New Beer Weekend #206

The ultimate lawnmower beer?

I suspect that when most folks hear “lawnmower beer” they think of an AAL beer. But today’s new beer is Tonewood Lawn Boy Pilsner.

My local Retail Beer Distributor has been obtaining Tonewood beers for quite some time but predominantly their hoppy brands. For example, Fuego which is a Juicy/Hazy IPA is typically on the shelf there. A couple/few months ago I excitedly picked up a Tonewood lager, Lumberyard which is a Helles. When I flipped over that six-pack I saw that it was canned in July 2023 and I disgustedly placed it back on the shelf. WTF, is Tonewood using Pennsylvania as their dumping ground for old lagers!?! Well, in a more recent visit I saw another Tonewood Lager I saw and to my joy it was fresh(er) with a canning date of 5/16/24. But I then saw the price of $12.99 and I thought “whoa” but I bought it anyway.

Below is how Tonewood describes this beer on their website:

“LAWN BOY Dry Hopped Pilsner 5.6%

German Pils Malt & Saaz Hops. Lemon Balm & White Grape”

Served in my Polish Pilsner glass:

Appearance:

Straw yellow with a white head.

Aroma:

On the initial pour I picked up subtle aspects of Sulfur Dioxide (a struck match aroma) and then later the aroma is mostly sweet-ish Pilsner malt. There are some citrus hop aromas in the background.

Taste:

The flavor follows the nose with the sweet-ish Pilsner Malt flavors upfront, but there are hop flavors (e.g., lemon-like & herbal) as well. There is a moderate bitterness.

Mouthfeel:

Medium bodied with a dry finish.

Overall:

I enjoyed drinking this beer, it is very good.

I am a fan of Sulfur Dioxide on the nose. In the past I have sometimes perceived this with fresh bottles of Jever.

At the pricing for this beer, it will not be a lawnmower beer for me. Maybe a good beer for wealthier beer consumers to drink while watching their landscapers mow their lawn?

Speaking of lawnmower beers, I am looking forward to the upcoming AAL tasting which will be hosted by @jonphisher.

Cheers!

@KOP_Beer_OUtlet @rotsaruch @RobH

 

Thank you for kicking off the thread this evening @Victory_Sabre1973 ! I enjoyed my brief visit to the Other Half location in Chicago and look forward to return pre-post Sox game in the future.

I don't have much of a theme this weekend. "It's Just A Mistake" might capture it when all is said and done. I purchased eight beers for the upcoming AAL / Light Beer / Cream Ale tasting starting TBD around the Fourth of July.
However, someone in the planning thread pointed out two of the eight weren't actually AALs, so I plan on reviewing this one tonight and perhaps the second later this weekend.

This is a quart of beer, so I'll go at least a half in before clicking the submit button on my review. It is listed as a Vienna Lager on Beer Advocate. Unlike most of the beers I have tried before but just haven't formally review, I believe this is the first time I've ever tried this beer.

Grupo Modelo Victoria

2.85/5 rDev -4.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3



I did not get any corn flavors, just faint malt and barley. This would be a good light and easy pairing if you were looking for a beer with minimal flavor. Will finish the quart.

Weather dependent may be either home or on the road for my Saturday beer. Salud!

 

Bigger Peach by Tree House

4.41/5 rDev +1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Brewers notes : Bigger Peach is Very Hazy conditioned atop heaps of peach purée and freeze-dried peaches. This treatment concentrates the flavor profile and brings the most potent representation of our favorite stone fruit to the forefront of this offering. Pouring a brilliant hazy yellow in the glass, Bigger Peach carries notes of overripe stone fruit, fresh summer peaches, orange juice concentrate, and nectarines.

Can poured into a teku , hazy orange , one finger white foam cap , thin lacings

Aroma is juicy peach

Taste is peach, orange citrus , vanilla

Feel is creamy

Good beer

 

Cross post with Impy stout is life…

Fonta Flora - a decade under the …. Imperial stout

from the label- a celebratory barrel aged imperial stout conditioned on 10 different yummo (really?!? - wtf- this ‘word’ choice would have been one reason to not buy - end old man rant) ingredients selected by 10 different breweries-

8th state- cassia bark
American Solera- almonds
Anchorage - oak
Angry Chair - hazelnuts
Evil Twin - marshmallow
Half acre - barrel
Perennial - cacao
Veil - vanilla
Weldwerks - Coconut

looks great, smells great - alcohol is present, but not too noticeable at 14.5. I can’t pick out individual ingredients, which is good - but there is something in the combination that holds it back a bit. Overall it’s a nice beer with a ton of add-junks - I prefer a plain imperial, but I’m glad I tried! Overall - 4.2

 

Perhaps what I will drink while watching my sons cut the grass?

 

So need to go to that brewery the next time I am back home, maybe next Summer?

 

This lovely beer was sent to me by @LehighAce06 as part of my Superbowl Squares winnings

Human Robot Polotmav 12, 4.2% ABV; 4.64 overall. Easily the best Czech Amber Lager I've ever had

Pours an effervescent hazel/caramel with 2+ fingers of tan head. Lovely head retention & lacing

S: Brown bread, caramel, smokeyness comes through once warm

T: Rich toastyness, a little dryness, some brown sugar & woody hops up front. Smokeyness breaks through as this beer warms up, toastyness, a little dryness, caramel & woody hops as well. Finishes dry, toasty & with restrained caramel sweetness & woody hops

MF: Medium body, restrained carbonation, great balance

So much flavor for a lower ABV brew! This would be in the rotation, if available locally

 

#NWA STRONG Hazy Pale Ale, 6.3% ABV; 4.13 Overall. Beer is a fundraiser for Tornado Relief, we had 6 spin up in late May in one day

Pours a very hazy gold with a pinky of eggshell colored head. above average head retention & phenomenal
lacing

S: Green melons, pears

T: Follows the nose, pronounced dryness, pine, guava & tangerine up front. Green melon, peaches & dryness as this beer warms up, a little pomelo & grassyness as well, lime breaks through as well. Finishes dry, grassy. with lime, grapefruit , grassyness once warm

MF: Medium body, subtle carbonation, good balance

Solid Strong Hazy Pale Ale for a good cause, super drinkability. This one they should consider keeping as a regular, price may be a detractor though, about $5 a pint. I am hoping some of that is the charity aspect

 

Poured into a 16 oz Snulip glass not sure when it was canned and clearly they don’t care that they charge more than any other brewery in the state and yet refuse to put a date on it. Pours a very attractive hazy yellow with a 2 finger sticky white head that leaves thick streaks of lace with excellent retention. 4.5

Aroma pineapple is the obvious star, passionfruit, mango, tangerine, and apricot. 4.5

Taste follows pineapple is the leader but not over the top and it works very well. Tangerine, mango, passionfruit, and apricot all in minor supporting rolls. 4.5

Mouthfeel is above average, soft gentle carbonation, not sticky or dry, and at 8.4% massive juicy flavor, but very easy going down. 4.75

Overall this stuff is very nice. They added just the right amount of pineapple to compliment the base beer. 4.5 Cheers

 

The date stamp uses the Julian calendar for the 105th day of 2024, or April 14th due to Leap Year. Glad you also enjoyed this solid offering!

Day two of two of my false AAL beer purchases leads me to one better suited for morning enjoyment. I believe I had this in the past, but can't remember, and definitely no rating on hand, so there will be shortly.

Grupo Modelo Negra Modelo

4.09/5 rDev +21.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4



This is a very high positive deviation on my end. Perhaps I came in with lowered expectations, but this beer really delivers, and I only have about 10 oz left after drinking with much enjoyment. Would love to do a blind taste test with European Munich Dunkel offerings to see how this stacks up. My expectation would be others would be sweeter and perhaps stronger flavored, but the former attribute really works in this beer's favor.

Likely will hit a few places tomorrow with a perfect Summer day in store after another approaching 90F expected today. Til then, Viva La Crema de la Cerveza!!!

 

Brasserie Jeanne d’Arc SA (France) Triple Secret Des Moines

33 cl bottle, poured chilled into a snifter in Toulouse, France.
Fizz head on gold, slightly hazy brew. (Damn.,. the foam left fast.)
Nose is soapy with a little fruit.
Taste is sweet, mild hop, white bread (crust only.,.), touch of spice.
Mouth is a bit syrupy, medium carbonation.
Overall, the label brags this was a France Silver Medal winner in the 2021 World Beer Awards.
I have no idea why.,.

Rated 3.53/5 in the BA DB.

 

You are both incorrect, you're supposed to drink while listening to this beer's namesake...



Happy NBW everyone!

 

New Beer that reminds me of old days.

I haven't picked up many of the KBS variants since they started releasing them. But this one caught my eye because of the simplicity. A Chocolate Espresso version of a chocolate and coffee stout might seem redundant, and I'm a little surprised they released it, but I'm glad they did.



As expected, it amplifies the flavors already present in the standard version. Smooth chocolate noticable upfront, strong coffee roast on the finish. The bourbon may take a little bit of a back seat, but it still complements well with vanilla notes and drying oak. Despite the dessert flavors and the 12% abv, this beer (like most KBS imo) it isn't super decadent or rich, but flavorful brings a solid lingering finish.

It hits like KBS used to.

 

Here's an easy drinking brew:
3 Sheeps Rebel Kent Amber Ale 5%ABV
3.82/5 rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
12 oz can from a variety 12pk canned 4/16/24 into a Becker.
L: SRM 6.5 Pours clear dark honey amber with medium steady carbonation, a thin off white frothy head, random loose lacing.
S: Slightly bready caramel malts, a light note of grains, a light note of soft brown bread.
T: Lightly sweet malts, caramel, a hint of mixed fruits ie apple, distant grapefruit & zest. Tastes are slightly muted but zest rises up in the finish and it is very gently pale. Zest goes a bit wide, not much aftertaste.
F: Lightly brisk then soft medium to medium-light bodied mouthfeel with a soft medium-length moderately drying finish.
O: Very tasty and almost lightly with a very nice feel. It is well balanced with a lovely dryish finish. Basic and very good in its style.

 

Modist Queen of the Rodeo

Appearance: Dark amber, good head.

Smell: Dark rye bread, toast, hint of wood.

Taste: Rye spice, dark bread kick in from the start. Spiciness continues along with a little bit of grass. Medium feel, pretty high carbonation.

Overall: This was on discount for $8 for a 4 pack and I am intrigued by rye beers, so an easy pickup. Good rye spiciness, balanced flavor. Good stuff!