New Beer Weekend #223

Watching my Yankees play in the World Series for the 1st time in 15 years! My son and I are drinking a Parish Brewing's West Coast Ghost. I am going to say something controversial, this beer is near perfect!

 

Two heads are better than one?

Last week I discussed Mainstay Oktoberfest and this weekend I will be discussing the 2024 version of Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest which is a collaboratively brewed beer:

“Oktoberfest

2024 Collaboration Festbier

Our authentic Oktoberfest is a collaboration with Brauerei Gutmann, an iconic German brewer that’s been family-owned since 1707. This classic Festbier is smooth and balanced with biscuity malt flavor and a clean finish. Prost!

STYLE: Festbier

ABV: 6%

IBU: 30

Malts: Munich, Pilsner, Two-row Pale, Wheat

Hops: Hersbrucker, Loral, Saphir, Spalter

Yeast: Lager”

https://sierranevada.com/brews/oktoberfest

And on the can’s label (see photo below) the term “Oktoberfest” is in larger font with the term “Festbier” in smaller font below.

Served in my Spiegelau Lager Glass:

Appearance:

Golden colored with a BIG white head.

Aroma:

A vibrant bready aroma.

Taste:

The flavor follows the nose with mostly a bready malt flavor but also some very subtle herbal/floral hop flavors. There is a moderate bitterness.

Mouthfeel:

Medium bodied with a medium carbonation level. There is a dry finish.

Overall:

I enjoyed drinking this beer, I think it is very good. The highlight of this beer for me was the vibrant bready aroma.

Cheers!

@KOP_Beer_OUtlet @rotsaruch @RobH

 

"And there's a ghost, ghost, ghost

Livin' in my head"

https://youtu.be/jVC9GXHp68o

 

Sierra Nevada — Celebration 2024

This time has come. While this is not a new beer, I'm drinking the 2024 version for the first time.

Like in the previous years, the beer pours bright reddish-brown with a huge head and excellent retention.

The aroma is a pine tree, hops, and malt.

Deliciously hoppy, piney, and bitter taste.

This is true West Coast IPA — full-bodied, rich, resinous hops aftertaste.

Once again, it is an excellent, perfect beer. There will be many more of it in the next few months.

 

What a great rap tune....

 

But have you ever heard the story of the ghost???

—————

 

Enegren Oktoberfest Märzen, at Bottle & Pint

 

Anchorage Brewing Company
Turn
Belgian Style Golden Strong Ale


Gladly received from @beergoot , which was beautifully rated by my dude. Hmmm, I find I really enjoyed this one, and always wanted to try Anchorage Brew Company. Pours light semi translucent , fruity floral aroma. I like this lighter take on a Belgian strong golden ale, call me a lightweight Dave, I’ll enjoy every brew you throw my way!!!

 

I have now!

Cheers!

 

River North bucket of BOLTS barleywine ale

Holy cow the icy hot alcohol whisked my mouth swoosh! Honestly this is my first barley wine.! Pours amber with micro frothy head that swelled and receded. The strongest brew 11.5% was my immediate impression. Sweet malts, brown sugar, toffee taste. Woody, sticky, sweet, warm…. It’s a sipper! Thanks @beergoot , twofer tonight!

 

Equilibrium Lightspeed Pale Ale, 4.8% ABV; 4.43 overall

Pours a very hazed gold with 2 fingers of eggshell colored head. Great head retention & lacing

S: Melons & passion fruit, faded just a little as the can was drained

T: Follows the nose, a little pomegranate, & some pear up front. Orange juice, passion fruit, some dryness & a kiss of green melons as this beer warms up. Finishes a little dry, with orange juice, a little lime & some green melon & pineapple

MF: Medium body, dialed back carbonation, nice balance, slight acidity

Great drinkability, the juicyness really popped for me

 

4.11/5 rDev +2%

look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 ounce undated bottle into a tulip glass at 49 degrees.

Look- Black, medium brown creamy head, opaque, above average head retention, average lacing.

Smell- Dark chocolate, roasted malt, slight coffee, between weak and medium strength of scent.

Taste- Coffee, dark chocolate, roasted malt, medium strength of flavor.

Feel- Between medium and full body, average carbonation, silky, moderately bitter, moderately creamy, mildly mouth coating, mildly mouth warming.

Overall- Great appearance with a slightly underpowered nose. The flavor was a nice mix of roasted malt, coffee and dark chocolate. The feel was toward the fuller end of the spectrum with a silkiness and moderate level of bitterness. Overall this beer provided a good drinking experience with a straight forward aromatic and flavor profile.

 

Rogue 2024 Santa's Private Reserve Stout, 6.7% ABV; 3.75 overall


Pours a slightly turbid chestnut with 2 fingers of mocha colored head. Zero head retention & lacing

S: Plenty of coffee, some cocoa, fades a bit as this beer warms

T: Cocoa up front, vanilla, a touch of cinnamon, & just a little bit of coffee & trace amounts of woody hops up front. Dryness, a little smokeyness mixes in with coffee & cocoa as this beer warms up. Finishes dry, a little cinnamon, cocoa & some traces of coffee

MF: Medium body, firm carbonation. Carbonation smooths out a bit as the beer warms up

Solid Stout, plenty drinkable

 

Good day BAs! Thanks @Victory_Sabre1973 for today's opening! Off to another autumn day here on the tundra of NW PA - looks like I'm gonna have to hire somebody to move and burn my leaves since Mrs. Lizard had gotten us plane tickets to SAT a week from Tuesday - just in time for the second half of Wurstfest - we always try to catch the play and I pick up a yearly hat pin - if I don't lose it trying to find our car. At $25 bucks for a pitcher of beer, I usually drink back at my brother's house - mostly Shiner Bock and minikegs of Gulden Draak - fallinf into the pool is a definitely possibility! Any way, enough of a diversion - back to the cross-post with WBAYDK:

Today's New Breakfast Beer:



Trip in the Woods Barrel Aged Ovila Abbey Ale – from Sierra Nevada online. One 25.4 fl oz cork and cage bottle, $24.82 (Including shipping), $ 0.98/fl oz. Received 18/10/24. Reviewed 26/10/24 (Review 3377). Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
Undated bottle. Stored at 34 degrees at home. Served at 54.1 degrees F in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. The final temperature was 57.7 degrees F.
Appearance – 4.25
First pour – Medium Amber (SRM 12), hazy.
Body – Chocolate Brown (SRM 20), opaque. Under direct light, same. When rear-lite, same, with light penetration only at the edges.
Head: Average (Maximum 2.5 cm, aggressive center pour), almond, high density with a rocky top. Reduces to a 0.3 cm crown and partial cap.
Lacing – Poor. Small plateau of near-microscopic bubbles with a narrow arch above.
Aroma – 4 – Citrus and cocoa dominate, but neither are strong. No yeast, no hops. No ethanol (11.4 % ABV according to the label).
Flavor – 4 – Follows the nose, cocoa leading and mandarin orange wafting behind. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl. No barrels, brandy or otherwise. No obvious malt characters. No ethanol. Mild gastric warming occurs.
Palate – 4 – Full; neither syrupy nor creamy, just THERE; soft carbonation.
Style: Follows the style guidelines, as loosely condensed by BA.
Final impression and summation: 4 (After deducting 0.25 point for the undated personal container) I must say I am somewhat disappointed – I’ve had the base Ovila whenever I can find a bottle and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it. This iteration, for my jaded taste buds, is definitely inferior; although, in its own right, it’s not a bad taste experience at all.
Rating 4.02, rDev -4.7%

 

Good morning NBW! The 7-0 Iowa State Cyclones are on a bye this week, so no travels for me this weekend. In honor of the Cyclones, here's a beer from Ames, IA:
Alluvial Lutris

Appearance: Murky orange, good head.

Smell: Mild orange aroma, a little citrus rind.

Taste: Mild sweetness, soft feel, orange juice with low to mid acidity. Nice soft feel, light bodied and easy to drink.

Overall: Alluvial's flagship hazy pale ale, Lutris gives a nice easy drinking experience. Plenty of orange—color, smell, taste. Orange juice taste without too much acidity. A nice pale for drinking.

 

Central Waters Brewing Milwaukee Three Double Barrel Stout. The look is pitch black with a small amount of brown foam. The smell is fudge and bourbon blended seamlessly. There is a vanilla and graham cracker scent that lingers at the end. The taste is dark chocolate, cherry, bourbon, vanilla, and raisin. It is very boosy. The bourbon flavor emerges quite strongly after it is swallowed. The mouthfeel is mostly an uncut bourbon feel. It is hot, viscous, creamy, and robust. There is low-medium carbonation. Overall, this is a powerful, slow-sipping, massive stout. It tastes good, but it has a full bourbon finish. I would recommend this beer for craft beer drinkers who have a passion for bourbon.

 

I find myself with a plethora of new beers this morning. Let's see how many I can sample over the weekend. First up is Kilted Harley, a Scottish ale from Salt Flats Brewery.
The beer is a dark brown color with some red highlights. Tiny tan head, no lace.
Aroma of caramel and earthy hops.
Taste of caramel, toffee. Nice hop bitterness in the aftertaste.
Medium-bodied, easy to drink.