New Beer Weekend #235

4.22/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
This is one impressive NZ hopped (Nelson, Rakau) hazy. Pour into a pint glass reveals a lasting fluffy head that gives way to abundant lacing while drinking. The flavor profile is melt in your mouth delicious with lime, white grape, pineapple, rind, and citrus bergamot with a floral bite that then turns toward a drying dankness with hints of resin. There is a touch of sweetness no doubt from oats in the mix. Could be lactose also. Perhaps it's a bit too sweet, however drinkability is off the charts. This is my first from Viamin Sea, looking forward to trying more from them

 

Fair State A Dose of Thunder

Appearance: Very dark brown, huge head.

Smell: Starts with coffee, then burnt vanilla cream.

Taste: Mild roastiness up front, then some coffee and the vanilla cream from the smell. Medium bodied. Finishes with some coffee bitterness lingering and the vanilla sticks around too.

Overall: Picked up a 4 pack so I could participate in Baltic Porter day. This is a tasty one, on the softer side and not super roasty or bitter. Another very good Fair State beer!

 

Just one new beer for me today, saved it since it's also Baltic Porter Day!





Jötunheim Baltic Porter - Tawny Port Barrel Aged | Gemüt Biergarten | BeerAdvocate

Might have one more new beer today, but if not I'll have some more tomorrow. Cheers everyone!

 

Happy weekending, NBWers. I've been waiting for a chance to try today's new beer again after about a 15 year hiatus. I still can't find it in MA, but got a can from a friend in NY recently. It's a bit old (BB 10/31/24), but still drinking good and far better than none at all.

Also, looking forward to your reaction (and seeing if you survive) your first Framinghammer, @jonphisher. At least for me, it hides its abv a little too well for 16oz at 10%.

Theakston Old Peculier
5.6% Old Ale



Pours a red garnet and brown with an off-white head that needs some serious coaxing.

Aromas of molasses, over-ripe cherry, black bread, a little banana, and dark fruit. I also get some damp earth.

At the head of the sip, there is molasses that veers toward brown sugar, but it isn't as sweet as that to me. Soon after, fig and cherry join in with a little brown bread. Nearing the finish, I get a dark fruit and banana mélange, joined by floral hops on the finish proper. The aftertaste is lingering dark fruit and a bit sticky.

Light bodied and low carb results in an easy and pleasant drinker. A little more body would be nice, but the lightness doesn't detract too much.

Overall, even three months after the best by date it's still drinking quite well, but then it's Old Peculier init?

 

Tired Hands - IBA (India Black Ale)





4.15/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a deep dark brown, not black like others. Pleasant scents of chocolate milk, roasted breakfast blend coffee, and spicy/floral hops make themselves known. Flavors follow along in step. This reminds me of drinking hoppy chocolate milk in a way, and it works. Body is fairly thin for a beer in this style. A different take on the Black IPA that has less roasted quality and more hints of cocoa than the norm. Interesting and tasty

 

Schilling - Jackobus



3.91/5 rDev -6.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Typical pilsner looks with a quickly dissipating head, akin to a light lager. Scents are floral spice with sweet bread coming into play. This beer tastes exactly like Schilling states: cracker (sweet), with lemony notes, some lightly floral and drying hops in the back end. It is thin, but the malt character is there, although some extra body would be welcome. This is a good representation of a German pils, not a perfect one

 

Thank you for kicking off the weekend @Beersnake . Enjoyed catching up with the thread before popping the first of two new to me Baltic Porters as part of the tasting day/weekend. Both are standard Baltic Porter offerings from Poland.

Zywiec Breweries PLC (Heineken) Zywiec Porter

4.06/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25



1/18/25 - (Bottle - Home) (Chicago, IL) Bottle Notes: Purchased a single bottle on January 17, 2025 at the Shop and Save on Nagel for $2.48 including tax.. Sold refrigerated and kept at home before opening this afternoon. 16.9 oz., 9.5% ABV. Best before 11/13/2025, believe this was bottled 11/14/2023 based on the L3318616B1237 code (First 3 2023, 318th day). Original recipe of Zywiec Brewery, brewed exclusively in Zywiec Brewery. Original Zywiec Porter with thick creamy foam, Brewed since 1881. Zywiec Baltic Porter owes its intense color and distinctive taste to four types of malt. Tastes best at the temperature of 48-52 degrees Fahrenheit. Brewed by Grupa Zywiec, Zywiec, Poland. Imported by Amtec International, Brooklyn, New York.

Appearance: Poured about 2/3 of the bottle into a shaker pint glass, yielding a generous dark tan bubbly head which lingers for a few minutes before leaving substantial soapy lacing and a creamy cover over a dark chestnut brown near black base. Fine creamy bubbles provide a thick ring around the rim. Looks very good. 4.25

Aroma: Let this sit for about 20 minuets to reach estimated proper temperature. Nice malty dark and bakers chocolate blend, some mild coffee notes, strength of aroma medium plus. Enjoying. 3.75

Taste: Consistent with aroma, though a bit milder. Bitter dry bakers chocolate, pumpernickel, lightly roasted coffee and caramel is the yield after letting this sit (was just a tight chocolate range with initial cold sip). Let this warm and enjoy the bounty. 4.0

Mouthfeel: Dry and bitter, drinks easier at first than approaches the strong 9.5% ABV. Balanced between the sweet flavors and bitter dark roast coffee and bittering hops. Enjoyable blend and chocolate caramel finish. 4.5

Overall: This has been brewed since 1881, and can see why. A very solid enjoyable Baltic Porter. This packs a punch as it catches up with you, and is providing a very enjoyable weekend drinking experience. Glad for the Baltic Porter tasting and finally getting around to enjoying this selection. 4.25

Catch you tomorrow with the second planned weekend Baltic Porter.

Cheers!

 

Back at it again, had a few days in the forties, today and yesterday; so it was nice to finally get back outside and play with the kids on unfrozen ground again. That'll change this week as insanely cold, for our standard, weather is incoming all week. Some possible snow tomorrow and hopefully an Eagles win, we'll see. I have this beer to keep me busy tonight though...

Hoping this isn't my only contribution this weekend but it may be; time will tell. Another beer from @KP7 from our little beer exchange. A style I have only had a handful of times so I'm going in with a pretty blank slate. This one is cross posted to participate in the Baltic Porter tasting being hosted by @beergoot.


Jack's Abby - Framinghammer (Baltic Porter 10%)



Darkest of brown; really nice looking head, light brown, soft puffy and creamy looking, great retention, gives some lacing too.

Nose bittersweet chocolate with dark fruit undertones, lightly burnt toast, roast notes show more as it warms.

The taste is dominated by roasted malt, its dark chocolate heavy but there is a milk chocolate aspect to it as well; get a bit of that dark fruit character on the finish; but more like an espresso shot that carries acidic dark fruit character.

Medium to full body, luscious, lightly warming in the chest; incredibly creamy feeling carbonation; bitter char on the finish, that warming sensation just lingers, almost pleasantly after the sip goes down.

This beer is super rich and luscious yet also drinks so easy for its big ABV; I can feel this one going straight to the dome though, so I, and others should proceed with caution when drinking this big delicious beer.

-----------------------

Hoping to be back tomorrow but time will tell, maybe see you tomorrow, if not have a great week everyone and go birds!!!

 

Good evening, all. Nothing much going on today except grocery shopping. Setting in for football, basketball, getting over being angry at hockey with the Bruins giving one away again.

New Beer tonight that I can't find any reference to other than UnTappd. Pocasset Pilsner from Ragged Island brewery in nearby RI. It's a 4.8% beer, not on their web site and not in the database here...yet...so flying a bit blind on it.



It pours exceptionally clear darkish golden color with a good inch of bright white foam. The foam settles to a decent ring and a couple of islands. Decent cling. Great look.

The smell is slightly sweet, bready malt. There is the faintest bit of lemon - barely there. A little herbal/grassy smell. Not a lot going on here.

Taste opens with bready and sweet malts. There's much more of a hop kick than the nose would suggest. A good bit of lemon and green herbal earthiness. Nice bitter hit on the end and the lemon carries over. It seems a bit stale, so the possibly questionable history comes to mind.

Feel is fairly light and neutral - it's nicely carbonated. Maybe ever so slightly drying, leaning into refreshing territory.

To borrow a little from alliterative master @cavedave Pocasset is a perfectly passable, palatable pilsner. It's in the middle of the pack - adequate, inoffensive, but nothing to rush out and find. Thinking in the 3.6 territory. The look is outstanding but it slips a bit from there.

 

Love that beer! I'm usually not much for variants, but most of the Framminghammer offspring are pretty good as well. They did a French toast maple syrup one last year that was particularly fun. I've got the affogato version in the fridge for tomorrow.

 

Well I decided to have one more new brew today after all, once I saw on the label that Brewfist's The Bad Sentenza Imperial Chocolate Coffee Stout was aged in Laphroaig casks I knew I'd like it and I wasn't disappointed!

The Bad Sentenza | Brewfist | BeerAdvocate





Hoping the Jackets can keep up their winning streak against the Rangers today but the CBJ haven't been good on the road so we'll see. Cheers again and I should have some more new beers tomorrow!

 

UVM Athletics & Zero Gravity Craft Brewery are excited to announce a limited-edition “ & ” to commemorate UVM Men's Soccer's 2024 National Championship.



16 ounce can packaged 1/15/25.

Moderate pour yields a one inch white head over a bright golden body with some lacing.

Nose of hay, biscuit, and toast.

Flavors of hay and toast with a bit of hop bitterness on the finish.

Very nicely carbonated with medium-full mouthfeel.

Overall, a fine lager, very fitting as a commemorative lager for the UVM Catamounts' Soccer National Championship!
Go get some at their victory parade on the 26th of January!!
Cheers!!!

 

My first new beer of the weekend (far from the first new beer of the week) is from Namacha-n Brewing, "Smoked beer factory." It's a smoked oyster stout in brewed in collaboration with Isekado Brewing. I am unable to read the name of the beer, though I think it's Nama Kado. I think it's 5.5% abv. I'm attempting to add the brewery to BA so I can then add the beer and this review.


350ml can served in a little Kunisawa Brewing mug. Beer was gifted to me by @shigg85 earlier this week when we met up and he showed me some awesome little spots in Tokyo. I also learned he has a lovely singing voice, and I bombarded his ears with my horrible renditions of his favorite throat music.

Date on the can is 2025.07.06, which I can confidently guess is the "best by" date, unless @shigg85 also has the ability to travel through time, which I wouldn't dismiss.

Pours dark brown with a bit more than a centimeter of head. Head settles into a thick skin. Visible carbonation. Smell is lushly smokey, coffee and mesquite, chocolate and I think I can imagine a little brine in there.

Taste is similar to the aroma, more of a pronounced roasted nut bitterness, and bark. Brininess and umami come across subtly.

Mouthfeel is smooth, soft, borders on creamy. Overall, very interesting, very tasty.

14 hours of sleep last night...might be more sleep than I had in four nights in Japan.

 

Tamamura Honten - Shiga Kogen 10x2 barrel aged bock

330ml bottle served in a footed pilsner glass. Handed to me by @shigg85 earlier this week. 2024/11 is stamped on the label.

Pours caramel-brown with a medium-to-large sized head, moderate carbonation, strong retention, leaving behind a thick, multi-millimeter skin. Smell is tons of dates, vanilla, molasses.

Taste is darker and boozier than the smell suggested, more burnt toffee, more wood tannins. Some cola or root beer.

Mouthfeel is light, smooth, clean. Overall, tasty, good, dangerously easy to drink for an 11.5% abv beer.

 

Yet another pleasant surprise from the Aldi grocery store. This time, it's a golden, Euro-style lager in a green bottle from Holland—Holland 1839. First, there was no characteristic skunky aroma and the flavor was crisp, dry, and refreshing with a pleasing hop bite. It is far from world-class, but considering the price and where I purchased it, this is an enjoyable and satisfying lager.

 

Ship bottom mexican stout
...murky dark brown/black appearance with a very thin but lasting head
...body a bit hefty,thick, a little creamy and slightly oily. Carbonation is below average but it all adds up to a really nice feel.
...aroma is roasted malt,vanilla, cocoa, some black coffee and mild spicy pepper
...taste has a some sweetness but the warming spice which builds works well with it. Usually vanilla dominates in an unpleasant way to me but this works and seems to coat the mouth.
...overall its a really great dessert beer without being sickly sweet.

 

Inkhorn - Java Finch IPA, another from @shigg85

355ml can served in a snulip. There may or may not be a date on it of 2025-03-31.

Pours slightly hazy yellow with a medium to small head, not much carbonation. Head is very fine, dusty. Smell is bright citrus, citrus zest, overripe tropical fruit, something earthy.

Taste is clearly WC IPA, but with an interesting earthiness and a strong floral profile over top of it. Bitter, dry, lemon rind and pine resin, with a little honeysuckle.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied and smooth. Overall, very nice.

 

@bobv - Enjoyed reading about your beer and UVM's Championship. Hope it's warm enough to enjoy the parade!

And with that, I welcome you to New Beer Sunday #1039. This is the second of two Baltic Porters from Poland for the weekend. Not familiar with this brewery, but hoping to repeat an enjoyable experience on a style I enjoy.

Browar Amber Grand Imperial Porter

3.61/5 rDev -2.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75



1/19/25 - (Bottle - Home) (Chicago, IL) Bottle Notes: Purchased a single bottle on January 17, 2025 at the Shop and Save on Nagel for $3.04 including tax.. Sold at store temperature, refrigerated at home until opening this morning. 16.9 oz., 7.2% ABV. Bottle code FO L3. 09, which I am taking a stab to guess this may have been bottled in September 2023. Browar Amber Browar Rzemieslniczy. Rich hop aroma, refreshing taste, Grand Imperial Porter stands out with its unusually thick, creamy and perfectly structured head. Dark porter, filtered, pasteurized. Baltick porter. Ingredients: Water, dark and light barley malt, aromatic and bitter hops, yeast. Produced and bottled by Browar Amber, Kolbudy, Poland. Imported by Amtec International, Brooklyn, New York.

Appearance: Poured a little over half of the bottle into a shaker pint glass, yielding a generous light tan head of thin / small fine bubbles which lingers for a few minutes before leaving a razor thin cover over the entire base and no lacing over the chestnut dark brown base. 3.75

Aroma: Let this sit for about 15 minuets to reach estimated proper temperature. One note, sweet milk chocolate, like hot cocoa powder mix. Strong, very sweet. 2.75

Taste: Taste is very sweet consistent with aroma, but the flavors thankfully more complex. Sweet milk chocolate, caramel, cherries and plums. Sweetness becomes more balanced as this warms (started 15 minutes from opening), nice malt flavors, assuming the fruit is from the hops. Nice. 4.0

Mouthfeel: Sweet. Drinks light and easy even midway through under the 7.2% ABV. Medium body, faint gentle carbonation. Lightly dry, some hop bitterness, but sweet malt is front and center, through the finish. 3.75

Overall: This is a good selection. Would have like to have had the "bittering hops" play more of a role here, and didn't like the one note aroma, but the taste is really good. I would get this beer again, and want to try more of this brewery's offerings. Dobre piwo. 3.75

Stay warm, drink good beer, see you next weekend!

 

Intergalactic NEDIPA Galaxy, Nelson, & Vic Secret 8.4%. Poured into a 16 oz glass canned on 1/13/24. Pours a very attractive hazy yellow orange with a 2 finger sticky white head that leaves webs of lace with excellent retention. 4.5

Aroma is peach, mandarin, mango, papaya, white grape, and apricot. 4.5

Taste follows peach, mandarin, mango, papaya, white grape, and apricot well balanced. 4.5

Mouthfeel is above average, soft gentle carbonation, not sticky or dry, and at 8.4% ABV big balanced flavor going down, but extremely approachable. 4.5

Overall another excellent NEDIPA from one of the best in the state. I highly recommend. 4.5 Cheers all

 

Wild Mind Ideal Pilsner

Appearance: Clear pale yellow, good head.

Smell: Sweet corn and some grass.

Taste: Hits with a little bitterness, then sweet corn and a mix of lemon and grass. Finishes in the same way, sweetness with lemon. Light bodied.

Overall: Picked up a 4 pack to try, this really hits the spot! Sweet, but not too sweet, good balancing hop flavors without being too far to the IPA side. It's only 4.1% and great flavor, if only it was $12 for a 6 or 12 pack instead of a 4 pack.