New Beer Weekend #228

Goose Island Vanilla Rye BA Imperial Stout 2024, 14% ABV. Pours black with a three-finger dark-brown head that left no lacing. Aroma is strong vanilla, fudge, and light rye spice. Taste is roast malt, vanilla, rye spice, and bourbon. Decent mouthfeel, overall world-class. Let this one warm at least 30 minutes before judging it, and don't expect a pastry stout.

4.63/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

I preferred the 2018 Vanilla, which wasn't Rye BA. It was sweeter and didn't have the rye spice. That said, the vanilla noticeably fell off on that one within six months.

 

I ended up drunk as shit before the closed at 4pm , so i don't know if access to them changes much for me

 

Good evening - realized I'd never tried the base beer of Curieux (which I recall as being a little harsh in some ways), was surprised to find the beefy alcohol presence coming through here as well (I had assumed most of that could be attributed to the bourbon barrel) - a tasty night-cap in any case - cheers!

4.04/5 rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottled on May 1st, 2024 - enjoyed on November 29th, 2024 - poured from a caged-and-corked 750mL bottle into a Unibroue tulip.

Clear golden aureolin liquid, riven with furious tiny bubbles seething to the surface, feeding a dense rocky magnolia crown. Rich lacing forms mesas and webs of foam. Superior retention.

Sweet floral aroma with brioche and honeysuckle, orange zest and tropical honey. Lovely and inviting with good yeast character.

More grain on the palate, fairly sweet and vaguely medicinal with hints of raw honey and cherry pits. Long medium-dry finish with hints of pear liqueur and hay. Mild bitterness throughout.

Not quite medium bodied, a bit spritzy though not overly carbonated. Alcohol makes its presence known.

Very good domestic take on the style, and interesting to compare with Curieux to understand the barrel influence.

 

Good evening denizens of NBW! I found a bottle shop within 40 miles of my present location and drove there today. Red (Red’s?) Wine and Liquor in Bellevue Tennessee.
Navel Gazer was the first Tennessee imperial stout that I found in Dickson, and it is a good imperial stout. When I saw there was a BA version I immediately put it on my want list.
Today I found it, and offered to share it with my son in law (whose house we are staying in currently) and he took a few sips and stated that he had had enough.

At just over 13%, it’s not that huge a beer, relatively speaking. But when you look at the time it spent in the barrel, you begin to understand-

2 months shy of 3 years. Might be the longest barrel aged beer I’ve had to date.
The barrel was understandably potent, and the bourbon was so strong it pretty much overpowered the beer.
The appearance was standard stout black with very short lived medium brown head. The aroma was so potent I could even smell it, the bourbon reached out and smacked me in the nose.
The taste rather follows, more bourbon and oak than the stout that was put into the barrel.
The feel is lighter than expected, very lightly viscous which makes it easy to drink bigger sips I guess.
OA, glad to have been able to try it, another stout that I prefer the base version more than the barrel aged version.
I got a number of other new to me beers but this one is one and done for me.
See you tomorrow!

 

Sleep is screwed up as my usual night owl preference is winning out, but need to get to bed for a drinking outing this afternoon.

Forgoing the weekend full of BA stouts today for a fresh (6 day old) brand new beer from Hop Butcher For The World. Sometimes their beers have a bit of burn until 10-14 days out, so hopefully this isn't too ambitious. This is also a new hop to me "Krush" with tasting notes in the Can Notes section below.

Hop Butcher For The World Meet The Krushes

3.67/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5



11/30/24 - (Can - Home) (Chicago, IL)

Can Notes: Purchased a single can for $4.55 with tax on November 27, 2024 at Beer on the Wall Park Ridge. Purchased at store temperature, refrigerated at home until this morning. 16 oz canned 11/24/24 @ 12:43:22, can stamp "You're Krushin It!". Krush-Hopped India Pale Ale, 6.5% ABV. Tasting Notes: Candied Melon. Lush Stonefruit and Tangy Pineapple. Artwork by Dan Grzeca. Brewed and canned by Hop Butcher For The World in Chicago and Bedford Park, Illinois.

Appearance: Dull tan orange murky base, creamy generous egg white head lingers a few minutes beyond the 2/3 can pour into a teku glass. leaving generous soapy lacing in its wake. Looks appropriate for the style, but fuggly IMO. 3.75

Aroma: After letting warm for 15 getting a pineapple lead, citrus follows, stone fruit chillin in the back. Sweet, but not overly, strong and enticing. 4.25

Taste: Orange and pineapple SweeTart in terms of bitterness, offset somewhat with a tasteless bitterness, and coming in with minor burn as Hop Butcher under 10-14 days sometimes does. I knew this going in, so not dinging on that front. 3.5

Mouthfeel: Negligible slightly prickly carbonation, sweet, watery, light to medium body. Sweet overall, bitterness avoids cloying syrupy experience. Chalky, orange, lemon, pineapple SweeTart finish. 3.25

Overall: I gave this one a chance, and probably should have waited until next weekend. The verdict is this turned out like a lot of new hops for me, too sweet. If you like the taste profile listed in the can notes go for it, but for me it's a one and done. 3.5

If I get to the bar early and the one new to me beer I'm interested in is on tap, I'll review here before the friends show up. Otherwise, I'll rate the can I bought Wednesday sometime soon, and join you back Sunday with one more Pipeworks BA beer if I'm up to the task.

Cheers!

 

Laugar Brewery S.A. (Spain) ‘Aupa Tovarisch’ Port Barrel Aged Russian Imperial Stout

33 cl bottle poured into a stemmed wine glass.
Short foam that didn’t last. Nice laceless legs throughout the experience.
Aroma is stone fruits, prunes and cognac.
Taste is a beastly successful marriage of port wine, hops and Stout. So rich in flavors! Big and boozy. The port flavor stands toe to toe with the base Stout blow for blow. Long tasty sweet finish, a shocking burst of hops, and a wallop of alcohol. Just sat there and chewed on this mfkr.
Supurb mouthfeel - buttery, dense, smooth. Mid-low carbonation.
Overall, for open minded beer (and wine, for that matter.,) drinkers looking for a supurbly crafted and creative drink, this is one helluva good choice.

Solid 4.6/5 in the BA DB

 

Good day BAs! Thanks @Beersnake for opening the thread! Today's New Breakfast Beer is a cross-post with WBAYDN:



As mentioned in WBAYDN, I saved the anticipated best for last:

Poet’s Walk from Suarez Family Brewing. 12.7 fl oz bottle, from BA Big Beer (2024) box, $10.34 including shipping and tax, $ 0.814/fl oz. Purchased on-line from Half Time. Reviewed 30/11/24 (Review 3406). Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
Printed on front label “BREWED 2020 AND PACKAGED 2023”. Stored at 39 degrees at home. Served at 53.4 degrees F in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. The final temperature was 57.9 degrees F.
Appearance – 4
First pour – Medium Amber (SRM 15), clear
Body – Amber Brown (SRM 18), opaque. Under direct light, same. When rear-lite, hazy red-amber.
Head: Average (Maximum 3.2 cm, aggressive center pour), wheat, High density with a rocky top, dropping to a 0.7 cm crown and cap.
Lacing – Fair. Tight band of near-microscopic bubbles.
Aroma – 4.5 – Rich, sweet malt, brown sugar, and dates. No ethanol (10 % ABV as marked on label).
Flavor – 4.5 – Sort of follows the nose – sweet, malty, but less dates and more “other dark fruits” Faint gastric warming. Ends slightly metallic.
Palate – 4 – Full: approaching syrupy; soft carbonation.
Style: Follows the style guidelines as condensed by BA, but less bitter than expected.
Final impression and summation: 4.25 The aroma alone is worth the price of admission. The flavor would be definitely smoothed by aging in oak barrels, preferably having held bourbon previously. Overall, a decent barleywine which I would purchase again.
Rating 4.37, rDev +5.3%

 

Now that the picture shows is that an 8 oz nonic glass? I have one and use it all the time, love refilling halfway through and the size just feels so good.

 

Good morning BAs! Yesterday’s Black Friday purchase, today’s new to me beer - BCB Vanilla Rye Stout (2024), a Rye Stout aged in Rye Whiskey barrels with Madagascar Vanilla Beans:



Bottled 7/31/24. Poured at 54°. Dark tan head, fizzy with a few rocks; poor cap retention; islands of micro dots; thin ring, no lace; black cola-like body; barely any ruby on the edges; thick legs on swirl. Nose is vanilla, chocolate, rye, whiskey; boozy warm retro nasal. Vanilla up front followed by rye and chocolate; oaky rye barrel middle; vanilla/chocolate linger. Medium body; light carbonation; silky feel; warmth in mouth from 14% abv; dry rye/barrel finish. Overall, the vanilla is front and center; I find rye always to be drying on my tongue - no exception here; rye barrel treatment further contributes to the dry mouthfeel; nevertheless, the chocolate base balances well the vanilla and rye flavors; tastes great!

4.5 | 4.5 | 4.75 | 4.25 | 4.75
Score: 4.63 rDev: -1.1%

This variant is excellent, especially if you like vanilla. For those of you who like rye/rye whiskey barrel aged stouts and vanilla, you will not be disappointed. This year’s home run from GI’s BCBS series. I will buy more before it is gone.

Cheers y’all!

 

All right, it is finally above 0 this morning, and my quick trip to the grocery store is done. I also had some work stuff to deal with as well, that was totally not fun. Might as well continue the stout train, because I need it. This beer was so kindly sent to me by @beergoot .

Mr. Sandman XO - River North Brewing - Denver, CO - American Imperial Stout - 14.2% ABV

Wow, this is a flavorful beer. The flavor is a mild dark fruit that just builds and adds other flavors as it goes on to a bourbon barrel finish. Very tasty, and so honored you sent it to me.

Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/28551/717536/?ba=beergoot

4.16/5 rDev -3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
From a 375ml bottle.

There's a nice bit of smoke wafting out of the bottle upon opening. The beer is pitch black looking in the glass. It looks somewhat thick in the glass, and while pouring. There's a 1 finger brown colored head that had nice small looking bubbles. The head retention is fairly poor, but not unexpected considering the ABV. The head dissipates to a ring around the glass with no lacing on the glass.
The aroma is somewhat light to my nose. I do get bourbon notes in here. I get faint notes of chocolate that hit my nose, as some hints of vanilla and dark fruit. The nose is a lot fainter than I was expecting, not unpleasant, but faint.
Taste - This is a tasty liquid that the flavor profile just builds. It is a mellow start to the flavor. It has a dark fruit start that builds and expands to other flavors. I get chocolate notes after the dark fruit as well as vanilla. Caramel and toffee also show up to the party. The finish is a nice barrel flavor that is a good way to close the flavor profile off.
This beer does have a full body to it. The feeling is also quite smooth. Very thick feeling. There's a bit of a burn on the back that tells you to take your time with this beer.
This beer is a tasty imperial stout, and I'm so glad I got the chance to try it.

The Stout train will likely continue today. Cheers all on this cold central Minnesota morning.

 

Val Dieu Winter Ale
7% Belgian Pale Strong ale



Poured from an 11.2 ounce bottle, the body is an opaque brownish yellow with a fluffy white head.

Aroma has the familiar Belgian nose with a little clove and bread.

Taste is more if the same, amped up a bit. As it warmed a lightly sweet fruit flavor appeared (apple or pear like) that worked well with a welcome, wee bitterness that balances the ale. A lovely mix for fans of Belgian yeast beers.

Mouthfeel is very good. Carbonation is excellent, tingly and of a good weight.

Very enjoyable beer that I will seek out.

 

I don't know what the glass is called but it is my favorite among most my glassware. The smaller size makes me feel like I'm having more ( THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID!) when refilling it

 

Well the next round is a bit lighter and the Dangerous Man rep. gave me this to try.

Chocolate Milk Stout - Dangerous Man Brewing - Maple Lake, MN - Milk Stout - 5.5%

It is tasty, in spite of me being stupid low on this beer. It seems to me to be more of a dark chocolate stout. There's lactose elements in it, but very much more dark chocolate.
Review:

3.81/5 rDev -10.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
From a 12oz can with no date on it.

This beer is a very dark and pitch black in color. The head that forms is a 2 and 1/2 finger tan color. The head retention is quite good and there's some beautiful lacing on the glass.
There's not a lot of lactose in the aroma. I am getting a ton of dark chocolate on my nose. It is pleasing, but not what I was expecting from the name of the beer.
Taste - The flavor is chocolate based. It starts off with a nice bitter dark chocolate flavor, and this flavor lingers throughout, but not always at the top. I get some sweeter chocolate notes that add to the dark chocolate with hints of lactose. The finish is back to the dark chocolate with some bitterness.
The body feels good. Smooth, with a bitter feeling on the back.
Interesting take on a milk stout. Glad I got to try it.

I think I will be going back to being heavy next with a Lupulin Brewing stout next. Cheers!

 

Watching South Carolina/Clemson. I spent the first nine years of my career in Columbia, so I have a healthy dislike for Clemson. Score is tied starting the second half.
Drinking Soul Snatcher, a ginger beer from The 377 Brewery.
The beer is a very faint yellow color, almost colorless. No head, no lace.
Aroma of ginger.
Taste is ginger, and it lingers for some time.
Crisp, nice burn from the ginger.
Not my cup of tea.

 

Well, time for a back to back here. We got this in Monday, and was excited to try it.

Night Witch (2024) - Lupulin Brewing - Big Lake, MN/Sioux Falls, SD - American Imperial Stout - 12.4% ABV

This beer was aged a stupid long time in barrels. 34 months in Woodford Double Oak, 34 months in Heaven Hill, 22 Months in Buffalo Trace, 22 months in Elijah Craig, and 10 months in George Dickel.

Holy cow!

I have not tried all the bourbons/whiskeys here. I don't know all the flavor notes here. All I do know is that this beer is amazing! Wow!
Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/40035/722544/

4.56/5 rDev +6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
From a 16oz can canned on 10/21/2024

Some drops of beer splattered out of the can on my table upon opening this beer. This beer poured like syrup. Very thick looking and pitch black pouring beer. There's a 1 1/2 finger dark brown head to this beer. The tiny bubbles lasted a good amount of time. The head dissipated to a ring around the glass with no lacing on the glass.
The aroma is very barrel forward. Holy cow! I don't have experience with all the bourbons, so I can't pick out the individual notes here. Beyond the barrel, I just get a ton of dark fruit off this beer. There's chocolate, vanilla and toffee notes as well.
Taste - The flavor is a good mix here. I am just getting a ton of dark fruit here. The dark fruit flavors are added to by nice chocolate, caramel, vanilla, and toffee flavors. The barrel notes are not harsh and very smooth. They show up throughout this beer.
The body feels so smooth and creamy. This isn't a milk stout, but the creamy feeling is there. Very full bodied. Just a faint burn that hits in the middle, but is drowned out a bit by the smoothness of this beer.
Wow, I was expecting something amazing here, and wasn't disappointed at all. This is a delicious beer.

I will see if I have another in me today. Cheers all!

 

Love this!