award and fresh drop, picked up this single. Wish I could hit their brewery on Metra, they are too far without sidewalks that way to hit from their closest station (can note stated visit our taproom).

Roaring Table Easy Hour

3.98/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4



Full review linked in the beer title.

Overall: This is a solid offering. I've only had a few Altbiers, and malty beers are not in my wheelhouse, but this is consistent with my knowledge of the style after reading the style notes, and is a pleasurable malty beer experience for me. Glad I picked this up, would pick up a four pack down the road in cooler weather. Well done Roaring Table! 4.0

See you tomorrow with another from Roaring Table or perhaps one or more live from a Chicago Brewery.

 

Pompous Ass Ale by Great Lakes Brewery

3.55/5 rDev -5.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Brewers notes: Pompous Ass is our version of an English Pale Ale. We used an American ale yeast to brighten up the flavour and add our own contemporary blend of hops to ensure that even the most pompous ale drinker does a double take.

Chilled pint can poured into a pretentious beer glass

Clear copper liquid with a one finger taupe foam cap

Faint toffee aroma

Taste is a faint toffee, sweet malts

Medium suds

Pompous beer is okay

 

Thanks for the start tonight @Snowcrash000. Got back home from Charleston Wednesday, thanks for all the advice last weekend friends. Some beers were shared amongst family during those days. It was an emotional time but it brought us all together for the first time in so so long here are some beers as a result of that..
Beer #1…this may be one of the only times my posts will not be live. I wanted to share a few from SC mixed amongst my normal regular NBW posts.

Had this one at a place called Ellis Creek Fish Camp right down the street from my Uncles…everything just felt right in this little moment, awesome little spot. This was paired with fried grouper sandwich, fries, and fried pickles

Low Tide Brewing - Sweet Caroline Kölsch (Kölsch 4.5%)



Crystal clear brassy straw; creamy white layer of head persists, even some moderate initial lacing in a plastic cup.

Nose is lightly doughy; floral, pear, and lightly grassy.

Taste is ritz cracker like; stem like greens, hints of fruit, ripe pear mostly.

Light body; good little light bitterness, vibrant crispy carbonation, clean finish, mostly dry, despite lower bitterness the hops linger nicely and lightly.

This beer was very enjoyable and really hit the spot perfectly, one of those beer experiences I don’t think I’ll ever forget.

See you all tomorrow with another SC beer and a regular NBW post.

——————

 

Excellent start @Snowcrash000 - feel free to keep starting the show.
This is another one that I had in my cellar for a few years waiting for the right SAN to share it with others. Well, SAN isn’t what it once was so I get to drink a lot of higher ABV beers myself.

Poured stout black with a dark brown two inch head. For a three year old stout, it looks really good.
The taste is, well, reminiscent of fudge. The can made no mention of any other adjuncts other than the cream (Imperial Cream Stout) but something in there makes it taste sweet and chocolaty.
The feel is smooth and viscous, fits the flavor nicely.
OA, maybe it’s even sweeter when fresh, or maybe it’s harsher, I’ll amend my review if I find out.

 

Hello New Beer Weekend!!!

Awesome start to the thread @Snowcrash000 . I did start NBW for me earlier today in the WBAYDN thread, and they were both great beers. Time for another new beer, and this is thanks to @WunderLlama

I Will Not Be Afraid - Tree House Brewing - Milk Stout - 9.3% ABV

This has a great flavor profile. Lots of creamy lactose, milk chocolate, caramel and marshmallow. Happy as heck, and thankful to try it. Delicious.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/28743/368857/

4.22/5 rDev -5.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
From a 16oz can dated Autumn 2023

This beer pours pitch black as I would expect from the style. The head somewhat exploded and I was afraid it would overflow the glass. The head came to 3 fingers and is a nice brown color. It looks quite fluffy overall and has quite good retention. There is no lacing on the glass.
The nose has a nice aroma of chocolate and lactose. It does smell quite creamy.
Taste - The flavor is quite like the nose. There is a nice chocolate flavor and there's a smooth lactose flavor. The chocolate is more of a milk chocolate, but also has a slight roasted flavor. Hints of caramel also show up in the mix. The lactose has a marshmallow like flavor to it at times.
Full bodied. Creamy feeling. Very smooth overall. There is no burn at all to this beer.
This is quite tasty overall. A pleasure to try.


This will be all for tonight. I'll be back tomorrow after work for more. Cheers!

 

Two monks are better than one?



Today’s beer is a beer brewed by Weihenstephaner & St. Bernardus.

Generally speaking, I am not a fan of collaboratively brewed beers since they typically are not beers that I am thrilled with. I have discussed this in the past using the ‘analogy’ of the old saying of: too many cooks spoil the broth. But I greatly respect the breweries of Weihenstephaner & St. Bernardus so I am hopeful with this beer of Weihenstephaner Braupakt Blonde Ale.

A short description of this beer:

“The idea behind this unique collaboration was to brew a filtered, strong, top-fermented beer. This wonderful specialty is the combination of two brewing philosophies - this seems crystal-clear when you take a look at the raw materials: Hops from Belgium, from the immediate area around St. Bernardus, Weihenstephan yeast, Bavarian malt - and water from Freising. The beer is of course brewed in accordance with the Purity Law of 1516. Spicy, with a characteristic yeast note, fruity and strong with 6.5% alcohol: Braupakt 2024 flatters the palate with these characteristics.”

https://www.weihenstephaner.com/new...nardus-when-belgium-and-bavaria-come-together

I find it interesting that a Weihenstephan yeast was selected vs. a St. Bernardus Belgian Ale yeast strain. I wonder which specific ale yeast strain was used.

Well, let’s see how the ‘cooks’ performed with this beer.

Served in my tulip glass:

Appearance:

A golden yellow color with a HUGE rocky white head.

Aroma:

An enticing combination of spicy (e.g., clove-like), banana and even a bit of fruitiness in background.

Taste:

The flavor follows the nose but with the spicy flavors dominating. There is a low/moderate bitterness.

Mouthfeel:

Medium bodied with a dry-ish mouthfeel.

Overall:

I think this beer is very good.

As regards to which yeast strain was used to ferment this beer my guess is that they used the Weihenstephaner Hefeweizen yeast strain since spicy and banana flavors are present.

@KOP_Beer_OUtlet @rotsaruch @RobH

 

I certainly am jonesing on that view

 

Cheers to @FBarber for this3 Sons Brewing Co. Ocean Park Pils, 5,0% ABV; 3.25 overall

Pours an effervescent gold with one finger of fast falling ivory colored head. Traces of head retention & lacing

S: Cereal, soapy hops, & grassyness

T: Follows the nose, a little bit of lemon as well, bready sweetness up front. More sweetness. traces of lime & dryness as this beer warms up. Finishes sweet, dry & grassy with a kiss of lime

MF: Medium body, fairly soft carbonation, skews sweet balance-wise

Too sweet, needs more hop bite. I could drink it if in the heat, otherwise pass

 

Skydance Brewing Co. Fruited IPA Series Juice Wolves Batch 10, 7.0% ABV; 3.99 overall

Pours a chill/real hazed gold with 2 fingers of fluffy eggshell colored head. Decent lacing & head retention

S: Some pineapple notes, a little breadyness, fades a bit

T: Pineapple whip, vanilla, a little dryness, just a little acidity up front. More awesome Pineapple Whip & dryness as this beer warms up. finishes dry with vanilla & sweet pineapple

MF: Medium body, creamy carbonation, decent balance for what it's going for

Well executed, pretty drinkable, fun offering that will do well come June/July

 

This is an awesome recollection and story about your trip to South Carolina. Really loved your pictures and review as well. Glad you scored a solid Kolsch during your trip, definitely a Top 3 Summer Style for me and probably a Top 5 or 6 overall if I were to do a serious dive into my favorite beer styles.

I LOVE pickles, possibly more than beer, but still haven't had a fried version yet. One day.

Love when the old school bars here would hand out pickle plates, a few still do if you ask.