New Beer Weekend #223

Absolutely!

 

Elder Pine Brewing & Blending Co - Celestial Brume

It's a very tasty haxy IPA brewed with Galaxy and Nelson Sauvin hops.

Cross-posted in WBAYDN #4389 and What Mid-Atlantic beer are you drinking now? (2024)

 

Beyond coffee and coconut, would say Pumpkin is next on the list in terms of my familiarity of beers with added flavors. It's not a style flavor I enjoy, but I'm glad you enjoyed your selection today. Think Blueberry is also among the top in polarized beer flavor list.

Nice pictures. Glad you dropped in this evening, and look forward to your future visits.

It's the beyond 12 oz that is hard for me to enjoy as much as when I had a stronger tolerance. If it's a bottle like the BCBS series, it's easier to cork for the next day. Guess I've gotten too used to the 12 oz cans from Revolution that still make up a bulk of my refrigerator (I only put bottles in the basement cellar). You seem to regularly enjoy solid beers between trades and purchases throughout the week. Don't purchase NA, but am enjoying the 3-5% ABV pours more and more as the years go on.

The second half of the can took some time to finish. The 14.3% felt stronger than that as the primary flavor, plus I wasn't eating anything which I will not repeat after completing my notes for my upcoming second Barleywine.

 

Welcome one and all to New Beer Sunday #1027! Back with a second tall Barleywine pour from Pipeworks. This one wasn't aged for four years and is a touch lighter at 13.1%.

I had to look up Boulevardier barrels, and I really have no experience with cocktails or these drinks, as Manhattans or Old Fashions were the rare times I didn't drink whiskey neat or over ice. This collaboration is with Aviary, a cocktail lounge located in Chicago's West Loop / Fulton Market District.

Pipeworks & The Aviary Collaboration Flight of the Unicorns

3.71/5 rDev -9.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75



Full review linked above. Based on my experience, the base barleywine were likely the same, and I think the Murderous selection from yesterday should be classified as an English Barleywine like this one. The Boulevardier barrels and fact this wasn't aged for four years make this beer easier to drink at this stage of the morning (I've been up for four hours), but the bourbon brought a stronger more enjoyable flavor for me.

Bottom line, these are my first stabs at Pipeworks BA program (never had any before they pulled the plug several years ago), and while they are good, will be more selective in terms of flavors and barrels since the 16 oz can is a higher level of entry. No more beer today for me, but will enjoy your reviews throughout the rest of the day.

Cheers!

 

The big sours/wilds are impossible for me to drink on my own. Probably have some bottles of vinegar laying around.

 

Stone 28th Anniversary Hazy Double IPA

Appearance: Gold, lots of particles in suspension, good head.

Smell: Sweet, tropical fruits.

Taste: Moderately sweet, then lots of fruits, white grape is strongest, then some berry notes and some tropical. Drinks very easy for a DIPA.

Overall: Congrats to Stone on 28 years. This is a very nice hoppy beer that is definitely not a super-aggressive bitter beer. Very fruity and easy to drink.

 

Good Sunday morning NBS/nbw and a hearty thanks to @Victory_Sabre1973 for hosting this week. Its full late fall here in the 413, traffic is heavy with the last of the foliage viewers, the nearby corn maze is hopping every day during the dry but delightful weather we are having.
Todays offering is from Stoneman Brewing a well balanced flavorful Porter, a pleasure to drink
Cheers all

Ox Pull Porter

American Porter | 6.7% ABV
Stoneman Brewery in Colrain, Massachusetts

Reviewed by SABERG from Massachusetts

4/5 rDev 0% | Average: 4
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from the 500 ml bottle into the test glass,
A - Burnt umber color, steady pour yields a thin off white cap. Steady carbonation keeps the mocha ring active during the experience.
S - A bit of char, some grainy pepper, hint of milk chocolate. A lovely hop element, with earthy aromas.
T - More earthy hops, some peppery rye and roasted malt elements, less cocoa on the palate than the aromatics.
M - A medium bodied offering with a lovely dry finish
O - Lovely Porter, with easy on the palate texture. Right down the middle flavors, and nothing missing.

 

I mentioned last night that instead of our normal SAN, we had more of a PAN.

The one I’m reviewing now (from the Mitten Brewery) one brought to us by one of our participants, not sure I would have bought it on my own, but it turned out well. Peanuts and Crackerjacks Imperial Porter.
The pour is like coffee in color, and medium roast at that, probably the lightest in color of the night.
The taste is, well, akin to liquid crackerjacks - has some caramel and a little something that might be popcorn with a whole lot of peanut. The base porter is pretty good too.
The feel is light, just shy of viscous, which for the flavors and ABV makes for a very easy quaffing beer that is probably best sipped.
OA, probably wouldn’t have tried this if someone hadn’t given it to me, and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.

I took two of my favorites (as they were lower ABV than most others I have) and while they drank them, neither cared for the smoked Porter (!!!) and only middling enjoyment of King Titus. Poor souls don’t know what they are missing, but I tried!

We had one stout while the person with the longest drive was there, Narwhal was her choice, Garth and I drank the Dragon’s Milk after. Think it was the last Stroopwafel variant I had, which is good. (Wasn’t my favorite by a long shot)
Back later with my “circus” beers!

 

Covert Artisan Egg Pie BBA Imperial Stout, 12% ABV. Pours thick and black, with a one-finger dark-brown head that left no lacing. Aroma is chocolate and bourbon. Flavor is bourbon and chocolate (from malt), slightly sweet, slightly bitter, no burn. No add-junks unless you consider bourbon an add-junk. Excellent mouthfeel, overall outstanding, to world-class adjacent. Hella solid non-add-junk BBA stout, Buffalo Trace 24-mo BA. No egg in it, 'Egg Pie' is someone's nickname.

4.51/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

 

Early voted last week, in & out in 20 minutes. A perk of living in a smallish town

 

We closed our pool for the season, and this morning I put away the umbrella and chairs. Doing that made me thirsty, so I sat down for a beer. As I sat down, I realized there was some football to watch. Colts/Texans on TV, and Flock of Moons Flocktoberfest in my glass. Life is good!
A clear dark amber color. Two inch tan head, a bit of lace.
Aroma of sweet malt, earthy hops.
Taste of caramel, molasses. Some late bitterness.
Medium-bodied.
Very drinkable.

 

Covert Artisan Attache Democracy Pick-A BBA Imperial Oatmeal Stout, 12% ABV. Pours thick and black, with a half-finger brown head that left no lacing. Aromas is vanilla and chocolate. Taste is chocolate, coffee, and vanilla, quite sweet, some bourbon, slightly bitter. Smooth oatmeal mouthfeel, overall outstanding. BA in 10-year Willite Estate bourbon barrel, and again in a few small-format Far North Minnesota Rye barrels.

4.4/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

 

Today I have a new one from the ever prolific Other Half- G is for Green. 8.5% featuring Citra and Simcoe.

Poured from a 16 oz can stamped 10/07/24 to a Nonic at fridge temp. Purchased cold, kept cold. Rather expensive, I paid over $20 for a 4-pack, don’t remember exact price.
3.75-The body is a hazy, resembling filtered pineapple juice. The .25-inch/6mm white head is unimpressive, but does leave some nice lace.
4.0-The aroma is pungent orange rind.
4.0 Taste is rind up front with alcohol playing a big part mid through to the finish. Lime is recognizable. Maybe some peach or berries but that’s a strain for me to identify.
3.75-The mouthfeel is soft but light. Carbonation is about right.
4.0-This is an alcohol-forward version of this style. I wouldn’t session it, but pretty good as a one and done.

 

It's been a long time since I've seen something from the "Big Eddy" series. Had to look back at my handwritten beer notes from prior to 2017 when I started reviewing. I found a Doppelbock and "Uber" Oktoberfest, but no RIS. Cheers!

 

Good Sunday afternoon, New Beer Sippers and commentators. What a beautiful weekend it's been! Golden sunshine, crisp temperatures, and brilliant foliage. I wish it didn't have to end. Our local brewery, Autodidact Beer, is primarily known for its excellent hazy IPAs, along with Lagers and Pilsners. This weekend, for example, the draught list includes two different Czech Pale Lagers, a Light Lager, a Märzen, and about 5 IPAs. They have 5 beers with an ABV of 5.5 or lower.

I was excited when Auto canned a small batch of My Dark Passenger, an Imperial (8.2%) Porter. I don't see this style very much in our area. I'm not surprised to report that it is very well crafted and tasty.

Canned on 10/2/2024. I removed the can from the fridge about 2 hours before pouring. The color is a dark mahogany with cola hues at the bottom of the glass. It sports a large, fluffy, khaki-colored head with excellent retention and thick, clinging lacing. The smell includes roasted malt, chocolate, coffee, burnt nuts, and tobacco smoke. It is roasty and sweeter than the nose indicates. The dark chocolate leads but it is balanced by dry, earthy, nutty char. The coffee is burnt and acidic (in a good way) and there is noticeable bitterness throughout. Good depth of flavor. For a Porter it has a thick, creamy mouth feel with moderate carbonation, and it doesn't drink like 8.2% ABV. It is an excellent example of the style.

4.19/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

I hope everyone is enjoying his/her new beer this weekend. As always, I enjoy reading your reviews. Have a great week! Cheers, NBW!