New Beer Weekend #227

Ce N'est Pas La Fin Du Monde a Belgian IPA from Unibroue
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/22/511384/

Poured a 473ml can into a pint glass. A two finger off white head on a hazy apricot.. Good head retention. Lots of patchy lacing.

Lots of fruit in the nose. You can smell it as soon as the can is opened. The taste follows the nose. Fruit up front. Lots of esters. Sweet malts. A dry piney hop finish.

Medium body and carbonation. Overall like a hoppy Triple. The Belgian yeast delivers a boozy, fruity Triple which finishes as a hoppy IPA. An interesting variant of an old favourite.

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

 

I usually do flights unless I have some solid Intel about the offerings before hand.

 

My first new beer of the weekend comes courtesy of @snaotheus who sent me this can of Double Stack, an Imperial Breakfast Stout from Great Notion

4.26/5
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Nice looking beer, highlighted by a robust dark tan colored head that had very good retention before settling into a thin persistent cap.

Aroma is interesting. Maple bursts from the glass and is easily detected even from a few feet away. Up close it’s a little more nuanced, with the coffee notes in particular really showing up.

Taste is the opposite of the nose. Coffee dominates the palate, with the maple syrup taking a back seat (it shows up more on the finish). This has an excellent blend of bitter roast and sweetness that I’m really enjoying.

Overall, very good.

 

Craft brewery collaborations are partnerships between breweries, where combined skills and creativity produces a new beer.
Hopefully, the collab is unique and special.,. a celebration made with pride. Sometimes, though, a common brew gets a fancy label and underwhelms. Especially when it’s under the banner of ‘Anniversary’ beer - which, in my mind anyways, should be a one-off something to remember.



Basqueland Brewing (Spain) collab with Outer Range Brewing Co. (Colorado & France) ‘Surf & Turf’ WCIPA

44 cl can poured nicely cold into an IPA glass.
This is a Basqueland 9th Anniversary West Coast IPA, brewed in collaboration with Outer Range Brewing Co., based in Frisco, Colorado, and Sallanches, France.
It’s an ugly ass pour; sketchy fizzle of foam begrudgingly settling on golden pond.
Trop fruit and pine on the nose. Check.
Tastes fine. Decent American hop mix of Simcoe, Columbus & Azacca. Nothing IPA drinkers haven’t had way better before.
Mouthfeel is medium, and it’s properly carbonated.
Overall, why this unremarkable IPA took a 2 continent collaboration is beyond me. Nor does it taste or feel like an Anniversary Celebration. Well made IPA? Sure. Screaming ‘Special’? Nah.,.

3.82/5 in the BA DB

 

Thanks @Victory_Sabre1973 for the kickoff this weekend, Hammerheart is my favorite brewery and it's great they are back in business!

As for my beers this NBW, I am taking a trip down the darkest aisle of the liquor store to try some malt liquors. I don't mind them, as long as they are not too terribly brewed. Planning to do three new-to-me ML's, starting with the lowest ABV:

Milwaukee's Best Ice

From a 32oz quart can:

Appearance: Clear yellow, huge foamy head.

Smell: Sweetness, with a stale corn note.

Taste: Moderately sweet, a little sour corn note, a little bit of fruitiness-pear/apple, then finishes with more sweet creamed corn.

Overall: Never had any Milwaukee's Best, was looking for some crappy malt liquor and happened across Beast Ice. It's not bad, but it's not good either. Lots of corn—sweet, sour, and creamed.

I'll be back later with more fun!

 

Poured into a 16 oz tulip glass not sure when it was canned. Pours an attractive hazy yellow orange with a finger plus sticky white head that leaves thick streaks of lace with excellent retention. 4.5

Aroma is peach, mandarin, white grape, apricot, and some white grapefruit rind. 4.25

Taste is peach, mandarin, white grapes, passionfruit, apricot, and a hit a grapefruit in the slightly bitter finish. 4.25

Mouthfeel is a little above average, soft gentle carbonation, not sticky or dry, and at 8.2% big flavor and excellent drinkability. 4.25

Overall I have not had many from this brewery, but what I have had has been very nice so far. This one DDH with Motueka, Rakua, Waimea, and Nelson. Unique and tasty. 4.25 Cheers all.

 

I hadn’t realized that this great thread was starting on Friday nights now. I’ll have to remember that as lately, that is when I tend to have a chance to sit back and relax with a new beer.

I enjoyed this late last night while watching some AHL hockey I’d recorded. Unfortunately, Laval lost to Belleville in what was their worst game of the young season. Under former Blue Jackets head coach Pascal Vincent, however, the Rocket are having their best start to a season ever. In fact, this is the first time I’ve witnessed a really good Habs farm team since the Calder Cup winning ‘06-‘07 team backstopped through the playoffs by a young Carey Price. Better yet, the team is not only relying on AHL vets for their success, but getting big contributions from several players with fairly high future expectation for the Habs. Mailleux, Beck, Engström, Roy are all looking like they have future roles with the big club. The rebuild appears to be on track…

Anyway, despite the unwanted result in last night’s game, I enjoyed this beer from local favourite, Bellwoods. (Apologies for the blurry photo).



This is Wizard Wolf w/Rakau, a hazy pale ale with a 4.8% ABV. Wizard Wolf is Bellwoods’ flagship pale ale. A couple years ago they began switching up the hops used in the recipe creating single hop versions like this one. As a big fan of New Zealand hop varieties in my hazy IPAs, I was looking forward to this one.

Pours a very hazy, turbid, light orange with a rather light head that dissipates quickly. The pour suggests a significantly lighter body than the appearance would indicate. (When Wizard Wolf was first released a decade or so ago, it was in more of a West Coast style - as most of their beers were. Over the years they have ‘New England-ified’ many of their regular IPAs and pale ales).

The nose is bursting with peach and apricot aromas with a slightly dank undertone. Very fragrant and inviting.

On the tongue, the stone fruit jumps out in front. Apricot, nectarine, etc. Sitting in behind is a pleasant orange pith bitterness. Lightly dank. Long finish.

Despite the thick, turbid appearance, this beer is light bodied and refreshing.

Overall, I quite enjoyed this. There was a time many years back when Bellwoods was the top IPA maker in the Toronto area. As they got bigger, and tastes moved to the east coast, their beers fell from the podium. Not far mind you, but not IPAs anyone would make a special effort to seek out. In the past several years, this has been changing. I’m finding myself enjoying their IPAs/pale ales more and more again. This beer continues that trend.

Cheers!

PS. To the NBW BIF crowd, I’m in the process of trying something new with a trade to/from the US. If all goes smoothly, and you’ll have me back, please keep me in mind for the spring if you’re planning another.

 

He’s back!!!!! Nice hearing from you again and I hope this trend continues, always enjoy the updates. Hope you and the fam are all doing well.

 

Thanks @Victory_Sabre1973 for starting us up! @Coronaeus - Peter - it's good to see you back! That Friday Night open thing was a surprise back then to me as well. I guess midnight in northern Europe is a few hours ahead of us.
Today's New Breakfast beer, a cross-post with WBAYDN:



Liquid Spiritual Delight from 2nd Shift Brewing. 16 fl oz can, received in a trade with @not2quick. Reviewed 23/11/24 (Review 3399). Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
Side of can stamped “PACKAGED ON 2/15/”. Stored at 34 degrees at home. Served at 54.5 degrees F in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. The final temperature was 58.6 degrees F.
Appearance – 3
First pour – Amber Brown (SRM 18), clear.
Body – Black (SRM 40), opaque. Under direct light, same. When rear-lite, Amber Brown at the bottom edge.
Head: Average (Maximum 2.5 cm, aggressive center pour), bone, high density, initially fizzy. Quickly collapsing to a 0.8 cm crown constantly renewed by carbonation, and a complete cap.
Lacing – Very good – considering the ABV. Multiple bands of near-microscopic to small bubbles displaying stalactites and stalagmites in airy vaults – looks very cavernesque.
Aroma – 4 – Distinct sweet cocoa aroma with a hint of caramel - no yeast, no hops. No ethanol (11.5 % ABV according to the label).
Flavor – 4 – Begins slightly sweet with cocoa. Subdued caramel as it warms. No yeast, no hops. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl. Barely noticeable initial gastric warming, but it builds to a moderate glow.
Palate – 4.25 – Medium: creamy; soft carbonation.
Style: Follows the style guidelines as loosely condensed by BA.
Final impression and summation: 4 Looks like virtually every other American Imperial Stout on the market. Pleasing cocoa/caramel aroma/taste, with little trace of bitterness. Well-hidden alcohol. Very easy drinking stout – could almost be a lawnmower beer.
Rating 3.97, rDev -2.9%

Thanks, Justin, for another excellent brew!

 

Whenever our son comes down from Albuquerque for a visit, he brings some beer from his favorite brewery, Flock of Moons. After trying three different styles from them, I have to agree. Today I'm drinking Stormo di Foglie, an Italian pilsner with an ABV of 5.1%.
The beer is a clear pale gold color. A big, fluffy white head that subsides quickly. Some lace.
Aroma of sweet malt, cut grass, and floral hops.
Upfront caramel with a hint of lemon. Light hop bitterness mid taste, and this persists.
Crisp, clean mouthfeel.

 

Lakefront Brewery Black Friday Five Year 2023. An imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels for five years. 15.5% ABV. Courtesy of @cheeseheadinMinneapolis. The annual release of Black Friday at Lakefront Brewery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is a Wisconsin craft beer institution. The look is perfect black, with light brown foam that immediately disappeared. The smell is very strong and inviting. Caramel, milk chocolate, vanilla, and graham cracker scents explode from the glass. The taste is incredible. Succulent milk chocolate and caramel flavors are very intense, and waves of vanilla and graham cracker follow, finishing up with cherry and leather flavors at its completion. There is a touch of bourbon flavor, but is in the background, waiting to be noticed. The mouthfeel is very silky, velvety, and smooth, with light carbonation. Overall, this is an exceptional barrel-aged imperial stout. One of the best I have ever experienced. Thank you for giving me this opportunity, @cheeseheadinMinneapolis! I plan to go to Lakefront Brewery on Black Friday this year.

 

I don’t remember the last time I ordered a flight @JackHorzempa. That could be more of a product of my lack of brewery exploring these days than choice.

What I do enjoy is when breweries offer a variety of pour sizes for everything. Allows the variety of taking your time with each beer without worrying about the others warming up. I’ll call it a flight with no time crunch I guess.

 

Thanks Jon, and @Ozzylizard . It’s good to be back. I’ve missed perusing, reading and posting here. I’ve also been itching to BIF again. We’re taking the kids and a friend of theirs to a winter carnival at the big amusement park later today, so I’m guessing I’ll have a few minutes to relax with another beer later tonight when they all pass out from exhaustion. I will try not to forget to share!

Hope all is well with you and your family as well Jon. Your Leafs are looking like a more complete team this year under Berube. Especially, considering their play with Matthews out.



Also, I haven’t forgotten about the box I promised you eons ago. If there is a mild stretch closer to Christmas, I’ll try to get it out. Otherwise in the new year. Godspeed has figured out how to manage the re-pitching of their giant Urquel made barrels and I’ve been buying the golden nectar aged within by the case lately! I need to share the bounty!

@Whyteboar. I haven’t forgotten about the box I promised you eons ago as well (including, if memory serves a 12 ounce CBS with Mountie because you said you never found one. And a bottle from a certain Belgian brewery that you’ve never tried). Similarly, I’ll try to get that out if there is a mild stretch prior to the holidays. Cheers!

 

Looking forward to another post later, we’ll hold you to it!

I have the best beer fridge I’ve had in a while and you’d love these beers, been hesitant to try again since the last one I sent disappeared Have you had beer sent to you from US recently?

I couldn’t agree more on the Leafs, they have been a really fun team to watch as of late. I loved the grit they were playing with against Vegas the other night. They are certainly playing very different under Berube, there is a toughness and outwork mentality that you didn’t see as much in the past.

 

I usually do not order flights. I like to taste a beer through various stages of temperature and feel that a full beer gives me a full experience.

 

We got out to downtown GSO with my wife after a few morning beers.


Hidden Gate extra spooky pumpkin ale. Great spice ale. Aromas and flavors of big cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, caramel, brown sugar, brown bread, toast, biscuit, light coffee/roast, herbal, floral, grass. Medium herbal bitterness and spiciness on the finish. Medium carb and body. Balanced bready grainy malt and sticky spice mouthfeel. Minimal warming abv. Great balance of malt, hops, spice all around. 4/5


Cheers

 

Great beer. I had my bottle about a year ago now. Now I'm finally out of all of my Barreled Souls bottles from 2021 - 2023. I loved having the membership but having the brewery be a 4 hour drive away made things difficult, and then ya know, the dropping a grand+ on beers over the duration of the year... They definitely make some of the best stouts and barleywines in the game though.